A hug is a gesture recognized the world over. This universal posture can take place between friends, family members, or even strangers. It can be used as nonverbal communication in welcome, to express affection, to congratulate someone, or to comfort them. When many people hug at once, it is called a "group hug."... Read more
A pyramid is "a monumental structure" with triangular sides. In ancient Egypt, the pyramids were used as burial places for royalty... Read more
The griffin, also spelled griffon or gryphon, is a mythological creature with roots in the ancient Middle East and Mediterranean regions. It has the body of a lion and the wings and head of a bird, usually an eagle. Some also bore ears like those of horses. Such creatures have also been called alke, keythong, or Opinicus. The griffin was often paired with the sphinx, a creature with a human head and a lion's body... Read more
Sparrows are a common sight the world over, being native or imported to every continent except Antarctica. These small brown birds are comfortable around human settlements, and their habitats range from forests to deserts to open country. They eat seeds and insects, and many are quite vocal... Read more
A bubble is "a globule of one substance in another, usually a gas in a liquid." Bubbles are common to the human experience - we see bubbles of air in water and bubbles of carbonated gas in a glass of soda... Read more
The bald eagle, a type of sea eagle, is the national bird of the United States. It appears on the national seal and many coins, as well as on decorations for patriotic holidays, such as the Fourth of July... Read more
The Celts or Kelts were the people of Europe from about 2000 BCE to 100 BCE. They ranged across the islands of Britain, across Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, and much of Central Europe. Exactly who the Celtic tribes were, where they came from, and their relationship to one another is a subject of debate by researchers... Read more
Sparta was a city in ancient Greece. The Spartan people were known for giving up many pleasures, such as art, literature, and philosophy, in order to expend more effort on military training. Theirs was considered the most powerful army in ancient Greece... Read more
The Vikings were a seafaring people known for being fierce warriors. They raided villages and built colonies throughout Europe - and according to some researchers, as far away as North America - during the ninth to eleventh centuries. The term "Viking" meant "pirate." Vikings were also known as Norsemen or Northmen... Read more
The lungs are among the largest organs in the human body. These muscular air sacs are located within the chest. When air is brought into the lungs, the body takes in oxygen and removes carbon dioxide from the blood. The heart then pumps the oxygenated blood to the body... Read more
The bobcat, also called the wildcat or bay lynx, is a North American mammal. Bobcats are slightly larger than the average housecat, weighing 15 to 33 pounds (7 to 15 kilograms). Bobcats can live almost anywhere - deserts, forests, and even cities... Read more
The stethoscope or phonendoscope is a medical instrument used to listen to the sounds produced inside the body, typically those of the heart and lungs but sometimes the intestines or blood flow. Listening to these sounds is known as "auscultation." The stethoscope was first invented in 1816... Read more
A kiss is defined as "a touch or caress of the lips upon the lips, cheek, hand, or feet of another to signify affection, greeting, reverence, or... attraction." It is true that a kiss can mean many things, but the most popular meaning is love... Read more
Nearly 60 species of falcons live in various climates throughout the world. They are birds of prey resembling the related hawks and eagles. Falcons are known for their speed and grace. In fact, a diving peregrine falcon is the fastest animal in the world. They often nest on the sides of cliffs or tall buildings... Read more
Scissors or shears are used for cutting hair, thread, fabric, paper, or even food items. Specialized shears may be used for cutting metal, pruning plants, or in surgery. This type of cutlery was first invented thousands of years ago during the Bronze Age, but scissors were not readily available to everyone until the 1700s... Read more
There are about 33 species of rattlesnake native to North and South America. Rattlesnakes are venomous pit vipers marked by a unique tail structure. Each snake is born with one button or rattle segment. Within a week of birth, they shed their skin and a second button is left behind. This happens every time the snake sheds its skin... Read more
Bread is a dietary staple throughout much of the world and has been throughout history. This food can be made from the flour of grains such as wheat, corn, spelt, rice, millet, rye, or barley, or from nuts including almonds and coconut... Read more
The great white shark, also known as the white shark or white pointer, is the largest extant species of mackerel shark. This animal can grow to a length of 20 feet (6.1 meters) and weigh up to 5,000 pounds (2,268 kg). They may live 70 years or more in the wild... Read more
Jungles go by many names - tropical forest, rainforest, monsoon forest, and cloud forest. Jungles grow in regions where the weather is warm year-round. They are characterized by "luxuriant, tangled, impenetrable vegetation, generally teeming with wildlife." Interestingly, the Sanskrit word from which the term "jungle" is derived describes just the opposite; it means "dry ground or desert."... Read more
A tea cup or teacup is a type of drinking glass especially designed for serving hot tea. Teacups are generally shorter but wider than coffee mugs. Morning tea cups may be larger than afternoon tea cups. Oriental tea cups are often smaller still and lack handles. Teacups are generally part of a tea set for preparing and serving the beverage. Such a set may include a teapot, saucers, teaspoons, and other paraphernalia... Read more