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Special Days Around the World

English lessons about celebrations with activities, reading and vocabulary: https://www.esolcourses.com/topics/world-festivals.html

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April Fools' Day or All Fools' Day, although not a holiday, is a day celebrated in many countries on April 1. The day is marked by the commission of hoaxes and other practical jokes of varying sophistication on friends, family members, enemies, and neighbors, or sending them on a fool's errand, the aim of which is to embarrass the gullible. Traditionally, in some countries, the jokes only last until noon: like the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa, someone who plays a trick after noon is called an "April Fool" Elsewhere, such as in Ireland, France, and America, the jokes last all day.

Brazil's most popular and festive holiday is Carnival. In fact, many people consider Carnival one of the world's biggest celebrations. Each spring, on the Saturday before Ash Wednesday, the streets of Brazil's largest city, Rio de Janeiro, come alive with wild parties, festivals and glamorous balls.

The Samba School Parade is the highlight of the four-day event. About 3,000 performers, clad in ornate costumes embellished with feathers, beads and thousands of sequins, dance down the parade route alongside dazzling floats and into the Sambadrome-a dance stadium built for the event. Judges award a prize to the most spectacular group of dancers.

Chinese New Year is a very old celebration, a time for repaying debts, enjoying feasts, giving "red envelopes" of lucky money to friends and relatives, and remembering ancestors.This holiday is celebrated approximately 15 days after the start of the Chinese New Year.

Yan Yat - The seventh day of the Chinese New Year is called Yan Yat, "Everybody's Birthday."

The last day of the celebrations is called Chinese Lantern Festival.

There are many old and delightful ancient superstitions surrounding this holiday. People buy presents, decoration, material, food, and clothing. It is also the tradition that every family thoroughly cleans the house to sweep away any ill-fortune in hopes to make way for good incoming luck.

Christmas , also referred to as Christmas Day, is an annual holiday celebrated on December 25 that commemorates the birth of Jesus of Nazareth.

Modern customs of the holiday include gift-giving, Church celebrations, and the display of various decorations-including the Christmas tree, lights, mistletoe, nativity scenes, and holly. Santa Claus (also referred to as Father Christmas, although the two figures have different origins) is a popular mythological figure often associated with bringing gifts at Christmas for children.

Christmas is celebrated throughout the Christian population, but is also celebrated by many non-Christians as a secular, cultural festival. Because gift-giving and several other aspects of the holiday involve heightened economic activity among both Christians and non-Christians, Christmas has become a major event for many retailers.

Eid al-Adha ( Arabic: عيد الأضح) "Festival of Sacrifice" is a religious festival celebrated by Muslims worldwide to commemorate the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Ishmael as an act of obedience to God. However, God provided a ram in place once Ibrahim demonstrated his willingness to follow God's commands.

Eid al-Adha annually falls on the 10th day of the month of Dhul Hijja (ذو الحجة) of the lunar Islamic calendar. The festivities last for three days or more depending on the country.

Men, women, and children are expected to dress in their finest clothing to perform Eid prayer in any mosque. Muslims who can afford to do so sacrifice their best domestic animals (usually sheep, but also camels, cows and goats) as a symbol of Ibrahim's sacrifice. The sacrificed animals, called uDHiyyah (Arabic: أضحية‎, also known as "al-qurbān"), have to meet certain age and quality standards or else the animal is considered an unacceptable sacrifice. Generally, these must be at least a year old.

Eid ul-Fitr or Id-ul-Fitr ( Arabic:عيد الفطر‎), often abbreviated to Eid, is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. is an Arabic word meaning "festivity", while FiTr means "to break the fast" (and can also mean "nature", from the word "fitrah"); and so the holiday symbolizes the breaking of the fasting period. It is celebrated starting on the first day of the Islamic month of Shawwal.

Eid ul-Fitr is a three day celebration and is sometimes also known as the "Smaller Eid" (Arabic:العيد الصغير‎) as compared to the Eid ul-Adha that is called the "Greater Eid" (Arabic:العيد الكبير)

July 4th(USA Independence Day)

‎Easter is the time for holidays, festivals and a time for giving chocolate Easter eggs. But Easter means much more....

Easter is the oldest and the most important Christian Festival, the celebration of the death and coming to life again of Jesus Christ. For Christians, the dawn of Easter Sunday with its message of new life is the high point of the Christian year.

Easter is the story of Jesus' last days in Jerusalem before his death.The Easter story includes Maundy Thursday (the Last supper leading to the Eucharist), Good Friday (the day on which Jesus was crucified) and Easter Day (the day on which Jesus came back to life).

In the United States, Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain.

Independence Day is commonly associated with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, picnics, concerts, baseball games, political speeches and ceremonies, and various other public and private events celebrating the history, government, and traditions of the United States.

May Day occurs on May 1. In many countries, May Day is synonymous with International Workers' Day, or Labour Day, which celebrates the social and economic achievements of the labor movement

Celebrations which honor mothers and fathers. They are celebrated on various days in many places around the world.

New Year's Day is the first day of the new year. It is celebrated on January 1, often celebrated with fireworks at the stroke of midnight as the new year starts.

January 1 marks the end of a period of remembrance of a particular passing year, especially on radio, television, and in newspapers, which usually starts right after Christmas Day.

This day is traditionally a religious feast, but since the 1900s has become an occasion for celebration the night of December 31, called New Year's Eve. There are often fireworks at midnight.

Thanksgiving Day is a harvest festival. Traditionally, it is a time to give thanks for the harvest and express gratitude in general. It is a holiday celebrated primarily in Canada and the United States. While perhaps religious in origin, Thanksgiving is now primarily identified as a secular holiday.

Today, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. Thanksgiving dinner (turkey) is held on this day, usually as a gathering of family members and friends

Valentine's Day or Saint Valentine's Day is a holiday celebrated on February 14. In the Americas and Europe, it is the traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other by sending Valentine's cards, presenting flowers, or offering confectionery. The holiday is named after two among the numerous Early Christian martyrs named Valentine. The day became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished.

The international women's day is celebrated on 8th of March.
Women's Day or Working Women's Day is a day of international solidarity, and a day for reviewing the strength and organization of proletarian women.
It was decided to have a Woman's Day in every country as a form of struggle in getting working women to vote. This day was to be a day of international solidarity in the fight for common objectives and a day for reviewing the organized strength of working women under the banner of socialism.

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April Fools' Day or All Fools' Day, although not a holiday, is a day celebrated in many countries on April 1. The day is marked by the commission of hoaxes and other practical jokes of varying sophistication on friends, family members, enemies, and neighbors, or sending them on a fool's errand, the aim of which is to embarrass the gullible.

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Fascinating facts about chess

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Chess History - Ancient Chess - How to Play - Xiangqi - Shogi - Shatranj

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Read about chess history and how to play variants: Chinese chess (xiangqi), Japanese chess (shogi), Thai chess (makruk), and Korean chess (janggi).

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New sports to try!

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Turns out, mainstream sports are so passé when it comes to the world of competitive wife carrying and toe wrestling. And those aren't even the wackiest sports we've been benched from. Check out the list of sports below that involve everything from canines to ironing boards.

1. Wife Carrying
Some men complain about getting their wives off their backs -- but not in this sport. Originating in Sonkajarvi, Finland, wife carrying is a sport in which male competitors race to carry their wives through an obstacle course.
2. Chess Boxing
Competitors take part in the annual Cheese-Rolling event at Cooper's Hill in Gloucestershire, U.K. Here's how it works: a large cheese wheel is rolled down a steep hill, and competitors race after it. The first person to reach the bottom of the hill wins the cheese. It may not sound dangerous, but the steepness of the hill has resulted in several injuries.
4. Extreme Ironing
According to the World Egg Throwing Federation, egg throwing "has been a sport enjoyed by millions of people since early humans discovered the delight of watching a failure of another to catch a tossed egg." Eggheads have the opportunity to participate in the annual World Egg Throwing Championship, which involves a variation of games, in Swaton, England.
6. Underwater Hockey

Field hockey, ice hockey and now... underwater hockey? Yep. Also known as Octopush, this sport is played worldwide and involves two teams trying to push a puck using a stick across the floor of a swimming pool into the opposing team's goal. The sport has its own World Championship, which first took place in 1980.

7. Shin Kicking
Shin kicking takes manliness to a whole new level. Originating in England in the early 17th century, the combat sport involves two contestants attempting to kick each other on the shin until one hits the ground. The Shin-Kicking World Championship is part of the Cotswold Olimpick Games, an annual event held on Dover's Hill, north of the English town Chippen Campden.
8. Toe Wrestling

10. Musical Canine Freestyle

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10 Weirdest Sports You've Probably Never Heard Of

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Turns out, mainstream sports are so passé when it comes to the world of competitive wife carrying and toe wrestling. And those aren't even the wackiest sports we've been benched from. Check out the list of sports below that involve everything from canines to ironing boards.

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Don't fall asleep reading about sleep!

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Dreams are images, ideas, emotions and sensations that occur involuntarily in the mind during sleep. They can last from as little as a few seconds to as long as 20 minutes, and the average person has at least three to five, and often many more, dreams a night ( dreams typically occupy a total of about two hours of a normal night's sleep). Unfortunately, no-one has ever been able come up with a way to record or visualize dreams (although some recent research is beginning to show promise in that area), so we must resort to the low-tech and rather unscientific solution of waking people and asking them whether they were dreaming, and what about.

Dreams are usually story-like and narrative, and they often appear to us (rightly or wrongly) to connote something meaningful about our lives. They range in subject matter from the normal and ordinary to the illogical, bizarre and downright surreal. In fact, most dreams are surprisingly ordinary and unexciting, usually based on recent life events, but we are more likely to remember the more flamboyant, strange or alarming ones. The events in a dream still feel totally realistic and logical to us, however fantastical they may be.

Sexual fantasies can and do appear in dreams, but not to anything like the extent popularly thought (between 8%-10% according to some estimates, and more common in young to mid-teens). By some estimates, at least 40%, and perhaps as much as 75%, of normal dream content is negative in nature, although only a small minority of these would be characterized as nightmares (see the separate section on Nightmares). Whatever the subject matter, though, dreams are always egocentric, involving ourselves as a principal character. Despite this, we have no control over the story-line of a dream, and generally we are not even aware that we are dreaming (except in the case of lucid dreams - see the section on Other Kinds of Dreams).

Most people dream in colour, but some people do dream in black and white. Interestingly, much fewer people report dreaming in black and white now than did 50 years ago (when television was black and white), and most of those that do still claim to dream in black and white are of an age to remember black and white television. This has led some to conclude that media exposure as a child influences, or perhaps in some way reconstructs, our dreams (or at least our memories of dreams). However, it is impossible to objectively verify such reports, and it is difficult to draw any firm conclusions about them.

Dreams can occur in almost all stages of sleep, but they are most common during REM sleep, particularly towards the end of the sleep period, and the dreams experienced during this sleep stage tend to be more vivid, detailed, memorable and often bizarre. During REM sleep, there is an almost complete loss of muscle tone and skeletal muscle activity (known as atonia), and it has been speculated that this paralysis may be a built-in mechanism to protect the dreamer from any injuries that might occur if they were to physically act out the vivid, and often violent, content of REM dreams. This may also account for the commonly-experienced dreams in which we feel unable to move or can only move sluggishly in response to a threat. Studies during the 1970s showed that, where REM sleep is denied to sleepers, dreams assert themselves anyway, either during other sleep stages or even intruding themselves into daytime wakefulness, suggesting that the urge to dream is so strong that the brain seeks to compensate for its loss.

There is also a phenomenon called dream incorporation, in which outside stimuli can be incorporated into the narrative of dream imagery. William C. Dement and others did many experiments on this subject back in the 1950s and 1960s. Examples might be a dream about braving Arctic conditions caused by the bedcovers slipping off, the incorporation of particular friends into a dream in response to the prompting of the friends' names, the incorporation of a phone or alarm clock's ringing into a dream, etc . Often the stimuli are changed or twisted in some way, but still recognizeable. Some scientists believe that this represents the body's way of protecting and extending REM sleep despite external interferences.

Everyone dreams every night, from early childhood until the day we die, regardless of whether or not they can remember those dreams. Memories of dreams are very unstable, and tend to disappear completely within a few minutes of waking, unless we make a deliberate attempt to remember them, or write them down. In experiments, up to 80% of adult sleepers woken during REM sleep can remember at least some of their dreams. Light sleepers tend to be able to remember their dreams more easily than deep sleepers. Some people can never remember their dreams, regardless of when they were woken.

Although it is known that babies spend long hours of the day and night in REM sleep (and even more in utero), it is still not known exactly when they actually start to dream. Young children do definitely dream, although only about 20% of 7-year olds report dreams when woken from REM sleep, as compared to around 80% of adults, even though they spend substantially more time in REM sleep than adults.

The dreams of young children usually tend to be quite static and plain, featuring few characters and social interactions, and little in the way of strong emotions. Many childhood dreams are "primal" or atavistic in nature, similar to the kinds of dreams mankind may have experienced millennia ago. At first, they may not even include the dreamer as a major participant, although by the age of about seven that starts to change. It is hypothesized that it is the development of mental imagery and visuo-spatial skills, rather than verbal or memory capabilities, that allows children to begin to experience complex and personalized dreams.

Blind people also dream, just like everyone else, but, if they were born blind and have therefore never seen the world around them, the visual aspect of dreams tends to be lost. Their dreams are largely made up of sounds, tactile sensations and smells, senses which are often very highly developed in blind people.

Other mammals and, to a lesser degree, birds also appear to dream, in that they go through the same physiological processes as humans ( REM brain-wave patterns and eye movements, twitches, etc). It is thought, however, that reptiles, fish and insects, with their simpler brain processes, do not dream.

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Dreams range from the mundane to the alarming to the positively surreal (image from Wikipedia) Dreams are images, ideas, emotions and sensations that occur involuntarily in the mind during sleep. They can last from as little as a few seconds to as long as 20 minutes, and the average person has at least three to ...

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Important Inventions

https://historyplex.com/famous-inventors-their-inventions

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There are endless famous (and not so famous) inventions worthy of curiosity and wonder. Of course, the lists below are by no means complete, but do provide a 'greatest hits' list of inventions, both past and present, that have captured the imaginations and propelled us forward.

Inventions That Begin With "E"

Chester Greenwood, a grammar school dropout, invented earmuffs at the age of 15 to keep his ears warm while ice skating. Greenwood would go on to accumulate over 100 patents in his lifetime.

The history of ear plugs.

Inventions created for Easter occasions.

Gustave Eiffel built the Eiffel Tower for the Paris World's Fair of 1889, which honored the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution.

In 1820, Thomas Hancock patented elastic fastenings for gloves, suspenders, shoes and stockings.

In 1936, the first automatic electric blanket was invented.

The history and of the electric chair.

Several famous persons in the field of electricity and electrical theory are profiled.The history of electricity and electronics.

Michael Faraday's big breakthrough in electricity development was his invention of the electric motor.

An electric vehicle or EV by definition will use an electric motor for propulsion rather than being powered by a gasoline-powered motor.

An electromagnet is a device in which magnetism is produced by an electric current.

Innovations related to magnetic fields. See Also - Timeline of Electromagnetism

The complex history behind the electron or vacuum tube.

If pushed to the limit, electron microscopes can make it possible to view objects as small as the diameter of an atom.

The copy machine was invented by Chester Carlson.

Electroplating was invented in 1805 and paved the way for economical jewelry.

ELECTROSCOPE

The electroscope - a device for detecting electric charge - was invented by Jean Nollet in 1748.

Elisha Elisha Graves Otis did not actually invent the first elevator - he invented the brake used in modern elevators, and his brakes made skyscrapers a practical reality.

Have you ever wondered what this @ in your email address is for?

With twenty thousand vacuum tubes inside, the ENIAC computer was invented by John Mauchly and John Presper.

Understanding how engines work and the history of engines.

The history of engraving, a popular method of printing.

In 1891, Jesse Reno created a new novelty ride at Coney Island that led to the invention of the escalator.

The Etch-A-Sketch was developed in the late 1950s by Arthur Granjean.

Robert Metcalfe and Xerox team invented network computing.

Exoskeletons for human performance augmentation is a new type of body army being developed for soldiers that will significantly increase their capacity.

The history of explosives.

The history of the oldest known glass lens to the first pair of spectacles invented by Salvino D'Armate.

Jacuzzi, Jukeboxes and More Famous Inventions Beginning With "J"

In 1968, Roy Jacuzzi invented and marketed the first self-contained, fully integrated whirlpool bath by incorporating jets into the sides of the tub. Jacuzzi® is the trademarked name for the invention.

The jet ski was invented by Clayton Jacobsen II.

Dr.Hans von Ohain and Sir Frank Whittle are recognized as the co-inventors of the jet engine. See also: Different Types of Jet Engines

John Spilsbury created the first jigsaw puzzle in 1767.

In 1920, Joe Cartledge invented the first jock strap or athletic supporter.

The history of the jukebox.

Safety Pins to Syringes: Inventions Beginning With "S"

Safety Pins

The safety pin was invented by Walter Hunt in 1849.

The very first sailboards (windsurfing) date back to the late 1950s.

The origins of the sandwich.

The origins of Saran Wrap film and the history of the Dow Chemical Company.

History changed on October 4, 1957, when the former Soviet Union successfully launched Sputnik I.The world's first artificial satellite was about the size of a basketball, weighed only 183 pounds, and took about 98 minutes to orbit the Earth on its elliptical path.

The history of the saxophone.

Gerd Karl Binnig and Heinrich Rohrer are the inventors of the STM, which provided the first images of individual atoms.

The history behind this cutting invention.

The invention of scooters. Also See - Early Patent Drawings

Scotch Tape was patented by the banjo playing, 3M engineer, Richard Drew.

You might be surprised by how early wooden screws were invented. Here's the history of the Archimedes Screw, the Phillips Head Screw, the Robertson Screw, Square Drive Screws, and more.

In the 16th century, barrels were used as primitive diving bells, and for the first time divers could travel underwater with more than one breath of air, but not much more than one.

Sea-Cretion

Wolf Hilbertz patented sea-cretion, a construction material made from the electrolytic deposition of minerals from seawater.

Never drive without first buckling up you seat belt. But which inventor brought us this safety invention?

The seaplane was invented by Glenn Curtiss. March 28, 1910 in Martinque, France, marked the first successful seaplane take-off from water

John Milne was the English seismologist and geologist who invented the first modern seismograph and promoted the building of seismological stations.

This amazing home was invented by Frances Gabe.

What was once a mysterious invention created by Dean Kamen that had everyone speculating as to what it was, was revealed and demonstrated as the now familiar Segway Human Transporter.

This beloved, bubbling lemon lime drink was invented by Charles Grigg.

The history behind sewing machines.

Shrapnel is a type of antipersonnel projectile named after the inventor, Henry Shrapnel.

As late as 1850, most shoes were made on absolutely straight lasts, there being no difference between the right and the left shoe. Learn about the history of footwear and shoe making technology, including sneakers, which were designed by Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight.

Jan Matzeliger developed an automatic method for lasting shoes and made the mass production of affordable shoes possible.

Who created the first shopping mall and other trivia.

The history of crash test dummies-the first crash test dummy was the Sierra Sam created in 1949."

Silly Putty is a result of history, engineering, an accident and entrepreneurship.

The history of sign language.

Signaling System (Pyrotechnic)

Martha Coston invented a system of maritime signal flares.

The skyscraper like many other architectural forms, evolved over a long period of time.

Skateboard

A short history of the skateboard.

The oldest known pair of ice skates dates back to 3000 BCE.

The Pullman sleeping car (train) was invented by George Pullman in 1857.

The history of sliced bread and the toaster, the best thing since sliced bread, but actually invented before sliced bread.

Around 1622, the circular and rectangular slide rule was invented by Episcopalean minister William Oughtred.

The slinky was invented by Richard and Betty James.

The first mechanical slot machine was the Liberty Bell, invented in 1895 by Charles Fey

The name of smart pill now refers to any pill that can deliver or control its delivery of medicine without the patient having to take action beyond the initial swallow.

Snowblower

Canadian, Arthur Sicard invented the snowblower in 1925.

The history of snowmaking machines and facts about making snow.

In 1922, Joseph-Armand Bombardier developed the type of sport machine that we know today as the snowmobile.

Soap making was known as early as 2800 BCE, but in the synthetic detergent industry it is not as easy to pinpoint exactly when the first detergents were invented.

Not much is known about the origin of soccer, however, football and ball kicking games were played by the ancient Greeks and Romans.

The first real knit socks were discovered in Egyptian graves in Antinoe.

In 1819, the "soda fountain" was patented by Samuel Fahnestock.

George Hancock invented softball.

An introduction to the history of soft drinks including Coca-Cola, Pepsi-Cola, and other less well-known bubbly beverages.

The history of various software programs.

Solar-Powered Cars

Solar-powered electric demonstration vehicles were first built by universities and manufacturers during the late eighties.

A solar cell directly converts light energy into electrical energy.

Discover the history of Sonar.

Ed Cox invented a pre-soaped pad with which to clean pots.

The history of sound recording technology-from early recorded sounds and wax cylinders to the latest in broadcasting history.

Where did soup come from?

The history of spacesuits.

In 1962, Steve Russell invented SpaceWar, one of the first games intended for computer use.

The history of spark plugs.

The history of eyeglasses from the oldest known glass lens to the first pair of spectacles invented by Salvino D'Armate and beyond. Around the year 1752, James Ayscough introduced spectacles with lenses made of tinted glass.

George Carruthers received a patent for the far-ultraviolet camera and the spectrograph.

Hargreaves patented theSpinning Jenny used for weaving yarn.

Samuel Crompton invented the spinning mule.

The spinning wheel is an ancient machine that turned fibers into thread or yarn, which were then woven into cloth on a loom. The spinning wheel was probably invented in India, though its origins are obscure.

The spork is half spoon and half fork.

Yes, there are patents related to sports.

Learn who invented the skateboard, the frisbee, sneakers, the bicycle, the boomerang and other sporting goods.

The first fire sprinkler system was invented by American, Henry Parmalee in 1874.

Rowland Hill invented the postage stamp in 1837, an act for which he was knighted.

Brass paper fasteners were introduced in the mid-1860s, and by 1866 George W. McGill had developed a machine to insert these fasteners into papers. The first stapling machine with a magazine that held a supply of preformed wire staples that were fed automatically to the staple-driving mechanism was patented in 1878.

Bartholdi was a French sculptor born in Alsace. He created many monumental sculptures, but his most famous work was the Statue of Liberty.

Robert Fulton invented the first successful steamboat on August 7, 1807. Also see: John Fitch and His Steamboat

Thomas Newcomen invented the atmospheric steam engine in 1712 - steam engine history and information on the men and women involved with steam engines.

Henry Bessemer invented the first process for mass-producing steel inexpensively.

Stem Cell Research

James Thomson was the first scientist to isolate and culture human embryonic stem cells.

William Ged invented Stereotyping in 1725. Sterotyping is a process in which a whole page of type is cast in a single mold so that a printing plate can be made from it.

The history of stoves.

In 1888, Marvin Stone patented the spiral winding process to manufacture the first paper drinking straws.

C. B. Brooks invented an improved street sweeper truck and patented it on March 17, 1896.

What we commonly call styrofoam is the most recognizable form of foam polystyrene packaging.

Study the evolution of submarine design, from the submarine's beginning as a compressed air or human-powered warship to today's nuclear-powered subs.

The sugar processing evaporator was invented by Norbert Rillieux.

The first commercial sunscreen was invented in 1936.

Seymour Cray and the Cray Supercomputer.

Superconductors

In 1986, Alex Müller and Johannes Bednorz patented the first high-temperature superconductor.

Super Soaker

Lonnie Johnson invented the Super Soaker squirt gun. (Johnson also patented thermodynamics systems.)

The first patent ever issued for modern suspenders, the kind with the familiar metal clasp was patent by Roth.

The history of swimming pools-the first heated swimming pool was built by Gaius Maecenas of Rome.

The history behind this medical device.

Tampons, Tupperware and Trumpets: Inventions Beginning With "T"

Graham Durant, John Emmett and Charon Ganellin co-invented Tagamet. Tagamet inhibits the production of stomach acid.

The history of tampons.

Tape Recorders

In 1934/35, Begun built the world's first tape recorder used for broadcasting.

Samuel O'Reilly and the history of inventions related to tattoos.

The name taxicab usually abbreviated to taxi came from the taximeter an old instrument which measured the distance travelled.

The history of tea, tea bags, tea drinking customs and more.

Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt, the 26th president of the United States, is the person responsible for giving the teddy bear his name.

Roy Plunkett invented tetrafluoroethylene polymers or Teflon.

Tekno Bubbles

Tekno Bubbles are a innovative variation on blowing bubbles, but these bubbles glow under black lights and can smell like raspberries.

Samuel Morse invented the telegraph.The general history of telegraphy. Optical Telegraph

Examples of telemetry are the tracking of the movements of wild animals that have been tagged with radio transmitters, or the transmitting of meteorological data from weather balloons to weather stations.

The history of the the telephone and telephone related devices. Also take a look at the First Patent for the Telephone.

Telephone Switching System

Erna Hoover invented the computerized telephone switching system.

A spectacle maker probably assembled the first telescope. Hans Lippershey of Holland is often credited with the invention of the telescope, but he almost certainly was not the first person to make one.

The history of television - color television, satellite broadcasts, remote controls and other television related inventions. Also see this Television Timeline

In 1873, Walter Wingfield invented a game called Sphairistikè (Greek for "playing ball) which evolved into modern outdoor tennis.

Invented in 1891 by Nikola Tesla, the Tesla coil is still used in radio and television sets and other electronic equipment.

Tetracycline

Lloyd Conover invented the antibiotic tetracycline, which became the most prescribed broad spectrum antibiotic in the United States.

The history behind circus, theme park, and carnival inventions including roller coasters, carousels, ferris wheels, trampoline and more.

The first thermometers were called thermoscopes. In 1724, Gabriel Fahrenheit invented the first mercury thermometer, the modern thermometer.

Sir James Dewar was the inventor of the Dewar flask, the first thermos.

Many fashion historians believe that the thong first appeared in the 1939 World's Fair.

Tidal Power Plants

The rise and fall of the sea level can power electric-generating equipment.

The history of timekeeping innovations and time measurement.

Henry Timken received a patent for the Timken or tapered roller bearings.

Tinkertoys

Charles Pajeau invented Tinkertoys, a toy construction set for children.

The history of tires.

The best thing since sliced bread, but actually invented before sliced bread.

The history of toilets and plumbing.

Learn about the inventor of the Tom Thumb steam engine.

The history behind several common household tools.

Who invented false teeth, dentistry, toothbrush, toothpaste, toothpicks and dental floss. Also, learn about the history of toothpicks.

The automatic totalizator is a system that totals the investments on runners, horses, betting pools and pays out dividends; invented by Sir George Julius in 1913.

The touch screen is one of the easiest to use and most intuitive of all PC interfaces, making it the interface of choice for a wide variety of applications.

The history behind several toy inventions-including how some toys were invented, how others got their names and how famous toy companies began.

A history of tractors, bulldozers, forklifts and related machinery. Also see: Famous Farm Tractors

The world's first traffic lights were installed near London's House of Commons in 1868. Also see this article on Garrett Morgan, who patented a hand-cranked traffic management device.

The prototype trampoline apparatus was built by George Nissen, an American circus acrobat and Olympic

The transistor was an influential little invention that changed the course of history in a big way for computers and electronics. See Also - Definition

The history and timeline of different transportation innovations - cars, bikes, planes, and more.

Trivial Pursuit was invented by Canadians Chris Haney and Scott Abbott.

The trumpet has evolved more than any other instrument known to modern day society.

The history of TTY.

The history of tungsten wire used in lightbulbs.

Tupperware

Tupperware was invented by Earl Tupper.

The tuxedo was invented by Pierre Lorillard of New York City.

Gerry Thomas is the man who invented both the product and the name of the Swanson TV Dinner

The first practical typewriter was invented by Christopher Latham Sholes. The history of the typewriter's keys (QWERTY), early typewriters and typing history.

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There are endless famous (and not so famous) inventions worthy of curiosity and wonder. Of course, the lists below are by no means complete, but do provide a 'greatest hits' list of inventions, both past and present, that have captured the imaginations and propelled us forward.

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Fascinating explorations!

https://www.traveller24.com/Explore/12-famous-journeys-of-discovery-that-changed-the-world-20160205

http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20110630-greatest-historical-journeys

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Humans are an intrepid race. For centuries, explorers have disappeared over the horizon in search of new lands and distant shores on epic journeys of discovery. Thanks to these pioneers we're able to follow in their footsteps now and forevermore.

As a new generation of visionaries - from SpaceX's Elon Musk to Virgin Galactic's Richard Branson - look forward to new frontiers, we cast an eye back and pay homage to history's most epic endeavours thus far.

1. Roald Amundsen's Northwest Passage expedition
1903-1906

Amundsen is better known for being the first person to reach the South Pole, which is plenty epic enough. However, he first made his mark on history by undertaking a three-year voyage from the Atlantic to the Pacific via the Arctic Ocean to become the first to conquer the epic route that's been sought by explorers for centuries.

As if sailing the complex waterways wasn't impressive enough, Amundsem then skied 800 kilometers across Alaska to send a telegram about his success. Then he skied the 800 kilometers back again. (Norwegians, eh?)

2. Livingstone's travels through Africa
1851-1873

The near mythical status held by David Livingstone is not without merit. He is probably best known for crossing the African continent (1852-56), navigating the Zambezi river (1858-64) and seeking the source of the Nile (1866-73).

Livingstone travelled for years at a time (at one point lost to the outside world for six years) and eventually died of malaria in present day Zambia. Today, his name is immortalised with countless places and memorials named in his honour throughout Africa and further afield.

3. Shackleton's failed Trans-Antarctic Expedition
1914-17

The expedition intended to be the first to cross the Antarctic but unfortunately it suffered cataclysmic events at almost every stage. It began when the expedition's ship, Endurance, became trapped in ice and then broke up under the strain. After camping on the moving ice and failed marches across to the mainland, the party launched three lifeboats for Elephant Island.

Shackleton and five others then set sail in an open boat for South Georgia some 800-miles (1,287 km) away. After reaching the island they had to cross it on foot to reach a whaling station. Finally, three years after leaving, he returned to collect the others without loss of life.

4. Cook's voyage aboard Endeavour
1768-1771

Captain James Cook made three voyages throughout the Pacific leaving his name and mark on countless islands throughout the Ocean. I've actually lost count of how many places we've visited that mention his name in a landing place, memorial or, in one case, a whole collective of islands (The Cook Islands of course).

Prior to all this, his first voyage aboard the HMS Endeavour saw him circumnavigate the globe via Cape Horn, Tahiti, New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia and the Cape of Good Hope. En route, Cook managed to track the 1769 transit of Venus across the Sun and map large areas of the largely undiscovered Australia.

5. Lewis and Clark Expedition
1804-1806

What do you do when your president buys a territory and doubles the size of your country? Explore it, of course. The United States was a very different place back in the early 19th century when President Jefferson purchased the territory of Louisiana from France for about 4 cents per acre. He needed the newly acquired land explored and mapped as well as fixing a route across the western half of the continent.

Captain Meriwether Lewis and Second Lieutenant William Clark followed the Missouri river westwards travelling massive distances, overcoming violent rapids and hostile conditions while establishing (often tense) relations with indigenous populations along the way. The group arrived at the Pacific Ocean in late 1805.

6. Fridtjof Nansen's crossing of Greenland
1888

Nansen looks tough - just like an explorer should do. Not only was he tough but he was also smart. The crossing of Greenland was hampered with upsets including a delayed landing, horrendous weather conditions, a dramatic change of route and, finally, missing the return boat home.

Spending seven months on Greenland waiting for the next ship, Nansen used this time and the preceding expedition to perfect techniques and innovations in polar equipment and clothing, paving the way for future similar expeditions. He would later claim the record for reaching the northernmost latitude during his North Pole expedition (1893-96).

7. Charles Lindbergh's first solo transatlantic flight
1927

In 1919, the hotelier Raymond Orteig offered $25,000 dollars to the first person to complete a nonstop flight between New York and Paris. It took Charles Lindbergh eight years to raise the capital and source a plane suitable for the flight.

Six well-known aviators had already lost their lives in pursuit of the prize by the time Lindbergh took off in Spirit of St. Louis from New York. Thirty-three and a half hours later he landed in Paris in front of more than 100,000 spectators.

8. Burke and Wills' crossing of Australia
1860-61

Robert O'Hara Burke and William John Wills led an ill-fated expedition of 19 men from Melbourne on the southern coast of Australia 2,000 miles (3,250 km) to the northern coast. The party was halted just three miles (5km) short of the coastline.

Unfortunately, on the somewhat farcical and tragic return journey both the expedition's leaders lost their lives along with five others. At one point the returning party missed their rendezvous by just nine hours. Only one man of the expedition's original 19 crossed the continent and returned alive to Melbourne.

9. Magellan's near circumnavigation
1519-1522

The Portuguese explorer came wretchedly close to being the first man to circumnavigate the globe. Instead that went to Juan Sebastián Elcano who took command of the expedition after Magellan was killed at the Battle of Mactan in the Philippines.

The final distance of the voyage clocked in at an epic 37,560 miles (60,440 km). It was also the first expedition to sail from the Atlantic Ocean into the Pacific Ocean and the first to cross the Pacific.

10. The voyages of Marco Polo
1271-1294

This guy wrote the book on discovery - literally. Nearly 750 years ago, a 17-year-old Venetian merchant set off on a 15,000-mile (24,000 km) voyage that lasted over 24 years. The journey took him through the Middle East, Central Asia and China. His subsequent book, The Travels of Marco Polo, helped introduce Europeans of the time to the distant lands of Central Asia and China.
Want to read more about these epic journeys of discovery? DK has published an outstanding coffee table book in collaboration with the Royal Geographical Society called Explorers: Tales of Endurance and Exploration.

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10 epic journeys of discovery | Atlas & Boots

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Humans are an intrepid race. For centuries, explorers have disappeared over the horizon in search of new lands and distant shores on epic journeys of discovery. Thanks to these pioneers we're able to follow in their footsteps now and forevermore.

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Which job would you like?

https://www.totaljobs.com/careers-advice/what-job-can-i-do/10-unusual-jobs

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While it's true that most workers have jobs that will sound familiar both to their next-door neighbors and to people across the country, there are some brave souls out there forging new paths.

From the crazy to the cool, the serious to the silly, there are tons of jobs out there that you might never have heard of. One of them might just be your next career. Or it could be a fun side job that will boost your earnings.

Curious? Read about some of the weirdest and most interesting jobs out there and see if your calling is among them.

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From the crazy to the cool, the serious to the silly, there are tons of ways to make money. Here are some of the most unique, weird, and interesting jobs.

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Read about habits

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As morning people who appreciate routine even while we try to embrace some spontaneity, we're admittedly fascinated by the drive, dedication, and self-discipline embodied by Olympic athletes. Following a rigid diet that involves counting protein grams and being mindful of carbohydrates isn't at the top of our things-that-thrill-us list, but it's hard to argue with the positive impact that certain habits have on our productivity.

We're both runners, for example, who value the feeling that comes from a good workout. Some days, it can be a push to get outside after we've laced up and gotten the playlist ready, but a three or four-mile jog or 45-minute session at the gym can be the difference between feeling on top of our game and at the bottom of it.

Eight-plus hours of sleep a night gets a thumbs-up from us, not just because getting a good night's sleep feels oh-so-nice, but also because it affects how we work-the very quality of work we produce, in fact.

Habits are helpful. There's no question that athletes at the Olympic level take their habits and routines very seriously. We were curious to see what else we could be doing that would give us a professional edge and make us feel accomplished day in and day out. While we're not about to start setting our alarms for 4:15 AM to fit more in and double the length of our workouts, we might be willing to try taking more regular breaks to give our tired minds a much-needed rest.

1. Get the Right Kind of Rest: Kassidy Cook, USA, Diving

Routine Fun Fact

The day prior to competition, Cook takes a bath in a tub full of ice to ensure her legs are fully rested and ready to go when she arrives at the pool the next morning. (Oh, she also makes sure she gets a manicure and pedicure, too.)

How You Can Apply These Habits

Rest is crucial. Just as Cook wants her legs to be fresh for the most important dives, you want your mind to be as rested as possible in order to reach optimum productivity. That means listening to your body, getting enough sleep each night, and unplugging from work on a consistent basis.

2. Focus on the Nutrients: Novak Djokovic, Serbia, Tennis

Routine Fun Fact

Djokovic has a very specific routine to start out his day, and it goes in this order: a large cup of room temperature water; two tablespoons of honey; and a nutrient-rich breakfast comprised of muesli or oatmeal, nuts, seeds, fruit, coconut oil, and a non-dairy milk or coconut water.

How You Can Apply These Habits

Djokivic's ritual is designed to set his body up for ultimate success. And you can do this, too, by fueling with foods that are whole and healthy and staying hydrated throughout the day.

3. Aim for High-Quality Sleep: Michael Phelps, USA, Swimming

Routine Fun Fact

Phelps' sleeping situation is, well, unique. Each night he dozes off in a special altitude chamber (yes, you read that correctly).

How You Can Apply These Habits

We're willing to bet that these contraptions aren't cheap (or even close), but you can still aim for high-quality sleep in other ways. Make sure your room is as dark and cool as possible, keep electronics away from the bed-or out of the room all together-and try to fall asleep and wake up on the same schedule each day.

4. Visualize Goals: Carli Lloyd, USA, Soccer

Routine Fun Fact

There's one thing Lloyd is focusing on a lot more these days: her mind. Prior to each match, she dedicates time toward visualizing exactly what she wants to happen in that game. In 2015's World Cup final, she netted three goals. Do you know what she did leading up to that game? Imagined she would score four. Not bad odds, right?

How You Can Apply These Habits

You may not be playing soccer in front of millions of fans, but there are still goals you may want to achieve, such as making a great impression in an interview, nailing that presentation you have to give to a client, or negotiating your salary with your boss. Whatever it is, envisioning yourself doing it beforehand could be a huge help.

5. Prioritize Sleep: Usain Bolt, Jamaica, Track and Field

Routine Fun Fact

What does it take to be the fastest human in the world? Usain Bolt would know. But while sprint training and eating lots of veggies is important, Bolt explains that his number one priority is sleep. Why? Because it's in those precious hours that his body repairs itself and builds upon all the hard work he's done throughout the day.

How You Can Apply These Habits

We tend to put work first -a lot. "Oh, I'll just stay up a few more hours to finish this up," or "I'll set my alarm extra early tomorrow to start [insert project here]." And though we may feel more productive in the moment, depriving ourselves of proper amounts of shuteye is hurting us in the long run. So, put sleep on your to-do list-at the top.

6. Keep a Record: Eliud Kipchoge, Kenya, Running

Routine Fun Fact

Like most professional athletes, Kipchoge cares about sleep -going to bed at 9 PM and napping for an hour each day are musts-but that's not all the elite runner does habitually. Keeping a training book to look back on all of his workouts and successes, Kipchoge has recorded each run, each piece of the training puzzle, so that when it's time to compete, he can look back and "know he has done everything. It gives him the confidence to go and deliver."

How You Can Apply These Habits

Keep track of your accomplishments, career goals-wins, misses, setbacks and achievements. Take note of everything from where you hope to be five years from now to what kind of feedback you got at your last performance review.

7. Possess Self-Confidence: Claressa Shields, USA, Boxing

Routine Fun Fact

Priding herself on being confident not cocky, Shields says this trait motivates her to work 10 times as hard as her opponents for a desire outcome. Before a big fight, she lets her family and friends know exactly where her focus is.

How You Can Apply These Habits

Avoid crossing the fine line between confidence and arrogance, and believe in yourself and the work you're doing. Imposter syndrome has no room in your drive to succeed, and neither do family members who don't understand your goals. Learn to effectively communicate so that you won't be easily distracted when an important work project lands in your lap.

8. Don't Be All Serious All the Time: Simone Biles, USA, Gymnastics

Routine Fun Fact

Unlike her competitive counterparts, Biles often has a more relaxed manner, even before a match, where giggling comes naturally to her. Once, in Glasgow, during the 2015 World Championships, Biles advocated for some down time from the coaches for her and the team, and they got it.

How You Can Apply These Habits

Don't take yourself too seriously. Remember that a life of all work and no play can wreak havoc on your productivity. Whether you take a break to walk around the park near your office or you spend 15 minutes browsing magazines at the local drug store, give your mind some rest from the hard thinking you're asking it to do for the majority of the workday.

9. Don't Worry, Be Happy: Katie Ledecky, USA, Swimming

Routine Fun Fact

Ledecky is, it seems, pretty much always happy. She doesn't get anxious, and if worrisome thoughts start to creep in, she's able to push them aside so she can concentrate and get the job done.

How You Can Apply These Habits

If you tend to get anxious about your to-do list or big meetings with clients, try adjusting your mindset. Hold anxiety at arm's length, and take a page from Ledecky's book: Think of something else, something that doesn't cause you stress.

10. Never Skip Breakfast: Misty May-Treanor, USA, Volleyball

Routine Fun Fact

One word that May-Treanor cares a lot about? Breakfast. Whether it's an egg scramble with veggies or a morning meal with bacon starring in a side roll, she eats in the morning, no matter how busy her day is.

How You Can Apply These Habits

Make breakfast a priority. No matter how much you value those extra minutes pressing snooze each morning or how often you've told yourself that skipping that first meal doesn't matter, know this: If you want to start your day on the right foot and you want to make healthy choices throughout the day (think increased energy and productivity levels), don't pass on breakfast.

Olympic athletes are the best of the best, the cream of the crop, crème de la crème-you get the picture. But even if you aren't competing in Rio, that doesn't mean a routine can't be helpful for you, too.

What each of these athletes have in common (besides being super fit and goal-oriented) is that they've found what works best for them. Djokovic's three-step morning routine, for example, may be a bit much for you-water, honey, and that many ingredients in a breakfast? Oh my! Bathing in ice? Maybe not for you. But there's more to a smart routine than willing yourself into doing one specific thing. Making the most out of your days is about embracing habits that help you be your best self.

The point isn't to copy exactly what any of these elites do, but to develop a routine that prioritizes treating your body the best it can be. And because everyone is different, your ritual could be completely different, too.

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10 Olympic Athletes' Daily Habits to Inspire You

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As morning people who appreciate routine even while we try to embrace some spontaneity, we're admittedly fascinated by the drive, dedication, and self-discipline embodied by Olympic athletes. Following a rigid diet that involves counting protein grams and being mindful of carbohydrates isn't at the top of our things-that-thrill-us list, but it's hard to argue with the positive impact that certain habits have on our productivity.