Lips have long featured in popular culture. Since time immemorial, poets have waxed romantic about the fleshy protuberances surrounding the mouth. William Shakespeare cast young Romeo to swoon over his Juliet: "Thy lips, two blushing pilgrims ready stand." Love letters are sealed with a kiss, and school supplies, clothing, and everything in between may be emblazoned with puckered lips, especially near the... Read more
Hand washing or hand hygiene is important to everyone's health. Long ago, before the discovery of germs, people thought that sickness was caused by "miasma" or "bad air." It wasn't until the mid-1800s that doctors and nurses realized how important handwashing was in protecting their patients from infection... Read more
A helicopter, also called a chopper, is a type of aircraft that uses a rotor, or spinning blade, to take off and land vertically. Unlike airplanes, helicopters don't need a runway. Other rotorcraft include convertiplanes, autogiros or autogyros, and V/STOL aircraft... Read more
For most of human history, weapons of war consisted of various types of clubs, blades such as daggers and swords, and piercing, poisoned, or flaming projectiles launched from slings, bows, or catapults. The face of war changed drastically with the invention of the gun around the year AD 1000... Read more
The term grape describes about 80 species of vining plants native to the northern hemisphere. The plants grow quite large, reaching lengths of 56 feet (17 meters) or more... Read more
The Vikings, called Northmen or Norsemen, were a seafaring people from the Scandinavian region of Europe... Read more
The toucan is a tropical bird famous for its large, colorful beak. There are about 15 species of toucan native to South and Central America. Smaller birds similar in appearance to toucans are called toucanets or aracaris... Read more
In Greek mythology, Poseidon was best known as the god of the sea and water. He was also the deity of earthquakes, storms, and horses. His name means "lord or husband of the earth."... Read more
The trumpet, also spelled trompette or trompete, is a musical instrument of the brass wind family. The term "trumpet" describes a number of instruments throughout history played by vibrating the lips against the mouthpiece. The earliest trumpets were made from the horns of animals such as rams or bulls, or conch shells. Today, trumpets are made of metal... Read more
Thermometers are instruments used to measure temperature. The first thermometer was built in 1592 by Galileo Galilei. They did not become widely available until the 1800s... Read more
Totoro is the title character of an animated 1988 fantasy film. My Neighbor Totoro follows the adventures of two young girls in rural post-war Japan who move into a new home. Their friends include dust-like spirits called susuwatari, a cat-shaped bus, and the large rabbit-like spirit of the woods known as Totoro... Read more
Before the advent of refrigeration and electricity, preserving food for later use was a major concern. Some foods could be kept in root cellars, others fermented, others dried. Then, in the year 1800, a French inventor developed a means of sealing food in airtight containers. Canning was born... Read more
A farm is a property devoted to agriculture - the keeping of useful plants and animals, mostly for food... Read more
Wine has left an indelible mark on human history and culture. This fermented beverage has been consumed since ancient times. Some historical references to wine date back more than 6,000 years... Read more
Little Red Riding Hood, named after her hooded garment, is perhaps the most iconic use of the hood in popular culture. The story originated as a fairy tale in Europe around the tenth century. Hoods were, at that time, usually a part of a cloak or cape. These were common items of clothing used to keep off the rain and the winter chill... Read more
The avocado is a fruit that grows on trees native to Central and South America. Depending on the region, avocados are also called aguacate, ahuacatl, alligator pear, and avocado pear. Avocados can be as small as an egg or weigh 1 to 2 kilograms (2 to 4 pounds), depending on the variety. More than 1,000 varieties exist. Some avocados have purple skin, though most are green... Read more
Television, or TV, tele, or telly for short, describes "the electronic delivery of moving images and sound from a source to a receiver." Early in the twentieth century, television was conceived as a medium for communication and education. By the middle of the century, it had forever changed popular culture, news, and entertainment... Read more
The rectus abdominis muscle, commonly referred to as the abs, are often viewed as a gauge of physical fitness. If the abdominal muscles are visible on the outside of the body, it means that the muscles themselves are toned and that the body does not harbor an excess of fat... Read more
Being able to draw the human form is an important skill for every artist. In so doing, the ability to draw muscles accurately must not be overlooked... Read more
If you're aiming to become a good artist, an integral step is becoming skilled at drawing the human form. The placement of muscles, or musculature, is vital, whether you're drawing a comic book character or a realistic sketch... Read more