In today’s digital age, “Area 51” evokes more thoughts of extraterrestrial beings than covert military operations. But what is the origin of this association? Let’s delve deeper into this captivating enigma. A Brief Primer on Area 51 Area 51, as the US government officially recognizes, serves as a hub for […]
Risks of Hitchhiking and The Thumbs-Up Mystery
The iconic thumbs-up signal has been a means of communication since ancient times, yet its connection to hitchhiking remains a topic of curiosity and skepticism. So, is hitchhiking as risky as it’s often made out to be? The Origin of the Thumbs-Up Gesture Dating back to the post-World War II […]
La Mancha Negra Is Venezuela’s Asphalt Anomaly
The curious tale of La Mancha Negra, or “the black stain”, begins in 1986 on a highway stretching from Caracas to its airport. It started as a mere smudge seen by workers. Over time, this smudge grew to cover about 8 miles. By 1991, rumors suggested this perilous stretch was […]
Tracing the Modern Belief System Of Flat Earthers
For millennia, the notion of a spherical Earth has held firm, tracing back to ancient philosophers like Pythagoras and Aristotle, whose observations of the stars and lunar eclipses solidified this understanding. The legacy of Eratosthenes, the revered librarian of the Library of Alexandria, added to this understanding with his remarkable […]
Why Alcohol Might Not Be Your Best Warm-Up in the Cold
Picture this: a bitterly cold evening, and someone suggests a swig of whiskey to combat the chill. It’s a widely held belief that alcohol provides warmth in cold conditions. But does it? Let’s debunk this myth for the readers of Africa Nova. The Misunderstanding Many believe that sipping on their […]
Investigating Tapping’s Impact on Shaken Soda
It’s a widely held belief that tapping a freshly shaken soda can significantly reduce the inevitable explosion of sugary fizz. But does this common practice have any effect? Africa Nova delved into the science behind this fizzy phenomenon and conducted its own meticulous experiment to uncover the truth. To begin […]
Why It’s Not Lactic Acid Making Your Muscles Ache
Have you ever woken up a day or two after an intense workout, feeling like you’ve been hit by a truck? Those muscle aches have been misattributed for a long time. L For decades, many believed “delayed onset muscle soreness” (DOMS) was a direct result of lactic acid buildup in […]
Does Gum Really Take 7 Years to Digest?
Let’s chew on a juicy myth: swallowing gum will haunt your digestive system for seven long years. This tantalizing tale has been passed down through generations, causing undue alarm to avid gum chewers. But let’s spit out the fiction and digest the facts with Africa Nova. Intriguingly, no one knows […]
No, Shaving Doesn’t Make Your Hair Thicker
No matter how often you grab your razor and get rid of that stubble, you won’t magically sprout a dense, lush forest of hair on your face or body. It’s a myth that has long echoed through households and locker rooms, but the reality is quite different. Science has consistently […]