“You know Dasher and Dancer and the rest of the gang. But do you recall, the most ‘Perfect Christmas Crowd-Bringer’ of all? That’s how executives at Montgomery Ward originally described Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, who first appeared in a 1939 book written by one of the company’s advertising copywriters and given free to children as a way to drive traffic to the stores. Curious to know more about how Rudolph really went down in history? It’s all in the pages of a long-overlooked scrapbook compiled by the story’s author, Robert L. May, and housed at his alma mater, Dartmouth College… The scrapbook, which has since been restored and catalogued, includes May’s list of possible names for his story’s title character — from Rodney and Rollo to Reginald and Romeo. There’s a map showing how many books went to each state and letters of praise from adults and children alike… Find out how Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer was invented.” w/ photos

“How the modern Santa Claus came to be.”

“Young couples in the U.S. are holding back from taking the plunge and getting married because they are worried about suffering the strains of a divorce, research has shown. More than two-thirds of the cohabiting couples questioned admitted they were worried about the social, legal, emotional and economic consequences of marriage breakup. The findings back up those of another recent study which showed only half of American adults have tied the knot, with nearly half believing marriage was irrelevant to modern life. Last week, the Pew Research Centre revealed the ‘market share’ of marriage has fallen from 72 per cent in 1960 to 51 per cent today – with a staggering 5 per cent drop in the last year. With findings based on an analysis of U.S. Census data it predicted the share of American adults who are married will dip to below 50 per cent ‘within a few years.” w/ photos

“If you’re feeling lethargic or having problems breathing, it might be down to your Christmas tree. Scientists have discovered a range of health complaints including coughing, wheezing, lethargy and insomnia can be attributed to the festive centrepiece. The condition, known as the Christmas Tree Syndrome, is caused from mould spores and was discovered by a team from Upstate Medical University in New York after they noticed a peak in respiratory problems during December… If you’re not convinced he advises hosing down the tree in the garden and leaving it to dry before bringing into the house and removing it immediately after Christmas Day.” w/ photo

“Scientists believe they may have found the smallest black hole yet by listening to its X-ray ‘heartbeat’. The researchers can’t directly observe the black hole, but have measured a rise and fall in X-ray light coming from a binary star system in our Milky Way galaxy that they think signals the presence of a black hole. Until now, this X-ray pattern, which is similar to a heartbeat registered on an electrocardiogram, has been seen in only one other black hole system.” w/ photo

“For the U.S. military around the world, the enemy can be hard to pinpoint and even harder to defeat. But back at home, the Army has a tiny and vexing foe in its sights: the bacteria that cause food to rot. In this bacterial battle, though, it’s clearer who’s winning, and the evidence is a humble pocket sandwich, which looks from the outside no different than your average hot pocket in the frozen foods aisle. But this sandwich is spectacularly resilient to threats that would turn it into a dry, moldy mess if they could. Unlike probably any other sandwich out there, this one keeps the microbial forces of nature at bay for up to two years. How on earth could a BBQ chicken sandwich stay fresh for two years, you ask? And is it even edible? We were still puzzled, but fortunately senior food technologist Michelle Richardson was happy to explain.” w/ photo

“It’s ridiculously compelling isn’t it.” — lampyman101

“Babies can recognize liars and will avoid imitating their unreliable behavior, a study has revealed. If an adult has previously acted dishonestly, babies will not copy them as they would with other grown-ups, according to researchers from Montreal, Canada. The study published in LiveScience said that even in their early years, children can identify certain behavior as ‘irrational or inefficient’, reported the NZ Herald… Researcher Ivy Brooker from the Concordia University department of psychology said: ‘This shows infants will imitate behavior from a reliable adult. ‘In contrast, the same behavior performed by an unreliable adult is interpreted as irrational or inefficient, therefore not worth imitating.” w/ photos

“From the moment Ron Shaoul took it upon himself to investigate the practice of reading on the toilet, scouring medical literature and turning up nothing of note as to its public health consequences, the situation became clear that here, on his hands, was a big job. Shaoul’s curiosity was driven by his work as a doctor specialising in paediatric gastroenterology. He mustered some colleagues, drew up a questionnaire and had hundreds of people of all shapes and sizes complete it. What resulted was perhaps the most scientific attempt yet to shine light on a habit that rustles unseen behind closed doors. Shaoul, who published his study in 2009, lamented that toilet reading was woefully neglected by scientists, considering the habit probably dated back to the emergence of printed books. Writers, on the other hand, have shown no such aversion. For some, their authority on the matter has bordered on the connoisseur.” w/ photo

“The thirteenth century was one of turmoil. The crusades were in full swing, the Mongol empire under Ghengis Khan swept forever westwards while Marco Polo turned his own eyes towards the east. Meanwhile in Kenya, East Africa, a group of enterprising people began to build a settlement which would endure for over three hundred years. Gedi, a sophisticated coral-brick built town belies the perception many have about this part of Africa – and its architecture – before the arrival of Europeans. Take a look at Kenya’s hidden history revealed.” w/ photos