During World War II, a Great Dane named Juliana was awarded the Blue Cross Medal. She extinguished an incendiary bomb by peeing on it! 

Juliana - Great Dame WW2

     

 Are every snowflake unique? A snowflake consist of around 100,000 water droplets in a process that takes roughly 45 minutes. Ice crystals will start to grow within each droplet and the surrounding air will condense it forming snow crystals (aka snowflakes). As a growing snowflake moves through the air, it encounters countless different micro-environments with slightly different humidity and temperatures, each affecting its growth pattern. In this way, the shape of a snowflake tells its life story. And yes, each snowflake is unique. 

Snowflakes are unique

     

 When you eat late at night, you’re going against your body’s circadian rhythm. It’s all about the way your body adjusts its insulin sensitivity. Your body is more sensitive in the morning on purpose. That’s to help fuel our bodies, get us moving and get us through the day. But our insulin resistance kicks up at night. The result is that those extra calories coming from your late-night snack is stored as fat while you sleep instead of being burned throughout the day. 

Late night snacks

     

 The name “Indiana” means “Land of the Indians” and was named for the state’s first inhabitants. Indiana was considered home to several different indigenous tribes, like the Miami, Wea, Piankashaw, Shawnee, Eel River, Delaware and Potowatomi…and a scattered presence like the Kickapoo, Odawa, Chippewa, Wyandot, Kaskaskia, Mahican, Nanticoke, Huron, Mohegan. In 1816 the territory became Indiana and joined the union. 

Potowatomi Indians

     

 Where did the term “Hoosier” come from. John Finley's poem, circulated in the Carrier's Address of the Indianapolis Journal in 1833, first used the term "Hoosher." Soon after, politicians decided to adopt the nickname. A little later, former Indiana governor James B. Ray announced that he intended to publish a newspaper and slightly changed the term, The Hoosier, at Greencastle, Indiana." 

Hoosier: Hoosher -> Hoosier

     

 How did Notre Dame become the fighting Irish? There's a legend that a 1909 comeback over Michigan was inspired by a halftime speech in which one player challenged his teammates, saying. "What's the matter with you guys? You're all Irish and you're not fighting worth a lick." Notre Dame came back to win the game and the press picked up on the players feisty comments and thus dubbed the squad “The Fighting Irish”. The leprechaun was not introduced as the official face of the football team until 1965. 

Fighting Irish of Notre Dame

     

 Dead skin cells are a main ingredient in household dust. According to researchers at Imperial College London, humans shed around 200 million skin cells each hour, floating everywhere in your house. And, applying lotion to your body only reduces the skin shedding by 15%…probably not a good message during breakfast! 

Dust

     

 It matters not how long we live but how we live 

Inspirational

     

 Ketchup was sold in 1834 as medicine, as a cure for an upset stomach by an Ohio physician named John Cook. It wasn't popularized as a condiment until the late 19th century! 

Ketchup

     

 Abraham Lincoln is in the wrestling hall of fame? The 6'4" president had only one loss among his around 300 contests. He earned a reputation for this in New Salem, Illinois, as an elite fighter. 

Abraham Lincoln - wrestler

     

 George Washington opened a whiskey distillery after his presidency in 1799. Washington's distillery was the largest in the country, producing 11,000 gallons of un-aged whiskey! 

George Washingtion Whiskey Distillery

     

 During the Salem witch trials, the accused witches weren’t actually burned at the stake. The majority were jailed, and some were hanged. But none of the 2,000 people accused ever got burned alive. 

Witches of Salem

     

 The Bloody Mary wasn’t always called Bloody Mary! First, the popular brunch drink was actually called A Bucket Of Blood. After Bucket Of Blood, it transitioned to Red Snapper and, finally, settled on Bloody Mary. 

Bloody Mary

     

 In the Ancient Olympics, athletes performed naked! This was to achieve closeness to the gods and also help detox their skin through sweating. In fact, the word “gymnastics” comes from the Ancient Greek words “gumnasía” (“athletic training, exercise”) and “gumnós” (“naked”). 

Olympics - where's the clothes?