Friday, March 29, 2024

The Chavacano or Zamboanga Language: Spanish-Based Creole Tongue of the Philippines, a Part of...

Chavacano, or Zamboanga, a creole language combining Spanish, Tagalog, and Cebuano vocabulary and grammar, emerged from the interactions of several different cultures. Whenever people from...

Jacques Piccard and Don Walsh: Journey to the Bottom of the Ocean

On January 23, 1960 Jacques Piccard and Don Walsh pulled off a feat so great people who have tried to break their record eventually...

Who Invented the Traffic Light?: William Potts of Detroit

Despite widespread credit to Garret Morgan for a 1923 patent, traffic lights very closely resembling modern lights were in use in Detroit three years...

The Origins of the Broken Mirror Myth: The Superstition Revealed

Why do many believe that breaking a mirror gives a person seven years bad luck? The myths regarding mirrors have been around since the ancient...

History of Wigs and Hair Extensions

Many women in America who have at one time or another worn fake hair. Whether it is a hair piece, extensions, or maybe just...

The Invention of the Jet Engine: Frank Whittle and Hans von Ohain

An Englishman and a German both contemporaniously invented jet engines. Sir Frank Whittle is often given credit for the invention of the turbojet engine which...

Qanats: Ancient Underground Aqueducts

Approximately 3000 years ago, clever technicians in the Middle East developed a method for moving water that was reliable, ecologically sound, pollution-free, long-lasting and...

In the Last Days of Sail: From Clippers to Steamships

The result took the clippers slicing through the oceans on runs that were, for their time, astounding and consequently newsworthy. In 1845, when the...

The Origins of Thumbs Up or Down: Life or Death

Thumbs up in some cultures is a sign of approval, while in others, it is a sign of disrespect. Where did it come from? The...

The History and Mythology of Amber

Michael Crichton’s brilliant book may have popularised amber, but this gemstone has featured in man’s culture and history since the beginning of time. Amber...