Origin of Some Popular English Idioms III
The origins of a selection of some popular English expressions and sayings.
Do Animals have a built in compass ?
How do birds migrate ? And do other animals have a built in compass ? In this article we look at ‘Animal Magnetism’.
Going Dutch – Dutch Influences on the English Language
We’re familiar with the idea that the French, German and Nordic languages have had a great impact on the English language. Lesser known is the impact of Dutch. In this article we look at how our modern English language has subsumed Dutch words and expressions with out us even knowing it.
All in a Spin – Our Amazing Universe
The Universe is an amazing place ! Just how amazing is hard to comprehend sometimes. In this article we look at some astounding things happening in the Crab Nebula.
Emoticons … a history
Emoticons … those little smiley characters crop up everywher , texts emails , twitters. They instantly convey a whole gammat of meaning. Today you even get some representing Elvis, a rose and Homer Simpson. But who invented them and when ?
How the Ancient Romans built the Railways of the World
How on earth can Ancient Romans have built our modern railway system ? We take a side-ways look at this claim.
In Politics Why Does Left Mean Liberal and Right Mean Conservative ?
We use the terms ‘Left wing’ and ‘Right wing’ in politics without really thinking about it. It’s a pretty odd thing to say. So how did these expressions come about ?
Origin of the Months and Days of the Year
We use them everyday to order our lives to record, analyse and make sense of things. We’re talking about the days and months of the year. What are their origins ? You may be surprised in that they all have origins deep within our pagan past.
Was Jesus really born on the 25th December?
Was Jesus born on December 25? There is no real evidence for this date. So then we must ask is, who and when was it decided that Jesus’ birth would be celebrated on this date? Secondly when was it really ?
Christmas Traditions Around the World
Christmas is probably the time of year when, certainly in the West, there is an overwhelming plethora of traditions and practices that each culture likes to embrace. Many are similar but there is also a huge range of completely different ones.
Santa’s Reindeer
It may surprise you to know that Rudolph the red nosed reindeer is not all that he seems. Here we discuss the origins of the most mercurial of all Santa’s reindeer.
Why do we kiss under the mistletoe?
The innocuous mistletoe plant, now used to cop a cheap kiss or two, was once considered to be a sacred plant by the ancient Druids. But how did this Christmas tradition come about ?
Coffee – buzzy, frothy goodness
According to tradition, around AD 1000, an Ethiopian goatsman named Kaldi observed his herd becoming much more energetic after munching on the bright red berries of a certain bush – the coffee plant. He tried them himself and was the first person to get the energy buzz we’re all familiar with.
The Origin of the Saxophone
The saxophone is a truly versatile instrument. Used in Rock, Jazz, Blues & Classical music. Sexy, funky & cool … but when and how was it invented?
Voyager 1 & 2 – Emissary to Alien Worlds
Voyager I & II has a strange payload. Messages from 1977 Earth to aliens !
