WHY did the church conclude that the fork was a tool of the devil?
At one point, Christian theologians in Europe declared that the fork was "Satan's fork".
Perhaps it was the medieval denial of all things ancient. Since the culture of ancient Greece was based on belief in multiple gods, Christian preachers saw the cutlery as a mini-trident of Poseidon, god of the sea.
For centuries, the Catholic Church did not allow the use of a fork. When the French queen Jeanne d'Herve, who treasured her only fork, died of the plague in the fourteenth century, churchmen called her demise payback for her reckless fondness for the devil's object.
Only by the 16th century did the fork overcome Catholic prejudice. And in 1630 Governor Winthrop of Massachusetts had the first and only fork in colonial America.
At one point, Christian theologians in Europe declared that the fork was "Satan's fork".
Perhaps it was the medieval denial of all things ancient. Since the culture of ancient Greece was based on belief in multiple gods, Christian preachers saw the cutlery as a mini-trident of Poseidon, god of the sea.
For centuries, the Catholic Church did not allow the use of a fork. When the French queen Jeanne d'Herve, who treasured her only fork, died of the plague in the fourteenth century, churchmen called her demise payback for her reckless fondness for the devil's object.
Only by the 16th century did the fork overcome Catholic prejudice. And in 1630 Governor Winthrop of Massachusetts had the first and only fork in colonial America.
WHY do some birds walk while others jump?
In general terms, the rule is this: the lighter birds usually jump, the heavier birds save strength and don't lift their entire body off the ground, leaving one leg to lean on. A classic example is tits and finches. They are small and usually move in leaps and bounds. But there is such a bird as the wagtail, for example. It is comparable to a tit in size, but it walks on the ground rather than hopping. There is a difference in lifestyle.
Tits usually spend a lot of time in trees, and hopping is the most efficient way to move from branch to branch. Wagtails, on the other hand, feed by running on the ground and chasing tasty insects. Thus, jumping is not typical for it. If we turn to the ravens (grackles, rooks, crows, etc.), these larger birds usually move with a step. But magpies and jays belonging to the same family gallop. The reason is that they spend more time on branches than the rest of their congeners.
In general terms, the rule is this: the lighter birds usually jump, the heavier birds save strength and don't lift their entire body off the ground, leaving one leg to lean on. A classic example is tits and finches. They are small and usually move in leaps and bounds. But there is such a bird as the wagtail, for example. It is comparable to a tit in size, but it walks on the ground rather than hopping. There is a difference in lifestyle.
Tits usually spend a lot of time in trees, and hopping is the most efficient way to move from branch to branch. Wagtails, on the other hand, feed by running on the ground and chasing tasty insects. Thus, jumping is not typical for it. If we turn to the ravens (grackles, rooks, crows, etc.), these larger birds usually move with a step. But magpies and jays belonging to the same family gallop. The reason is that they spend more time on branches than the rest of their congeners.
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WHY are the pipes of thermal power plants painted with red and white stripes?
The purpose of these pipes is to carry the gas after fuel combustion to a height that is safe for people. Accordingly, the higher the chimney, the farther and better the dispersion.
Smoke comes out of the pipe due to the draft, which, as in cooling towers, arises from the difference in height and diameter of the outlet. Although at first glance it appears that these pipes are straight, in fact they are cylindrical.
And they are painted in red and white stripes to meet aviation safety requirements. The combination of red (sometimes orange) and white colors is easiest to see in different weather conditions, so chimneys within a radius of four kilometers of airfields, and all chimneys over 50 meters in height, regardless of location, are marked in this way.
The purpose of these pipes is to carry the gas after fuel combustion to a height that is safe for people. Accordingly, the higher the chimney, the farther and better the dispersion.
Smoke comes out of the pipe due to the draft, which, as in cooling towers, arises from the difference in height and diameter of the outlet. Although at first glance it appears that these pipes are straight, in fact they are cylindrical.
And they are painted in red and white stripes to meet aviation safety requirements. The combination of red (sometimes orange) and white colors is easiest to see in different weather conditions, so chimneys within a radius of four kilometers of airfields, and all chimneys over 50 meters in height, regardless of location, are marked in this way.
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WHY can fish sink?
Most pelagic fish (that is, living near the surface of the oceans) are kept afloat by a gas-filled bubble. At depth, the pressure of the gases in their bubble cannot compensate for the pressure of the water, and the bubble collapses.
The fish will begin to sink, and if it has no time to rise with its muscles, it will die. This also applies to fish lacking a swim bladder, such as sharks.
Only some fish can drown, and only theoretically.
Most pelagic fish (that is, living near the surface of the oceans) are kept afloat by a gas-filled bubble. At depth, the pressure of the gases in their bubble cannot compensate for the pressure of the water, and the bubble collapses.
The fish will begin to sink, and if it has no time to rise with its muscles, it will die. This also applies to fish lacking a swim bladder, such as sharks.
Only some fish can drown, and only theoretically.
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WHY do octopuses change color while sleeping?
Octopuses, recognized masters of camouflage, change their skin color even while they sleep. Some scientists believe that this color change directly reflects the clams' dreams, although we can't find out if they can dream in the human sense at all.
Skeptics argue that octopus chromatophores flicker only because their muscles relax and undergo small contractions at rest.
Octopuses, recognized masters of camouflage, change their skin color even while they sleep. Some scientists believe that this color change directly reflects the clams' dreams, although we can't find out if they can dream in the human sense at all.
Skeptics argue that octopus chromatophores flicker only because their muscles relax and undergo small contractions at rest.
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WHY do we cry from happiness?
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Our autonomic nervous system consists of sympathetic and parasympathetic. One part is responsible for "fighting" and the other for "relaxing" respectively. It is the sympathetic nervous system that kicks in when we are under stress, for example by making our heart beat faster. And the parasympathetic system, with its calming function, is directly connected with the lacrimal glands.
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When we experience intense happiness, our heart rate increases. And the emotion is so strong that our body cannot recognize it. So our heartbeat activates the parasympathetic system, which sends a signal to the lacrimal glands, and we start to cry.
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That is, the body simply cannot distinguish between a strong positive emotion and a negative one.
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Our autonomic nervous system consists of sympathetic and parasympathetic. One part is responsible for "fighting" and the other for "relaxing" respectively. It is the sympathetic nervous system that kicks in when we are under stress, for example by making our heart beat faster. And the parasympathetic system, with its calming function, is directly connected with the lacrimal glands.
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When we experience intense happiness, our heart rate increases. And the emotion is so strong that our body cannot recognize it. So our heartbeat activates the parasympathetic system, which sends a signal to the lacrimal glands, and we start to cry.
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That is, the body simply cannot distinguish between a strong positive emotion and a negative one.
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WHY are watermelons, cherries and other fruits often the game symbols in slot machines and casinos?
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The era of slot machines called "one-armed bandit" began in the U.S. in the late 19th century. But the government fought this business in every way, imposing fines and bans. The company Bell-Fruit Gum in 1910 to get around the bans set up the production of slot machines, which gave out very cheap chewing gum for each rotation of the reels.
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Also, the symbols of card suits were replaced by drawings of watermelons and cherries, which symbolized the flavors of different types of gum. When the drawings matched, as before, the winnings were awarded.
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This fruit symbolism is still found even in modern, fully computerized slot machines.
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The era of slot machines called "one-armed bandit" began in the U.S. in the late 19th century. But the government fought this business in every way, imposing fines and bans. The company Bell-Fruit Gum in 1910 to get around the bans set up the production of slot machines, which gave out very cheap chewing gum for each rotation of the reels.
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Also, the symbols of card suits were replaced by drawings of watermelons and cherries, which symbolized the flavors of different types of gum. When the drawings matched, as before, the winnings were awarded.
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This fruit symbolism is still found even in modern, fully computerized slot machines.
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WHY did Morse leave painting and begin developing the telegraph?
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Samuel Morse was a painter until he was 34 and had no interest in technology. In 1825 a messenger delivered a letter from his father telling him that his wife was dying. Morse immediately left Washington and went to New Haven, where his family lived, but by the time he arrived his wife had already been buried.
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This incident caused Morse to leave painting and delve into the study of ways to deliver messages quickly over long distances, leading to the development of Morse code and the electric telegraph in 1838.
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Samuel Morse was a painter until he was 34 and had no interest in technology. In 1825 a messenger delivered a letter from his father telling him that his wife was dying. Morse immediately left Washington and went to New Haven, where his family lived, but by the time he arrived his wife had already been buried.
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This incident caused Morse to leave painting and delve into the study of ways to deliver messages quickly over long distances, leading to the development of Morse code and the electric telegraph in 1838.
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WHY do flamingos stand on one leg?
It turns out that standing on one leg is really related to the heat exchange: the ratio of uncovered feathers to the body is such that the bird loses too much heat in the wind. For this reason, flamingos warm their legs by alternately hiding them in their plumage.
This pose requires no efforts from them: a special physiologic device prevents bending of the supporting leg, due to which it remains elongated even without using muscular force.
It turns out that standing on one leg is really related to the heat exchange: the ratio of uncovered feathers to the body is such that the bird loses too much heat in the wind. For this reason, flamingos warm their legs by alternately hiding them in their plumage.
This pose requires no efforts from them: a special physiologic device prevents bending of the supporting leg, due to which it remains elongated even without using muscular force.
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WHY do we hear a rustling noise inside a tennis ball?
A tennis ball is not inflated from the outside, like a soccer ball, but from the inside, so to speak. Before fusing its two rubber halves, a tablet consisting of sodium nitrite and ammonia is placed between them.
Sodium nitrite is well known to anyone who loves smoked sausages: it gives the naturally gray stuffing a delicious pink color and specific taste, and is labeled on the packaging as a "color enhancer" E250. Ammonia is a salt that decomposes in water to produce ammonia, which is why the aqueous solution of this gas is called ammonia alcohol.
So, when heated, these two substances react to form nitrogen, water vapor, and table salt. Nitrogen and water vapor expand the ball from the inside. We can hear the rustle inside the ball when the salt crystals are relatively large.
Note that not all modern balls are made in this way, so not every ball rustles.
A tennis ball is not inflated from the outside, like a soccer ball, but from the inside, so to speak. Before fusing its two rubber halves, a tablet consisting of sodium nitrite and ammonia is placed between them.
Sodium nitrite is well known to anyone who loves smoked sausages: it gives the naturally gray stuffing a delicious pink color and specific taste, and is labeled on the packaging as a "color enhancer" E250. Ammonia is a salt that decomposes in water to produce ammonia, which is why the aqueous solution of this gas is called ammonia alcohol.
So, when heated, these two substances react to form nitrogen, water vapor, and table salt. Nitrogen and water vapor expand the ball from the inside. We can hear the rustle inside the ball when the salt crystals are relatively large.
Note that not all modern balls are made in this way, so not every ball rustles.
WHY did one Englishman appear naked in a duel between two gentlemen?
In 1806, two gentlemen, Humphrey Howarth and the Earl of Barrymore, argued in an English bar. A duel was arranged for the next morning, where Howarth appeared completely naked, shocking the assembled audience.
He had previously served as an army surgeon and knew that death often came not from the bullet itself, but from an infection carried with a piece of clothing. The count had no desire to be remembered in history as the man who had killed a naked man in a duel, and the rivals resolved the situation peacefully.
In 1806, two gentlemen, Humphrey Howarth and the Earl of Barrymore, argued in an English bar. A duel was arranged for the next morning, where Howarth appeared completely naked, shocking the assembled audience.
He had previously served as an army surgeon and knew that death often came not from the bullet itself, but from an infection carried with a piece of clothing. The count had no desire to be remembered in history as the man who had killed a naked man in a duel, and the rivals resolved the situation peacefully.
WHY don't people have blue or green hair?
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People have no green, blue or pink hair (unless of course you dye it that way), because we do not have a pigment in our bodies to color our hair in unusual shades.
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Sometimes, the pigment melanin is not produced at all! In this case, his skin is almost white and his hair looks bleached. They are called albinos.
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For this same reason, a person turns gray: gradually the body reduces the production of melanin, which gives the hair its color.
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People have no green, blue or pink hair (unless of course you dye it that way), because we do not have a pigment in our bodies to color our hair in unusual shades.
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Sometimes, the pigment melanin is not produced at all! In this case, his skin is almost white and his hair looks bleached. They are called albinos.
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For this same reason, a person turns gray: gradually the body reduces the production of melanin, which gives the hair its color.
WHY do dogs eat grass?
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Crumpled but not chewed stalks irritate the gastric mucosa and increase the secretion of gastric juice, as well as activating stomach movements. This speeds up the digestion and progression of food.
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If a clump of grass has passed into the intestine, the stems act on its walls, also stimulating the release of secretions and peristaltic movements.
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Crumpled but not chewed stalks irritate the gastric mucosa and increase the secretion of gastric juice, as well as activating stomach movements. This speeds up the digestion and progression of food.
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If a clump of grass has passed into the intestine, the stems act on its walls, also stimulating the release of secretions and peristaltic movements.
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WHY can't kangaroos jump backwards?
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Kangaroos are one of the best jumpers in the animal world, with a jump length of 10-12 meters and travel speed of 50 km/h. In order not to lose balance when jumping, the kangaroo uses its thick, muscular tail at the base for balance.
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This tail, as well as its large feet, is the reason why the kangaroo cannot jump backwards.
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By the way, thanks to this fact, the kangaroo together with the emu, which also can't stagger, appeared on the Australian emblem, illustrating the motto "Australia always goes only forward!"
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Kangaroos are one of the best jumpers in the animal world, with a jump length of 10-12 meters and travel speed of 50 km/h. In order not to lose balance when jumping, the kangaroo uses its thick, muscular tail at the base for balance.
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This tail, as well as its large feet, is the reason why the kangaroo cannot jump backwards.
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By the way, thanks to this fact, the kangaroo together with the emu, which also can't stagger, appeared on the Australian emblem, illustrating the motto "Australia always goes only forward!"
WHY are there two straws added to cocktails?
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Well, there are several reasons. First, it's so that when you order a multi-layered cocktail, you can try different levels without mixing them up. That's why one straw is slightly longer (it goes down to the bottom of the alcohol), while the other straw is slightly shorter (it goes down to the level of juice or grenadine - depending on what kind of drink you're drinking.
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A couple of straws are also added to make it easier to stir the drink.
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Finally, the third version is that two people can drink the cocktail through the straws, which looks very romantic.
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Well, there are several reasons. First, it's so that when you order a multi-layered cocktail, you can try different levels without mixing them up. That's why one straw is slightly longer (it goes down to the bottom of the alcohol), while the other straw is slightly shorter (it goes down to the level of juice or grenadine - depending on what kind of drink you're drinking.
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A couple of straws are also added to make it easier to stir the drink.
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Finally, the third version is that two people can drink the cocktail through the straws, which looks very romantic.
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WHY do dogs chase cats?
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In nature, relations between mammals of prey are always tense: the strong tries to destroy the weak. A tiger never misses an opportunity to kill a wolf or a litter of wolf cubs. Wolves kill lynxes, foxes, raccoon dogs and coyotes at every opportunity; hyenas and hyena dogs attack cubs of lions, leopards and cheetahs.
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Apparently, dogs' attitude toward cats is a legacy of this feud, especially since cats were domesticated much later than dogs.
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In nature, relations between mammals of prey are always tense: the strong tries to destroy the weak. A tiger never misses an opportunity to kill a wolf or a litter of wolf cubs. Wolves kill lynxes, foxes, raccoon dogs and coyotes at every opportunity; hyenas and hyena dogs attack cubs of lions, leopards and cheetahs.
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Apparently, dogs' attitude toward cats is a legacy of this feud, especially since cats were domesticated much later than dogs.
WHY do the winning drivers pour champagne on themselves?
The tradition of pouring champagne over the winners at motor racing awards ceremonies began in 1967. Race driver Dan Gurney won the 24 Hours of Le Mans and at the end of the race the organizers gave him a bottle of champagne. Gurney was so excited by this victory that he immediately uncorked the bottle and began splashing its contents on everyone standing near him.
Since then, the custom has become so ingrained that even during races in countries of the Islamic world (where alcohol is prohibited), special fizzy non-alcoholic drinks are made of champagne for showers.
The tradition of pouring champagne over the winners at motor racing awards ceremonies began in 1967. Race driver Dan Gurney won the 24 Hours of Le Mans and at the end of the race the organizers gave him a bottle of champagne. Gurney was so excited by this victory that he immediately uncorked the bottle and began splashing its contents on everyone standing near him.
Since then, the custom has become so ingrained that even during races in countries of the Islamic world (where alcohol is prohibited), special fizzy non-alcoholic drinks are made of champagne for showers.
WHY can't mammoths be revived using their DNA?
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As we need a living cell, you can't bring anyone back to life with their DNA.
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DNA has the right spatial structure and the right chemical modifications in addition to sequence. Moreover, no one knows how to synthesize DNA of such length.
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To clone a mammoth from the permafrost, there must be living cells in a piece of it, and that doesn't happen.
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The oldest DNA that has been sequenced is 700,000 years old. But it is not a whole molecule, there were many pieces, the sequence was determined, and then they were assembled into a whole genome.
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As we need a living cell, you can't bring anyone back to life with their DNA.
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DNA has the right spatial structure and the right chemical modifications in addition to sequence. Moreover, no one knows how to synthesize DNA of such length.
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To clone a mammoth from the permafrost, there must be living cells in a piece of it, and that doesn't happen.
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The oldest DNA that has been sequenced is 700,000 years old. But it is not a whole molecule, there were many pieces, the sequence was determined, and then they were assembled into a whole genome.
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WHY are there 31 days in some months & 30 days in others?
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Such an order was adopted according to the Julian calendar, 45th century B.C. The scholar Sosigenes, by order of Julius Caesar, created a new calendar, a new system of chronology, where the year was counted 365 days and divided into 12 months. Six hours remained each year and were added every four years to the last month of the year, February.
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February was the last month of the year, so it just had the remaining number of days. Augustus did not want "his" month to be shorter than July (named after Julius) and cut one day off February.
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Actually the number of days in a month is based on the cycle of the Moon 29,5 days; January, March, May, July, August, October, December - 31 days; April, June, September, November - 30 days; February 28 and leap day 29.
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Such an order was adopted according to the Julian calendar, 45th century B.C. The scholar Sosigenes, by order of Julius Caesar, created a new calendar, a new system of chronology, where the year was counted 365 days and divided into 12 months. Six hours remained each year and were added every four years to the last month of the year, February.
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February was the last month of the year, so it just had the remaining number of days. Augustus did not want "his" month to be shorter than July (named after Julius) and cut one day off February.
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Actually the number of days in a month is based on the cycle of the Moon 29,5 days; January, March, May, July, August, October, December - 31 days; April, June, September, November - 30 days; February 28 and leap day 29.
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WHY do cartoon characters have 4 fingers on their hands?
Well, actually, for purely economic reasons. The thing is that drawing a five-fingered brush is a bit more difficult than its simplified version. And when it comes to warm, lamplight, frame-by-frame animation, an extra finger bursts a completely incommensurate amount of animator work.
It was for this reason that Walt Disney, who was not only an animator but also a prominent entrepreneur, cut off his characters' fingers, thereby saving a lot of money.
Disney's savings and the time of his animators went luckily not to the offshore, but to the quality of the studio's work. And the idea was so good that most cartoons still have four fingers to this day.
Well, actually, for purely economic reasons. The thing is that drawing a five-fingered brush is a bit more difficult than its simplified version. And when it comes to warm, lamplight, frame-by-frame animation, an extra finger bursts a completely incommensurate amount of animator work.
It was for this reason that Walt Disney, who was not only an animator but also a prominent entrepreneur, cut off his characters' fingers, thereby saving a lot of money.
Disney's savings and the time of his animators went luckily not to the offshore, but to the quality of the studio's work. And the idea was so good that most cartoons still have four fingers to this day.
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WHY is green a soothing color?
The positive effect of the color green on the human body is well known. Psychologists assert that if you want to find an environment conducive to calm, but also productive work, make sure that you are surrounded by as many green objects as possible.
Psychologists explain the beneficial effect of this color on the human body by the fact that we associate the shades of green with nature, with something alive and fresh.
The green background freshens up the working environment, makes it not so gloomy and sad. Conversely, the gray color will have a negative impact on the general well-being of the employee, and, consequently, on his work.
The positive effect of the color green on the human body is well known. Psychologists assert that if you want to find an environment conducive to calm, but also productive work, make sure that you are surrounded by as many green objects as possible.
Psychologists explain the beneficial effect of this color on the human body by the fact that we associate the shades of green with nature, with something alive and fresh.
The green background freshens up the working environment, makes it not so gloomy and sad. Conversely, the gray color will have a negative impact on the general well-being of the employee, and, consequently, on his work.
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