Let it Snow!

Love it (like when you’re curled up by the fire) or hate it (when you’re on the road), snow is a major part of winter for many people. Get to know the flurries and flakes on a deeper level with these 5 interesting facts.

Read more facts about snow here.

Nations and their Birds

A national bird is the official bird of a country and has a meaning which symbolizes the country and what it stands for. National birds are selected carefully considering their abundance, ubiquity, and uniqueness. Strict laws protect these birds and it is illegal to hunt or harm them.

Let's see a list of national birds of India's neighbouring countries!

Check out the full list of national birds here

Deserts: Largest, Driest & Oldest!

Desert—any large, extremely dry area of land with sparse vegetation—is one of Earth’s major types of ecosystems. Deserts are found throughout the world, especially in Africa and Australia. The world’s largest desert is the Sahara, which covers nearly all of northern Africa. Here is a list of some of the deserts in the world!

You can also check out 5 Least Populated Countries in the World here

The Cold, The Beautiful!

Lakes and ponds might look nice, but the cold of winter just elevates them to another dimension. Freezing water creates an astonishing variety of patterns: from jagged lines or frozen bubbles to perfect snowflakes with every imaginable shade of blue, green, and white.

How surreal is the fact that you can walk over this beauty! Check out these 5 frozen lakes and tell us your favourite ones!

Red Alert for Giraffes!

Giraffes have been widely overlooked in conservation practices for a little too long. They just made their entry into the Red List of endangered species.

Two subspecies of giraffes were recently added to the list of "critically endangered" species for the first time ever, as per the latest report by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which administers the world's official endangered species list. The IUCN reported on Saturday that they have moved the giraffe from the list of 'Least Concern' to that of 'Vulnerable' status in their Red List of Threatened Species report.

The Celebration, Ritual, and Legends!

Lunar New Year celebrated in China and other Asian countries that begins with the first new moon of the lunar calendar and ends on the first full moon of the lunar calendar, 15 days later. The lunar calendar is based on the cycles of the moon, so the dates of the holiday vary slightly from year to year, beginning sometime between January 21 and February 20 according to Western calendars.

Approximately 10 days before the beginning of the new lunar year, houses are thoroughly cleaned to remove any bad luck that might be lingering inside, a custom called “sweeping of the grounds.”

Here are some of the famous celebrations of the Lunar New Year in different countries.

Exploring One of the Smallest Countries of the World

It’s been 52 years since Nauru gained independence. Settled by Micronesians and Polynesians at least 3,000 years ago, the remote Pacific island nation was annexed by Germany in 1888, ruled by the UK, Australia, and New Zealand under a League of Nations mandate after the First World War, captured by the Japanese in 1942, then governed (again by the UK, Australia and New Zealand) under a United Nations agreement until 1966. Full independence came two years later.

As Jonathan Liew, writing for The Telegraph, explained in 2016: "By the turn of the century, Nauru was virtually bankrupt. The entire center of the island had been ravaged by strip mining and was virtually unusable. Unemployment was at 90 percent. Corruption and money-laundering festered. Climate change was wrecking its fishing industry. And so when the Australian government offered it a sackful of cash in 2001 to host an offshore asylum processing center [where atrocities are allegedly rife], it had no choice but to accept. So until 2008, and again since 2012, Nauru has perhaps become best known as an auxiliary piece in Australia’s toxic immigration debate."

Here are a few fascinating facts about this little-known land.

The biggest Tsunamis in modern history

Tsunamis are one of the most destructive events triggered by Mother Nature. Tsunami wave trains can move as fast as an airplane in high seas. These extremely powerful tidal waves are capable of crushing everything found in their path. The deadliest tsunamis have formed in response to powerful seaquakes, underwater explosions, and volcanic eruptions. Here are some of the most destructive tsunamis ever recorded in modern times.

The Name is Surreal!

People tend to think of white sand and gentle waves when they think of beaches. Here is a list of some of the most unique beaches in the world, many of which could easily lay claim to the title of the most beautiful beach in the world. You will also know the reasons why they are formed in such a way!

Inside the Eye: Nature’s Most Exquisite Creation

We know how important our eyes are. We gain most of our information, experiences, and memories through our eyes. More than anything else without the sight of how we can enjoy the exceptional creations of nature around us. So, that’s important and incredible our eyes are. Animals also have as incredible or more amazing eyes than ours. Here is a list of 5 amazing eyes in the animal kingdom.

Deep Diving into Mariana Trench

While thousands of climbers have successfully scaled Mount Everest, the highest point on Earth, only two people have descended to the planet’s deepest point, the Challenger Deep in the Pacific Ocean’s Mariana Trench. 

Located in the western Pacific east of the Philippines and an average of approximately 124 miles (200 kilometers) east of the Mariana Islands, the Mariana Trench is a crescent-shaped scar in the Earth’s crust that measures more than 1,500 miles (2,550 kilometers) long and 43 miles (69 kilometers) wide on average.

One of the Biggest Tsunami in Modern History

The earthquake that generated the great Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 7:59 am local time on Sunday, 26 December 2004. It was caused by subduction with an epicenter off the west coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The quake itself is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake. The resulting tsunami is given various names, including the "Boxing Day tsunami".

With a magnitude of Mw 9.1-9.3, it is the third-largest earthquake ever recorded on a seismograph. The earthquake had the longest duration of faulting ever observed, between 8.3 and 10 minutes. It caused the entire planet to vibrate as much as 1 centimeter (0.4 inches) and triggered other earthquakes as far away as Alaska. According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake is estimated to have released the energy of 23,000 Hiroshima-type atomic bombs.

A closer look at "A star*"

Black Holes are points in space that are so dense they create deep gravity sinks. Beyond a certain region, not even light can escape the powerful tug of a black hole's gravity. And anything that ventures too close—be it a star, planet, or spacecraft—will be stretched and compressed like putty in a theoretical process aptly known as spaghettification. 

The Milky Way hosts its own supermassive black hole at its center known as Sagittarius A* (pronounced “ay star”) that is more than four million times as massive as our sun.

The Incredible Planet

Nature never really fails to surprise us, does it? The silhouettes that the sun casts as it waves goodnight to one side of Earth, the hues of blue that the sky paints, and the waves of lush green that sing sweet-sounding melodies of life, Nature is much more than what one may perceive. It is a beautiful mystery that mesmerizes and brightens our experiences. Here is a list of some of these natural phenomena.

Time Traveling to 26 January 1950

Republic Day is celebrated to remember the day when India’s constitution came into force on January 26, 1950. The constitution was adopted on November 26, 1949, but it was brought into effect on January 26, 1950. The first Republic Day was celebrated at the Irwin Amphitheatre (current Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium) in Delhi.

Unlike now, the first Republic Day had no performances and acts. The day was celebrated in a simple way with the Army band, flag hoisting, and national anthem. Let’s rewind the clock as we take you on a trip down memory lane.

The Nuts & Bolts of the Indian Constitution

You probably know that Republic Day is a national holiday because India's Constitution came into being and changed the course of history. Here are some interesting facts about the drafting of our Constitution.

Have a look at How India's first Republic Day was celebrated.

Read more about drafting the Indian Constitution here

Some Facts at a Glance

Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian honor given for exceptional service towards the advancement of art, literature, science, and sports in recognition of public service of the highest order. The provision of Bharat Ratna was introduced in 1954. There is no provision that Bharat Ratna should be given to Indian citizens only. It is not mandatory that Bharat Ratna should be awarded every year.

The recommendations for Bharat Ratna are made by the Prime Minister to the President. On conferment of the award, the recipient receives a Sanad (certificate) signed by the President and a medallion and the award does not carry any monetary grant.

Population check!

On July 11, every year, the United Nations, along with UNDP (United Nations Development Programme), celebrated World Population Day to bring the focus and attention to the ever-growing population in the world. While the increasing population is one of the major concerns among the global organizations today, there are a few nations that have a minimal population, not even making it to 50,000 people. The United Nations has a list of recognized countries and observer states of the countries which are the smallest and least populated in the world. Here are 5 least populated countries. 

Read the full list here