Fun

[savethebeer]

Rattle snake rattle

Native to North and South America, rattlesnakes are large venomous snakes, that are experts at hissing as well as their bone-chilling rattle. The rattle itself is hollow and is made of keratin (just like human's fingernails) that is located at the end of the serpent's tail. When the rattlesnake erects its tail and vibrates its muscles, these segments collide with each other, thus producing the rattling sound.

'Mark Twain Tree' sequoia section with historical notations from year 550 to 1891

The first documented sighting of the giant sequoia took place in the spring of 1852, when a hunter named Augustus T. Dowd, entered North Grove woods while chasing down a bear. The trees gained a lot of popularity and a lot of people came forward who wanted to make money out of these wonders of nature. In 1891 the giant "Mark Twain Tree" was cut down. A slice of its trunk was sent to the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and another slice to the British Museum of Natural History in Kensington, London.

Tortoise skeleton

Tortoises as well as turtles are in fact the only reptiles with hard and bony shells. To no surprise, the shell works as a protective armor from the harm of the environment. The outer layer - carapace - is the shell that we see on the animal and beneath it hides the inner bony layer, then followed (looking down) by the rib bones. The lower shell of the tortoise is called plastron. If you ever were wondering why these lovely animals walk so slow - try imagining walking around yourself with a heavy protective armor, as it most certainly weighs the animal down.

Military tank

Most us are familiar with the concept of the military tank - however, it is not widely known that the polite Brits were the ones who introduced it during the World War I. By the early 1916 the prototype of the future tank was introduced. The heavy armoured vehicle was used in combat for the first time in the Battle of Flers-Courcelette on 15 September 1916

A 1930s Mickey Mouse Costume

Mickey Mouse is a cartoon character that was created by Walt Disney in 1928. Mickey, created as a replacement for another Disney character called Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, has since become one of the world’s most beloved fictional characters and has long been a popular fixture at Disney theme parks.

The Mickey Mouse costume has gone through several design changes over the years. Earlier versions, like the ones from the 1930s, have often been described as “creepy” or “unsettling,” a far cry from the friendlier-looking costumes that we see now.

The Texaco Doodlebug

In the 1930s, Texaco introduced the Texaco Doodlebug, a futuristic-looking tanker truck. While the Doodlebugs did what they were supposed to do – carry gasoline to and from gas stations – they were also a publicity stunt to modernize Texaco’s brand look.

The exact number of Doodlebugs produced is unknown, though some sources claim that only six units were ever made. Due to its shape, some people at the time said that the Doodlebug reminded them of either a pill or a loaf of bread.

 

[Scrappile]

Some very fun info there.  Thanks