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Is there anything you've ever wondered about? Why is it called a French kiss? Or why does popcorn pop? Here are the answers.

Have you ever wondered....

  • Where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet?

    There's been a lot of argument over where exactly the two oceans meet – Cape Point or Cape Agulhas.

    Cape Point is doing a roaring trade based on the assumption that the oceans meet there, but, in actual fact, Cape Agulhas can claim the honour.

    Although you can't physically draw a dividing line between the two oceans, the International Hydrographic Organisation has established that Cape Agulhas is indeed where they come together. This is accepted by the South African Navy, as well as the University of Cape Town's Department of Oceanography.

  • Who invented the zodiac?

    The zodiac is the imaginary belt that runs across our skies. In astronomy, the zodiac represents constellations, whereas in (Western)astrology it represents star signs.

    The first people to utilise the zodiac were the Babylonians before 2000BC – Babylonia was a state in Mesopotamia, in modern Iraq. They used it as a symbolic calendar, dividing it into 12 parts for the 12 moons in a year.

    The concept of the zodiac moved from Babylonia to Greece, and from there to Egypt. The Egyptians changed practically everything – Leo became the knife, and poor old Sagittarius was reduced to an arrow.

  • Why is it called a French kiss?

    The phrase dates back to the 1920s, and, as with most things considered promiscuous aeons ago, anything licentious was attributed to the French.

    Think "pardon my French", "the French way" or "French letter". Methinks everyone else was just jealous of the nation.

  • Why are flamingos pink?

    Flamingos eat small shrimp by sieving them through their bills. These little crustaceans are full of carotenoids, pigments that make salmon and trout pink. As the flamingos gobble up their food, the carotenoids get broken down and deposited in their feathers.

    As they moult, they lose their pink pigment, and have to stock up on carotenoids again. For this same reason, shrimps become pink when cooked – the heat sets the carotenoids free, so to speak, and they promptly deposit themselves in the meat.

  • Why does popcorn pop?

    Popcorn is basically a kernel of starch that contains a little water. When heated, the water turns to steam, which builds up pressure until – POP! – the kernel explodes.

    What you're left with is the soft, fluffy white insides.

  • Why seven years of bad luck if you break a mirror?

    Those ancient Romans gave us more than Russell Crowe in a skirt and Asterix – most of our superstitions can be traced back to their era.

    They believed that a person's reflection, in water or a mirror, reflected that person's soul. If the reflection was disturbed, the soul would be disturbed too. The result? Seven years of bad hair days.

    And why seven? Because, back in the day, Romans believed that your fortune changed every seven years. Interestingly, the number seven was afforded symbolic meaning in many cultures and religions.

    If you're reading this article, then you're probably bored. Click here for a few fun ideas to pass the time.

    And if you have any fun and interesting facts of your own, send it to us at chatback@women24.com

    Image: Gill Strawberry/Die Burger

    - Fairlady

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