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DATE	FACT OF THE DAY
12/1/19	The oldest Egyptian pyramid is the Step Pyramid, dated to around 2650 BC. It was the tomb of King Djoser, and its shape represented a giant stairway for the dead king to climb up into the sky to join the sun god. - Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/2/19	The term “sushi” originally referred to the fermented rice that was used to preserve fish. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/3/19	Kentucky has the highest rate of smokers (28.7%) in the U.S., while Utah (11.5%) has the lowest.Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/4/19	Flu viruses can live up to 48 hours on hard, nonporous surfaces such as stainless steel and up to 12 hours on cloth and tissues. They can remain infectious for about one week at human body temperature, over 30 days at freezing temperatures, and indefinitely at temperatures below freezing. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/5/19	In Oaxaca, Mexico, healers called curanderos use chocolate to treat several illnesses such as bronchitis. In some regions, children drink chocolate in the morning to ward off scorpion and bee stings. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/6/19	Lady Gaga once bought $1000 worth of pizza for fans who were waiting in line for her autograph. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/7/19	Native Americans not only ate popcorn, but they made beer and soup out of it too. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/8/19	A dog can locate the source of a sound in 1/600 of a second and can hear sounds four times farther away than a human can. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/9/19	The box jellyfish is unique because it has 24 eyes, four parallel brains, and 60 anal regions. Two of its eyes can see color. It is also one of the animals in the world that has a 360-degree view of its surroundings Box jellyfish are not considered “true” jellyfish of the Scyphozoan class. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/10/19	Ecologists call elephants a ‘keystone” species and a “giant force of nature whose fortunes affect everything around them—for good or ill.” Approximately 100 African elephants are killed each day by poachers, leaving elephant populations in a continuing steep decline. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/11/19	In Africa, 1 out of every 22 women dies during childbirth or pregnancy, while 1 out of every 8,000 women in the United Kingdom dies during childbirth or pregnancy. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/12/19	Until the late 1500s, sugar was called “White Gold,” and European nobility used it to display their social standing. After about 1600 on, technological improvements and New World sources helped turn sugar into a bulk commodity. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/13/19	In 1933, the Soviet government refused to respond to a grain famine that occurred across Ukraine, which resulted in the death of 15% of Ukraine’s population, approximately 4.8 million people. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/14/19	On average, six people die every year climbing Mt. Everest. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/15/19	The Greek physician Aretaeus described the first account of celiac disease. He coined the term koiliakos, after the Greek word for abdomen, which translated to English as "celiac." He described patients as those whose food passes through them "undigested." Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/16/19	The first known female police officer in the United States was Marie Owens, who was appointed to serve in Chicago in 1890. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/17/19	One of the most infamous precognitive dreams in history was President Lincoln's in 1865. The president envisioned his own demise just a few days before he was assassinated in Ford’s Theater on April 14, 1865. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/18/19	New Zealand has more Scottish pipe bands per capita than Scotland itself. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/19/19	After a male octopus mates, he becomes senile and soon dies. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/20/19	Mexico is home to a very rare rabbit called the volcano rabbit which lives near Mexican volcanoes. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/21/19	The longest walk around the world was completed by a former neon-sign salesman, Jean Beliveau. He walked 46,600 miles around 64 countries. The trip took him 11 years. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/22/19	Throughout the 20th century, mascara included thimerosal, which is made from mercury. Unfortunately, thimerosal has been known to cause mercury poisoning when used in mascara. It is also a controversial ingredient in vaccines. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/23/19	Women who give birth to a baby with Down syndrome have an increased chance of having a second child with the same condition (from 1 in 700 to about 1 in 100). Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/24/19	Santa Claus is based on a real person, St. Nikolas of Myra (also known as Nikolaos the Wonderworker, Bishop Saint Nicholas of Smyrna, and Nikolaos of Bari), who lived during the fourth century. Born in Patara (in modern-day Turkey), he is the world’s most popular non-Biblical saint, and artists have portrayed him more often than any other saint except Mary. He is the patron saint of banking, pawnbroking, pirating, butchery, sailing, thievery, orphans, royalty, and New York City. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/25/19	The first person to decorate a Christmas tree was reportedly the Protestant reformer Martin Luther (1483-1546). According to legend, he was so moved by the beauty of the stars shining between the branches of a fir tree, he brought home an evergreen tree and decorated it with candles to share the image with his children. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/26/19	Cameroon is often referred to as “Africa in miniature,” as it offers all of the terrains found in the continent, including rain forest, desert, swamp, and savannah. Other nicknames include "the melting pot of Africa" and "Africa in microcosm." Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/27/19	Native Americans died at a rate four times the national average from the Spanish flu. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/28/19	Bubble gum is pink because the inventor of the tasty treat only didn't have any other colors on hand. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/29/19	Forty of the world's fifty tallest mountain peaks are in Pakistan. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/30/19	According to the Guinness World Records, on January 28, 1887, a snowflake 15 inches wide and 8 inches thick fell in Fort Keogh, Montana, making it the largest snowflake ever observed. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/31/19	The phrase “Happy New Year” in Chinese is “Gung Hei Fat Choi” or “May You Have Good Fortune.” Provided by FactRetriever.com

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