Do you have insatiable curiosity?

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Some of us were born with an insatiable curiosity gene.

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Do you have insatiable curiosity? Back to video

We were probably the annoying children that never stopped asking ‘why?’ We wonder about everything, although we have finally learned not to ask. Trivial Pursuit was made for us although the competitive game part means little; it’s the wonderful cards with all the trivia that will keep us amused for hours.

Here is some interesting trivia.

Why do we drive on the right side of the road while Britain drives on the left? Driving on the left was passed down from the Romans who kept their chariots on the left so their right sword arm could attack the enemy. Americans switched to the right as the brakes on covered wagons were on left, forcing the driver to sit there. They drove on the right so they could see the road better.

How did Mother’s Day get started? In 1907 Anna Jarvis of West Virginia asked guests to wear a white carnation to the church on the anniversary of her mother’s death. As Mother’s Day caught on and became more commercial Miss Jarvis spent the rest of her life trying to restore its simplicity. Her efforts to stop what Mother’s Day had become led her to an insane asylum, where she died alone in 1948.

Why do we drink a toast and touch wine glasses before drinking at a dinner party? By 6 BC, the Greeks had discovered poisoning wine was a good way to get rid of your enemy, so to reassure guests the host would take the first drink. The Romans added a piece of burnt bread or ‘tostus’ to the custom as it absorbed the acid in the wine making it more palatable. Flattering words were used to reassure the guests of their safety. In medieval times poison once again flourished and they began not just touching glasses together but pouring a few drops from goblet to goblet. Then everyone would take the first drink together, making sure that there was no assassin in their company.

Why are there candles on a birthday cake? The Greeks borrowed the custom of celebrating birthdays from the Egyptian pharaohs but added the cake which the Persians used. Christians did away with birthday celebrations all together. It wasn’t until the 12th century when Germans brought back the cake but with candles which were kept lit during the family meal, after which the honoured child would make a wish which was said to come true only if all the candles were blown out with a single breath.

Why was grace originally said after a meal? Today we say it at the beginning of a meal in thanksgiving for the abundance of food but in ancient times food spoiled quickly often causing severe illness or death. Before they ate people made a plea with whichever god they worshiped to deliver them from poisoning but waited until after the meal to offer a prayer of thanksgiving or ‘grace’. That is what we do in my house when I cook!

Was there ever a planet named Vulcan, or is that only on Star Trek? In 1845 scientists believed that Mercury’s erratic orbit was caused by the gravitational pull from an unseen planet which they named Vulcan. Albert Einstein, with his theory of relativity, explained the erratic orbit thus eliminating the hypothetical planet… until Gene Roddenberry resurrected it in Star Trek.

Why do the phrases ‘putting on the dog’ and ‘dressing to the nines’ mean very well dressed? Putting on the dog comes from the practice leisurely, wealthy women had of carrying lapdogs to afternoon social functions. ‘Dressed to the nines’ comes from a time when theatre seats furthest from the stage cost 1 pence, and those closets cost nine pence. Sitting in the expensive seat required dressing up to fit in with the wealthy or getting ‘dressed to the nines.’

Why do we say that a bad deal will only ‘Rob Peter to pay Paul?’ In the mid 1700s St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, England was falling apart and the financial strain was so great they decided they would merge with the diocese of the newer St. Peter’s Cathedral and use their funds for repairs on St. Paul’s. The parishioners of St. Peter’s resented this and came up with the rallying cry they’re ‘robbing Peter to pay Paul!’