QUICK FACTS
The expression “dead as a Dodo” means unquestionably dead or obsolete. It is so used because Dodo is a well-known icon of extinction. Dodo was a flightless bird that was endemic to the island of Mauritius. It was last sighted in 1662 and was declared extinct by the end of the 17th century.  
Stanisława Walasiewicz, also known as Stella Walsh, was a Polish athlete. In the 1932 Summer Olympics, Stella Walsh won the 100m, equalling the world record of 11.9s and she instantly became a
On September 10, 1945, farmer Lloyd Olsen of Fruita, Colorado, United States, had his mother-in-law around for supper. He went out to chop off a rooster for supper and choose a five and a half
Said to have been part of the Chinese culture for centuries, Ding zui is the practice of hiring a body double to stand trial and receive punishment in one’s place. The term translates to
View All In Quick Facts
ARTISTS & ENTERTAINERS
Origin – Liverpool, England Best Known Line-up – John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr The Beatles are the most popular rock band in history. The craze for the band became so intense that there was a new term coined for it: Beatlemania. Here are 10 interesting facts about the formation of
Emily Dickinson lived an introverted life and most of her friendships were formed through correspondence. During her life she was known as an eccentric and few people knew of her immense
M.C. Escher is one of the world’s most famous graphic artists. He represents the perfect coming together of mathematics and art. Although he is most known for his impossible
Frida Kahlo is known worldwide as one of the most revolutionary self-portrait artists. She had a difficult life but produced some of the finest paintings ever created by a Latin American
View All In Artists & Entertainers
LEADERS & ICONS
Hatshepsut ruled over ancient Egypt as the fifth pharaoh of the Eighteenth dynasty. Her reign lasted more than any other female King and Egyptologists consider her one of the most successful pharaohs. Here are 10 interesting facts about the Foremost of Noble Ladies. #1 She married her half-brother Thutmose
Harald Hardrada was the King of Norway for two decades in the middle of the eleventh century. He showed early signs of being a proficient military general and fought many battles during his
Musa I or Mansa Musa was the Emperor of Mali during the fourteenth century. Ranked the richest man of all time he is famous for his pilgrimage to Mecca which showcased his wealth to the cities
Anne Boleyn was Queen of England from 1533 to 1536 and the second of six wives of King Henry VIII. She is famous for being a key figure in the English Reformation and her public execution is
View All In Leaders & Icons
OUR PLANET
The Inca dynasty rose from obscurity in Peru’s Cusco Valley in thirteenth century. From 1438 to 1533, the Incas charmed, intimidated, bribed or conquered their rivals to create the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. Located in Cusco region of Peru in South America, Machu Picchu is the most familiar icon
With a height of 108m and width of 1078m, Victoria Falls is the largest waterfall in the world. It lies on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe on the Zambezi River. Here are 10 interesting facts
In the year 79 A.D. Mount Vesuvius, a volcano near the bay of Naples in Italy, erupted and the ancient Roman city of Pompeii was buried under its volcanic ash. At least 2000 people were
Black widow spiders are known around the world for eating their males after mating. They are also feared as they are the most venomous spiders in North America. Know more about this amazing
View All In Our Planet
POPULAR CULTURE
The Hobbit is a fantasy novel written by J.R.R. Tolkien. It went on to become a children classic and Tolkien followed it by writing one of the all-time greatest works The Lord of the Rings. The Hobbit was adapted into a series of three films directed, co-written and produced by Peter Jackson. Here are
Marilyn Monroe was a famous American actress, model and singer. In 1999, Monroe was ranked as the sixth-greatest female star of all time by the American Film Institute. In 2009, TV Guide
Count Dracula is one of the most famous characters in literature. Created by Bram Stoker as the main antagonist of his 1897 horror novel Dracula, the character has since achieved legendary
Andy Warhol was a renowned American artist who was the leading figure of the Pop Art Movement that emerged in the 1950s and became the dominant art movement of the time. Warhol created some of
View All In Popular Culture
SCIENTISTS & THINKERS
Sigmund Freud was an Austrian physician who is known all over the world as the founder of psychoanalysis, a method to treat mental illnesses, usually involving dialogue between patient and doctor. He developed several innovative therapeutic techniques to cure his patients and delved into the subconscious thereby
Nicolaus Copernicus is famous for being the primary man behind changing the age old belief that the earth was at the center of the universe. His revolutionary work De revolutionibus orbium
Leonardo da Vinci was an Italian polymath during the Renaissance who is perhaps the greatest multi-talented genius in history. Among other things he was a painter, mathematician, engineer
Alan Turing was a British mathematician, logician, cryptanalyst, and computer scientist. He is widely regarded as the father of computer science and artificial intelligence. Turing worked at
View All In Scientists & Thinkers
SPORTS
Nadia Comaneci created a sensation in the 1976 Montreal Summer Olympics when she dazzled the judges with her performance to the extent that they had no choice but to give her a score of Perfect 10, a score which had never been achieved previously in Olympic history. Here are 10 interesting facts about this
The Insanity workout by Shaun T So, Beachbody’s Insanity workout by Shaun T is the new “in” regime now-a-days. Though promos and ads looking quiet intimidating, it is still one of
Born: 29 March 1952 Died: 11 June 2012 Country: Cuba After winning gold medal in the Olympic heavyweight division, Cassius Clay (1960), Joe Frazier (1964) and George Foreman (1968) became
Wilma Rudolph’s rise to become an Olympic champion is one of the most marvelous exploits in the history of sports. It remains and will remain in years to come a source of inspiration for
View All In Sports