Much like the cheetah, the alligator is an incredibly fast runner. Perhaps you’ve seen one rise up on its long, muscular legs and sprint 500 yards (457 meters) across a wide-open field after fleeing prey. No? You’ve never witnessed such a thing? What you’ve probably witnessed is something like this: You’re standing by a lagoon, …
Can You Really Escape an Alligator if You Run in a Zigzag? Read More »
Think you have to go to a zoo to see monkeys in the U.S.? Well, think again. Florida, the unofficial national home of wildlife weirdness (alligator farms, the skunk ape), is also home to a colony of feral rhesus macaques, a species of Southeast Asian monkeys that have been living in Silver Springs State Park …
There’s a River Full of Monkeys in Florida — And Not in a Theme Park Read More »
A country of little more than 3 million people in East Asia, Mongolia is often overlooked, especially compared to its dominant neighbors Russia and China. But this landlocked country boasts a rich tapestry of cultures, geography and political history that truly makes it worth exploring. Here are eight fascinating facts about Mongolia. 1. Mongolia Is …
On June 30, 1908, there was a massive explosion in a remote forest in Siberia, near the Podkamennaya Tunguska river. The explosion was so powerful, it flattened more than 80 million trees across 820 square miles (2,123 square meters). Later estimates compared the explosion to 1,000 atomic bombs. People more than 40 miles (64 kilometers) …
No One Knows What Caused a Massive 1908 Explosion in Siberia Read More »
Describing a person as “down to earth” is the same as saying that he or she is “grounded.” In other words, it’s like saying that the person is “the salt of the earth.” To say the least, this person certainly does not have his or her “head in the clouds.” What all of these idioms …
If asked to come up with a fact or two about the founders of the United States, we tend to rely on the well-worn tales that have lodged in the collective memory. Many schoolchildren will repeat the (almost certainly bogus) story about Washington’s cherry tree, while adults may wink at the reputation of Benjamin “Good …
10 Little-known Facts About the Founding Fathers Read More »
In the 2000 movie “The Patriot,” set in 1776, an American colonial landowner named Benjamin Martin, portrayed by Mel Gibson, reluctantly joins the rebellion against the British Crown after one of his sons is arrested as a spy by British forces and threatened with execution. For his trouble, Martin’s home is burned, two of his …
When Pearl Harbor was attacked in 1941, plunging the United States into World War II, among the security measures taken was the transfer of a document from Washington, D.C., to Fort Knox, Ky. [source: NCC]. The original U.S. Constitution, all four oversized pages of it, were considered that important to the nation — as precious, …
10 Things You Didn’t Know About the U.S. Constitution Read More »
To be the president of the United States might seem like the ultimate achievement — a chance to make a mark domestically and on the global stage. But for the 39th American to hold this title, the presidency was only the beginning of his lifelong effort to make the world a better place. We’re talking, …
A Portrait of Jimmy Carter, America’s Oldest Living President Ever Read More »
When Pearl Harbor was attacked in 1941, plunging the United States into World War II, among the security measures taken was the transfer of a document from Washington, D.C., to Fort Knox, Ky. [source: NCC]. The original U.S. Constitution, all four oversized pages of it, were considered that important to the nation — as precious, …
10 Things You Didn’t Know About the U.S. Constitution Read More »
Once upon a time in America, Christmas was not a big deal. It might be difficult to fathom now, when ads for chocolates and jewelry pop up before Thanksgiving, and decked-out trees appear in living rooms shortly after. In fact, Christmas used to be flat-out illegal. When the Mayflower landed at what is now Cape …
Ridiculous History: When the Puritans Said ‘Bah Humbug’ to Christmas in America Read More »
With only two weeks left in an ugly, drawn-out presidential campaign season, the weary citizens of the “divided states of America” are ready to forget the political scandals and mud-slinging TV ads and get back to normal life. But what if we can’t escape politics? What if even one of the most trusted and private …
Should You Know if Your Doctor Is a Democrat or a Republican? Read More »
In his autobiography, Thomas Jefferson gives us his take on the Declaration of Independence story. You can find an excerpt here. Everybody knows that the U.S. Declaration Independence was signed on July 4, 1776. But where did the declaration come from? And what were the signers actually signing? One of the most interesting things we …
The Great War, as it was known before we started capitalizing and numbering our world wars, is remembered as anything but “Great” now. If, that is, it’s remembered at all. World War I (WWI) remains the only major American war of the 20th century not commemorated with a memorial in the nation’s capital in Washington, …
Several aspects of the American Revolution could qualify it as revolutionary. First, guerilla warfare played a major role in the war for independence, replacing the pitched battle of earlier periods. Second, the revolution took place outside the borders of its parent nation, which makes the American Revolution remarkable compared to something like the French Revolution. …
Why Was the American Revolution So Revolutionary? Read More »
Slavery is a moral stain on humanity, and sadly one that continues even today. Thankfully there are people brave enough to hold a mirror to society’s darkest sins and persistent enough to never stop fighting for freedom. While you’ve likely heard of famous abolitionists like Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Nat Turner and John Brown, they …
5 Fascinating Stories of Abolitionists Past and Present Read More »