The Portuguese Water Dog (cão de água) was bred specifically to round up fish. It can easily be trained to herd fish into fishermen’s nets. Originating in the Steppes around 700BC it was probably brought to Portugal via the Goths. It is similar to a poodle in appearance but it has amazing fishing skills. The …
Gunpowder is comprised of 75% potassium nitrate (saltpeter), 15% charcoal and 10% sulfur. You can make explosives using three basic ingredients: Sulphur (sulphur is used in the production of fertilisers) Charcoal (like what you use in your barbeque) Saltpeter What is saltpeter? Saltpeter, also known as nitrate of potash or even ‘Chinese snow’, is the …
The average count of viruses in 1ml of surface layer water is about 10,000,000. The world’s oceans are teaming with viruses. A litre of seawater typically contains billions of viruses – the vast majority of which remain unidentified. Viruses: Essential to human existence Viruses play an essential role in the life of microorganisms like plankton. …
There are 10 million viruses in one drop of sea water Read More »
Luke Aikins had made over 18,000 skydives in his life but in 2016 he made his first jump without a parachute. He reached speeds of 150 mph as he plummetted for two minutes, always keeping an eye out for the tiny square of net that he needed to land on. The daredevil jumper was accompanied …
A skydiver jumped 25,000 feet without a parachute, check out the video Read More »
The carnivorous plants of the Nepenthaceae (Nepenthes) family: N. rajah and N. rafflesiana are known for eating frogs, birds, rats. Their colour odour and nectar attract the prey which are captured and digested with enzymes. These species grow in the tropical forests of Asia on Borneo Island, in Indonesia and Malaysia. Source: The Craziest Records, …
Annie Hawkins (USA) has the largest breasts in the world and they are all natural. She has a breast size of 177.8cm. She has an around chest-over-nipple measurement of 177.8 cm (70 in). Her breasts weigh 8 stone (51kg/112lbs). She wears a US size 52I bra (102ZZZ UK size), because it is the largest available …
Wait who was Hannibal again? Hannibal was up there with Julius Ceasar and Alexander the Great as one of the great military leaders in history. He fought for the Carthaginian Empire (Carthage is now Tunisia) against the Roman Empire. Born in 247BC, from the age of 9 he went on campaigns with his Dad who …
Hannibal brought ‘War Elephants’ through the Alps Read More »
When astronaut Scott Kelly got back from his year-long stay on the ISS, he was technically 0.01 second younger than his twin brother Mark Kelly who stayed on Earth. This is because of the combined time-dilation effects of low-gravity and high-speed. 1.) The further away you are from Earth, the slower time passes, because there’s …
Most people who are in shape can pedal fast enough to produce about 100-150 watts; enough to power a fluorescent bulb, a computer monitor, a charger for a cell phone, a laptop computer, or an electric razor. But during the Tour Down Under cycle sprinter André Greipel hit an incredible 1903 watts as he reached …
In 1859 legendary circus performer Blondin tight roped a quarter of a mile across the Niagara Falls. But that’s not all! He did it 17 times, each time upping the stakes by making it harder for himself. He made the 20 minute crossing on stilts, blindfolded carrying a wheelbarrow. Then he carried a 50lb stove …
A Frenchman cooked an omelette on a tightrope above Niagara Falls Read More »
Hatchet fish in Guianna, in South America, are the only fish in the world that can actually fly. They are able to make long, gliding flights using their powerful wing-like fins. They use their tiny pectoral fins to fly through the air when attacked by predators. Hatchet fish can propel themselves through the air for …
Trees use a network of roots and fungi (nicknamed the ‘wood wide web’) to communicate with each other. ‘Mother trees’ can use this network to give sugars to their seedlings. Trees can also emit chemical signals to warn their neighbours if they are attacked so that their neighbours boost their defences. Some trees such as …
