Amazing facts-The World's First Skyscraper

World's First Skyscraper (1885): Home Insurance Building in Chicago

Considered to be the first skyscraper in the world due to the building's unique architecture and unique weight bearing frame, the Home Insurance Building was built in 1885 in Chicago, Illinois and demolished in 1931 to make way for the Field Building (now the LaSalle National Bank Building). It was the first building to use structural steel in its frame, but the majority of its structure was composed of cast and wrought iron. It was the first tall building to be supported, both inside and outside, by a fireproof metal frame. It had 10 stories and rose to a height of 138 feet (42 m) high.

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Amazing pictures-Lenticular Clouds

These unusual clouds are called lenticular clouds because of their lens-like shape and they tend to form at high altitudes, normally aligned at right-angles to the wind direction.

They have often been mistaken for UFOs in the past, due to their odd shape, but they are becoming more common these days. They are indeed another of mother nature’s wonders, truly a sight to behold!

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Animal world-Giraffe's baby

When a giraffe's baby is born it falls from a height of six feet, normally without being hurt.

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Amazing pictures-City of Lights

City of Lights - Medellin, Colombia

Christmas time in Medellin, Colombia is a time of celebration and holiday spirit as the city begins to light up with amazing decorations. Citizens decorate their yards, balconies and homes with festive decor as everybody prepares for the month of December and its various celebrations. Another big highlight every December is when the city turns on the Christmas lights that they have been busy preparing the entire month of November. This event traditionally begins on the night of December 7th of every year, but varies from time to time depending on the weather, etc. These Christmas lights adorn the entire city and are setup along major thoroughfares, roads, parks and especially along the Medellin River. The concentration of Christmas lights along the Medellin River is truly a sight to be seen as millions of dollars are spent every year creating unique themes that are different from the previous season’s theme. Families come out to visit the Medellin River area as it comes alive with thousands of people who revel in the fantastic array of colors and designs that make up the area. There are vendors selling everything from cotton candy, fast foods, beverages of every sort and flavor as well as street performers who come out to entertain the crowds that include tourists who flock to the city to see the sites and more than 500 different activities and 80 events that take place throughout the entire month.

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Bizarre traditions-Geisha

The full traditions of the Geisha have now been replaced with a modern system. Once Geisha were plentiful in number.

In 1900s, there were over 25,000 geisha. In the early 1930s, there were 80,000 geisha. Most geisha were in Kyoto, the old capital city of Japan. Nowadays, there are less than 10,000 geisha left.

In Tokyo, there are only 100 geisha left. However, true geisha are much more rare. Modern geisha are not bought from poor families and brought into the geisha house as children.



Becoming a geisha is now entirely voluntary, and women who are not the children of geisha can now become geisha. However the training remains as rigorous as before.

Young girls have to be very committed to learn the art of traditional Japanese dancing, singing, music, and much more.

Traditional Geisha did not offer the services of prostitution, though some modern ones are rumored to.

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Amazing facts-Miraculous escape

The driver of this lorry had a miraculous escape after his vehicle was left suspended over a 200ft drop... by a single punctured tyre. The man lost control of his vehicle along a major road, clipped the concrete wall of a bridge and the heavy lorry rolled over as it slid perilously close to the edge.

A passerby caught the moment on camera as the momentum of the lorry carried it into the barrier and flipped it over the top.

Rescuers line the sides of the bridge after the lorry flipped upside down and rolled over the barrier to end suspended upside down but thanks to the punctured tyre and pieces of torn sheet metal on the ground near the diesel tank, the lorry was somehow pinned in place suspended upside down over the deep gorge below.

Rescuers tentatively approached the vehicle and managed to pull the driver to safety, despite the fact the tyre could have given way at any time.

The barriers on the bridge are clearly too low to be an effective safety measure for lorries and it is unknown if the vehicle was recovered, or allowed to fall into the gorge.

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Greatest historical myths-George Washington was America’s first President

George Washington was America’s first President

Everyone “knows” that Washington was the first of the (so far) 43 Presidents of the US. However, this isn’t strictly the case. During the American Revolution, the Continental Congress (or the ‘United States in Congress Assembled’) chose Peyton Randolph as the first President. Under Randolph, one of their first moves was to create the Continental Army (in defence against Britain), appointing General Washington as its commander. Randolph was succeeded in 1781 by John Hancock, who presided over independence from Great Britain (see myth #6). After Washington defeated the British at the Battle of Yorktown, Hancock sent him a note of congratulations. Washington’s reply was addressed to “The President of the United States”. Eight years later, as a revered war hero, Washington himself became America’s first popularly elected President - but strictly speaking, the FIFTEENTH President!

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Interesting facts-Abandoned castle

Abandoned French Style Castle in Ryazan, Russia

This amazing large castle can be found in Ryazan Region in Russia. This French-style castle has been built about hundred years ago for Earl Khrapovitski.Today, this once glorious building is abandoned and devastated, and, like many similar buildings all across the Russia, waiting for someone vise and brave enough to try to relive it and bring it back its forgotten shine.

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Amazing facts-Youngest college graduate

Michael Kevin Kearney: Earned his first degree at age 10 and became a reality show Millionaire

24 year-old Michael Kearney became known as the world's youngest college graduate at the age of 10. In 2008, Kearney earned $1,000,000 on the television game show "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?"

Kearny was born in 1984 and is was known for setting several world records and teaching college at the age of 17.

He spoke his first words at four months. At the age of six months, he said to his pediatrician that he had a left ear infection and learned to read at the age of ten months. When Michael was four, he was given diagnostic tests for the Johns Hopkins precocious math program and achieved a perfect score. He finished high school at age 6, enrolled at Santa Rosa Junior College graduating at 10 with an Associate of Science in Geology. He is listed in the Guinness Book as the world's youngest university graduate at the age of 10, receiving a bachelor's degree in anthropology. For a while, he also held the record for the world's youngest postgraduate.

But in 2006, he became worldwide famous after reaching the finals on the Mark Burnett/AOL quiz/puzzle game Gold Rush, and became the first $1 million winner in the online reality game.

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Amazing facts-Electric eel

The most powerful electric eel is found in the rivers of Brazil, Columbia, Venezuela, and Peru, and produces a shock of 400-650 volts.

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Amazing pictures-Graffiti covered Kelburn Castle

Beautiful Graffiti Covered Kelburn Castle in Scotland

Kelburn castle that is located on the west coast of Scotland. This castle is only 35 miles west of Glasgow and it’s one of the oldest castles, although we don’t know when it was actually built. This castle has survived into modern age, and it seems that this castle is modern itself because it is cover in graffiti. I don’t know about you but I’ve never seen a castle that is covered in graffiti, and I can say that Kelburn castle looks quite amazing thanks to those graffiti. Almost entire castle is covered in graffiti and there’s almost no single space that doesn’t have any graffiti on it. This castle has all sorts of graffiti on its walls and some of them are beautiful, while others are rather weird. Anyhow, artists did an amazing job, and we can only say that this castle looks impressive.To see it for yourself, check out these sweet pictures bellow.

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Amazing facts-Bouncing cranberries

Cranberries are sorted for ripeness by bouncing them; a fully ripened cranberry can be dribbled like a basketball.

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Amazing facts-Swimming in minus 36 degrees

If you’ve ever run through the snow and jumped into a hot tub you might be able to relate to what the people in these photos feel like… well, at least running in the snow wearing next to nothing. These people, however, aren’t jumping into warm hot tubs after their frosty frolic – they’re jumping into Siberia’s Yenisei River. Apparently these swim club members have made a tradition of it. Running around in Speedos and bikinis in -36 degrees?

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Did you know-David Bradley

Have you ever thought of the person who invented "CTRL + ALT + DEL " key combination.

It is David Bradley.

He is the one who spent 1 minute and 23 seconds in writing the source code that has rescued the world's PC users for decades.

This extraordinary IBM employee retired in March 2005 after a prolong service of 29 years.
His formula forces obstinate computers to restart when they no longer follow other commands.

Bradley says. "I did a lot of other things than Ctrl-Alt-Delete, but I'm famous for that one."

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Did you know-Hair stretch

The hair of an adult man or woman can stretch 25 percent of its length without breaking.

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Animal world-Pet Buffalo

Jim used to have a buffalo as a pet, but the animal named Bailey Sr. died when he was 8 years old because of an accident on the farm. So the man got a baby buffalo and named him Bailey Jr.

Well, he also loves to join them for dinner and evening television.

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Greatest historical myths-Jesus was born on December 25

Jesus was born on December 25

Christmas is meant to celebrate the birth of Jesus, but there is no evidence whatsoever, biblical or otherwise, that He was actually born on that day. Nor is there anything to suggest that He was born in a manger, or that there were three wise men (although, as any nativity play will remind you, three gifts were mentioned). There are differing views as to why December 25 was chosen as Christmas day, but one of the most interesting is that the day was already celebrated by followers of Mithras, the central god of a Hellenistic cult that developed in the Eastern Mediterranean around 100 BC. The followers of this faith believed that Mithras was born of a virgin on 25 December, and that his birth was attended by shepherds…

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Amazing facts-Chinese woman adopts 1500 Dogs, 200 Cats

Chinese Woman Adopts 1500 Dogs, 200 Cats

Ha Wenjin, a dog lover from China, has given up her job, sold her house, car and jewelry to take care of over 1,500 dogs and 200 cats.

The middle-aged woman says she started out with just a few dogs that she could tend to in her spare time, but as their number kept growing, she had to give up her career and spend her entire day caring to the dogs’ needs. Before she knew it, she practically had her personal animal shelter, complete with 10 workers who look after the dogs, and 2 more who take care of the cats.





LIFE Magazine first reported on Ha Wenjin‘s amazing animal shelter, in 2006, and the resourceful woman managed to keep the facility outside Nanjing running until now. She had a number of volunteers coming in at least once a week to check on the dogs, and people donated most of the food. But now, the 1,500 dogs and 200 cats have to move to a new home, as Chinese government officials reclaimed the land the shelter is built on, and threaten to close the place down.

Ha Wenjin had to act fast, and find a cheap but large enough space, where her beloved pets could relocate to. She managed to find it in Houyu village, far away enough from human settlements, because she admits 1,500 dogs are not quiet. Now all she has to do is find enough volunteers to help her move the dogs with the help of four buses, and clean the vehicles afterwards. Ha Wenjin definitely has her work cut out for her, but she has no intention of giving up in her fight to save as many stray dogs and cats as she can.

Back in 2006, LIFE Magazine reported it cost around $37,500 a year to take care of the dogs, but now, with more than double the number of animals, you can imagine how tough it is for Ha Wenjin to keep her animal center open, especially with no help from local authorities. Luckily, most of the food comes from donations, but there are many other things that cost a lot of money.

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Bizarre facts-13 year old girl who looks like 30

Zara Hartshorn from the UK is 13 years old. But she looks much older than her age.
She suffers from a genetic disease called lipodystrophy that makes her look like an adult.

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Greatest historical myths-Columbus proved that the Earth was round

Columbus proved that the Earth was round

It was American author Washington Irving, some 500 years after Columbus sailed to America, who first portrayed the Italian explorer as launching on his voyage to prove that the Earth was round, defying the common, flat-earther belief of the time. In fact, most educated Europeans in Columbus’s day knew that the world was round. Since the fourth century BC, almost nobody has believed that the Earth is flat. Even if that wasn’t the case, Columbus would never have set out to prove that the Earth was round… simply because he didn’t believe it himself! Columbus thought that the Earth was pear-shaped. He set sail to prove something else: that Asia was much closer than anyone thought. Even in this, he was wrong. To further besmirch his memory, it should also be noted that he never set foot on mainland America. The closest he came was the Bahamas.

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