Did you know

Herring

Very young herring are called whitebait and are eaten whole as a delicacy.

Mercury (planet)

Mercury is the smallest and innermost planet in the solar system, orbiting the Sun once every 88 days

Cyberspace

The term "cyberspace" was coined by science fiction writer William Gibson

Carnatic music

Like all art forms in Indian culture, Carnatic music is believed to have a divine origin

Rock art

The many possible meanings of prehistoric rock art include records of hunts, religious practices, and astronomical calendars

Gerald Ford

After assuming the presidency following the resignation of Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford gave Nixon a full and unconditional pardon

Zerubbabel

Zerubbabel rebuilt the Temple in Jerusalem when the Israelites returned from exile in Babylon

Richard Dedekind

Dedekind came up with the notion of the "Dedekind cut" which is foundational in defining real numbers

Yoruba People

The Yoruba are one of the largest ethno-linguistic groups in sub-Saharan Africa with "Yorubaland" spanning parts of the modern states of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo

Coin

A coin was often placed in the mouth of a dead person as payment to Charon for passage across the river Styx to the world of the dead.

Abenaki

The Abenaki largely relied on horticulture when it came to their diet, which is why villages often were located on or near river floodplains.

Urie Bronfenbrenner

Developmental psychologist Urie Bronfenbrenner believed that children need sustained interaction with their parents and a supportive society in order to develop into successful adults

Patrick Henry

Patrick Henry is best known for his speech "Give me liberty, or give me death!" advocating American independence

Trimurti

The Trimurti is the Hindu representation of God as Brahma (creator), Vishnu (preserver), and Shiva (destroyer)

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia is sometimes called "The Land of The Two Holy Mosques" in reference to Mecca and Medina

Propaganda

The original meaning of the term "propaganda" was not negative, simply "that which ought to be spread"

Positive psychology

Positive psychology studies people's happiness rather than diagnosing mental illness and treating what makes them miserable

Harry S. Truman

Truman's middle initial "S" honors his grandfathers, Anderson Shipp Truman and Solomon Young

Midden

The origin of the word "midden" is Scandinavian and means "manure pile"

Halo

Plain round halos typically have been used to signify saints and angels while square halos were sometimes used for the living

Recorder (music)

The recorder, originally popular in Medieval music, was revived in the twentieth century

Lighthouse of Alexandria

The Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, was among the tallest man-made structures on Earth for many centuries

Harmonium

The harmonium was promoted in Holland as promoting Christian family unity

Edward Albee

Edward Albee's most famous play is "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf"

Charles Dickens

Most of Dickens' major novels were first written in installments in journals and later reprinted in book form

Actors Studio

The Actors Studio is best known for Lee Strasberg's work developing and teaching method acting, based on the innovations of Constantin Stanislavski

First Lady of the United States

The original First Lady of the United States, Martha Washington, was often referred to as "Lady Washington"

Moai

Scientists have come up with several theories to explain how the Moai of Easter Island "walked" from the quarry to their stone platforms

Darjeeling

Tourism and the tea industry constitute the two most significant contributors to Darjeeling's economy

Rachel

Rachel was the favorite wife of Jacob, younger sister of Leah his first wife, and mother of his favorite sons Joseph and Benjamin

Mary I of Scotland

Mary, Queen of Scots became queen when she was six days old, and died by beheading, convicted of treason against England as part of a plot to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I

Achilles

Achilles, the great warrior in Greek mythology, was educated by the centaur, Chiron

Buddha

A new Buddha will arise, Maitreya, who will usher in a new age of peace and kindness

John Rolfe

Many Americans are descended from John Rolfe and Pocahontas through their son, Thomas Rolfe

Lidice

The village of Lidice was destroyed and its people killed in retribution for the killing of one of Hitler's leaders

Cayuga

The Cayuga were one of the original five tribes that formed the Iroquois Confederacy

Terrorism

The term "terrorism" comes from the "Reign of Terror" in the French Revolution

Chinese dragon

Unlike the Western dragon of Europe that is representative of evil, the many Eastern versions of the dragon are powerful spiritual symbols, representing seasonal cycles and supernatural forces.

Mohammad Reza Pahlavi

During Mohammad Reza Shah's reign, Iran celebrated 2,500 years of continuous monarchy since the founding of the Persian Empire by Cyrus the Great

Romanticism

Romanticism, popular from the late eighteenth century through the nineteenth century, emphasized emotion and imagination in contrast to reason that was the focus of the Enlightenment

Ralph Abernathy

Ralph Abernathy was the best friend, partner, and colleague of Martin Luther King, Jr. in the earliest days of the American Civil Rights Movement

Gunter Grass

Gunter Grass' first novel "The Tin Drum" is regarded as a key text in European magic realism

Great Pyramid of Giza

The Great Pyramid was the world's tallest building for four millennia

Werewolf

The werewolf phenomenon can be traced all the way back to shape-shifting practices of shamans who transformed into animals including wolves