July 4, 2015 was America's 239th birthday. To celebrate the occasion, residents hosted barbecues, sought out the closest fireworks shows and . . . watched in emotions ranging from total awe to horror, as the contestants of Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest tried to outdo each other by devouring copious amounts of hot dogs in ten short minutes....

Love ice cream? Then you are going to be pleased to hear that July is National Ice Cream month. The month-long homage to everyone's favorite dessert is not a ploy by corporations to sell more ice cream, but one put into effect by President Ronald Reagan....

Any designer worth his/her salt can create a chic wedding gown using silk, satin or chiffon. But to craft one from a few rolls of toilet paper takes some talent. That, however, is exactly what the ten finalists of the 11th Annual "Toilet Paper Wedding Dress Contest" showcased on June 17, 2015....

On June 21st, the 30,000 visitors that attended the , a six-month-long Universal Exhibition that is currently going on in Italy, were in for a special treat - a slice of the world's longest pizza! Measuring 1.59545 kilometers, or just under a mile, the delicious pie that extended across 800 tables handily surpassed the previous record holder - a 1.1415-kilometer-long pizza made by Spanish chefs in 2011....

If you happen to live in the Northern Hemisphere, you may want to plan extensive activities to keep dad entertained this Father's Day. That's because June 21st happens to be the start of summer and the longest day of the year. Also known as summer 'solstice' - a Latin word for 'sun stands still', it is the day when the tilt of the Earth's semi-axis, in the northern hemisphere, is most inclined toward the sun....

Latte foam artwork, which is believed to have originated in has been around since the 1980's. But while many have mastered the art of sketching beautiful flowers and hearts, very few can compete with coffee artist extraordinaire, Michael Breach. The -based 'painter' who has been called the Da Vinci of barista coffee art can (literally) whip up any image that is presented to him - All he needs is a toothpick and some foam!...

What's better than the school year drawing to a close? How about a National Donut Day, which believe it or not, happens to be tomorrow, Friday, June 5th! Given that the only way to celebrate this all-important occasion is to eat donuts, you really have no choice but to devour one (or even a dozen) of the gooey treats....

It was a chilly and gloomy Sunday morning. But that did not prevent thousands of Bay Area residents from making their way to San Francisco's beautiful waterfront to participate in the city's oldest and most iconic footrace - Bay to Breakers. Now in its 104th year, the 12 Km (7.45 mile) competition that spans across the city may not be the world's hardest or longest race. But it is the most fun!...

If Stark Industries were a real company, chances are Patrick Priebe would be Tony Stark's go-to man for all new gizmos. In fact, this young man's creations are so impressive that any superhero would be proud to be seen with them....

The fact that kids have a special bond with their mothers is a well-known fact. But how strong is the relationship? In honor of Mother's Day, Pandora Jewelry decided to put it to test. The company blindfolded six young children and asked each to identify his/her mom from a lineup of women using only touch, smell and . . . the special bond!...

On Sunday May 10th, the approximately 85 million moms that reside in the United States will celebrate Mother's Day. This means a one-day role reversal, where moms get to enjoy all the things kids take for granted - like sleeping in and getting fed. While the special woman in your life is bound to be grateful for making her day special, so will the officials of the United States....

Every year, bulldogs from across the country make their way to Des Moines, Iowa to participate in Drake University's "beautiful bulldog" contest. In addition to the bragging rights that come with the title, the winner also gets to serve as the mascot of the prestigious Drake Relays - the nation's second oldest track event....

Here is some great news for all comic book fans. Saturday, May 2 is Free Comic Book Day. Yes, that means you can walk into any participating store and walk out with a copy of your favorite comic book. The icing on the cake? The day is celebrated by vendors all over the world!...

If you ever visit the city of Chengdu that lies southwest of China's Sichuan Province don't be surprised to see a cute backpack-carrying poodle strutting down the streets on its hind legs. According to its owner 43-year-old Zhu Tai, the dog can walk for almost a mile before it needs to come down on all fours....

The recent worldwide debate about the color of a dress has piqued the public's interest in illusions. While there are many that are making their rounds, the most fascinating is one created by researchers at Boston's Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 2007. In addition to being fun, it apparently also serves as a vision test....

Every year after April 1st, the world takes stock of the best pranks. This year was no exception. Amongst the ones that made the top list was Google's portable mailbox and Richard Branson's announcement to move his company's US headquarters to Branson, Missouri....

We all know that music has the power to comfort us when we are frazzled or distressed. Can it do the same for animals? In 2001, University of Leicester researchers decided to test this by exposing dairy cows to different genres of music. They discovered that certain types of music helped cows produce 3% more milk than those that only heard the jarring sounds of milking machines....

Brace yourselves - It's almost April 1st, the one day of the year when pulling a light-hearted prank is not frowned upon. Also known as April Fool's Day, the origins of this fun tradition are a little sketchy. Some believe that the light-hearted fun began in 1852 when the world transitioned from the Julian calendar (which began the New Year in April) to today's Gregorian calendar. Others think it was to celebrate the change of seasons....

When one thinks of pigs, smart is not the first word that comes to mind. However, after seeing Moritz complete puzzles with such ease you may change your mind not just about him but all the other porkers out there....

We have heard of it raining frogs and even spiders, but cold hard cash? That has to be a first! While it may be hard to believe, a sudden "downpour" of money is exactly what some lucky residents of Kuwait recently experienced....

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It's time to tuck away those black and blues that you have been donning all winter and get some green on! That's because Tuesday March 17th is St. Patrick's Day, which means that those not sporting the color will have to endure painful pinches! Of course this fun holiday is also about searching for four-leaf clovers and leprechauns that can lead you to gold. So how did the death anniversary of a once obscure saint who was not even Irish by birth, result in all these fun traditions? Read on....

Pi Day that is celebrated on March 14th (3.14) annually, is always a significant occasion even for people that are not particularly fond of math. That's because while celebrations may begin with a discussion of the symbol, they invariably end with consuming different variations of Pi's yummy namesake - pie! However, this year promises to be even more special. That's because, for the first time and last time this century, the day will fall on 3/14/15, which happen to be the first five digits of Pi!...

The idea of riding a bike almost 4,000 miles across the country seems like an impossible task for most, but not for Elizabeth Case and Rachel Woods-Robinson. That's because these young scientists have a mission. They want to educate middle school students about physics and renewable energy and also encourage young girls to pursue careers in science....