In the 19th century someone put 20+ cat statues on top of random NYC buildings. Nobody knows who or why!

No one knows for certain why there are a bunch of mysterious cat statues dotting the city of New York. It is believed that in the 19th century, they were intended to attract people to shop (an interesting marketing technique) or to amuse children. Others believe that they were put up to scare pigeons.

The 19th century may have ended but the demand and appreciation for these cat statues hasn’t. Some residents personally decorate these statues and there are urban legends that these cats help to protect the residents in the city (although judging but it's crime rate, they aren’t doing a very good job). Architect Tom Adams even adds cats as his artistic signature to some of the buildings he works on.

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Isaac Newton invented calculus because his University closed due to the bubonic plague!

Some kids party when school gets out, and some kids invent calculus and as a result attain respect from the current and future scientific community. Newton received his BA degree from Trinity in January 1665 as the bubonic plague was casting it's dark shadow across the country.

Cambridge University closed down on August 7, 1665. In that little break, Newton began work on inventing a branch of mathematics called infinitesimal calculus. By 1687, he had fully developed his theories and was introducing to his students at Cambridge. These students were the first to feel the wrath of infinitesimal calculus.

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Duracell built its new headquarters using materials from its own waste.

I guess it’s not exactly new, but it is an improvement to both the traditional methods of construction and waste disposal. Generally, much of the waste we produce end up in landfills. Not only are there well-known environmental costs associated with this, there are also economical costs. A new landfill generally costs more than an old one that has filled up because it typically costs more to comply with new environmental regulations, buy land, and transport waste to greater distances.

But battery-maker Duracell has decided to save us some trees and some bucks. Its new international headquarters has flooring made from crushed glass and broken light bulb and ceiling tiles made from recycled newspaper and roofing from recycled aluminum.

If a battery company can try to be eco-friendly that so can you

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The average white American is 0.7% African!

In America, African Americans and European Americans have been in contact since 1619. And as it turns out, some of them were in extremely close continent. Molecular anthropologists from Penn State University have examined DNA samples from 3,000 individuals in 25 locations around America for genetic variations.

Not only is the average white American 0.7% African but it was found that up to 30% of white Americans are between 2-20% African by genetic descendant. Conversely, 10% of all black Americans are actually more than 50% European by genetic descendant.

According to the studies of these molecular anthropologists, interracial fooling around is not just a thing of the past. Black-white couples have quadrupled in number between the 1960 and the 1990 census.

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A Japanese guitarist was so well loved that 50,000 people turned out for his funeral!

Hideto Matsumoto was a Japanese musician, singer, songwriters, and national obsession. He was primarily known for his work as lead guitarist of the heavy metal band X Japan but was also the co-found of the US-based band Zilch.

He was seen as an icon for rebellion in Japan. His music compelled many people, young and old, to rebel against the country’s conformist society. He died in 1998 from suicide by hanging. 50,000 people came to his funeral, 3 people committed copy-cat suicides, and 1 museum was opened for 5 years in his honor. His death was deemed “the end of an era.”

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