検索キーワード： 著者 "Dan Lewis" すべてのカテゴリー

The problems that beavers can cause are, actually, pretty simple: firstly, the animals build dams – which is a very good thing if they're in a relatively rural floodplain, but a really bad thing if they're in more densely populated suburbs or cities – and secondly, if left unchecked, beavers in an area with a lot of humans can cause damage to trees and, in some cases, flooding.

Silly String is liquefied plastic compressed in an aerosol can. Point it at your friend, hit the button and the liquid plastic comes shooting out.

Beginning in the 1630s and lasting for more than two centuries, Japan's foreign policy was one of strict isolationism – to a violent degree. According to Wikipedia, the policy, called "sakoku," held that "no foreigner could enter nor could any Japanese leave the country on penalty of death."

The 1970 FIFA World Cup has a few unique claims it can make: it was the first and only time that Israel qualified for the final stage; it was also the only time that Argentina failed to qualify; and it was, to date, the only time that the qualification rounds helped spark a war.

Situated on the campus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, better known as MIT, is the Green Building. Built in the early 1960s, the building is named after Cecil Howard Green, co-founder of Texas Instruments and a graduate of MIT – Green donated much of the money for the building's construction.

In the United States, public places often have two restrooms – one for men, one for women – and each restroom typically has a stall set aside for people with disabilities. That's not the case everywhere, though.

At the close of World War II, the victorious Allies split Germany into four parts—one controlled by France, another by the United Kingdom, another by the United States and another by the Soviet Union. And Berlin, although it was embedded within the Soviet-controlled sector, was itself divided into four similarly managed parts.

On July 21, 1969, Buzz Aldrin became the second human to ever set foot on the moon. Shortly before exiting the lunar lander, Aldrin radioed back to Earth with a simple request: "I'd like to take this opportunity to ask every person listening in, whoever and wherever they may be, to pause for a moment and contemplate the events of the past few hours, and to give thanks in his or her own way."

Lake Hillier, situated on an island in the Recherche Archipelago – a collection of islands to the south of Western Australia also known as the Bay of Isles – is about 2,000 feet long and 800 feet wide. But one characteristic of Lake Hillier sets it apart from other lakes – it's pink.

For many people around the world, the day starts with a cup of coffee. This has been true for centuries, but the origins of the drink aren't quite clear.

Minneapolis and St. Paul are, respectively, the largest city and the capital of the state of Minnesota. Together, they're often referred to as the "Twin Cities" because they border one another—the local baseball team (the Minnesota Twins) even adopted the moniker.

In 1952, the owner of a chicken restaurant named Harlan Sanders began franchising out his brand to other restaurateurs throughout the country. Colonel Sanders's chain, then known as Kentucky Fried Chicken (and now KFC), spread quickly, and Sanders became a very wealthy man.

Dry cleaning is a weekly ritual for many. The customer comes into the store with a bag of his or her clothes, drops it off and picks up last week's drop-off – and somehow, via a system of tags, the dry cleaner not only launders or alters your clothing, but also manages to not lose your parcels in the process.

If you're a dog owner, the first rule is – or, should be – to pick up after your dog. If you don't, bad things can happen, especially to the under soles of your neighbors' shoes – and, if they're neither observant nor careful, to their carpeting.

Crying, many people believe, can be cathartic – a good way to relieve stress and let other emotions out. But in many cultures, crying – especially in public – is socially frowned upon.

Baseball, like many other sports, requires good hand-eye coordination. This is especially true if you're trying to hit a pitched ball with a bat – for instance, a 75-mile-per-hour fastball (which is fast for amateurs, but comically slow if you're a Major League pitcher) reaches home plate in less than a second.

Typically, when a cat owner dies and leaves a pet behind, there's someone willing to adopt the now-homeless animal. But when the cat is older—say, age 10 or older—that's not always the case.

Despite its name, Iceland is actually a very welcoming country if you're a tourist looking to get away. The small island nation is one of the few places where visitors can see the Northern Lights, go whale watching, climb volcanic mountains, and also avail themselves of the heated spas and pools that the nation's geothermal energy allows.

In early 1998, an emaciated Texas inmate named Steven Jay Russell was granted a special parole – one that put him in the custody of a hospice. Russell's medical records spelled out the reason: he had HIV/AIDS, and he wasn't likely to survive much longer.

A reusable shopping bag is typically made of canvas or other durable material and is designed to carry one's purchases home from the grocery store, pharmacy or other retailer. While some stores offer incentives to shoppers who bring their own bags, the majority of people who use such tote bags probably do so on their own volition, aiming to be more eco-friendly when they're buying organic frozen pizza (or the like).