Sort of -- Merlin saved his own neck by determining the root of Vortigern's troubles, showing him that a red and white dragon were battling beneath the foundation of his castle. He predicted that the red dragon would be the victor and only then the fighting would stop. Of course, this wasn't a literal analysis, as the red dragon represented ...Read more

On the average, to maintain desirable weight, men need about 2,700 calories per day and women need about 2,000 calories per day. It is not well understood why some people can eat much more than others and still maintain a desirable weight. However, one thing is certain — to lose weight, you must take in fewer calories than you burn. This means...Read more

In the 1850s, Ohio was the nation's largest wine producer. Although its remaining 3,000 acres of vineyards are but a fraction of what they once were, Ohio remains the largest wine producer in the Midwest.

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

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.

Both the American Revolution and the infamous French Revolution were born in coffee houses. The American Revolution grew from roots planted by patriots in the Green Dragon (some say it was the Green Lion) Public House in the Lloyd's District of London. The infamous French Revolution happened in 1789 when the Parisians, spurred on by Camille ...Read more

The jewel-studded St. Edward's Crown, worn only at coronations, weighs about seven pounds.

Winking at women, even to express friendship, is considered bad manners in Australia.

Glamorous sex kitten during the 1950s, starring in movies such as Trapeze and Solomon and Sheba, Gina Lollobridgida retired from films in the 1970s to become a professional photographer.

Lassie is the favorite movie dog of animal experts, beating out Benji and Beethoven, according to a survey of Humane Society directors conducted by stuffed animal manufacturer Dakin, Inc.

Eleven chinchillas were brought from the Andes Mountains in South America in the 1930's. All chinchillas presently in North America are descended from these eleven chinchillas.

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

Disposable diapers in the United States make up enough trash to fill a barge half a city block long, every six hours, every day.

The custom of serving a slice of lemon with fish dates back to the Middle Ages. It was believed that if a person accidentally swallowed a fish bone, the lemon juice would dissolve it.

The precise origin of absinthe is unclear. According to popular legend, absinthe began as an all-purpose patent remedy created by Dr. Pierre Ordinaire. Ordinaire's recipe was passed on to the Henriod sisters of Couvet, who sold absinthe as a medicinal elixir. One Major Dubied in turn acquired the formula from the sisters and, in 1797, with his ...Read more

Mosquitoes do not bite. They stab. A mosquito has no jaws; when attacking a victim, it pierces it with its long proboscis and sucks the blood up through a nasal tube.

According to acupuncturists, there is a point on the head that you can press to control your appetite. It is located in the hollow just in front of the flap of the ear.

Scientists at Oxford University's Imperial Cancer Research Fund found that people who eat fresh fruit daily had 24 percent fewer heart attacks and 32 percent fewer strokes.

Absinthe is often referred to as la Fee Verte ("The Green Fairy") because of its coloring - typically pale or emerald green, but sometimes clear. Due to its high proof and concentration of oils, absintheurs (absinthe drinkers) typically add three to five parts ice-cold water to a dose of absinthe, which causes the drink to turn cloudy (called "...Read more

The mistral wind of southern France once blew a string of locomotive cars from Arles to Port-St.-Louis 25 miles away before the cars could be stopped.