An observation by author Nikolai Gogol (1809-1852): "When a man is young, he is so wild he is insufferable. When he is old, he plays the saint and becomes insufferable again."

An insect exerts so much energy in one hour of flying that it may lose as much as a third of its total body weight.

The spaceship in the sci-fi classic The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) was 25 feet high and was built on a studio backlot. It had to show no visible openings or hatches, yet had to open at certain times. The film's art ...Read More

The Humane Society estimates that there are 800,000 dog bites that require medical attention every year. Dog bites rank second behind sexually transmitted diseases as the most costly health problem in the United States. ...Read More

The first coin-operated machine ever designed was a holy-water dispenser that required a five-drachma piece to operate. It was the brainchild of the Greek scientist Hero in the first century A.D.

In the classic French kitchen using the brigade system, this is the person responsible for the preparation of all cold foods. This can include appetizers, desserts, pates, cold sauces, salads, dressing and sandwiches. Also...Read More