The Largest Hot Desert Fact 24

The Sahara Desert in North Africa is big - very big. It covers a third of the whole continent, measuring 8.6 million square kilometers - it is almost the same size as the USA! It's the largest hot desert in the world. The highest temperature ever recorded there was 58 Degrees Celsius. In a single day, the temperature can range from below freezing (0 Degrees Celsius) to 50 Degrees Celsius. These extremes of hot and cold, combined with the dry, dusty winds, make the Sahara a place where few plants and animals can survive.

The Sahara is a very hot place indeed, but it isn't the heat that makes it qualify as a desert. It is the lack of the rain. The average rainfall in Sahara is less than 8 centimeters a year (London's average rainfall is about 60 centimeters).

Strange but deadly... Fact 23

The Candiru is just 4 cm (1.5 in) long but it's an alarming fish. It's said to track down urine in river water and force its way into people's body passageways.  

Watchmojo's "top shot"

So we finally have it, Watchmojo's toughest yet sweetest challenge presented before us. It's another question why the likes of Schindler's list didn't make the list, or how fictional stuff (as hideous and famous as ever) came about appearing on the number 5 spot. 

Whatever it is, it's a certain reality that the list isn't 100% perfect, and it's neither 100% wrong, no ones perfect, just enjoy what life has to offer, and we without a doubt enjoyed these lot who dazzled the great zeal needed for Acting!  

Four parasite facts

Fact 19

Every living thing has at least one parasite that lives inside or in it. Many, including humans, have far more...

Fact 20

Parasites may make up the majority of species on Earth. They may outnumber "free-living species by 4-1

Fact 21

Some Parasites have parasites, and some of those parasites even have their own parasites!

Fact 22

Parasites are often insects, but can also include flatworms, fish, crustaceans and birds.

Keanu Reeves gives £50 million to unsung heroes of 'The Matrix'

28 MAY 2003Not many would've known about the unbelievable generosity of Keanu Reeves, this article was published by Hellomagazine in may of 2003. 

Man of the moment Keanu Reeves has shown his generosity by giving away £50 million of his earnings from the Matrix sequels. The 38-year-old decided to hand over the money to the unsung heroes of the sci-fi blockbusters - the costume and special effects teams.
Keanu is expected to make a total of £70 million from the films, thanks to a deal which guarantees him a 15 per cent profit-share, so he will still net around £20 million. Asked about his prodigious act of generosity, the actor said he already had enough cash. "Money is the last thing I think about. I could live on what I have already made for the next few centuries," he declared.

And it's not the first time the Beirut-born star has shown his jaw-dropping benevolence. While shooting the films in Australia he amazed the team of stuntmen by giving them each a £6,000 Harley Davidson motorcycle. And the actor, whose sister has leukaemia, has also channelled millions into cancer research

His gift to the Matrix series' 29 behind-the-scenes whiz-kids will see each of them receiving £1.75 million.

The highest mountain Fact 18

Olympus Mons, on the planet Mars, is an enormous Volcano, the biggest in our Solar System in fact. It measures up to 600km (kilo-meters) across and rises approximately 27km above the surface of the planet, Making it 3 times the height of Mt. Everest! Olympus Mons is known as a Shield Volcano, as it is made up of a layer upon layer of cooled lava that make it round in shape, like a shield. It is not an active volcano though...

The Most Toxic Make up Fact 17

"History's packed with some horrible stuff"

If you see the pictures of Queen Elizabeth 1 of England, you'll be struck by her flame-red hair chalky-white face. If a woman looked like that today, she would be probably be the victim of undisputed scrutiny from the Media and people all around the world. But in the 1500s it was the height of fashion and women wanted to look just like the queen.

They wore red wigs and powdered their faces. Some went even further to get a ghost-white complexion - they smeared their faces with white lead! White lead is extremely poisonous. It rotted the women's teeth and turned their skin yellow and green. It ate away the top layer of the skin leaving horrible scars. To cover up the scarring, women put on more lead make-up. Eventually their hair fell out, their eyes swelled up painfully and their lungs were affected. Some women died - making them history's greatest, sorry foulest fashion victims. 

A Man's best friend Fact 16

Dogs can be the most devoted friends a person can have. This can certainly said of 'Bobby', a Sky terrier, who belonged to a man called John Gray. 

John Gray was a nightwatchman in Edinburgh, Scotland. When he died in 1858, John was buried in Greyfriars churchyard and, for 14 years after his death, Bobby visited his master's grave every day, sometimes sitting at it for hours at a time. When Bobby himself died, he was buried as near to his master as was allowed - by the gate, just inside the churchyard. A statue and fountain were put up in Bobby's memory. 

On this day...

25th of April, 1940, a boy named Alfred James Pacino was born in East Harlem, New York, USA. Al Pacino grew up in his hometown but later moved to Greenwich at the age of 19 to pursue his career in acting. He's considerably remembered for his active roles in films like Scent of a Woman, Scarface, Dog Day Afternoon and the legendary series of The Godfather... He went for everything! People adored his realistic acting.

Al Pacino was nominated for 5 Academy awards from which only one was his in 1992 for Scent of a Woman. During his days, he faced severe competition the likes of which included the growing star Jack Nicholson, Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall, Martin Sheen, Harrison Ford and many more... 

But that's not all to his sparkling career folks, Al Pacino's performance in The Gigli allowed him to come back down to Earth, as the movie itself was just a nightmare... But whatever film he's acted in, or directed any, or even produced any...he's one of my favorite actors...

Al Pacino in The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel (1971)

"Marlon Grando" Fact 15

One of the most critically acclaimed actors in the history of cinematography, The Godfather, Marlon Brando was paid a whopping 18 million USD to just play the Superman's father for no more than 9 minutes! His presence in the film (below) meant a huge price tag to deal with... 

 

On this day...

23rd of April, 2005, the first ever video was posted on YouTube.com. 

Like I never knew that dude...

The longest living-headless chicken

On 10th of September, 1945, in Colorado, USA, Lloyd Olsen went into his garden to kill a chicken for supper. He didn't aim his ax very well and despite losing most of his head, 'Mike' the chicken didn't die, he just carried on as he had before, although Mr. Olsen had to feed him through his neck with an eye dropper. This brainless bird grew from just over 1kg to 3.5kg and lived for another 18 months! He became so famous that people from all over the country paid to see him. 

When Mike died, his body was examined and it was found that he had been left the small part of his brain that controlled his heart and his breathing and so was able to remain healthy. It is though that without the rest of his brain he was unable to feel any pain or distress.

Ask the same question to a parachutist who'll land in your backyard

 Russian Major Yuri Gagarin (see more on him here) became the first human being in Space on the 12th April of 1961 on a spacecraft called Vostok 1. He was also the first person to return from Space, landing near Engels, Kazakhstan. Two farm workers looked up to see a parachute descending with no sign of an aircraft above. When they asked Yuri if he had come from outer Space, Major Gagarin replied, "As a matter of fact, I have."

After completing a circuit of the Earth the Vostok 1 spacecraft plummeted back to Earth and at 20,000 feet he ejected, deployed his parachute and landed in the Saratov region in Russia

On this day...

I apologize for a late post on behalf of this man, but please, read on anyway...
He revolutionized the art of Physics and Quantum Maths by the greatest factor knowledge is aware of! His unique hairstyle, friendly charm and not to mention the incredible works based on Relativity, Albert Einstein displayed an iconic memory to live on (probably stronger than any Physicist and possibly a Scientist) that offered something useful. On this day (unfortunately) 19th April, 1955, was the day he closed his eyes forever... The whole world saluted the great figure not only for his expansive works in Physics, but also his views against Wars which resulted the massacre of millions...

Born in Ulm, Württemberg, Germany on 14th of March 1879, Albert Einstein developed the special and general theories of relativity. In 1921, he won the Nobel Prize for physics for his explanation of the photoelectric effect. Einstein is generally considered the most influential physicist of the 20th century. His father, Hermann Einstein, was a salesman and engineer who, with his brother, founded Elektrotechnische Fabrik J. Einstein & Cie, a company that manufactured electrical equipment in Munich, Germany. His mother, the former Pauline Koch, ran the family household. Einstein had one sister, Maja, born two years after him.

Albert Einstein: Albert Einstein and his younger sister Maria, nicknamed Maja, were very close as children. When World War II broke out in Europe in 1939, Maja immigrated to the United States to live with Einstein in Princeton, New Jersey. (Photo: Bettmann/CORBIS

• Huffingtonpost presents some interesting Pictures on Einstein here

“The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it.”

The coldest natural temperature Fact 14

The coldest temperature ever recorded on Earth was -89 Degrees Celsius at a science laboratory called Vostok Station in Antarctica, on 21st July, 1983. The temperature there reaches its lowest during the winter months of July and August, when it is dark even during the day! 

"Patience is indeed a virtue" Fact 13

The philosophical best-seller, and one of the most widely read philosophical books ever written, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Prisig was rejected by a record breaking 121 publishers before it was finally published in 1974.



We'll be eyeing very closely on what exactly's so Zen about this book and the message Robert Prisig wanted to send across...

Deduction vs Induction (Part 2)

In the first part of this discussion we learned that Deduction is a fairly simple, straightforward approach in Scientific Reasoning. In this type of analogy, we cover a formula based on the procession of the premises entailing the conclusion - namely that the premises are true. To understand this we studied a few examples - and then chopped them into pieces to know which statement is which, meaning how the meaty bit conclusion will turn out to be.

That was Deduction, this is Induction - Inductive referencing will require some thinking to do. Let's just have an exemplification of an Inductive inference, and then we'll monitor what's happening.

Only 5 home-runs hit in the history of baseball 
have been over the distance of 100m.
All of them have been hit by Babe Ruth.
______________________________  

The 6th one will also be hit by Babe Ruth

For some very peculiar reasons - you'll have to become a bit imaginative here, as clearly seen - my baseball knowledge isn't up to date. But for pure understanding, just walk along with me... Right, the premises's first statement tells us that only 5 home runs have been hit in the history of the sport baseball - which have exceeded the distance of 100 meters. So far clear? Then; All of them have been hit by the same player (Babe Ruth). Okay, simple enough. Now, the conclusion of this premises is not entailed. But in fact is appearing to look like an assumption, a calculated estimation, worth pondering over its credibility.

There are, and there can be many other players who can hit the baseball at a distance above 100 meters. However this inference is saying that only Babe Ruth can. And relating to the context of the conclusion - he'll be the one to hit a 100 meter plus home-run next time too. 

The first 5 eggs in the box were rotten
All the eggs have the same best-before date stamped on them
____________________________________________  

Therefore, the 6th egg will be rotten too

This looks like a perfectly sensible piece of reasoning. But nonetheless it is not Deductive, for the premises do not entail the conclusion. Even if the first 5 eggs were indeed rotten, and even if all the eggs do have the same best-before dates stamped on them, this doesn't guarantee that the 6th egg will be rotten too. It is quiet conceivable that the 6th egg will be perfectly good. In other words, it is logically possible for the premises for this inference to be true yet the conclusion false, so the inference is not Deductive.  

The least comfortable shoes Fact 12

Today, most high-heeled shoes are as comfortable as they are fashionable. Experts warn that high heels can be bad for people's feet and posture, but some women continue to wear them to look good. The pain caused by high heels, however, is nothing compared to the pain caused by 'foot binding'.

Foot binding was practiced in China for over a Millennium, until it was made illegal in 1915. It was fashionable for a woman to have tiny feet, and, if she wanted to marry well, her feet should be no longer than 8 centimeters! In order to achieve this, girls between the ages of 3 and 11 had their feet soaked in herbs and water to soften them. Then all their toes, except their big toes, were broken and folded under the soles of their feet. Eventually their feet were broken across the insteps and bound in a folded position.  The pain was excruciating and feet treated in this way often became infected.

Bound feet were known as 'Golden lily feet' because women walked as if they were 'skimming on top golden lilies'. In fact, the 4.5 billion women believed to have been crippled in this way could hardly walk at all.   

The hottest natural temperature Fact 11

The hottest natural temperature ever recorded on Earth was in El Azizia, Libya 13th of September 1922. The temperature reached 58 Degrees Celsius. Scorching desert winds called the Ghibli can raise temperatures in this part of the world by 40 to 50 Degrees Celsius in the space of a few hours!  

"Un-matched adaptation." Fact 10

Tigers have the largest canines of all big cat species ranging in size from 6.4 to 7.6 centimeters (2.5 to 3.0 in) in length. The canines have abundant pressure-sensing nerves that enable the tiger to identify the location needed to sever the neck of its prey.

Highest man-made temperature Fact 09

In 2005, scientists in a laboratory in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, produced plasmas (super heated gasses) who's temperature exceeded 2 billion Degrees Celsius! This is incredible when you consider the Sun's interior is only about 15 million Degrees Celcius.

The scientists couldn't believe what had happened, so they repeated the experiment over and over again. The result was the same each time. The experiment took place in the Z-machine, which is the largest X-ray generator in the world. The Z-machine tests materials under extreme heat and pressure, such as those in Nuclear explosions.

On this day...

16th April 1997, a DNA data base for birds was launched, to deter thieves from stealing valuable eggs.

Outfoxed

"Skunk Bomb" Fact 08

The Israeli army has invented a "skunk" bomb to disperse rioting crowds. A synthetic version of the foul smelling liquid squirted by skunks is sprayed over a crowd, forcing them to leave the scene in a hurry! Now that's unique...

On this day...

The magnificent mind Leanardo da Vinci was seen for the very first time in this world on 15th of April 1542 (in Vinci, Italy). Little was it known that he would step at such a podium of success, which would guide the Scientists, Philosophers, Engineers and of course Artists into the framework of answers. Leonardo da Vinci was one of the leading intellectual of the Italian Renaissance who's known for his enduring works "The Last Supper" and "Mona Lisa."

“Darkness is the absence of light. Shadow is the diminution of light.”

Masterpieces of da Vinsci

The Mona Lisa

The Last Supper

Self Portrait

Ornithopter

Some of Leonardo da Vinsci's inventions include Parachute, Armored car, Diving suit, Anemometer (a device to measure wind speed) and an Ornithopter. To find out more about some of his inventions, have a look at this website, it's totally dedicated to him and tells you about his general life and profession in detail. Leonardo died on May 2nd 1519 at the age of 67 in Amboise, France. "The noblest pleasure is the joy of understanding."  -  Leonardo da Vinsci 

"Ice falls" Fact 07

A few caves such as Grotte Casteret in Spain, are just cold enough for water to freeze. This creates glittering, glassy ice falls cascading to the cave floor.

"Seeing isn't all believing" Fact 06

When the first Spanish explorers saw the Grand Canyon in 1540, they thought the river was just 2 meters (6 feet 6) wide because it was so far down. It is actually about 100 times wider!

The Universe pie

Technology's all around us, and sometimes in us!

Rob Spence, he records everything he sees. He has a camera fitted inside his prosthetic eye. He is the Eyeborg.

From Diagonal View

Supersonic planes grow a bit longer during flights Fact 05

Supersonic planes heat up as they hurtle through the air between the speeds of Mach 1.2 and 5. Concord grew up to 25 cm (10 in) longer during a flight, because it flew so fast and heated up so much. Of course, it shrank back to its original length when it cooled down again. 

On this day...

Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space (11th April, 1961). I'm not sure whether the Moon landing by the American industry NASA was a hoax or not, but I'm pretty sure that this isn't! His Vostok spacecraft completed an orbit of the Earth on 12 April 1961. 

This Soviet hero was a Colonel (Polkovnik) of Soviet Air Forces, a cosmonaut and a pilot too. His stay in outer space was for 1 hour and 48 minutes. Yuri Gagarin was born in the village of Klushino, near Gzhatsk (renamed Gagarin in 1968 after his death), on 9 March 1934. 

On 27 March 1968, while on a routine training flight from Chkalovsky Air Base, he and flight instructor Vladimir Seryogin died in a MiG-15UTI crash near the town of Kirzhach. The bodies of Gagarin and Seryogin were cremated and the ashes were buried in the walls of the Kremlin on Red Square.

Yuri Gagarin statue in London, near Admiralty Arch

Your spit contains a painkiller that can be 6 times more powerful than morphine Fact 04

Human saliva contains a natural painkiller called opiorphin. Due to its powerful painkilling ability, scientists are trying to synthesize a new natural painkiller  from opiorphin. It is great, because it doesn't have the same addicting attributes that morphine does and would work better with the body. 

You'll think twice before posting something on Facebook.

From Howstuffworks.com

On this day...

"Life's most persistent and urgent question is, what are you
doing for others?"

US civil rights activist Martin Luther King was shot dead on April 4, 1968. King had enemies, but many more friends who admired his achievements and his works to gain a peaceful environment between colored and non-colored people. But who assassinated this man of peace?

Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia. King, both a Baptist minister and civil-rights activist, had a seismic impact on race relations in the United States, beginning in the mid-1950s. Among many efforts, King headed the SCLC. Through his activism, he played a pivotal role in ending the legal segregation of African-American citizens in the South and other areas of the nation, as well as the creation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. King received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, among several other honors. King was assassinated in April 1968, and continues to be remembered as one of the most lauded African-American leaders in history, often referenced by his 1963 speech, "I Have a Dream." Know more about Martin Luther King here.



The FBI issued a "Wanted" poster for James Earl Ray (King's assassin). He fled the country, but was caught at London's Heathrow airport. He pleaded guilty and received a 99-year prison term. In 1977 Ray escaped from jail for three days. He died in prison in 1998, aged 70. Below, Martin Luther King's son Dexter King meets James Earl Ray in 1998. James said he did not kill Martin Luther King jr.

Valuable teachings of Confucius.

Chinese Philosopher

• A man who has committed a mistake and doesn't correct it is committing another mistake.
• Everything has its beauty, but not everyone sees it.
• Real knowledge is the extent to know one's ignorance.
• Look for an occupation that you like, and you will not need to labour for a single day in your life.
• Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. 

Temperature decides your future Fact 03

When a crocodile lays an egg, it's neither male nor female. Temperature determines the sex. If the nest is around 31.6 degrees Celsius, males are produced. Females develop at slightly lower or higher temperatures!

He knows 23 languages.

Tim Doner, an incredibly talented teen who taught himself 23 languages! Even more shocking is that he mastered each one in a few weeks! 

Here's more.