Amazing Facts About Colors

     It’s in everything we touch, taste, smell, and feel. It evokes emotion without asking for prior thought. It can be the focus of our careers, the way we live, the choices we make, and the fun we have. We are all familiar with color and its basic concepts, but did you know…??

Men and women see the color red very differently

     While those of us who are estrogen producers tend to see maroon, cardinal, and crimson, men typically just see red. No varying tones, hues, or shades–just color-crayon, fire engine red. The explanation is actually quite simple and all falls back on basic DNA. Researchers from Arizona State University found that there’s a specific gene that allows us to see and interpret the color red. Women have two X chromosomes, while men only possess one. Because the particular “red-seeing gene” sits on the X chromosome, it only makes sense that women would have a full understanding of the red spectrum, while our counterparts only have half the pieces to the racy red puzzle. Therefore, ladies, if you’re one of those gals who just cannot make a decision when picking out a shade of lipstick, don’t put so much pressure on yourself. It’s really of very little importance.

Silver will save your life

     When purchasing that brand new vehicle and finding yourself overwhelmed by the 18-page book of options, your best bet is – and forever will be – to go with silver. Silver-colored cars are least likely to be involved in an auto accident, since they are most visible on the road and in low light. This, coupled with lower insurance rates and the silver color’s ability to maintain a look of cleanliness, manifests itself as a sure win.

Pink soothes the nerves

     Rowdy prisoners and combative patients? Pink is the palliative color, commonly used to splash the walls in prisons and mental health care facilities to assist in subduing those who are out-of-control. So pink definitely has a useful place and a purpose, other than decorating a prom dress or Barbie’s dream house.

Bright colors will win you friends

Spinning-With-The-Umbrella-In-A-Yellow-Flower-Dress
     Colors are responsible for 62-90% of our first impressions of one another. That means that if you prefer black and neutrals to violets and oranges, it might be time to add a little color to a bland wardrobe to make a better overall impression. Who knows? It could mean the difference between getting the job and meeting the mate of your dreams, or living alone and waking up next to a beer can pyramid on a Tuesday morning.

Blue is the most common favorite color

     Rebecca-Big Blue is the most favored color in the world, with purple being a distant second. A whopping forty percent of people worldwide would choose blue as their favorite color in playtime poll booth, with purple-lovers lagging way behind at fourteen percent.

Colors can be frightening

     Chromophobia (also known as Chromatophobia) is the rare, persistent, irrational fear of colors. Some people who have this disorder will react strongly to certain shades or tones, while others will try to avoid color altogether. Some signs and symptoms are: nausea, dizziness, shortness of breath, feelings of panic, elevated heart rate and blood pressure, anxiety, light headedness, headache, and trembling. Effective treatment involves methods and techniques that include systematic desensitization and exposure therapy.

Yellow makes you hungry

     Yellow and orange are not recommended for use in kitchens, as they are known appetite stimulators. With America’s ongoing obesity epidemic, it could possibly be time for Sherwinn Williams to do away with bright citruses that have wrongly adorned kitchen walls for the past five decades. Then again – where would our restaurant owners be without those clever little tricks that keep our waistlines wide, but leave us wanting more? I’m not normally one for conspiracy theories – but perhaps there’s something in it for them if we remain ignorant of yellow’s effects?

Color is an imaginary friend

     Technically, it’s all in our heads: color does not exist at all. It is something created by our brains as a side-effect, when it desperately tries to make sense of the overwhelming amount of information it receives from the outer world. So, should you ever find yourself in a heated debate over color combinations with someone you are certain has an IQ below your car’s maximum speed or is just simply colorblind, keep in mind that it is a pointless argument and you should drop it immediately. You’re both wrong.

Color wheels are the best thing since the wheel

     Invented in 1666 by Sir Isaac Newton, the color wheel is by far the best tool to date to help us comprehend the colors that we see. Once we grasp how the color wheel arranges the primary, secondary, and tertiary colors, we can better understand “harmonies”, or how and why certain colors complement one another. The color wheel is a major concept in any color theory class or course, and is crucial for certain careers, such as interior or graphic design.

Ground-up-remains-of-mummy goes splendidly with crimson

     "Mummy" was once a color in ancient Egypt. Can you guess where the rich brown color received its somewhat macabre name? You guessed it! From the actual ground-up remains of Egyptian mummies, both human and feline. The Pre-Raphaelite painters of the 19th century considered it one of their favorite colors. The authentic pigment was produced all the way up until the early 20th century, when finally the supply of available mummy remains was exhausted. Though no longer containing the remnants of mummified corpses, the color “Mummy Brown” can still be found today

Posted by Zaffar Iqbal Durrani

Some Amazing Facts About Dreams

     Dreams have always intrigued us since time immemorial. It is also said there were specific dream interpreters in the courts of kings in early civilizations. However, in the 1800s the father of psychoanalysis Sigmund Freud and subsequently, his successor Carl Jung, revolutionized the world of dreams. Since then a lot has been studied in this field but dreams astound us with varied meanings and interpretations every time we witness them.

     Some of the most interesting facts about dreams in the trailing paragraphs are sure to take one by surprise.

1. While dreaming we become temporarily paralyzed

Not many of us are aware that we become temporarily paralyzed in the dream state. This can be attributed to the fact that sometimes we may be so moved with certain dramatic dreams as to fall and hurt ourselves, thus, as a natural response the body goes into a temporary inactive state physically.

2. We can control our dreams

In what is known as a "Lucid dreaming" phase one can control their dreams. Thus, one can also manipulate their dreams and even the outcomes! Another interesting fact is that one dreams things one has witnessed some time before in their life.

3. Dreams can cause incorporation

How often have we dreamt we were hungry or thirsty or performing an act repeatedly in our sleep until we wake up and undertake the activity? Sometimes one could dream of drinking glasses of water only to wake up and be very thirsty!

4. Dreams speak in indirect language

Dreams never utilize symbols they actually stand for. A lot of research has already gone into the subject and books have been written on dream symbols and their interpretations. Dreams carry deep meanings that only the subconscious mind can understand.

5. Dreams are very difficult to remember

Often when we wake up we fail to remember even a single sequence of the dream we had during the night. A strange fact remains therefore, that dreams are almost always forgotten, except if a person is woken up at the REM stage.

6. We tend to dream of forbidden things

Another startling fact about dreams is the frequent instance of dreaming things one is forbidden to do. A person who is forbidden to eat chocolates may dream of gorging greedily on them. Even medical conditions and psychological disorders may have a direct effect on dreams!

7. Some people only dream in black and white

Some people dream only in black and white while about 70% of people dream in colors. Certain dreams are very common to some people such as, failing an exam, getting up late for the exam, dreams related to one's school, seeing a person dead who is alive in real life, being chased by someone etc. Studies are being conducted in the relevance of colors and repeated sequences in dreams.

8. Disturbed sleep may lead to psychosis

Sleeping and dreaming which occur in the REM stage are very important for healthy living. In a research conducted involving students who were woken up at the start of their REM stage, it was noted the students became irritable, hallucinated a lot, were affected by psychosis and were finally disinterested in everything they did. Thus a good night's sleep combined with regular dreaming is our body's way of staying fit too!

9. Visually impaired people dream too

Very interestingly, people who are born blind only witness dreams involving smell, sound or touch, while people who go blind after birth are seen to witness regular dreams just like their counterparts with vision.

10. And so do animals

Studies have revealed animals and more specifically mammals dream exactly the way humans do! So even your household pet may be dreaming all night without your knowing about it.

11. Children have more nightmares than adults

It is widely studied that children have more nightmares than adults.

12. Some great inventions were first conceived during sleep

Although we tend to forget about 90% of our dreams once we wake up, many great scientists have made discoveries in their dreams and written them down the moment they woke up. Newton, Graham Bell and even some poets have received their inspirations from dreams

Posted by Zaffar Iqbal Durrani

Top 10 Intelligent Animals

01. Grey parrot: is considered to be a very intelligent bird. This kind of parrot is striking in its intelligence and loyalty. Thus, the parrot, Alex, who is engaged to an American scientist Irene Papperberg the University of Arizona, distinguishes 50 different objects. And fluent and able to logically explain the distinction between different objects. 09 more after the break...

02. Pig: has an excellent memory, and intuition, they respond his name and understand the value of some other words. They have a complex social structure, and they better decide on thinking tests than some primates.

03. Elephants: are very intelligent and emotional creatures. They grieve for the dead relatives and sometimes can recognize them on the tusk and skull. They lie for days in the dead relatives, until they begin to decompose.

04. Sea lions: also are animals who can think logically. Seven-year sea lion Rio proved the existence of logical thinking by means of special tests, which determined that if a = b and b = c, then a = c.

05. Chimpanzees: are well known for its ability to think. Recently it became known that they even plan their future, in advance considering their next steps.

06. The dog: has long been considered man's best friend and a very intelligent animal. Dogs can learn up to 300 words, his mind is compared with the mind year-old child. 

07. Crows: have the largest brain size among birds. They know how to think, learn and feel emotions. They are very resourceful and can even pick the right tool to perform a particular operation.

08. African baboons:According to scientists, African baboons in terms of behavior similar to a person. They have complex social systems, they may experience stress and are able to think abstractly. (Chi King)

09. Ants: have been very crafty creatures. They gather in huge groups and take to their smaller population to make them slaves. They also know how to navigate by the sun. 

10. Dolphins: are one of the few animals on earth who can recognize themselves in the mirror. They know who their mother, the leader of their group and relate differently to their relatives.

Posted by Zaffar Iqbal Durrani

Top 20 Unknown Facts About Popcorn

1. Popcorn's scientific name is zea mays everta, and it is the only type of corn that will pop.

2. People have been enjoying popcorn for thousands of years. In 1948, popped kernels around 5,000 years old were discovered in caves in New Mexico.

3. It is believed that the Wampanoag Native American tribe brought popcorn to the colonists for the first Thanksgiving in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

4. Traditionally, Native American tribes flavored popcorn with dried herbs and spices, possibly even chili. They also made popcorn into soup and beer and made popcorn headdresses and corsages.

5. Some Native American tribes believed that a spirit lived inside each kernel of popcorn. The spirits wouldn't usually bother humans, but if their home was heated, they would jump around, getting angrier and angrier, until eventually they would burst out with a pop.

6. Christopher Columbus allegedly introduced popcorn to the Europeans in the late 15th century.

7. The first commercial popcorn machine was invented by Charles Cretors in Chicago in 1885. The business he founded still manufactures popcorn machines and other specialty equipment.

8. American vendors began selling popcorn at carnivals in the late 19th century. When they began to sell outside movie theaters, theater owners were initially annoyed, fearing that popcorn would distract their patrons from the movies. It took a few years for them to realize that popcorn could be a way to increase revenues, and popcorn has been served in movie theaters since 1912.

9. Nowadays, many movie theaters make a greater profit from popcorn than they do from ticket sales, since for every dollar spent on popcorn, around ninety cents is pure profit. Popcorn also makes moviegoers thirsty and more likely to buy expensive sodas.

10. What makes popcorn pop? Each kernel contains a small amount of moisture. As the kernel is heated, this water turns to steam. Popcorn differs from other grains in that the kernel's shell is not water-permeable, so the steam cannot escape and pressure builds up until the kernel finally explodes, turning inside out.

11. On average, a kernel will pop when it reaches a temperature of 347 degress Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius).

12. Unpopped kernels are called "old maids" or "spinsters."

13. There are two possible explanations for old maids. The first is that they didn't contain sufficient moisture to create an explosion; the second is that their outer coating (the hull) was damaged, so that steam escaped gradually, rather than with a pop. Good popcorn should produce less than 2 percent old maids.

14. Ideally, the moisture content of popcorn should be around 13.5 percent, as this results in the fewest old maids.

15. Popcorn is naturally high in fiber; low in calories; and sodium-, sugar-, and fat-free, although oil is often added during preparation and butter, sugar, and salt are all popular toppings.

16. Americans consume 17 billion quarts of popped popcorn each year. That's enough to fill the Empire State Building 18 times!

17. Nebraska produces more popcorn than any other state in the country -- around 250 million pounds per year. That's about a quarter of all the popcorn produced annually in the United States.

18. There are at least five contenders claiming to be the "Popcorn Capital of the World" due to the importance of popcorn to their local economies, and only one of them is in Nebraska. They are Van Buren, Indiana; Marion, Ohio; Ridgway, Illinois; Schaller, Iowa; and North Loup, Nebraska.

19. Popped popcorn comes in two basic shapes: snowflake and mushroom. Movie theaters prefer snowflake because it's bigger. Confections such as caramel corn use mushroom because it won't crumble.

20. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the world's largest popcorn ball measured 12 feet in diameter and required 2,000 pounds of corn, 40,000 pounds of sugar, 280 gallons of corn syrup, and 400 gallons of water to create.

Posted by Zaffar Iqbal Durrani

Scariest Freshwater Animals

01. Nile Crocodile

Photograph by Jonathan Blair, National Geographic

     A year-old Nile crocodile attempts to snap up a frog in the St. Lucia Estuary in South Africa (from the National Geographic book Visions of Earth). Also known as the common crocodile, these large reptiles are distributed across much of Africa, and they have earned their reputation as among the most ferocious, deadly animals on the planet. 

     Male crocs typically measure from 11.5 to 16 feet long (3.5 to 5 meters), but they have been known to exceed 18 feet (5.5 meters) in length. Individual crocodiles attack anything the same size or smaller than them. They are occasionally known to hunt in packs, in which they can take down animals as large as hippos and rhinos. Nile crocodiles occasionally prey on human beings, with estimates ranging from several hundred to several thousand deaths a year.

     The ancient Egyptians feared and revered Nile crocodiles and worked them into their mystic religions. In modern times, the big animals were heavily hunted for their leather, although recent protections have helped stabilize the population at an estimated 250,000 to 500,000.

02. Snakehead

Photograph by Jason Edwards, National Geographic

     Snakeheads are often feared in the West, where populations of the aggressive fish have occasionally taken root as invasive species. After a fisherman found a Northern snakehead (Channa argus) in a pond in Maryland, it caused a media sensation. Biologists warned that the large freshwater fish could readily become established in North America, where it could wreak havoc on native ecosystems.

     The voracious top-level predators can reach a length of three feet (one meter). They prey on invertebrates, frogs, and smaller fish, though they are known to attack anything moving when they are breeding.

     Snakeheads can breathe air and can survive out of water for up to four days. They can survive much longer periods of drought by burrowing into the mud. Several species of the fish are native to much of Asia, where they are commonly caught and are prized for the dinner table. They are also frequently kept as aquarium fish and are noted for their aggressive behavior.

03. Mata Mata

Photograph by Alessandro Mancini, Alamy

     A mata mata (Chelus fimbriatus) is a freshwater turtle that inhabits the Amazon and Orinoco basins in South America. The bizarre turtles are entirely aquatic, although they prefer shallow, stagnant water, where they can easily reach their head out of water to breathe.

     The mata mata can grow quite large, up to 33 pounds (15 kilograms). They feed on invertebrates and fish and aren't dangerous to people, despite their appearance.

     Mata mata are fairly sensitive to water quality, both in captivity and in the wild, so they can be harmed by pollutants.

04. Giant Catfish

Photograph by John Robertson, Alamy

     Divers work with a model European catfish in the Great Lake at Ostersund in Sweden. Large catfish live in many rivers throughout the world, where they are important scavengers.

     The largest on record is the Mekong giant catfish, which has reached recorded sizes up to 10.5 feet (3.2 meters) and 660 pounds (300 kilograms). Once distributed across several countries in Southeast Asia, the Mekong giant catfish is now critically endangered, thanks to habitat disruption. Not much is known about the world's biggest freshwater fish, although conservation efforts are underway.

     Big catfish are rarely considered dangerous to people. The Mekong species can live to be more than 60 years old.

05. Diving Bell Spider

Photograph by Gerhard Schulz, Getty Images

     The diving bell spider (Argyroneta aquatica) is the only known spider in the world that lives entirely underwater. Like other arachnids, it must breathe air, but it provides its own supply by forming a bubble, which it holds by hairs on its legs and abdomen. The spiders must occasionally return to the surface to replenish their air supply, although some gas exchange happens across the surface of their bubbles, so they don't have to come up very often.

     The diving bell spider is found in northern and central Europe and parts of northern Asia. Unusual for spiders, the males are bigger than the females, perhaps because the males are more active hunters.

     The spiders can inflict a painful bite that is often accompanied by feverish symptoms. Those who are afraid of spiders may be disturbed to know they may not be safe from them, even in the water.

06. Anaconda

Photograph by Elwin R. Sanborn, National Geographic

     Animal handlers hold a 19-foot anaconda at the Zoological Gardens. Among the world's largest snakes, anacondas live in rivers and wetlands of South America. The word anaconda is thought to come from the Tamil word anaikolra, which means elephant killer, alluding to the reptile's fearsome reputation.

     Anacondas feed on fish, birds, reptiles, and small mammals, though they have been known to take the occasional domestic animal. The big snakes can be dangerous to people, though reports of deliberate predation are very rare.

     Like other boas, anacondas are nonvenomous, and they often kill their prey by constricting it. Like other snakes, they swallow their prey whole.

07. Giant Freshwater Stingray

Photograph by Fenolio Dante, Getty Images

     Freshwater stingrays are known to inhabit rivers in Southeast Asia and northern Australia, where they can reach enormous proportions, measuring up to 16.5 feet (5 meters) long and up to 1,320 pounds (600 kilograms). However, very little is known about these creatures, including how many are left, and if they ever enter saltwater.

     Freshwater stingrays are hard to see, because they often bury themselves in river sediments. They hunt for clams and crabs by detecting their electric impulses. There are reports of the big animals overturning boats, though they rarely attack people.

     Even so, stingrays can pack a powerful punch; they have a barb at the base of their tail that contains deadly poison and a stinger as long as 15 inches (38 centimeters).

     Many scientists fear that freshwater stingrays are threatened by habitat loss and pollution.

08. Vampire Fish

Photograph by Peter McBride, National Geographic

     Fanged vampire fish, or payara (Hydrolycus scomberoides), are offered at a market in Pevas, Peru, on the Amazon River. This fearsome, little-known fish is prized for its meat in the Amazon and Orinoco basins.

     Vampire fish prey primarily on smaller fish, especially piranhas, which they impale with their long, sharp fangs. The intimidating teeth can grow up to six inches long.

09. Candiru

Photograph by Max Gibbs, Getty Images

     Perhaps the most feared freshwater species of all, candiru are parasitic catfish in the family Trichomycteridae. These small, narrow fish normally feed on the gills of larger fish in the Amazon. However, over the past few centuries there have been reports of these creatures lodging in the urethra of men and women.

     Some native peoples along the Amazon have described means of preventing such a disturbing infection, which is said to be hard to remedy, even with surgery. Protection measures are said to include tough clothing, tying off extremities with ligatures, and avoiding urination around rivers. It was long believed that urine attracted the candiru, although a recent study Candirurange.

10. Piranha

Photograph by Martin Shields, Alamy

     Notorious for their sharp teeth and voracious appetites, piranhas inhabit several of the major river basins in South America. These omnivorous fish are known for their taste for meat, although attacks on human beings are quite rare, despite breathless accounts from early explorers.

     In a historic visit to Brazil, Theodore Roosevelt famously saw a group of piranhas shredding pieces of a cow carcass in seconds. His dramatic account would color popular imagination for years, even though it was based on a manipulated spectacle in which fishermen blocked off a group of the fish and starved them beforehand.

     Still, piranhas are important scavengers and predators in their native rivers, and they often resort to cannibalism if food gets scarce. It's true that local fishermen occasionally have scars from close encounters with them.

     It's unknown how many species of piranhas exist, with estimates ranging from 30 to 60. —Brian Clark Howard.

11. Goliath Bird-Eater Spider

Photograph by John Mitchell, Getty Images

     The second largest spider in the world, the goliath bird-eater (Theraphosa blondi), is related to the tarantula. It received its fearsome name after Victorian explorers witnessed one feasting on a hummingbird.

     The big spiders inhabit marshy land in the rain forests of nothern South America, where they can grow to a leg span of up to 12 inches (30 cm) and can weigh more than 6 ounces (170 grams). As with many other spiders, females may eat the males after mating. Partially as a result, males have a lifespan of 3 to 6 years, while females have a lifespan of 15 to 25 years.

     Despite the spider's name, birds are not the main prey of the goliath bird-eater. They prefer to eat insects and other invertebrates, although they will occasionally eat small vertebrates. The big spiders are not generally considered dangerous to human beings, although they can bite if disturbed, leaving a wound about as painful as a wasp sting. They can also release hairs that irritate the skin.

12. Electric Eel

Photograph from Bettman Archive/Corbis

     Electra the electric eel (Electrophorus electricus) demonstrates her shocking power at Ford Motor Company's "Cycle of Production" exhibit at the 1939 New York World's Fair. Despite their name, electric eels are actually a type of knifefish and are more closely related to catfish than they are to true eels. These unusual fish inhabit waterways in the Amazon and Orinoco basins of South America, where they hunt prey and defend themselves by producing powerful bursts of electricity.

     Electric eels gulp air from the surface in order to breathe. Thanks to specialized internal organs, they can produce pulses of electricity greater than 500 volts, with a current greater than one amp. That's enough to kill an adult human being.

     Electric eels mostly hunt invertebrates, though adults also consume fish and small mammals. They only attack human beings if they are disturbed. They tend to live in murky, stagnate waters. Scientists have long been fascinated by the species and have probed its impressive electrical abilities.

13. Tiger Fish

Photograph by Chris Johns, National Geographic

     Widely distributed across much of Africa, tiger fish are fierce predators with large, razor-sharp teeth. They often hunt in packs and occasionally eat large animals. Attacks on human beings are rare but not unheard of.

     The two largest species are the goliath tiger fish (Hydrocynus goliath) and the Hydrocynus vittatus, which is commonly called the tiger fish. Both are prized as game fish. The goliath tiger fish, which can reach sizes up to 110 pounds (50 kg), is found in the Congo River and Lake Tanganyika. The tiger fish can weigh up to 33 pounds (15 kg) and is found in the Zambezi River system.

Posted by Zaffar Iqbal Durrani