An 'Alms Box' was placed in every church on Christmas Day, into which worshippers placed a gift for the poor of the parish. These boxes were always opened the day after Christmas, which is why that day became know as Boxing Day.

Sort of -- Director John Carpenter's Halloween (1978) was made on a shoestring budget, so there was no money for elaborate masks and costumes. That's why they went to a costume store and bought a William Shatner mask, from the movie The Devil's Rain. They then painted it white, and teased out the

During World War II, the original copies of the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence were taken from the Library of Congress and kept at Fort Knox, Kentucky.

On August 12, 1895, Minnie Dean became the first woman to be hanged in New Zealand. Her crime was "baby farming." She would adopt unwanted babies for a certain fee and then dispose of them, a "service" she began in 1889. The police caught on to Minnie after six years and found her to be most certainly guilty when they dug up three bodies of ...Read more

According to international definition, fog occurs when visibility is 600 feet or less. Visibility in mist may extend up to 3,000 feet.

Praying mantids are one of the few insects that can turn their heads. They have excellent vision, and hunt insects (and sometimes small vertebrates) by stealth and a rapid striking attack. No mantis is poisonous.

A pea coat is actually a "jacket coat." The "pea" part of its name is from the Dutch word pij, which is a sailor's garment.

It is estimated that a single toad may catch and eat as many as 10,000 insects in the course of a summer.

A typical breakfast in South China would likely include rice porridge with slivers of fish, frog, or preserved egg. Also a breakfast favorite is hot soybean milk with onions.

Absolutely -- Despite his brutish appearance, Conan uses his brain as well as his brawn. Due to his travels abroad, he has vast experience in other trades, especially the thiefly one; he is also a talented commander, tactician and strategist, as well as a born leader. In addition, Conan speaks many languages, including advanced reading and ...Read more

The Pringles saddle shape chip surface was modeled after, and can be described mathematically by, a hyperbolic paraboloid, which is a form of quadric. This shape is distinctive in that it is curved at all points along its surface; there are no flat planes or lines. This design characteristic is beneficial as it helps keep the chips from breaking...Read more

Honeybees navigate using the sun as a compass, even when it is hidden behind clouds - they find it via the polarization of ultraviolet light from areas of blue sky.

It is hard to manufacture butter from goats because the cream is dispersed in the milk.

How many reasons are there for an entertainer to change his or her name? Here's an uncommon one: when your name is that of the father of relativity. Actor and director Albert Brooks started out in life named Albert Einstein. His brother, David Einstein, also changed his name to become a

It is estimated that within the entire universe there are more than a trillion galaxies.

San Francisco is the first and last city in the world to operate cable cars. Almost 100 other cities around the world have had cable cars, but all have discontinued use. The cable cars began operation on August 2, 1873. Designed by London born engineer Andrew Hallidie, the cable cars are controlled by a subterranean loop that travels at a ...Read more

Marine iguanas, saltwater crocodiles, sea snakes, and sea turtles are the only surviving seawater-adapted reptiles.

Most insect repellents used by humans work on the principle of either masking odors that might attract insects or by creating smells that are repulsive to them.

In Britain, eating mince pies at Christmas dates back to the 16th century. It is still believed that to eat a mince pie on each of the Twelve Days of Christmas will bring 12 happy months in the year to follow.

Japan is one of the most competitive soft drink markets in the world. Approximately 1,000 new soft drinks are launched in Japan every year, of which only a small number survive. There are more than 7,000 different soft drinks sold in the country.