Why do we light fireworks on New Year’s Eve?
Fireworks (aka firecrackers) were invented in China in the seventh century. Historically, many cultures thought fireworks could scare off evil spirits.
According to Chinese legend,...
Why are there two Koreas?
The division of Korea into North Korea and South Korea occurred after World War II in 1945, ending the Empire of Japan's nearly four-decade-long...
Why is it called the Coronavirus?
The name coronavirus comes from the physical appearance of the virus. Under a microscope, a coronavirus is covered with pointy structures that look similar...
Where do libraries get their initial set of books from?
New libraries use a process called "collection development" to decide what books to purchase as well as what books to discard. Books are usually...
Why is it called THE Ukraine and not just Ukraine?
When Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union (USSR), some Soviets referred to the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic (UkSSR) as "the Ukraine." However, since...