Firehouses have circular stairways because, in the olden days, the engines were pulled by horses. The animals were kept in stables on the ground floor, and they learned how to walk up straight staircases.

The collection of antique dog collars at the popular tourist site of Leeds Castle, four miles east of Maidstone in England, spans five centuries and is the most comprehensive collection of its kind in the world. The ...Read More

The banana plant has long been a source of fibre for high quality textiles. In Japan, the cultivation of banana for clothing and household use dates back to at least the 13th century. In the Japanese system, leafs and ...Read More

Only two women directors have been nominated for an Oscar by the Academy for achievement in directing: Lina Wertmuller in 1976 for Seven Beauties and Jane Campion in 1993 for The Piano. To date, no woman has won an Oscar ...Read More

In size, materials, and human labor, the Great Wall of China is the largest construction project ever undertaken by man. Enough stone was used in the 1,700-year project to build an 8-foot wall girdling the globe at the ...Read More

France is the largest Western European country. Its area is slightly less than twice the size of Colorado.