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During the Danish Colonization of Greenland, missionary Hans Egede found that local Inuit had no concept for what bread was and so he changed the Lord’s Prayer to say “Give us this day our daily seal”.

People & Society /

Hans Egede Statue of Hans Egede by August Saabye, outside Frederik’s Church (the Marmorkirken) in Copenhagen Hans Poulsen Egede (31 January 1686 – 5 November 1758) was a Dano-Norwegian Lutheran missionary who launched mission efforts to Greenland, which led him to be styled the Apostle of Greenland. He established a successful mission among the Inuit […]

During the Danish Colonization of Greenland, missionary Hans Egede found that local Inuit had no concept for what bread was and so he changed the Lord’s Prayer to say “Give us this day our daily seal”. Read More »

The spaniards destroyed an Inca temple and built a cathedral on the temples foundations. Later, an earthquake completely destroyed the Spanish-made cathedral but left the foundations of the temple intact.

Religion & Belief, Tourist Destinations /

Coricancha, the Incas’ temple of the sun: a history of cities in 50 buildings, day 3 The thin air and harsh, rocky slopes of the Peruvian Andes wouldn’t seem to be a likely locale for the capital of an extensive pre-Columbus empire. Any community seeking to thrive under these conditions would need to be equipped

The spaniards destroyed an Inca temple and built a cathedral on the temples foundations. Later, an earthquake completely destroyed the Spanish-made cathedral but left the foundations of the temple intact. Read More »

Some Inuit groups used ridicule in the form of song duels as a means of conflict resolution. Two men who had failed to resolve a conflict by other means would secretly compose derisive songs about their adversary. The whole camp gathered in a large igloo to observe the song duel.

People & Society /

Settling Our Differences Through Song? People often find it difficult to settle disputes. When several individuals are in disagreement or possess conflicting ideas, most find it easier to start a physical altercation, exchange sharp words, or simply avoid dealing with the issue. Humans are stubborn and proud; they prefer to believe their own opinions are

Some Inuit groups used ridicule in the form of song duels as a means of conflict resolution. Two men who had failed to resolve a conflict by other means would secretly compose derisive songs about their adversary. The whole camp gathered in a large igloo to observe the song duel. Read More »

In Iceland people light candles for the huldufólk, hidden elves, during New Year’s Eve to help the huldufólk find a new home for the year.

Holidays & Seasonal Events, Home & Interior Decor, People & Society /

Huldufólk There are four Icelandic holidays considered to have a special connection with hidden people: New Year’s Eve, Thirteenth Night (January 6), Midsummer Night and Christmas night. Elf bonfires (álfabrennur) are a common part of the holiday festivities on Twelfth Night (January 6). There are many Icelandic folktales about elves and hidden people invading Icelandic

In Iceland people light candles for the huldufólk, hidden elves, during New Year’s Eve to help the huldufólk find a new home for the year. Read More »

A research that analyzed the birthdays of all 20 million husbands and wives in England and Wales failed to reveal any evidence of attraction or compatibility between people of particular star signs.

Religion & Belief /

Love not in the stars Lonely hearts who turn to horoscopes to find their perfect partner are wasting their time, according to the largest test of astrology ever carried out. Dr David Voas from The University of Manchester said that zodiac ‘love signs’ have no impact on our chances of marrying â and staying married.

A research that analyzed the birthdays of all 20 million husbands and wives in England and Wales failed to reveal any evidence of attraction or compatibility between people of particular star signs. Read More »

90% of the population of the Americas died after first contact, making it the largest mass death in history with 10% of the global population dying.

People & Society, Reference, Sensitive Subjects /

European colonization of the Americas killed 10 percent of world population and caused global cooling While Europe was in the early days of the Renaissance, there were empires in the Americas sustaining more than 60 million people. But the first European contact in 1492 brought diseases to the Americas which devastated the native population, and

90% of the population of the Americas died after first contact, making it the largest mass death in history with 10% of the global population dying. Read More »

90% of all scientists who have ever lived are alive today.

People & Society, Science /

90% of All the Scientists That Ever Lived Are Alive Today The following paper was written and submitted by Eric Gastfriend. The information he presents is helpful to keep in mind as we consider the speed with which technologies are advancing today. This simple statistic captures the power of the exponential growth in science that

90% of all scientists who have ever lived are alive today. Read More »

After Sir Terry Pratchetts death, Neil Gaiman had the only hard drive containing his unfinished novels crushed with a steamroller, as per the late fantasy writers request

Books & Literature, Subcultures & Niche Interests /

Terry Pratchett’s unfinished novels destroyed by steamroller The unfinished books of Sir Terry Pratchett have been destroyed by a steamroller, following the late fantasy novelist’s wishes. Terry Pratchett docudrama reveals moment author realised he was ‘dead’ Read more Pratchett’s hard drive was crushed by a vintage John Fowler & Co steamroller named Lord Jericho at

After Sir Terry Pratchetts death, Neil Gaiman had the only hard drive containing his unfinished novels crushed with a steamroller, as per the late fantasy writers request Read More »

The Japanese, other than nobles or samurai class families, did not have surnames until 1868, when the government required commoners to adopt surnames. Names were chosen based on locations, occupations, or simply were made up, explaining the diversity in Japanese surnames (100,000+ present).

Family /

Japanese name Not to be confused with Names of Japan. Yamada Tarō (山田太郎), a Japanese placeholder name (male), equivalent to John Smith in English. The equivalent of Jane Smith would be Yamada Hanako (山田花子). Japanese names (日本人の氏名, Nihonjin no Shimei) in modern times consist of a family name (surname), followed by a given name; in

The Japanese, other than nobles or samurai class families, did not have surnames until 1868, when the government required commoners to adopt surnames. Names were chosen based on locations, occupations, or simply were made up, explaining the diversity in Japanese surnames (100,000+ present). Read More »

An Elmo cameo was written for the 2011 Muppets film but was stopped by Children’s TV Workshop lawyers. Ironically, the scene featured the Muppets attempting to recruit Elmo but getting stopped by his lawyers.

Children's Interests, Movies, TV & Video /

‘The Muppets’: Where’s Elmo? Moviegoers might be disappointed to learn that the character does not appear in Disney’s reboot. This story originally appeared in the Nov. 25 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Fans of Elmo might be let down to learn that the character does not appear in Disney’s Nov. 23 reboot The Muppets.

An Elmo cameo was written for the 2011 Muppets film but was stopped by Children’s TV Workshop lawyers. Ironically, the scene featured the Muppets attempting to recruit Elmo but getting stopped by his lawyers. Read More »

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