Elton John’s mother was a gunner for England in World War II.

In ancient China, the red decorations put on the door for the New Year were meant to keep ghosts away – because it was believed that ghosts are afraid of red.

Execution by dogs in Korean is “quan jue.”

Seymour Cray’s first computer, the Cray 1, debuted in 1976 and weighed 10,500 pounds. Thirty people were needed to help install it. Its first users built nuclear weapons.

The minimum wage in Sweden is $19 per hour, and workers get at least five weeks of paid vacation every year.

This article appears in February 7 • 2014.

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