New York’s Fire Island used to be Five Islands. In the 18th century, there were five islands, but the ocean eventually covered the inlets between them.
Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne composed the song “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” in Hollywood in July 1945 during a heat wave.
A U.S. research study published in November 2023 has shown our two nostrils work independently in some ways and appear to have their own separate senses of smell.
2024 is a leap year. The first modern-era leap year was 1752.
The computers on the Voyager spacecraft have less memory than the key fob that opens your car door, according to scientist Linda Spilker. Launched in 1977, Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 are NASA’s longest-operating mission.
This article appears in December 29 • 2023.