March 28, 2024

President Abraham Lincoln became the first “wired president” by embracing the original electronic messaging technology—the telegraph. The 16th president may be remembered for his soaring oratory that stirred the Union, but the nearly 1,000 bite-sized telegrams that he wrote during his presidency helped win the Civil War by projecting presidential power in unprecedented fashion.

- History.com (February 12, 2024)

March 27, 2024

catalepsy noun cat·​a·​lep·​sy ˈka-tə-ˌlep-sē A trancelike state marked by loss of voluntary motion in which the limbs remain in whatever position they are placed

- Merriam-Webster

March 26, 2024

In Connecticut, there are 225 bridges and over 2,076 miles of highway in poor condition. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will rebuild our roads and includes the single largest dedicated bridge investment since the construction of the interstate highway system. Based on formula funding alone, Connecticut is expected to receive approximately $4.1 billion over five years in federal funding for highways and bridges.

- Whitehouse.gov (Bipartisan Infrastructure Law State Fact Sheets) (February 2024)

March 25, 2024

KISSES Chocolates were in production from 1907 to 1942 and then not produced until 1947 due to rationing of aluminum during World War II. During that nearly six-year period, Hershey retooled its KISSES production equipment in order to produce chocolate D-Rations for the US Military. KISSES Chocolates have been in continuous production since 1947 and the KISSES Brand has added many flavors to the iconic product line to become one of the leading chocolate product brands in the world.

- Hersheyland.com

March 24, 2024

The woven treat containers represent birds' nests and new life, especially when filled to the brim with eggs. Plus, they're a pretty utilitarian way to gather those goodies on your Easter egg hunt.

- Good Housekeeping (April 17, 2022)

March 23, 2024

It may be covered with ice, but Antarctica gets only 6.5 inches of rain or snow per year, making it the continent with the lowest annual rainfall by far. On the other end of the spectrum, Lloro, Colombia, absorbs more than 500 inches of rainfall per year. North America is relatively dry by comparison, collecting 256 inches of rain annually.

- Reader's Digest (Jun. 01, 2023)

March 22, 2024

Most physicians work between 40 and 60 hours per week, but nearly one-quarter of physicians work between 61 and 80 hours per week, according to the 2014 Work/Life Profiles of Today’s Physician released last year by AMA Insurance.

- American Medical Association (ama-assn.org) (Jan. 6, 2015)

March 21, 2024

The first happy hour was in 1914, when the US Navy, in an attempt to entertain on-duty sailors, hosted an evening of food, music, and dancing. An April 1914 newspaper article described the sailors at one such happy hour as enjoying themselves “with as much abandon as though no war were in the air.”

- hr-brew.com (December 20, 2023)

March 20, 2024

Brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste for at least two minutes each time you brush. This recommendation is from the American Dental Association.

- Mayo Clinic

March 19, 2024

Some authorities ascribe the invention of the pendulum clock to Galileo, while others credit Christiaan Huygens. This disagreement arises because Galileo first noted, about 1583, the relative constancy of a pendulum’s period, but Huygens created a clock in 1656 that relied on the movement of a pendulum at a truly constant rate.

- Britannica.com (Jan 18, 2017)

March 18, 2024

Italians make at least 350 types of pasta, each with its own shape. Spaghetti is the most popular type of pasta and consists of long strings of noodles. Another type of pasta is macaroni, which includes tiny pieces of pasta cut to an angle at each end. You may also find spiral pasta called fusilli. There is even the Farfalle pasta that resembles butterflies with wings crinkled at the edges and in the middle.

- Picano's Italian Grille (Dec 09, 2022)

March 17, 2024

Leprechauns are fairies. Although they might not match your initial idea of what a fairy is, leprechauns are considered a part of the family. Like other fairies, they’re small in size and prone to mischief. The miniature men are said to be descendants of Tuatha Dé Danann, a group of magical beings that served under the Gaelic goddess Danu. According to legend, this mythical group lived in Ireland long before humans inhabited the land.

- Mental Floss (March 17, 2022,)

March 16, 2024

The West Hartford Reservoirs and Reservoir 6 are the sites of MDC’s water treatment facilities, five small reservoirs and more than 3,000 acres of some of the most beautiful woodlands and trails in the region.

- The Metropolitan District (MDC), Hartford, Connecticut

March 15, 2024

Ides of March, day in the ancient Roman calendar that falls on March 15 and is associated with misfortune and doom. It became renowned as the date on which Roman dictator Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 BCE and was further immortalized in the tragedy Julius Caesar by English dramatist William Shakespeare. In the play, a soothsayer warns Caesar to “beware the Ides of March.” In 44 BCE, Julius Caesar was in the midst of a series of political and social reforms when he was assassinated by a group of nobles on the Ides of March. Led by senators Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus, a group of approximately 60 conspirators fatally stabbed Caesar in the Roman Senate in a plot to preserve the Roman Republic and halt Caesar’s increasingly monarchical regime.

- Britannica.com (Mar. 13, 2024)

March 14, 2024

The forage cap was introduced just in time to become the signature headgear of the Civil War soldier. This model was the most popular worn by the Union army, officers and enlisted men alike. It was adopted as standard army headgear. The visor can be flat or sloping. Because of its popularity, the cap was made in several styles. Made of navy wool with a black leather visor and chin strap, with gold-colored buttons. Civil War Union enlisted man's forage cap insignia explained: Crossed Cannons (Artillery) Company Letter (L) Regimental Number (1)

- Smithsonian: National Museum of American History

March 13, 2024

Postage on July 1, 1885 was 2 cents, by November 1, 1981 it was 20 cents, then January 21, 2018 it was up to 50 cents, and as of January 21, 2024 it's up to 68 cents!

- USPS

March 12, 2024

The Titanic was taller above the water than most urban buildings of the time. There were three real smokestacks, with a fourth "dummy" stack added to increase the impression of its size and power and to vent smoke from the ship’s numerous galleys. At the time, Titanic was the largest ever movable man-made object.

- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

March 11, 2024

Connecticut has had an anti-litter law since at least 1897, when people who threw nails, tacks, scrap iron and certain other debris on highways or streets could be fined $20. In 1992, littering was made an infraction, which means littering is punishable by a fine, usually set by a Superior Court judge, of between $35 and $90. An infraction is not a crime. It is however, against the law to litter.

- ct.gov

March 10, 2024

It has been claimed that dogs may remember up to 250 different places and people, and that they can even remember events from years ago.

- purina.co.uk

March 09, 2024

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) recommends that you replace your pillow every two years or sooner. This is because pillows can get pretty gross. Pillows can contain allergens like dust mites, pet dander, and even mold once they reach the end of their lifespan.

- USNews.com (April 19, 2023)

March 08, 2024

Ancestry refers to a person’s ethnic origin or descent, ""roots,"" or heritage, or the place of birth of the person or the person’s parents or ancestors before their arrival in the United States. Some people identify their ancestry as American. This could be because their ancestors have been in United States for so long or they have such mixed backgrounds that they do not identify with any particular group.

- Census.gov (December 16, 2021)

March 07, 2024

For more than 2,000 years encyclopaedias have existed as summaries of extant scholarship in forms comprehensible to their readers. The word encyclopaedia is derived from the Greek enkyklios paideia, “general education,” and it at first meant a circle or a complete system of learning—that is, an all-around education.

- Britannica.com (Mar 9, 2024)

March 06, 2024

Play benefits motor development by encouraging movement [and the] understanding of spatial relations, promoting motor planning skills, and supporting balance and dexterity,” Mendez says. “It also supports gross motor skills, such as energy, stamina, flexibility, and body awareness.

- Healthline.com (September 28, 2020)

March 05, 2024

Your brain’s storage capacity is considered virtually unlimited. Research suggests the human brain consists of about 86 billion neurons. Each neuron forms connections to other neurons, which could add up to 1 quadrillion (1,000 trillion) connections. Over time, these neurons can combine, increasing storage capacity. However, in Alzheimer’s disease, for example, many neurons can become damaged and stop working, particularly affecting memory.

- Northwestern Medicine (October 2019)

March 04, 2024

To get the most out of a nap, follow these tips: Keep naps short. Aim to nap for only 10 to 20 minutes. The longer you nap, the more likely you are to feel groggy afterward. However, young adults might be able to tolerate longer naps. Take naps in the early afternoon. Napping after 3 p.m. can interfere with nighttime sleep. Individual factors, such as your need for sleep, your sleeping schedule, your age and your medication use, also can play a role in determining the best time of day to nap. Create a restful environment. Nap in a quiet, dark place with a comfortable room temperature and few distractions.

- mayoclinic.org (Nov. 09, 2022)

March 03, 2024

An asphalt shingle roof should last between 20 and 30 years. If you have a 40-year-old roof,there could be a problem — even if it looks good from the ground.

- Claude McGavic, executive director of The National Association of Home Inspectors

March 02, 2024

Learn the “rule of threes” and apply to your home decorating projects. Overall, odd numbers of objects when decorating are more eye-catching and interesting than even numbers.

- houseplansandmore.com

March 01, 2024

A rare, 184-year-old copy of the Declaration of Independence found by a bargain hunter at a Nashville thrift shop is being valued by experts at about 100,000 times the $2.48 purchase price.

- NBC News (Feb. 23, 2007)

February 29, 2024

Julius Caesar introduced the first leap year around 46 B.C., but his Julian calendar had only one rule: Any year evenly divisible by four would be a leap year. That created too many leap years, but the math wasn't tweaked until Pope Gregory XIII introduced his Gregorian calendar more than 1,500 years later. Caesar's concept wasn't bad, but his math was a little off; the extra day every four years was too much of a correction. As a result, there's a leap year every year that is divisible by four, but to qualify, century years (those that end in 00) must also be divisible by 400. So, the year 2000 was a leap year, but the years 1700, 1800 and 1900 were not.

- Thoughtco.com (July 7, 2020)

February 28, 2024

Nearly 220,000 bags were “mishandled” by U.S. airlines in April 2022, meaning they were lost, damaged, delayed or stolen, according to the most recent data published by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The number of mishandled bags in April was more than double the roughly 94,000 cases of mishandled luggage in April 2021, though slightly less than the tally in March 2022 and the level in April 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic, according to department data.

- CNBC, Greg Iacurci (July 19, 2022)

February 27, 2024

Downy Woodpecker Male (Eastern) Small with a short bill. White below, upperparts mostly black with a white back and bold white spots in the wings. Head striped black and white, with a red nape. Note spotting on white outer tail feathers. Female (Eastern) Small and short-billed. Females lack the red nape found on males.

- AllAboutBirds.org

February 26, 2024

North may be at the top of maps today, but that wasn’t always the case. During the middle ages, most Western maps put east at the top instead. This 1300 Christian Mappa Mundi put East at the top, towards the Garden of Eden with Jerusalem in the centre. In Latin, the word for east is ""oriens"", so to hold the map correctly, you had to “orient” it—that is, make sure East was on top. This is where we get the word “orientation” today.

- Futuremaps.com (August 31, 2019)

February 25, 2024

Pilots can only fly one type of aircraft at a time. If they want to fly another model- they have to go through extensive training

- Sheena Wakely, MiFlight Crew Member (gomiflight.com)

February 24, 2024

We all know that it’s almost impossible to frown while on vacation, but did you know your brain is prone to a major boost in happiness just from thinking about an upcoming vacation? Research shows that one of the biggest boosts in happiness comes just from planning the vacation. A person can feel the effects up to eight weeks before the departure date. And let’s not forget the happiness that continues during and after the trip.

- Select Health (May 2019)

February 23, 2024

Luke Aikins Became the First Person to Successfully Skydive Without a Parachute On July 30th, 2016, skydiver/stuntman Luke Aikins performed the highest successful skydive without a parachute. Aikins landed safely in a 100’ x 100’ net in Simi Valley, CA. Aikins used an oxygen tank for the first 10,000 ft of his freefall, which a fellow skydiver then collected.

- Guinness World Records

February 22, 2024

Around 70% of the planet’s surface is covered by oceans. In fact, the oceans hold about 96.5% of all water on Earth.

- NatGeo Kids

February 21, 2024

Water covers about 71 percent of the Earth’s surface.

- U.S. Geological Survey (November 13, 2019)

February 20, 2024

Beaches first became popular destinations in the mid-18th century in Europe.

- Smithsonian (June 23, 2016)

February 19, 2024

Surfers seek out strong waves called swells. Swells are stable waves that form far away from the beach. Swells are formed by storm systems or other wind patterns.

- NationalGeographic.com (October 19, 2023)

February 18, 2024

Studies have shown that round plates make our brain think the food served on them tastes sweeter than food served on square plates.

- Harvard.edu (January 11, 2016)

February 17, 2024

Royal Caribbean's Odyssey of the Seas has 16 total decks, 1,612 crew members, 4,198 guests; weights 167,704 gross tons, and is 1,138 feet long and 162 feet wide.

- Royal Caribbean Press Center

February 16, 2024

The world record for static apnea, a discipline in which a person floats on the surface or stands on the bottom in a pool, holding their breath for as long as possible is 11 minutes and 54 seconds.

- gitnux.org (Febrary 7, 2024)

February 15, 2024

While modern technology has led to newer and more effective locks, some of the world’s first locks were created thousands of years ago. In Egypt, archeologists unearthed rudimentary wooden-bolt locks dating back to about 2,000 B.C. It’s believed that these wooden-bolt locks were used on doors. The wooden-bolt locks were similar to the deadbolt locks used on doors today. But instead of metal, they were made of wood.

- commandolock.com (September 13, 2019)

February 14, 2024

Giving red roses may be an obvious romantic gesture today, but it wasn't until the late 17th century that giving flowers became a popular custom. In fact, the practice can be traced back to when King Charles II of Sweden learned the "language of flowers" — which pairs different flowers with specific meanings — on a trip to Persia, and subsequently introduced the tradition to Europe. The act of giving flowers then became a popular trend during the Victorian Era — including on Valentine's Day — with red roses symbolizing deep love.

- Good Housekeeping (December 27, 2023)

February 13, 2024

The air doesn’t need to be super-moist to produce impressive amounts of snow. Unlike plain rainfall, a bank of fluffy snow contains lots of air that adds to its bulk. That’s why what would have been an inch of rain in the summer equals about 13 inches of average snow—or up to 50 inches of super-dry, ski-able powder—in the colder months.

- Mental Floss (November 6, 2023)

February 12, 2024

How to Avoid Overpacking 

Ideally, you should take several passes at packing for a long trip. For best results, leave your luggage alone then reevaluate your packing job on the following day. The decision to take or leave items often changes over time.

- tripsavvy.com (June 26, 2019)

February 11, 2024

In 2020, the National Chicken Council projected that Americans would eat a record-breaking 1.4 billion chicken wings over Super Bowl weekend According to the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, this Sunday in February is the second-highest day of food consumption in the US, behind Thanksgiving.

- businessinsider.com (February 10, 2023)

February 10, 2024

How Far Can The Eye See on a Clear Day? 

From the ground, a human’s vision range is up to three miles—until the horizon line. However, a person can see many more miles from a greater elevation and even farther if the object they are viewing is also high above ground level.

- warbyparker.com (June 28, 2023)

February 09, 2024

Printed circuit boards are almost always green because they are made from a glass-epoxy, which is naturally green.

- creationtech.com (May 31, 2017)

February 08, 2024

The placement of candles on birthday cakes has various potential origins. Ancient Egyptians used candles during coronations, which were held to raise the status of humans to gods. Later, ancient Greeks placed candles on moon-shaped honey cakes made for the goddess Artemis. The Greeks thought that the smoke from blown-out candles lifted prayers and wishes to the tops of Mount Olympus. Another hypothesis as to the origin of birthday candles is rooted in the German practice of placing a candle in the center of bread or cake baked into the likeness of baby Jesus, which symbolized the light of life.

- psychologytoday.com (April 7, 2020)