Perhaps the only thing more satisfying than a “big” story is one where celebrity and bizarre personal details combine to create an even bigger story.  This is certainly true in the fascinating and ongoing history of Napoleon’s penis.

The sinking of the Titanic has been the subject of many books, articles, and motion pictures.  We are all familiar with the fact that it sank when it collided with an iceberg. However, an American meteorologist believes that the aurora borealis

For thousands of years, the date palm was a staple crop. In the Kingdom of Judea it was a source of food, shelter, medicine, and shade. But the plant went extinct due to waves of conquest and intentional destruction. But now, after 2,000 years, the Judean date palm is back and the sweet ancient fruit has been harvested once again.

A Symbol of Good Fortune

Thick forests of the ancient date palms towering up to 80 feet (24.38 meters) and spreading for 7 miles (11.27) covered the Jordan River valley from the Sea of Galilee in the north to the shores of the Dead Sea in the south.

Ancient Judean date palm trees resurrected from ancient seeds. (The Arava Institute for Environmental Studies)

So valued was the tree that it became recognized as a symbol of good fortune in Judea. It is chronicled in the Bible, Quran, and ancient literature for its diverse powers. It has allegedly served as both an aphrodisiac and a contraceptive, and as a cure for a wide range of health issues including cancer, malaria, and toothache.

In Saudi Arabia, an astonishing discovery has been made in the north-western desert. A team of archaeologists have found evidence of the oldest human habitation in the Arabian Peninsula. 

Paleontologists working in Myanmar have found the oldest sperm cells in the world. They were trapped in amber 100 million years ago, have been described as ‘giant,’ and come from a mussel-like crustacean. 

The religious influences upon both Akhenaten and his brother Tuthmose from the temples of Heliopolis went a long way in fashioning their comparative belief systems. 

We consider dust to be a nuisance and worse, but without it, the history of humanity may have been very different. This is because dust deposits played a crucial role in creating an important fertile area in the Middle East. 

The Aokigahara forest is situated on the north-western side of Japan’s famous Mount Fuji.  Over the centuries, many people have entered the forest, but fewer have left it. This is because, sadly, the forest is notorious for being one of the most popular places in the world to commit suicide. As a matter of fact, the number of people taking their own lives in this forest is reported to be second only to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.