What school sport has religious roots?

The Onandaga believe that the Creator gave them the sacred game called Deyhontsigwa’ehs, which roughly translates as “they bump hips.” Most schools call it Lacrosse. It is said to have healing power, which is why it is also known as the Medicine Game. Using hand-made sticks of hickory, the spirit of the tree connects the […]

Who gets the three coins in the fountain?

Turning your back to the Trevi Fountain in Rome then throwing a coin with your right hand over your left shoulder is supposed to bring you luck. The fountain receives about €1.4 million annually (around $1.6 million), and most of those funds go to the Caritas Association for help with its charitable work. The toss […]

What is the Oldest Recorded Joke in English?

A book of Anglo-Saxon poetry from the 10th century includes what researchers believe could be the first recorded joke in the English language: “What hangs at a man’s thigh and wants to poke the hole that it’s often poked before?” The punchline? (Keep it clean.) “A key.” 3,000 years before that, the Sumerians had the […]

How can clams save lives in Poland?

Clams and some other mollusks filter water to remove debris and pollutants. A water station in Poland has a setup wherein eight clams are monitoring the city’s drinking water. When they encounter heavy metals, pesticides or other pollutants, they close their shells. They are hooked up to computers that register whether their shells are open […]

What state has a “state monster?”

Every state has designations for things like state flower, state dog, even state dessert. But Washington is the only state to have a state monster. In 1970, Washington’s governor issued a proclamation declaring Sasquatch the state monster of Washington; he even affixed a lock of the legendary monster’s supposed hair to the document. However, the […]

What animals can hold a grudge longer than their lives?

You would think that a grudge would end when an animal dies. Not so with a murder – a murder or group of crows, that is. Crows tend to live for 5-7 years. If one member of a murder has a serious grudge against someone, their murder has been known to display anger against them […]

The hypothalamus is a tiny part of the brain that serves many functions. Among them, it tells us to laugh when we experience a light touch to a sensitive area, and at the same time, tells us to expect a painful sensation. That’s why we tell people to stop. Laughing when tickled could be a […]

How do chimpanzees recognize each other?

Humans recognize others by their faces. And yes, chimpanzees can do that. But they also recognize each other by looking at their anogenital areas, their butts. Rear ends serve a big purpose in the chimp world. Bottoms and faces are both symmetrical, and interpreting what a behind is saying is crucial to chimpanzees’ reproductive success, […]

How did Louis Armstrong get the nickname Satchmo?

Louis Armstrong had many nicknames as a child, all of which referred to the size of his mouth: “Gatemouth,” “Dippermouth,” and “Satchelmouth.” During a visit to Great Britain, Louis was met by Percy Brooks, the editor of Melody Maker magazine, who greeted him by saying, “Hello, Satchmo!” (He had inadvertently contracted “Satchelmouth” into “Satchmo.”) Louis […]