Countries to the north and south of the tropics, see sunrise much earlier and sunsets much later in summer, than these regions do in winter. On most farms, this isn't a problem. People and animals just shift their habits as the hours of daylight shift. In most cities, the amount of energy used to make artificial light and heat becomes costly, if they don't shift their routines. This is where William Willett, the godfather of Daylight Savings comes in.

Ireland has a unique, and beautiful national symbol and it’s the harp. It is the only country in the world that uses a musical instrument as its symbol. The traditional instrument is featured on Irish coins, the Presidential Seal, the Irish passport and the Irish coat of arms. Scholars have found that the Irish harp’s popularity with the Irish people dates back to the 1500’s. Ireland’s national emblem is actually based on the Brian Boru Harp. Irish legend says Brian Boru played the harp the night before the Battle of Clontarf.

Interesting Things with JC #206: "Corn Starch" - Dive into the story behind corn starch, a versatile product invented in 1840. From food to cosmetics, discover its many uses!

The Hungry Tree is located on the grounds of the King's Inns in Dublin Ireland. Its believed to be between 80 and 100 years old. Its a London Plane tree that’s currently in the process of devouring a cast iron bench! It cannot be stopped, the Hungry Tree does what it wants.

The Battle of Britain Bunker Exhibition and Visitor Centre is a 2,000 square metre complex on two levels. Its an underground operations room at RAF Uxbridge, formerly used by No. 11 Group Fighter Command during the Second World War. Fighter aircraft operations were controlled from there throughout the War but most notably during the Battle of Britain and on D-Day. The exhibition provides insight into how the Bunker worked, inside and out.

The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam is a tribute one of the greatest artists ever to have lived. The exhibition hall opened June 2, 1973. The historical backdrop of the Van Gogh Museum design is intriguing. The primary structure, planned by Gerrit Rietveld, opened in 1973. Engineer Kisho Kurokawas presentation wing was finished in 1999. It is the most visited Van Gogh museum worldwide.

March 6, 1945, George Nissen of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received a patent for the first modern trampoline. He sold so many trampolines to the military, to help pilots experience weightlessness, that he had to postpone his enlistment in World War II to fulfill the orders. Interestingly, trampoline only became an Olympic sport during the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Lead glass, commonly called crystal, is a variety of glass in which lead replaces the calcium content of a typical glass. In past decades, it was a popular material used to create decorative vases and bowls as well as crystal glasses and decanters. Lead glass is also known as X-ray glass or radiation shielding glass as one of its major applications is in the absorbance of high energy radiation while maintaining optical transparency. Also, lead glass has a lower thermal conductivity than lead-free glass. Interestingly, even though stained glass windows are a type of leaded glass, industry experts often use them separately to create distinction between the two.

On March 3rd 1980, the first nuclear submarine and the first vessel to go to the North Pole, the USS Nautilus was decommissioned. The Submarine was the sixth vessel of the US Navy to bear the name. The Nautilus was in active naval service from 1954 to 1980 and was the 571st submarine in the fleet.

The first official pancake recipe dates back to the sixteenth century. Pancakes were also associated with the Christian Lent. It was a way for people to use up their eggs, fats, and other ingredients not permitted during Lent. If you're ever in Severna Park Maryland, stop by the Breakfast Shop at 552 Richie Hwy for one of the best pancakes you'll find this side of sunrise!

Each Mardi Gras Parade Krewe has a unique history and theme. Some have been around for decades, while others have been in existence for just a few years. The word Krewe is unique, it comes from French and means "tribe." What a Krewe does though is even more interesting!

On February 28th 1827 The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad became the first steam-operated railway in the United States to be chartered as a common carrier of freight and passengers. All thanks to Peter Cooper as well as the B&O railroad.

Ketchup was sold in the 1830s as medicine, it was later commercialized as a condiment. Did you know ketchup also has alleged values beyond condiment status today?

Did you know, flight attendants are only paid their full hourly rate once the aircraft door closes, even though they work hard during boarding, which is the most stressful part of the flight! Let's take a look at the history of this profession in aviation.

The Yukon is home to Canada’s westernmost point, which is on the border of Alaska. The day is designed to coincide with The Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous, a festival in Yukon’s capital, Whitehorse. The event specifically revolves around the Yukon Gold Rush period of the 1890’s. Yukoners take pride in the skills needed to perform such muscular tasks as chopping wood and wielding axes and chainsaws.

It's a sophisticated platform "brain", providing robots with real-time, agile, reactive control. When combined with robotics, the system provides 3D plant recognition and grasping, enabling robots to properly pick and pack sorted strawberry plants.

Presidents Day in the United States Commemorates and Honors the lives of all US Presidents. In this episode we reveal some interesting things about Presidents Adams, Grant, Harrison, Jefferson, Lincoln, Monroe, Regan, Roosevelt, and Truman.

Daytona Beach Road Course was a race track that was instrumental in the formation of NASCAR. It originally became famous as the location where fifteen world land speed records were set. Daytona Beach's wide beach and smoothly packed sands at low tide were opened to drivers for many years.

As the Olympic games draw to a close, let's look at some of the more interesting things about the city of Beijing. It is China’s second-most populous city after Shanghai, estimated at 20.4 million people. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world. The first city erected on the spot, Jicheng, was founded in 1045 BC and was the capital of the Ji Kingdom.

The original Naval Construction Battalion 133 was commissioned at Camp Perry, Williamsburg, Virginia in 1943. They rebuilt the air station, docks and more in Hawaii and then they moved onto Iwo Jima landing with the first waves, suffering the largest casualties of any Seabee unit in history. The invasion of Iwo Jima began on February 19, 1945. Its important to remember, given time change and the international date line, the first waves started landing February 18th, 1945 around 7pm EST. They have yet to receive the Presidential Unit Citation for their bravery on Iwo Jima.