Photo one, below, belongs to an animal often kept as a house pet, the photo is by Silas, from Wikimedia.

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Photo two, below, is of an animal that can walk on glass.

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The third photo, below, is of an animal you might think you know, but are you sure?

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Photo four, below, belongs to an animal that is considered endangered in the world.

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The fifth photo, below, is the front limb of an animal.

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Photo six, below, is a bird, but what kind?

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Photo seven, below, is clearly designed for climbing in trees.

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The eighth photo, is another bird, this should be easy.

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The nineth photo is an x-ray, but just what creature owns these bones?

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Finally photo ten, below, belongs to an animal closely related to llamas.

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Answers

1. Chinchilla - Give yourself a full point if you guessed this correctly. These animals are often kept as house pets, but additionally they are used for fur. They are slightly smaller than a small house cat, and are fairly easy to care for, but for some people the trick is being able to find pet supplies for them. Also they may be illegal to keep in some areas.
2. Tokay Gecko - Give yourself a full point if you said Tokay Gecko, half a point for Gecko. They are a tough little gecko with a strong bite, in fact they have been known to bite and hold on for a long time, even hours. If you should ever find yourself bitten by one of these little guys the best way to get it off you is by plunging your hand into luke warm water. Their feet are well adapted to climbing leaves, which as pets, means they can climb on glass.
3. Cat with extra toes - Ah ha, if you said "Cat" you get only half a point, if you noticed the cat had extra toes, you can take the full point. These cats are called polydactyl, and are often considered as being lucky.
4. Siberian Tiger - Half a point if you said "Tiger", because it was pretty easy, full point if you said "Siberian Tiger". The Siberian Tiger tends to have fewer stripes, and fewer markings on their front limbs. The stripes might even appear to be brown rather than black. Although some people think tigers make good pets, it is not really fair to the tiger to be kept as one, and ultimately hurts owners of other exotic animals when a person cannot care for their tiger properly and the public attacks ownership of all exotics as a result.
5. Alligator - No points if you said Crocodile, one point if you said Alligator. Alligators have wider and shorter heads than crocodiles. Although some people find them cute as babies and purchase them as pets, if the lucky animal survives it eventually grows into a huge problem. Some owners then illegally release them into the wild. I would not even consider suggesting anyone get one as a "pet", while they might be fine in zoos, these are definitely not "pets".
6. Turkey - This bird is often used for food, but in this case, it is used for points, give yourself one if you said "Turkey". It might surprise to you know that these birds are not named after the country, Turkey. Rather the country is named after the birds. Domestic turkeys cannot fly. Wild birds have limited flight but it is still enough to help them escape from preditors.
7. Lemur - These little primates are from Madagascar, it was a bit tricky so give yourself a point if you got it right. Many species of lemurs are extinct thanks to deforestation of their home land, which is Madagascar.
8. Blue footed Booby - Get a point if you got the full name correct. These birds are thought of as being a bit on the dopey side. In fact they have little fear of humans so were easily caught and eaten by fishermen. They have foot fetishes themselves, as part of their mating ritual involves the male displaying and stomping his lovely blue feet to impress the female.
9. Bound human foot - Yup, those bones are human, get one point if you said "human" get a bonus half point if you said "bound foot". This was a practice that occurred in China. It is believed that at the time a smaller foot on the woman was considered more desirable so parents took to binding the feet of their daughters. This involved the breaking of toes and caused great pain, and even had the risk of death because of infection during the process. Foot binding resulted in a permanent, and often painful, deformity.
10. Camel - This was an easy one, it is of course a Camels foot. There had to be some easy ones, I don't want to make anyone cry over a little game. Camels have two toes on their large feet, which are specially adapted to walking on hot shifting sand.

Add up your points and let us see how you did.

Zero - Four points. You're really not a very observant person, maybe you have your head in the clouds a bit too much, and are blissfully unaware of what lies beneath. You wouldn't know a foot if it kicked you in the face, be careful here or you won't have a foot to stand on. Your favorite place is your house.

Four and a half - Seven. You are normal. Nothing special about you, you know some feet, you don't know some feet. You know about some critters, but not too many. Your favorite place is the mall.

Seven and a half - Nine. You spend a lot of your time walking with your head down, this is great, you find lots of money that way! You also get to know many kinds of feet. You talk to animals and they talk back. Your favorite place is the zoo.

Nine and half or more. You have a classic foot fetish. Get help now, or don't. It really doesn't matter to me. Just make sure those feet are clean. Your favorite place is illegal.

Goldfield Hotel

Legend has it that one of the spirits who haunts this place is a lady of irrefutable reputation. George Wingfield, owner of the hotel, took a taking to a woman by the name of Elizabeth, who ended up becoming pregnant. Since Wingfield was a millionaire, it was said that he could literally get away with anything, even murder. Apparently he did. He chained Elizabeth to a radiator in room 109 until the child was born. He then threw the child down a mineshaft that is located under the hotel. After the birth, Elizabeth was never seen alive again. The sound of a woman's voice, and the voice of a baby crying can often times be heard. A figure of a man welding a knife has also been spotted, but no on seems to know who this specter is. Even good old George Wingfield has been felt. Sometimes you can smell the vague scent of a cigar roaming the hallways. There is also a “playful” spirit who likes to jab visitors and then leave without notice.

Waverly Sanitarium

Built in the early 1900's, those with tuberculosis came here for a cure, only to end up dying. It is considered to be one of the most haunted places in the world. Reasonably so considering thousands died here due to tuberculosis. Located in Louisville, Kentucky, the sanitarium is home to many spirits. Thousands died here, many on a daily basis. An underground passageway for the dead was eventually built. To keep up the morale of living patients, the dead were brought through the “death tunnel” to be carried away by hearse.

People who come here have heard voices as well as seeing apparitions, and feeling cold spots. There has been a child reported to be seen with no eyes. Eerily, if you take a ball with you and go to the children's ward, and roll the ball away from you, it will mysteriously roll back with unseen hands pushing it. The feeling here is often times heavy and depressing, and it is not a place you want to walk alone at night, or you just might take off running and find yourself lost.

Belcourt Castle

It had 64 rooms, and took nearly 3 years to complete construction. It is said that one of the antiques here, a suit of armor, screams upon occasion. The owner of the armor was killed when a spear entered his eye. Visitors have felt cold spots, and objects within the manor seem to take on a life of their own. Chairs in the Gothic Ballroom are said to have thrown occupants out of them. When touching them, they are cold to the touch, and sometimes one can feel resistance when placing their hand upon the chair. Sometimes discombobulated voices can be heard, and cold spots and hands can be felt.

Union Cemetery

The fame of this cemetery surrounds the mysterious Lady in White. No one is sure who she is, or when she had passed, but many motorists have reported seeing this vision. What is disturbing is that many motorists have reported running over this woman, only to find that she isn't there when they check on her. They also find that no damage had been caused to their cars. Red eyes are also said to have been seen floating around the cemetery. Tales of a man who had been burned alive have been circulated through the years, and it is the popular belief that it his spirit that causes these red eyes.

Borley Rectory

It has been dubbed the most haunted house in all of England. Legend tells of the rectory being built atop an ancient monastery. Stories abound of a nun from Bures who had fallen in love with a monk from the Borley Monastery. The two were caught trying to elope. The monk was executed, while the nun was bricked up alive inside the cellars of the monastic buildings. The rectory was built in 1863, and since then, strange happenings have occurred. Apparitions of a nun have been seen and ghostly footsteps have been heard. When the Reverend Lionel Foyster took residence, his wife became the victim of ghostly phenomena. She had objects thrown at her, as well as messages scribbled onto a wall for her. Music can be heard playing, and people often report feeling a presence watching them.

Mansfield Reformatory

Built between 1886-1910 by architect Levi T. Scofield, the reformatory is considered to be one of the most haunted places on earth. Many prisoners and prison guards met their end here. The design of the building was meant to inspire reform for those who came here. Instead, they were faced with despair and death. Many tales of suicide, murder, and violence surround this prison. One story says that Warden Glatske murdered his wife, and covered up the crime by claiming that a gun accidentally discharged. A decade later, the warden died of a heart attack. People have claimed to smell a faint hint of roses, (a scent worn by the wife), as well as seeing the warden. Visitors see apparitions of spirits, and one of the more haunted locales of the reformatory is The Hole. The Hole was a place where prisoners were sent for severe punishment, only being fed bread and water, and sometimes there would be multiple inmates to a cell. Many died here, and when visiting The Hole, one can't help but feel either an ominous feeling, or a sense of dread. So many negative feelings surround this place that one can't help but feel like you're being watched.

Hoosac Tunnel

Built underneath 5 miles of the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts, this haunted abode has been dubbed the Bloody Pit. From what I can recall, it had seen nearly 200 deaths during its 24-year construction; the deaths being caused by fires, explosions, and structural collapse. Murder also had its part in the history of the tunnel's construction. Many believe the place to be cursed by some unseen presence, and those who come here feel an unspeakable horror. At times you can feel cold spots, feel hands upon your back, here voices, feel terror, or feel as if you're being watched. It isn't uncommon to see things out of the corner of your eyes, but perhaps that is the fear playing tricks upon the mind. It isn't recommended to enter the tunnel, as freight trains still come running through here at any time of the day. But those who come searching for the unexplained, do so at their own risk.

Photos credit: Rothamsted Research Visual Communications Unit

This is an unknown species of aphid which was found by a scientist and vice-president of the Royal Entomological Society of London, Dr. Richard Harrington, who bought this fossil on an internet auction on eBay for £20 from a man in Lithuania. The fossil itself is measured 3 to 4mm in length and was encased in a 40 to 50 million-year-old piece of amber about the size of a small pill. It is said that this aphid became trapped in the resin as it seeped from a tree millions of years ago. An aphid expert in Denmark, Prof. Ole Heie confirmed that this insect is a new species which has turned out to be a long extinct aphid from the Earth and he named it as Mindarus Harringtoni after Dr. Harrington, who first named it as Mindarus ebayi. This fossil is now well-kept in the Natural History Museum.

A Spider Musician Called “Neil Young”

Photo credit: ECU News Services

This newly discovered arachnid or a trapdoor spider has been named in honor of a rock musician, Neil Young who is also an activist for justice and peace. Thereafter, this spider has become a famous “rock musician” in the nature. A biologist at East Carolina University, Jason Bond, has named it as Myrmekiaphila neilyongi. Bond discovered it in 2007 in Jefferson Co., Ala. and later this species was described in a journal. This spider lives in a burrow and crafts a trap door to keep out unwanted parasites and predators. Unlike other spiders which make webs out of silk, this spider uses silk to line burrows and an extension of the lining is part of its trap door.

A Genetically Modified Mosquito

Photo credit: PNAS Photo credit: Reuter

This is a genetically modified strain of malaria-resistant mosquito which has been created successfully by a scientist. Undoubtedly, it gives new impetus for controlling the most common and deadly parasitic disease, Malaria (spread by the single-celled parasite called Plasmodium which is passed to humans via the bite of Anopheles mosquito) which makes 300 million people ill, causes 2.7 million deaths and more than 500 million people are infected each year. This epidemic rages furiously particularly in parts of the central and South of America, Asia and Africa. Also, it was reported that children die of malaria every 30 seconds in sub-Saharan African in most cases. The creation of mosquitoes with green fluorescent testicles undoubtedly will help curb the spread of malaria carrying mosquitoes.

This genetic modification of mosquito has a relatively higher survival rate even when not exposed to malaria besides laying more eggs. Scientists hope that by introducing it to the nature, the epidemic of malaria could be reduced as it carries a gene that prevents infection by the malaria parasite. Besides carrying gene that confers resistance to the malaria parasite, it has the gene for green fluorescent protein (GFP) inserted into its transgenic mosquito, making its eyes glow green.

Dr. Rasgon said, "I think it will be 10 to 20 years before transgenic mosquitoes are released into nature. It's very difficult to predict what will happen when we release these things."

"There is quite a lot of research that needs to be done, both in terms of genetics and the ecology of the mosquitoes; and also research to address all the social, ethical and legal issues associated with releasing transgenic organisms into the environment," he added.

The Cat with Four Ears

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Unlike other cats, this popular cat has an extra set of ears which mark its unique appearance. Despite its unusual looks, its hearing and behavior are normal and it meows very softly. It was born on Brenda Pearson's parents' farm in Capron Illinois in May 2007. It was named as Yoda, after the pointy-eared Jedi Knight, a character in Star Wars based on George Lucas' cat. Yoda now lives in Belvidere, Illinois with Tim and Brenda Pearson.

Cloned Cats that Glow

Photo credit: AFP/ Getty Image

South Korean scientists have successfully cloned cats via the advantage of a technological twist that could use to make significant genetic changes in every creature on Earth. These cats carry genes that have been altered genetically to enable them to glow in the dark. Photos from South Korea's Ministry of Science and Technology show cats appear normal in visible light (left) but their skins glow red under ultraviolet light (right).

Photo credit: Yonhap

A research team at Gyeongsang National University in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea, headed by Kong Il-Keun, has created several kitty clones that glow a dull red under ultraviolet light.

"The ability to manipulate the fluorescent protein and use this to clone cats opens new horizons for artificially creating animals with human illnesses linked to genetic causes," said the Ministry of Science and Technology.

These gene-altered cloned cats that glow in the dark are really cool. How did scientists do this? According to the researches in South Korea, this is what they did on these cats: They took skin cells from Turkish Angora female cats and used a virus to insert the genetic instructions for making red fluorescent protein (RFP). Then they put the gene-altered nuclei into eggs for cloning. The cloned embryos were implanted back into the donor cats, which effectively became the surrogate mothers for their own clones.

In the near future, these animal clones might be genetically altered to produce human body parts. And it sounds like scientists have gone too far away from the perspective of humanity. Will this clone be a way-out science-fiction play? Well, this is not a fiction in a reality. Instead, it's already happened and will happen very often in the future, which I'm sure will spark a controversy debate. What would you say then? Will you allow this nightmare to happen?

Is Our World a Ground Field for Cloning?

Photo credit: AP images

The researches at National Taiwan University's Department of Animal Science and Technology claimed that they have bred the only three fully fluorescent pigs, while other researchers have managed to breed partly fluorescent pigs. Their heart and internal organs are green. In the daylight, their skins and eyes are greenish tinged. Even their teeth and trotters look green. In the dark, they shine a blue light and they emit torch-light bright. They are about 265 transgenic pigs created by adding DNA from jellyfish into pig embryos which were implanted in 8 different sows. By creating these fluorescent pigs, researchers hope to boost the stem cell research, as well as helping to study human disease.

Photo credit: AP image

A research team at the National University of Singapore led by a fish molecular biologist, Dr. Gong Zhiyuan from the Department of Biological Sciences has successfully bred Zebra fish that are greenish tinged under special lighting. According to Dr. Gong's group, they have cloned over 300 non-redundant zebra fish genes encoding known proteins and soon they may also create a fish that changes color when it passes through different temperatures.

Photos credit: AP images 

This is a nude transgenic mouse which has developed by Anticancer Inc. Under blue light, every cell of the mouse in its body is greenish tinged (left), while under normal light, it seems like not much different from other mice (right).

Human cancers that express DsRed can now be implanted into this mouse to enable scientists to observe and monitor the progress of the cancer cells in live green mouse. The cancers will give off red fluorescence. This creation gives new impetus to the medical field that allows the researchers at Anticancer Inc. to monitor angiogenesis (blood vessels growing into the cancer and supplying oxygen and food) as well as to observe metastasis (cancer cells moving around the body).

With regards with this cloning, different communities act differently, some agree but some object strongly. Of course, the scientific applications of transgenic technology sparks the debate as in some cases, human genes are transferred into other animal species to produce animals that are half-animal and half-human alike as in my article entitled The First Creation of Human-Animal Hybrid Embryo. The genetic differences that separate species from one another create concerns among certain communities as they question whether this technology is morally acceptable. It must be a nightmare that human genes are merged with animal genes, mustn't it? Thinking of this, what'll our world looks like with all these scary cloned creatures? What do you think?

Mushrooms Can Glow in Green Light too, Amazing!

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These bioluminescent mushrooms and fungi can be seen in the forests of southern Brazil. They emit light the whole day but are best to observe at night. They appear as “dozens of stars” or “fireflies” that glow at night. There are only 65 species out of 85,000 species in the Fungi kingdom, of which Jack-o-Lantern Mushroom (Omphalotus spp.) and the Honey Mushroom (Armillaria spp.) are the known luminescent species which belong to different lineages. These 65 luminescent species form thin-walled white spores help in spore dispersal, and they are all white rot fungi which are capable to digest both the cellulose and lignin in plant debris. They glow by emitting a constant yellowish-green light at a wavelength of 520 to 530 nanometers. Not all their parts can glow. In some species, the cap or the gills glow; in others, only the stem, but in some species, the fine, thread-like filament called mycelium (from which the mushrooms develop) glow brightly. They glow to attract nocturnal animals to help in spore dispersal as in the closed canopy forests the wind dispersal is very limited. Others may glow to attract the predators of insects that eat the mushrooms.

Golden, Glistering Seahorse

Photo credit: Reuter

This golden, glistering seahorse was created by a research team at Viet Nam National University's College of Science using a shooting method (generated via a strong force to insert the light-emitting gene into the seahorses' egg cells). There are about 108 living seahorses glistering in gold created successfully via genetically engineered technology.

With regards to the creation of this golden, glistering sea horse, the researcher said, “Gene GFP, a light-emitting gene extracted from jelly fish, was combined with tiny grains of gold. Then these grains of gold were injected into seahorse's egg cells. The gold mixed with the jellyfish genes was incorporated into the cells of the sea horses, which glittered when they came into being.”

What's Okapi? Is it a Giraffe or a Zebra?

Photos credit: ZSL

This elusive forest-dweller was officially discovered in 1901. It has a short, dense, velvety coat and a long, black, prehensile giraffe-like tongue and zebra-like stripes on its back. It has a close relationship to the family of giraffe.

This Anteater is not only cool but also an Interesting creature. Want to Keep It as a Pet?

Photos credit: Nick, James, Mahesh

An anteater is about 6 feet long, but its mouth is only an inch wide. It has 42 teeth. It will be nice to have one as a pet at home, as you do not have to worry about ants anymore!

True Love in Animal Kingdom

Photos credit: James, Chong, Max, Bob

These are true love in the animal kingdom, marking no “discrimination” true-loved world. These scenes are very touching and they are the best masterpiece on Earth. This is a beauty world of the nature.

Chupacabra, Vampire in the Nature?

Photos credit: animal.net

Chupacabra (means “goat sucker” in Spanish) is rumored to inhabit parts of the America. It was first spotted in Puerto Rico in the early 1990s, and have later been seen spotted in Mexico and as far as the United States. Its name came after its habit of attacking and drinking the blood (and sometimes organs) of livestock, particularly goats, dogs and sheep through a single hole or two holes. It has been reported that Chupacabra killing animals in places like Puerto Rico, Miami, Chile, Nicaragua, and Mexico. The report of attacks perpetrated by this creature showed telltale marks on their necks. It is characterized by its dog-like reptile, small half-alien, and half-dinosaur tailless vampire-like appearance; dog or panther like nose and face, a forked tongue, hairless body, unusually pronounced eye sockets, sharp claws, large fangs, and a long snake-like tongue. It stands about 1 to 1.2m (3-4ft) high, and can stand and hop just like a kangaroo.

Very Ugly Sphynx Cat

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The Sphynx cat, also called Canadian Hairless cat, is a rare breed cat known for its lack of hair coated its body. Some of its species do have a fine hair over their bodies that could be felt or seen only with difficulty. The hairless species feel rubbery when touched. Due to its lack of a coat, its ears tend to build up with a brown waxy substance. One can see some slight hair scattered all over its nose, ears, tail and feet. It has a wedge-shaped head, long slim legs, small dainty paws along with its long fine muscular body, but it has no true eyebrows or whiskers. Wrinkled skin is highly desirable, especially around its muzzle, between the ears, and around the shoulders. The adult female weights between 6 to 9 pounds, while the male weights between 10 to 15 pounds. Though it looks uglier, it is a very lively, intelligent and playful breed as it interacts well with humans. Because of its affectionate nature, it is kept at home as a pet.

What's this Creature?

This small creature is an insectivorous mammal native to Africa. It is named as an elephant shrew or a jumping shrew. It has a mouse-like tail and an elephant-like long trunk. It varies in size from about 100mm to almost 300mm, and weights from below 50 to 500g. BBC said it has a close relationship with an elephant, walrus, dolphin and the African rabbit.

Is Yeti Another Version of King Kong?

Photos credit: myth of yeti. net

Katmandu, the capital of Nepal, has been a home for the Yeti legend. In Tibetan, “Yeti” means “magical creature” and it has been described as a supernatural enigma in the appearance of hairy and biped creature that resembles a giant ape. The first report about the myth of Yeti appeared in 1925 when a Greek photographer, N.A. Tombazi has witnessed this creature moving in the distance across some lower slopes while working in his geological expedition in the Himalayas.

"Unquestionably, the figure in outline was exactly like a human being, walking upright and stopping occasionally to uproot or pull at some dwarf rhododendron bushes," said Tombazi, "It showed up dark against the snow and, as far as I could make out wore no clothes."

Have you spotted these Creatures elsewhere?

Photos credit: animalwonder, vet, John, William, Zag

These creatures are not existed on Earth. The manufacturers have shaped them into animal appearance for making toys, PS and also for home or garden decorations.

Also read

• Odd Looking Marine Animals (You Never Knew Existed)
• 20+ Weirdest and Ugliest-Looking Animals on Earth
• Halloween
• The Weirdest and Coolest Deformed Animals on Earth
• Exploring the Most Incredible World of Sea Aliens of the Deep
• 13 Strangest and Most Unusual Sexual Behavior among the Animals
• 20+ Unusual and Astounding Living Organisms
• Butterflies of the Sea: Flamboyantly Decorated Marine Animals
• Extremely Amazing Animals that Sustain Their Survival under Extreme Conditions
• Terror and Shock: the World s Largest Snakes Ever
• 10 Reasons Why Dinosaurs No Longer Live on Our Earth
• My Secret Life as a Panda

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The first moving stamp was issued in the Netherlands.

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Later, moving image stamps were issued by several countries. For these stamps, lenticular technology is used, in which a plastic lens atop a specially-formatted image makes it appear to change. Austria issued this type of postage stamp, which has 48 images in a 3-second sport clip in May 2008.

Silver Foil Stamp

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Tonga is country made up of more than 150 islands in the Pacific Ocean. It released a stamp shaped like one of the Tonga islands in 1964. This stamp was printed on silver foil. Tonga issued several self-adhesive stamps in different shapes like watches, parrots, bananas etc.

The Football (Soccer) Stamp

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The football (Soccer) stamp was issued by Austria in March 2008. This stamp is made with the same plastic polyurethane that is used to manufacture the official football of the UEFA. This 69cm self adhesive ball stamp can be shrunk to 36mm.

Steel Stamp

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The first steel stamp was issued by Bhutan.

Glow-in-the-Dark Stamps

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Malaysia issued these glow-in-the-dark stamps that feature nocturnal animals. These stamps come in a miniature sheet.

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Hong Kong issued six stamps featuring jellyfish in June 2008. These stamps are being printed with a glow-in-the-dark effect.

3-D Stamp

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The first three-dimensional stamps were issued by Bhutan. The sets of series include wildlife, spaceships, sports cars, ceremonial masks, and other.s

Sweet and Sour Pork Scented Stamp

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The Sweet and Sour Pork Scented stamp was issued by China in celebration of the Year of Pig in 2007. This stamp has the aroma of sweet and sour pork, and the glue on the back of the stamp tastes like the famous Chinese dish.

Musical Stamp

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Bhutan released this music-playing stamp in 1973. There are seven stamps in this series and each plays either the country's national anthem, folk songs of Bhutanese or tells the history of Bhutan.

Scented Stamps

There are many scented stamps printed around the world.

The first scented stamp was issued by Bhutan in 1973. The series of six stamps was perfumed to smell like a rose.

Later, several countries issued flower-scented stamps.

Burnt Wood Scented Stamp

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This stamp was issued by Brazil in 1999 to raise awareness about the damage of forest fires and their impact on environment. This stamp has a smell of burnt wood. This is set of four stamps featured an anteater, a flower, a leaf and a burnt tree trunk, each of which indicates what is at risk when a forest burns.

Coffee Scented Stamp:

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This stamp was issued by Brazil. The stamp is coated with varnish containing the microcapsules that were prepared from the matured coffee beans, after being roasted, ground and filtered under pressure. This process gives a strong coffee aroma to the stamp that lasts for up to five years.

Chocolate Stamp

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Choco Suisse, a chocolate stamp, was issued by Switzerland in 2001. This stamp comes in a foil-wrapped booklet, like a chocolate bar, and tempts us to lick it. But it only smells like chocolate, and doesn't taste the same as chocolate.

Eucalyptus-Scented Stamp

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This stamp was issued by Britain with the medicinal scent of eucalyptus to honor the centennial of the Nobel Prizes in 2001. The top layer of the stamp was covered with tiny capsules filled with eucalyptus aroma, which are released when the stamp is scratched.

Incredibly, people in North America and Europe behave very strangely on Friday the 13th. On 13th Friday, they won't fly in airplanes, host a party, apply for a job, get married, do a business, or even start a new project. Some people won't go to work; some won't drive their cars; some won't think of setting a wedding or holding a ceremony; and many won't eat in restaurants. This superstition is particularly more widespread in the United States. Some believe that the risk of hospital admission due to vehicular accidents might be increased by as much as 52% than on “normal” Fridays. Hence, they'd rather prefer to stay at home on Friday 13th. That's why for many Christians in the past, they would never begin any activities or trip on Friday for fear that their endeavor would be doomed from the start.

According to Dr. Donald Dossey, a psychotherapist who specializes in the treatment of phobias, about 21 million of the Americans have an irrational fear of Friday the 13th. That means 8% of the Americans are still in the grip of this very old superstition.

By labeling Friday the 13th as “the unluckiest day of all”, we are guilty of perpetuating a misnomer by a negative designation, say, someone breaks a mirror, spills the salt, spies a black cat crossing one's path, and walks under a ladder - Friday the 13th, a day that one would be in the safety to be at home with doors locked, windows or shutters closed.

People who lived before the late 1800s perceived Friday the 13th as a taboo. They used to think that this day was a catastrophic and misfortune day as many cultural significance and historical events that occurred on this day was shrouded in obscurity. Perhaps, the most convincing answer lies with Christianity as many bad things happened in Christianity on Fridays, for instance, Christ was crucified on a Friday, Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, the start of the Great Flood. In fact, Christians have traditionally been wary of Fridays as on this day, Jesus Christ was crucified. This misfortune day is also considered as a day of penance for Christians. God tongue-tied the builders of the Tower of Babel on a Friday and the Temple of Solomon was destroyed on a Friday as well, are two other reasons that associate Friday the 13th as an unlucky day.

Interestingly enough, the identical superstition has been attributed to the ancient Vikings, which has become a hot debate among the scholars. The story has been laid down as follows:

“Never change your bed on Friday; it will bring bad dreams. Don't begin a trip on Friday or you will have misfortune. If you cut your nails on Friday, you cut them for sorrow. Ships that set sail on a Friday will have bad luck ?As in the tale of H.M.S. Friday ... One hundred years ago, the British government sought to quell once and for all the widespread superstition among seamen that setting sail on Fridays was unlucky. A special ship was commissioned, named "H.M.S. Friday." They laid her keel on a Friday, launched her on a Friday, selected her crew on a Friday and hired a man named Jim Friday to be her captain. To top it off, H.M.S. Friday embarked on her maiden voyage on a Friday, and was never seen or heard from again.”

No one could say for sure why and when the number 13 is associated with misfortune, its belief stems from the events that took place on Friday, October 13, 1307. Legend has it said that on that day, the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, together with the King of France, sentenced “the Knights Templar” (the legendary order of “warrior monks” formed during the Christian Crusades to combat Islam) to death and ordered the torture and crucifixion to be held among his leaders. This story was written by Katherine Kurtz in “Tales of the Knights Templar” (Warner Books, 1995) as follows:

"On October 13, 1307, a day so infamous that Friday the 13th would become a synonym for ill fortune, officers of King Philip IV of France carried out mass arrests in a well-coordinated dawn raid that left several thousand Templars- knights, sergeants, priests, and serving brethren - in chains, charged with heresy, blasphemy, various obscenities, and homosexual practices. None of these charges was ever proven, even in France - and the Order was found innocent elsewhere - but in the seven years following the arrests, hundreds of Templars suffered excruciating tortures intended to force "confessions," and more than a hundred died under torture or were executed by burning at the stake."

Photo credit: Chengfang.com

On 11 April, 1970, Apollo 13 spacecraft was launched at John F. Kennedy Space Centre (KSC) on Merritt Island, Brevard Country, Florida, United States. Many claimed that the landing mission of Apollo 13 would be a catastrophic event as the number “thirteen” itself is an ominous figure which is believed to be of bad omen and evil doings.

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Many Westerners have perceived Friday the 13th as the unluckiest day as many biblical negative events occurred on a Friday. According to Bible, the first man was created on a Friday, and Eve was then created. Supposedly, on a Friday, Eve tempted Adam with the forbidden fruit. When both of them ate the forbidden fruit, they were ejected from the paradise. Not only did Adam and Eve were ejected from the Garden of Eden, but many also believe that the Great Flood began on a Friday.

Image source- The Last Supper

Photo credit: Sohu- Jesus' crucifixion

Thirteen is significant to Christians as it is the number of dinner guests who were present at the Last Supper. The Bible tells us that there were exactly 13 present at the Last Supper. 12 of them are his apostles, one of which being Judas, who was said to have betrayed Jesus by setting the stage for Jesus' crucifixion, making 13 an unlucky number. And this was held on a Friday.

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Cain and Abel were the first and second sons of Adam and Eve. Cain, a farmer, had committed his first murder by killing his brother Abel, a shepherd on Friday, after God rejected Cain's sacrifice but accepted Abel's.

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The Friday has regarded by Judaism as the “Witches' Sabbath,” in the Middle Ages.

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Various legends said: the witches of the north used to observe their Sabbath by gathering in a cemetery in the dark of the moon. On one such occasion the Friday goddess, Freya herself, came down from her sanctuary in the mountaintops and appeared before the group, who numbered only 12 at the time, and gave them one of her cats, after which the witches' coven - and, by tradition, every properly-formed coven since - comprised exactly 13.

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Twelve gods were invited to a banquet at Valhalla. Loki, the Evil One, god of mischief, had been left off the guest list but crashed the party, bringing the total number of attendees to 13. Loki raised hell by inciting Hod, the blind god of winter, to attack Balder the Good, who was a favorite of the gods. Hod took a spear of mistletoe offered by Loki and obediently hurled it at Balder, killing him instantly. All Valhalla grieved. This story was apparently included in the Norse, “Beware of uninvited guests bearing mistletoe,” signifying that 13 people at a dinner party is just plain bad luck.

In the early England, many of the hangings took place on Fridays. There were 13 steps leading up into the gallows. Fridays were considered as an execution day or more commonly known as Hangman's Day in Britain. This is another reason that linked Friday the 13th as the unlucky day. However, in other pre-Christian culture, this day was regarded as the Sabbath, a day of worship, so those who indulged in secular or self-interested activities on this day could not expect to receive blessing from the gods. This may explain why most trips or important projects are not done on Fridays.

As Fridays are regarded as the unluckiest day, many cities do not have a 13th Street or a 13th Avenue. Many buildings don't have a 13th floor. If you have 13 letters in your name, you will have the devil's luck (Jack the Ripper, Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer, Theodore Bundy and Albert De Salvo all have 13 letters in their names). Legend had it said: If 13 people sit down to dinner together, all will die within the year. The Turks so disliked the number 13 that it was practically expunged from their vocabulary (Brewer, 1894).

I'm wondering what so unlucky of Fridays? Every Friday, no matter it be Fridays the 11th, 12th or 13th, they haven't been all that evil days as claimed by the old superstition, instead they're just like any other day. Is Friday the 13th an unlucky or an evil day? This question deserves your debate. What do you say then?

Even though, some of these are pertaining to basic eating etiquette and safety concerns, the older generations probably believe that it will be better received if they told their children such myths to make them behave in a certain way while eating their food. But in this day and age of science and technology, these myths become obsolete and useless, as children nowadays will question the logic to them. Bon Appetit!

1. The American Nudist Research Library Scholarship

   This award pays $1,000 to those students who have been a member of a nudist organization for a three year minimum. The application process involves a brief essay

2. The All-American Apple Pie Recipe Contest

   Geared towards future chefs, this annual competition awards $50,000 in scholarships.

3. The Chick and Sophie Major Memorial Duck Calling Contest

   This competition is open to any high school senior in the United States. Participants have 90 seconds to demonstrate the four major duck calls; hail, feed, comeback, and, of course, mating. It's free to enter, and the grand prize winner gets $1,500.

4. The Kor Memorial Scholarship

   This award is presented by the Klingon Language Institute. Winners do not have to speak Klingon, but they must have an interest in language studies and be recommended by their professors.

5. The Make It With Wool Contest

   This contest asks students to make a piece of clothing entirely out of wool. Winners can get up to $2,000 in scholarship money.

6. The National Candy Technologist Scholarship

   Students interested in candy-making, officially known as “confectionary technology,” could win a $5,000 scholarship. Winners must demonstrate their interest in candy through research projects, work experience, or another verifiable means.

7. Students for Organ Donation Youth Leadership Award

   This $500 to $1,000 award is given to students who raise awareness and promote organ donation.

8. National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance

   Students applying for this scholarship must be a member of the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance. They must also write an essay about their personal “fat activism.” .

9. National Beef Ambassador Program

   This public speaking scholarship is open to students age 16 to 19. Winners can receive up to $2,500 and become spokespeople for the beef industry.

10. Coven of the Sacred Waters Scholarship

    The Coven offers scholarships for Pagan and Wicca students.

So much for the famous curse of Tutankhamen, better known as King Tut! The belief started spreading due to news reports of death of some members of the team led by Howard Carter, who opened the tomb of boy king in 1922. However, of the fifty eight people who were present at the exhumation, only eight kicked the bucket within a dozen years. Most of the rest were able to live long and healthy lives including Howard Carter, who eventually died of lymphoma at age 64 in 1939.

In Ancient Egypt, cats were already treated as pets as early as the 22th century BC and were considered sacred. When a pet cat died, not only was it mummified with the same care as people, its owner had to shave off their eyebrow as a sign of respect. Imagine how difficult it is sometimes to grow them back!

Traditional lore claimed that if a woman is buried dressed a black, she will return to haunt her family.

And speaking of hauntings. Another traditional lore led to the use of burial wreaths. It was claimed the wreath would enclose the spirit of the deceased, thus preventing them from going back to their grave.

Henry Ford had a particularly close friendship with Thomas Edison. And so in 1931, Ford had determined to preserve his good friend's final breath in a bottle, which is still kept in Henry Ford Museum. It is a good thing that he got it labeled.

To avoid being dragged to death by their horse was one of the chief reasons why cowboys carried pistols in the 19th century. Haven't they thought of getting larger stirrups?

If a person plans to die by jumping off from atop Mount Everest, he would need lots and lots of patience. It would take him two and a half minutes before hitting the ground.

This is a job I certainly would not wish for. When a Pyrenees beekeeper passes away, someone has to splatter every single bee with black ink.

An old superstitious notion declared that a dying person's soul would not be able to leave if all the doors in the house were locked up.

Another superstition advised against pointing at a funeral march, with the terrible word of warning that you will die within a month. Additional evidence for the three digits pointing back at you!

Some people have a habit of chewing their pen. Around a hundred people die annually choking on a ballpoint pen. This certainly proves the saying: "the pen is mightier than the sword." At least in a few isolated cases.

A tanner from Vermont by the name of John Bowman believed that he would be reincarnated together with his late wife and children after his death. Upon his death in 1891, his testament provided for a fifty thousand dollar trust fund for the preservation of his mansion and mausoleum. It also required his servants to prepare dinner nightly in case they returned. The condition was carried out until 1950, when the fund was used up.

Might want to read labels more carefully. Around two thousand five hundred left-handed people die annually from using products intended for those who are right-handed. You may just want to turn away from those right-handed scissors.

A parrot pet caused quite a commotion during President Andrew Jackson's funeral. Well, his crime was uttering profanities during the service. He should have fed Polly just one more cracker.

It seems that they are nearly indestructible. A roach is supposedly able to survive for up to nine days headless. The only reason they eventually kick over? Starvation.

You may think that sex appeal was the first to go when one dies. In reality, it is your sight that goes first and your hearing that's last. What's that again?

1. Battery

   Cross the battery with a wire to generate a spark to start a fire.

2. Paper Clip

   When magnetized, can be used as a compass.

3. Wristwatch

   Determine direction by pointing the hour hand at the sum and forming and imaginary line through the center of the "wedge" created between the hour hand and the 12 o' clock; that will be your north south line
   

4. Sock

   Can filter water.
   

5. Shoelace

   Bind sticks and other items together to create shelters.
   

6. Tampon

   Can be used as tinder once broken up into fuzz.
   

7. Lipstick

   Can be used to write SOS messages on top of rocks.
   

8. Bra

   Can also filter water.
   

9. Credit Card

   If sharpened can be used to cut things or be a reflective hologram, to signal for help.
   

10. Make-Up Mirror

    Reflects the sun to signal to airplanes.