Facts

   The name Antarctica is the romanized version of the Greek compound word ἀνταρκτική (ántarktiké), feminine of ἀνταρκτικός (ántarktikós), meaning "opposite to the Arctic", "opposite to the north"     The average thickness of Antarctic ice is about 1.6 kilometers.     The highest point on Antarctica is the Vinson Massif at 4,987 meters.     Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen was the first human to reach the South Pole. He beat out English explorer Robert Falcon Scott by arriving on Dec. 14, 1911, and planting the Norwegian flag.     The most abundant land animal on Antarctica is not the penguin, but the tiny nematode worm.     The male Emperor penguin is the only warm-blooded animal that remains on the Antarctic continent through the winter. It stays to nest on the single egg laid by its mate (the f...

 The Second World War was arguably the most significant period of the 20th century. It brought about major leaps in technology and laid the groundwork that permitted post-war social changes including the end of European colonialism, the civil rights movement in the United States, and the modern women’s rights movement, as well as the programs for exploring outer space. The primary combatants were the Axis nations (Nazi Germany, Facist Italy, Imperial Japan and their smaller allies) and the Allied nations, led by Britain (and its Commonwealth nations), the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United States of America. The Allies were the victors. Two superpowers, the USA and USSR, emerged from World War II to begin a Cold War with each other that would define much of the rest of the century. Canada produced more trucks than Germany , Italy and Japan COMBINED .   For every aircraft shot down in battle, another aircraft was lost due to a acci...

1. Cats are the most popular pet in the United States: There are 88 million pet cats and 74 million dogs.  2. There are cats who have survived falls from over 32 stories (320 meters) onto concrete. 3. A group of cats is called a clowder .   4. Cats have over 20 muscles that control their ears . 5. Cats sleep 70% of their lives. 6. A cat has been mayor of Talkeetna, Alaska, for 15 years. His name is Stubbs . 7. And one ran for mayor of Mexico City in 2013. 8. In tigers and tabbies, the middle of the tongue is covered in backward-pointing spines, used for breaking off and gripping meat. 9. When cats grimace , they are usually “taste-scenting.” They have an extra organ that, with some breathing control, allows the cats to taste-sense the air. 10. Cats can’t taste sweetness. 11. Owning a cat can reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack by a third. 12. Wikipedia has a recording of a cat meowing becaus...