Did You Know…

• The flattest country in the world is Maldives with a maximum natural ground of about 2.3 meters. The Fraser Island in Australia is known as the largest sand island. • Refrain from using shades of blue colour because mosquitoes are attracted to this colour twice as much as any other. • A duck’s quack does not echo. • Why do we feel warmer wearing dark-coloured jackets than light coloured ones? Dark colours absorb light energy. Light colours and white reflect light energy. When light shines on your dark jacket, the jacket fabric absorbs light energy. The absorbed light energy causes electrons to vibrate, releasing heat energy which makes the jacket- and you- warmer. That’s why people wear dark colours during cold weather and light colours when it’s warm. • A “quidnunc” is a person who is eager to know the latest news and gossip. • Bullet proof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers and laser printers were all invented by women. • The electric chair was invented by a dentist. • The colour yellow is associated with laughter, happiness and good times. But studies have shown that babies cry more and temper flare more easily when the yellow is bright.• The Gabonese government has banned AIDS sufferers from swimming in the sea. Shark fishing is an important part of the economy and they are worried that sharks may contract the disease and die. • The main reason why the ocean is blue is because water absorbs red light from the sun, and the very slight blue colour we see in water can only be seen in large volumes. • The Bic pen was named after its French Inventor Marcel Bich. However they decided to drop the ‘H’ from the name fearing that the American market might pronounce the name ‘Bitch’. • “Taxi” is spelled exactly the same in English, French, German, Swedish, Portuguese, and Dutch. • In the movie TITANIC, a man with a yellow shirt and a black moustache fell off the boat and drowned. Five minutes later the same exact man was seen playing the violin with two other men. • A person will die from total lack of sleep sooner than from starvation. Death will occur about 10 days without sleep, while starvation takes a few weeks. The author is a S.6 student at Lycee De Kigali jamiefrings@yahoo.com