Obamadon: Lizard Now Bears Barack Obama's Name

A recently discovered extinct lizard species have been named 'Obamadon', after the American President Barack Obama.

The 44th American President Barack Obama has earned himself another honor (after the American presidency and the Noble prize for peace). He now has a lizard species named after him i.e Obamadon.
The small insect eating lizard lived about 65 million years ago but was wiped out with the rest of the dinosaurs. It was discoverd in 1974 in Montana. The lizard was earlier classified as Leptochamops denticulatus but recent study showed that it was actually a new species.
It was not the president's dynamic personality that urged the researcher at the Yale University to give the lizard his name. It was rather his toothy smile.
The name given to the lizard is 'Obamadon Gracilis'. Where 'Obamadon' means Obama's teeth and Gracilis means slender.

"The lizard has these very tall, straight teeth and Obama has these tall, straight incisors and a great smile," said Nick Longrich, a paleontologist at the school in New Haven, Connecticut.

The researchers had to wait until the American elections to name the lizard.

"It would look like we were kicking him when he's down if he lost and we named this extinct lizard after him," Nick Longrich.

The Lost Islands of Socotra, Yemen

Socotra is a collection of 4 islands cut away from the rest of the world about 6 million years ago. It is one of the most isolated places on earth. Socotra's long isolation and fierce climate has given birth to a unique variety of endemic flora, giving Socotra the distinction of being 'the most alien looking place on earth'.

Socotra's enchanting islands lie about 240 km east of the Horn of Africa and 380 km south of the Arabian Peninsula in Yemen. Socotra, the 'Galapagos of Indian Ocean', is the largest island in the Middle East and is known to the world as one of the best sites to witness biodiversity.
The name 'Socotra' comes from Sanskrit 'dvipa sukhadhara' meaning 'island of bliss'. I personally believe that it is the peace and the natural grace of the place that earned it such a name.

Socotra has a seriously harsh climate. The average temperature around the year is about 25 degrees Centigrade. Rains are very scanty and strong winds hit the island in monsoon.

Socotra's geography is also a major reason why it is such a fascinating place. Its little patch of land has a diverse geography. The landscape consists of features like plains, plateaus, sandy beaches and mountains as high as 1503 meters. The plateaus are full of caves, some of which go as deep as 7 km. There are sand dunes and amazing beaches which add to the awesomeness of the place.

Inspite of the scorching temperature, Socotra supports one of the world's most amazing plant life. For some people, it is the fierce heat itself and the lack of water that has helped Socotra's flora to evolve in such unique forms.
Socotra is home to a total of 825 plant species, out of which about one third are endemic i.e found nowhere on earth. Which makes Socotra one of the world's largest endemic plant populations.

Dragon Blood Tree

This is one of Socotra's most popular plant. It is named the Dragon's Blood Tree. It's unique quality doesn't lie in it's strange shape but the red sap it produces which is used to make crystals which are used for dyeing and for medicines.

Socotra Bunting	Socotra Cormorant
Socotra Lizard

Socotra also offers a diverse show of fauna, with birds mostly dominating the environment. Socotra has about 140 species of birds which make it a heaven for bird watchers. Out of the 140, 10 species are endemic. The most important birds found on Socotra are the Socotra warbler, Socotra sunbird, starling, bunting, sparrow and cisticola.
Socotra also has some small reptiles with mammals only present in the form bats and feral cats.

The misty Socotra city

The 4 islands of Socotra have a total population of about 70,000. The inhabitants are mostly of Arabian and African origin who speak a language called Socotri, the language itself being endemic. They are peaceful, joyful, and hospitable. For me, they all deserve a big thankful hug for conserving this amazing ecosystem for the rest of the world.

Toddler almost killed after his egg collection hatches into Eastern Brown Snakes

Kyle Cummings, a 3-year old toddler, was almost killed when his egg collection hatched into Eastern Brown snakes.

It all started about a few weeks ago, when Kyle Cummings came across with a clutch of nine eggs while playing in his family's 3 acre property near the city of Townsville, in Queensland state. Unaware of what the eggs actually carried, the young wildlife enthusiast brought the eggs home and kept them inside a box, leaving the box in the warmth of his bedroom closet.
It was not until Donna Sim, Kyle's mother, lost her soul in fright when she found the baby snakes writhing in her son's wardrobe. Seven of the nine eggs had hatched into deadly eastern browns.

"I was pretty shocked, particularly because I don't like snakes," Sim told the Townsville Bulletin newspaper.

 Fortunately, Kyle had closed the box tight enough so as to confine the Eastern Browns.
Reptile specialist Trish Prendergast, who is also the Townsville-based reptile coordinator of the volunteer group North Queensland Wildlife Care, was handed the container on Tuesday and released the snakes into the wild that night. Trish said that Kyle Cummings could have been killed if he had handled the eastern brown snakes - the world's most venomous species on land after Australia's inland taipan.

"If he'd opened the container he might not be here today." she said

Snakes kill 3-4 people each year in Australia, most of them as a result of bites from Eastern Brown snakes.

20 Christmas Fun Facts You Never Knew

The Holiday Season is on your doorstep. Enjoy these truly amazing fun facts about Christmas you never knew.

1. The Greeks celebrated Christmas on January 7. Until in A.D. 350, Pope Julius I proclaimed December 25 the official date for Christmas.
2. In Greek, 'X' stands for Christ. This is from where the word 'Xmas' originated.

3. If you wait for Santa to bring you a gift on every Christmas Eve, then keep these facts in mind. According to US scientists, if Santa is to deliver all the world's gifts on Christmas eve, then he would have to visit 822 homes a second, while travelling at no less than 650 miles per second. That has to be fast...
4. The legend of Santa Claus comes from a real saint, St. Nikolas of Myra, who lived in today's Turkey around the fourth century. The term 'Santa Claus' is itself derived from Sankt Niklaus, German name for Saint Nicholas.
5. According to a story, the tradition of Christmas stockings have been originated from three sisters who could not afford a marriage dowry. They were helped by Saint Nicholas, who crept down their chimney and filled their stockings with gold coins.
6. Apples were the first known Christmas tree decorations. Until they were replaced by lights, a trend first started by protestant reformer, Martin Luther (1483-1546). According to a story, he got the idea after watching stars shining between the branches of a fir tree.

7. In Britain, people wear paper crowns on Christmas. The origins of this tradition can be traced back to the Roman Saturnalia Celebrations.
8. The term 'Christmas' has been derived from the Old English word "Cristes maesse" which means "Christ's Mass".
9. Christmas was first celebrated in Britain in 521 in York.
10. An average Christmas tree takes 15 years to grow.
11. An average household in America mails out 28 cards on Christmas and see 28 Christmas cards return to their place.
12. In Canada, Santa Claus has his own postal zip code, H0H 0H0.
13. In 1647, Christmas was made illegal by the English Parliament. The Puritan leader Oliver Cromwell, who considered feasting on a holy day to be immoral, banned the Christmas festivities. The ban was lifted only when Cromwell lost power in 1660.
14. The song "Jingle Bells" was originally written for Thanksgiving in the year 1857.

15. The Norwegians believed that witches come out on Christmas eve to look for brooms to ride. Thus, all the brooms in the house were hidden and men went outside and fired a shotgun to frighten the evil spirits away.
16. 56 percent Americans say that they always sing Christmas carols to their pets.
17. During the Christmas buying season, Visa cards are swiped an average of 5340 times every minute in the United States.
18. There are two islands in the world named 'Christmas'. One in the Pacific ocean and the other in the Indian ocean.
19. According to a study, two weeks before Christmas is the most popular time for couples to break up.
20. The Germans made the first artificial Christmas tree out of dyed goose feathers.

More Christmas Fun Facts

Here is a great book to dive deeper into Christmas facts. You may find some questions in this book that will stump you. Some of the answers may even surprise you. A fun read for the whole family. Buy Christmas Facts for Fun from Amazon

10 Fun Facts about America and its History

Did you know how America became Uncle Sam? How the Democrats became donkeys and the Republicans elephant? Let us walk you through the weirdest fun facts you never knew about history of America.

The first American President

John Hanson

Most people believe that the first American president was George Washington. This is what we've been taught at school. But the truth is completely different. George Washington was not the the first American President. Instead, it was John Hanson.
The Article of Confederation is known to be the first American attempt at self governance. John Hanson was the first president under this article. The Article of Confederation was replaced by the U.S Constitution in 1789, under which Washington became the first president.

The birth of the Democratic Donkey and Republican Elephant

Have you ever wondered about the origin of the Democratic donkey and Republican elephant? Well, it was Andrew Jackson who was first associated with the Donkey.
It all started in the presidential elections of 1828 when politics got too personal. The Democrat candidate Andrew Jackson was called a Jackass (Donkey) by his opponents. Jackson, instead of taking the statement humiliating, adopted the image of the strong willed animal in his campaign posters.
The Republican elephant was also born out of ridicule. The cartoonist, Thomas Nast, published a cartoon in an 1874 edition of the Harper's Weekly in which he labeled an elephant as the Republican vote. Thus, giving the Republicans their strong and dignified image.

"Teddy" Bears and Roosevelt

“Teddy Bears” were so named when Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt (1858-1919) refused to shoot a small bear cub one day. The incident was reported in the news, which inspired a toy manufacture to come out with the cute stuffed animals.

The Bush Thing

After President Bush Sr. vomited on the Japanese Prime Minister, a new word entered the Japanese language. Bushusuru means “to do the Bush thing,” or to publicly vomit.

First American Flag

The first American flag was a little different from the one you see today. It contained 13 stars instead of today's 50. The stars were designed in a circle in the corner section. The circular arrangement declares the equality of each state and that no state has any power over the other.
It was designed by Betsy Ross during the American Revolution.

The undiscovered Japanese bombs

During World War II, Japan bombed the United States using balloons. Although, many of them never reached USA, some actually did damage including one incident in 1944 in which a family in Oregon was killed.
According to some people, there are many such bombs in the US which are yet undiscovered. Be prepared, as you may come face-to-face with one of them some day.

Marijuana legal in the US

Marijuana haven't always been an illegal crop. Instead, marijuana was Kentucky's major crop in the 1800's. Marijuana was not used for smoking then, rather for it was valued for its fiber, called hemp, which was used in ships' sails, rope, twine, paper and canvas. Even George Washington personally grew the crop.

How America became "Uncle Sam"

Did you ever know who actually was "Uncle Sam"? Uncle Sam, or Samuel Wilson, was a butcher in New York who shipped pork to the Army during the war of 1812.
He never looked like the "Uncle Sam" we see in posters. The man who posed in posters was actually Dan Rice, a professional clown. Dan Rice even fought the election for the presidency, but lost.

Smiths VS Vietnam

American soldiers with the surname "Smith" suffered the most casualties during the Vietnam war with 667 deaths. Johnson was the second with 557 and William stood third with 406. A total of 58,152 soldiers were killed in the war.

Why Tuesday, Why November...

The US presidential election is always held on a Tuesday, in November. It all comes down to weather, harvest and worship.
Back when voters traveled to the polls by horse, Tuesday was an ideal day because it allowed people to worship on Sunday, ride to their county seat on Monday and vote on Tuesday - all before market day, Wednesday.
And the month of November fit nicely between harvest time and brutal winter weather - which can be especially bad when you're trudging along by horse and buggy.

Weird Phobias You Never Knew About

Phobias are frightening. But some phobias can be weird, bizarre and even funny. From Anatidaephobia (fear of being watched by a duck) to Chronophobia (fear of time), here we combine a list of the world's weird phobias.

Anatidaephobia - Fear of being watched by a duck

"Anatidae" is the Greek word for ducks, swans and geese. Anatidaephobia is the weird fear of being watched by a duck. The victims of Anatidaephobia, no matter wherever they are or whatever they are doing, feel that a duck is watching them.
This weird phobia usually grows during childhood. Ducks and geese are famous for their aggressive nature. It is believed that a fear of these creatures during childhood, as a result of biting or flapping, can result in the development of Anatidaephobia.
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Stasibasiphobia - Fear of Walking

Stasibasiphobia is the constant fear of walking or standing. It is a type of social phobia. The term covers a number of fears related to movement.
People suffering from stasibasiphobia may be afraid of falling, being attacked, walking alone at night or in a crowd.

Chronophobia - Fear of Time

Chronophobic people cope with a fear of time. The term is derived from "Chronos" meaning time. Chronophobia is usually developed in people suffering from great stress. That is why, it is most common in prisoners and old people.
Chronophobia gives a feeling that events are moving too fast. This feeling causes severe anxiety and panic. In more serious cases, shortness of breath, shaking and depression is experienced.

Gamophobia - Fear of Marriage

Does the idea of marriage makes you dizzy? If yes, then you may be a victim of Gamophobia, the fear of marriage. A gamophobic person may usually have no problem in a long term relationship, but is afraid of the idea of marriage. Such persons experience heartache and anxiety as the subject of marriage is brought up and tries everything to avoid it. It is one of the major symptoms of the phobia.
Like many phobias, Gamophobia has its roots in the childhood of the person. In the case of gamophobia, it is possible that the victim was raised up in a broken house. Where the parents were divorced or not married. Such tensions may develop into a mental condition known as Gamophobia.
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Arachibutyrophobia - Fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth

Arachibutyrophobia is defined as the fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth. If you're coping with this weird phobia, then you would definitely want to evade any situation where you have to eat peanut butter.
Peanut butter comes with sticky-gel-type properties. Since the roof of the mouth is drier than the rest of the mouth, so peanut butter sticks here more easily. When the butter gets stuck, you're unable to get it out in public. Thus the discomfort develops into a real phobia.
The symptoms include nausea, shaking, dizziness and sweating. Some people are so scared that they even fear the sight of a glass jar.

Related articles

• Life Phobias
• What is Peccatophobia?

World's Spookiest Haunted Houses

From White House to London Castle, this is our list of the world's most iconic places that are actually real haunted houses.

The Tower of London

The Tower of London is one of the most important highlights of the city. Throughout its illustrious age of more than a thousand years, the Tower of London has played a prominent role in English history.

She has been home to beheading  murders, torture and hangings, as well as being a prison to Nobles. During its peak years, it even housed Elizabeth I, before she became the Queen, within its walls.

The Tower of London is also one of the most haunted places in Britain. Dozens of ghost sightings have been reported. One of the most famous ghosts of the Tower is that of the spirit of Ann Boleyn, one of the wives of Henry VIII and the mother of Queen Elizabeth I, who was beheaded and buried here. Other noble spirits who roam the tower include Henry VI, Lady Jane Grey, Margaret Paul, Thomas A Becket and Sir Walter Raleigh.

White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue - the address not only houses the current President of the country but also the spirits of many more who once dwelt the building but now occupy their graves. The White house, probably the most important building of America, is also the most famous haunted house of the country.

On many occasions Presidents, first ladies, guests and staff, have experienced paranormal activities in the building. The attic seems to be the most favorite part for the ghosts. Several presidents have reportedly heard unexplained noises coming from the attic above the Oval Office.
While White House hosts spirits of several presidents like President Harrison and President Andrew Jackson, but the most famous of all is that of Abraham Lincoln.
Abe Lincoln is frequently sighted by the dwellers. One incident took place with Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands who was awakened by a knock on the bedroom door. Answering it, she faced the ghost of Lincoln staring at her from the hallway. Reports say that even President Obama has himself confronted Lincoln's ghost.

The Queen Mary

RMS Queen Mary sailed the waters of North Atlantic Ocean from 1936 to 1967. It was used in World War II both as a transport ship and a luxury liner.
During its 31 years of service, Queen Mary has witnessed dozens of deaths. These deaths haunts the grand ship till date.
RMS Queen Mary which was once known as a luxury liner, now has a reputation of a sailing haunted house. People have reported several incidents of paranormal activities in different sections of the ship. The most popular being the engine room where a 17-year old sailor was crushed to death while trying to escape a fire. The spirit of the young sailor now haunts the engine room.
Another famous haunted spot is Cabin B340 which is haunted by an 8-year old girl who was killed here. Screaming of men and crushing of metal have also been reported below the deck.

Winchester Mystery House

The Winchester Mystery House is a well-known mansion in Northern California. The grand state costed a woppin' $5.5 million, which is equivalent to today's $71 million. It now serves as a tourist destination.
The Winchester Mystery House was once dwelled by Sarah Winchester, the wife of gun magnate William Wirt Winchester. She was left in shock after the death of her infant daughter followed by her husband's. According to a legend, Sarah believed that her family had been victim of ghosts of people who were killed by the Winchester rifles. So she visited a medium where she confronted the spirit of her dead husband who told her to build a house but never finish it as it would allow her to live forever. So she moved West where she started the construction of the Winchester House.
The construction took place continuously for 38 years from 1884 to Sarah's death in 1922.

Edinburgh Castle

The Edinburgh Castle not only possesses a prominent place in the history of Edinburgh, but also its landscape. But it also bears the unusual distinction of being one of the most haunted spots in Edinburgh. Edinburgh itself is one of the most haunted cities in Europe.
Visitors frequently report odd happenings in the castle. Paranormal sightings include those of a phantom piper, a headless drummer, the spirits of French prisoners from the Seven Years War and colonial prisoners from the American Revolutionary War - even the ghost of a dog wandering in the grounds' dog cemetery.

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