26Viking Settlement Discovery
L'Anse aux Meadows is the oldest known European settlement in North America. Discovered in 1960 in present-day Newfoundland, its origin was confirmed to be Viking from the 11th century based on artifacts and evidence consistent with other known Norse examples in Greenland and Iceland.
27. Mattiedna Johnson was born to Mississippi sharecroppers in 1918. She used techniques she learned on her childhood farm (like making butter, jam, and soap) to capture and preserve molds for research. Her work eventually helped in the development of drugs to fight scarlet fever.
28. The void that forms under certain trees when it snows is called a tree well. The upper branches of the tree prevent snow from falling below them, creating a pocket that is a serious peril for skiers and snowboarders. Several people die every year from falling headfirst into these voids.
29. After the Great Flood of 1862, which killed thousands and devastated the economy, California legislators and state employees worked unpaid for a year and a half.
30. A Florida woman named Lillan Bloodworth donated blood every 56 days for nearly 50 years. By the time she stopped at age 85, she had donated 23 gallons. The average person's body contains about 1.5 gallons.