Coral spawning
Once a year, on cues from the lunar cycle and the water temperature, entire colonies of coral reefs simultaneously release their tiny eggs and sperm, called gametes, into the ocean.
Jerzy Urban
Jerzy Urban was a Polish journalist, commentator, writer and politician. A staunch anticlerical and pro-communist throughout his life, he frequently was the centre of numerous controversies due to his unfiltered comments and entrenched political views resulting in support of the communist regime; on the other hand, he was a sharp-witted, intelligent and uncompromising satirist, writer and journalist.
Sakya Monastery
The Sakya Monastery, first founded in 1073, is the most important seat of the Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism. This ancient monastery is of cultural significance because it is home to some of the oldest Tibetan artwork and thousands of ancient manuscripts and books. There are about 84,000 books in the library and one of the books weighs over 500 kg.
Mongolian spot
A Mongolian spot is a benign, flat, congenital birthmark with wavy borders and an irregular shape. In 1883, it was described and named after Mongolians by Erwin Bälz, a German anthropologist based in Japan, who erroneously believed it to be most prevalent among his Mongolian patients. It normally disappears three to five years after birth and almost always by puberty. The most common color is blue, although they can be blue-gray, blue-black or deep brown.
Gérald Genta
Gérald Genta was a Swiss watchmaker and artist. He is known for his eponymous lines of timepieces, such as Gerald Genta and Gerald Charles, as well as his design work with other high-end watch manufacturers, including IWC, Omega, Universal Genève, Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet. Genta created the Patek Phillipe Nautilus and the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, to date, the best-selling models of both houses.
Julia Butterfly Hill
Julia Lorraine Hill is an American environmental activist and tax redirection advocate. She is best known for having lived in a 200-foot (61 m)-tall, approximately 1000-year-old California redwood tree for 738 days between December 10, 1997, and December 18, 1999. Hill lived in the tree, affectionately known as Luna, to prevent Pacific Lumber Company loggers from cutting it down. She ultimately reached an agreement with the lumber company to save that tree.
Hanuman Books
Hanuman Books was a series of books published between 1986 and 1993 out of the Chelsea Hotel in New York City. Featuring some of the biggest names in avant-garde culture of the time – including figures from Beat poetry, gay and trans culture, Warhol's Factory, San Francisco's North Beach and New York's Lower East Side art scenes, the Naropa Institute, contemporary music and film – the series has since acquired a cult following.
Nazaré fisherwomen
Nazaré is famous for its traditionally clad women who wear skirts with seven petticoats (one for each day). While the story is somewhat of an invention for the sake of tourism, there is an element of truth to it. In the old days, women would wait on the beach for fishermen to sail home. To keep warm in the face of a cold sea wind while staying modestly covered, they would wear several petticoats so they could fold layers over their heads, backs, and legs.
Legend of the Octopus
The Legend of the Octopus is a sports tradition during Detroit Red Wings home playoff games involving dead octopuses thrown onto the ice rink. The origins of the activity go back to the 1952 playoffs, when a National Hockey League team played two best-of-seven series to capture the Stanley Cup. Having eight arms, the octopus symbolized the number of playoff wins necessary for the Red Wings to win the Stanley Cup.
Tobu World Square
Tobu World Square is a theme park in Kinugawa Onsen, which exhibits 1/25th scale replicas of famous buildings from around the world. The models include ancient monuments, cultural treasures and UNESCO World Heritage Sites, reproduced with great detail all the way down to cars, trains and people populating the sites, and with gardens that change with the seasons.