Butterflies in Stomach

The feeling you get when you see someone you like, is actually a stress response caused by adrenaline. This feeling also comes when you are nervous.Speaking in ways of evolution, this happens when we are unsure if we should run away or stay. 

The stress of the situation causes our adrenaline to rush through our blood stream thus putting us in 'action mode'.In such a time, the nervous system diverts the blood to the muscle and brain and diverts it from non-essential systems like the stomach and intestines.Our stomach function slows down and our heart-rate picks up.

Due to these sudden changes, the stomach sends different signals to the brain..and that's when you feel like there is some weird movement going on in the stomach. So the next time you feel this, at least you know what is going on in your body. Even though knowing this won't make the feeling go away. But when it is about a crush, it's kinda cute anyway. ;D

Source Credit : https://www.howitworksdaily.com/what-causes-the-butterflies-in-my-stomach-feeling

Most Isolated & Unwelcome Place on Earth - North Sentinel Island

One among the 572 island of Andaman & Nicobar, in the Bay of Bengal between Myanmar & Indonesia. The North Sentinel Island is closed to all outsiders. Why? Because in this island live a small tribe that are very hostile to any contact from the outside world. 

This tribe has inhabited this island for thousands of years. They have never greeted anyone who came to them with anything but hostility. The people who have tried have been killed by them. No one has ever left the island without being chased and slaughtered by the Sentinelese upon arrival. They drive people away by their spears and arrows. 

They are said to be direct descendants of the first human population to emerge from Africa and have said to have been on the island for upto 60,000 years.Their population is estimated to be between 50-400 individuals. They seem to have maintained the lifestyle of hunter-gathering society by hunting, fishing and collecting wild plants. 

There is no evidence of agricultural practices.There have been intentional and unintentional contacts with the Sentinelese but have all ended in either failure or death. They prefer to be left alone and the Indian authorities have declared North Sentinel Island closed to all outsiders.And why not? If they want to be left alone, they have the right to be.

Source Credit : www.unbelievable-facts.com/2013/08/the-north-sentinel-island-one-of-most.html

Moai - Walking Stone Giants of Easter Island

One of the most isolated islands on earth, yet hold one of the most fascinating creations of man. The people who once lived there are known to have carved over a thousand statues that they believe held the spirits of their ancestors.The myth around these statues, as said by the locals, is that after the statues were carved, they simply "walked into place", onto the sacred platforms called ahou. 

This was believed to be true since there were no other way that people had at that time to move statues that weighed up to 32 tons. There were no proper carving tools and no wheels. The statues were carved out of rocks that had formed over centuries by compressed volcanic ash. The statues were carved on the mountain itself and moved after it was complete. 

The mystery around them circles around the transportation of these giant statues. Archaeologists have tried several methods to try understand how the ancestors did it. Since the statues coming to life and walking into place was out of the question.In the process they discovered a few key differences in the Moai that were on the platforms and those that got damaged along the way. 

The ones that were damaged and fell on the way to the transportation did not have the eyes carved in, the shape was heavier at the bottom so it looked like the statues were leaning forward, There was a slant at the bottom which changed the center of gravity of the statues. The completed statues at the platforms did not lean forward, they had been reshaped at the bottom so they now stood straight and the eyes had been carved in. 

After extensive experimentation it was figured out how the ancestors must have transported the statues so it looked like they were walking. It needed 3 teams of manpower who would be controlling the movement of the statues with ropes. A group was at the back holding the statue upright, and a group on each side of the statue holding ropes and alternatively tugging on the rope so the statue would sway from left to right, and moving forward. 

It was like this that the people made roads through the island and "walked" the Moai from one side of the island to another.Here is a link of the methods tried and the one that finally made sense.

Source Credit : www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4CGTDFEJh4

Legend of the Dreamcatcher

The dreamcatcher has been a part of the Native American culture for centuries. One of the main element of the dreamcatcher is the hoop, which was held in high esteem since it was believed to symbolise unity and strength.The origin and legend of the dreamcatchers goes something like this....A long time ago, an old spiritual leader, Lakota, has a vision. Iktomi, who was known as a searcher of great wisdom, appeared to Lakota in the form of a spider. 

He spoke to Lakota in their sacred language. As he spoke he picked up Lakotas willow hoop, which had feathers, horsehair, beads and offerings on it and began to spin a web.As he wove, he spoke of life, from infants to old age. He spoke of the good and bad forces that are present all around us and how they can steer us to good and bad paths. He spoke of how the forces can help or interfere with the harmony in nature.

When he finished speaking, he handed the completed web to Lakota and explained how it could help people reach their goals by making use of their good ideas, dreams and visions. If they believed in the great spirit, the web would filter the good ideas and the bad one's would be trapped and will perish in the light of the morning sun. It is said the best place to hang a dreamcatcher is somewhere the morning light can touch it. It will filter the energy and thoughts around you and your family.So dream on .... ;D

Source Credit : www.dream-catchers.org/lakota-dream-catcher-history

Jacob's Well

Located in Wimberley, Texas, Jacob's Well has become a dangerous place for exploring divers to venture into.It doesn't seem to be dangerous for divers who jump in and swim right out. But so far 8 exploring divers have lost their lives in this place.

The well is just 4 meters wide at it's mouth and it's entire caving systems have been divided into 4 different chambers. The first, and most accessible part is a 30 feet drop. It then angles and tunnels in another 55 feet. The 2nd chamber is 80 feet deep and opens to the 3rd chamber from a very small opening. The 3rd chamber is just like a small room with gravel flooring.To get to the 4th chamber, the divers have to navigate through a very tight passage. 

The 4th chamber is very difficult to get into and is also called "Virgin Cave". People who get thrills out of adrenaline rushes have made video's of how deep they can go into the 1st chamber. It's quite a risky game people like to play at this place.But if we keep diving aside. The water at Jacob's Well is quite clear and it is water from this well that feeds the Cypress Creek.

Source Credit : www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2521271/Jacobs-Well-Wimberley-Texas-dangerous-places-dive-Earth.htmlwww.youtube.com/watch?v=zVBYRKSu-Po

Pirates Story - Davy Jones Locker

It seems to be a common nautical term for the pirate sailors. The furthest the term can be dated back is 1751.Davy Jones was used as a slang to refer to the evil spirits that were believed to be in the ocean...or another word for the Devil.

Davy Jones Locker was a reference to the bottom of the ocean. Meaning that if someone died at sea....he had gone to Davy Jones Locker. If someone was to be sent to Davy's Locker, it meat that he/she was to be killed. 

The term was used in many other ways that referenced to being in a position close to death, when in a storm or even as a threat.As pirates died out, the term seem to have just been left in stories. 

It was rediscovered with the many people researching the pirates and new stories were made....mostly to suit Hollywood.So yeah....Davy Jones Locker was just another way to say someone was 'sleeping with the fishes'.

Source Credit : www.famous-pirates.com/pirates-facts/davy-jones/

Rodinia - The Island that dissapeared

About 50-100 million years ago, there was a small strip of continent between what is now India & Madagascar. Scientists have found proof of this continent from beaches of Mauritius. Rodinia is said to have existed around the time when the tectonic plates were breaking apart. This is how Seychelles came to be. Over time, it has disappeared underwater.  

India was an Island

The first time I heard this fact I was just watching a documentary on continental drifts. I found it quite intriguing when I saw how India moved quite a distance to reach where it is now.It is believed that all the continents of the earth were once one big connected piece of land referred to as Gondwanaland (an ancient super continent).

More than 100 million years ago, most of the land that is now India was an island. This was the time when dinosaurs roamed the earth. The island of India was then slowly moving north. It was around 50 million years ago that India’s continental plate collided with Asia. This collision resulted in what are now the Himalayas. By this time dinosaurs were extinct. 

A big part of India when it was an Island is now said to be under Asia’s plate. This overlapping happened at the time of collision.One proof of this is the fossilized sea shells that are found on the high mountains.India was initially connected to Madagascar. Many similar fossils have been found in both places that are now very far apart.I think we would have much less problems if India was still an island. But it looks like we are still moving 10cm northward every year.

Source Credit : http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-25881705https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Plate(Reposted from another site I wrote it for but deleted.)

Strange Jobs

Most jobs that everyone have is heard of... even if the designation is complicated... when we understand the main function of the job... it usually makes sense right?

1- Pet Food Tester - There are actually humans testing out animal food to see how it tastes. The owner of a dog food manufacturer says that if it is not tasty to humans, why would it taste good to the dog? 

2- Professional Cuddler - Yes this is a person who would come to your house and cuddle with you. They charge clients on a hourly bases. Quite a lonely world we live in huh?...for such a job to exist...?

3- Ethical Computer Hackers - As contradictory as it might sound...this is actually a legit job. Company hire hackers to try break into their systems to find if there are any flaws or loopholes in their systems. It pays quite well. 

4- IMAX Screen Cleaner - This job pays surprisingly well.. about $40K. This is a time consuming job, and is quite demanding. 

5- Water Slide Tester - This sure sounds like a really fun job right? The people who do this spend all day testing water slides. 

6- Teddy Bear Repair Technician - You might have heard of the Build A Bear Workshops right? They have these people who's job is to fix old bears that might have worn ot torn. This is a job since children tend to get attached to their toys. Interestingly these jobs all pay surprisingly well.

Source Credit : ijr.com/2014/10/179079-221-odd-jobs-probably-never-hear-make-surprising-amount-money

Book With Real Secrets

Ever wish to go on a real puzzle solving treasure hunt? Then you might want to get your hands on the book 'The Secret-A Treasure Hunt' published in 1982. The book holds 12 poems and paintings that have to first be matched together and then solve the riddle that leads to a key hidden somewhere in the U.S. The key has to be mailed to the publisher of the book (Byron.C.Preiss) in exchange for the reward which is a real jewel. 

Of the 12 hidden treasures, only 2 have been found in the past 30 years.The riddles are quite difficult, which explains why the treasure haven't been found yet.There is a free PDF of the book available online....if you would like to give it a read.

Source Credit : unicornbooty.com/the-true-story-about-the-people-hunting-for-buried-fairy-treasuresthesecret.pbworks.com/w/file/fetch/69009390/The%20Secret_OCR.pdf

Busting Myths

Here are some of the Myths that some currently believe to be true that actually are not.

1- Myth : Alcohol keeps you warm. 
Fact: As much as it provides you with temporary heat from inside towards your skin. Using only alcohol to keep you warm can impair the body’s ability to generate it’s own heat.

2- Myth: We use only a fraction of our brains. 
Fact :This is actually a myth that originated by a journalist misquoting a psychologist William James who claimed, “We are making use of only a small part of our possible mental and physical resources.”

3- Myth: Mice love cheese. 
Fact: This myth has grown because of the cartoons that we watched as kids. Mice in fact prefer grains and seeds.

4- Myth: Sugar makes children hyperactive. 
Fact: As much as sugar is a quick source for energy, it does not cause hyperactivity. This has been disproved by experiments.

5- Myth : The reason for the changing seasons is the earth’s distance from the sun. 
Fact: It is the 23.5 degree tilt in the axis of the earth that causes this change.

6- Myth: Caffeine dehydrates you. 
Fact: Dietician Dr Carrie Ruxton’s has studied that drinking a moderate amount of coffee does not have any significant impact on the hydration of our body.

Source Credit : Pinterest