In primitive life the hand was probably a symbol of power and strength.So when the hand was extended to someone, it could have represented good will, since it showed that the person was not armed or ready to fight. The hand was an important symbol in early religions, probably as a mark of power. The Greeks prayed to their gods …

The teddy bear is named after U.S. president Theodore Roosevelt, whose nickname was Teddy. In 1902, on a hunting trip, Roosevelt refused to kill a bear cub. Later, a shopkeeper began selling toy bears, calling them Teddy Bear.

The term Indians as applied to Native Americans, or the indigenous peoples of the Americas, is thought to have originated in a misconception on the part of the Europeans who arrived in Central America in 1492. Since Christopher Columbus began his journey to America with the intent of finding an alternate route to Southeast Asia, he is said to have …

Many whales can remain submerged for long periods of time, hunting for food or simply cruising along. However, when it comes to deep diving, one species of whales stands – or should it be sinks? -head and shoulders above all the others. The sperm whale can dive to depths of 3,193 m (10,476 ft).

There are over one hundred kinds of stingray, widely distributed throughout the seas of the world. They all have longer and thinner tails than other rays and skates. Projecting from the top of the tail near the body end they have at least one but sometimes two sharp spines. These would be dangerous enough but the spines have poison glands, …

Unless you are a young child, you need have no real fears about the effects of an adder bite. Adders are vipers and so have efficient venom, but it is only really effective on small prey – lizards, mice and shrews. Adders rarely bite humans unless they are frightened by being trodden on or deliberately provoked. Many people try to …

There is no way to tell just by looking at a snake whether it is venomous or not. You can’t necessarily tell a venomous snake by its verticial slit pupils and triangular-shaped head. There are many harmless snakes who share these properties with venomous ones (the slit pupils indicate a night-hunter); and the coral snake, which produces a potent nerve …

Some snakes can eat prey which seems for bigger than themselves. A snake is a long, thin animal with a fairly narrow head, and yet some species eat birds’ eggs and other animals which are far broader than their own bodies. They can do this because their jaws are not rigidly fixed together, but are merely connected by ligaments which …

The eagle is the Rolls Royce of birds. The soaring, stately flight of this rare creature is a wonderful sight. This is the golden eagle, which is about 80 cm (2ft 7in) long with a wingspan of about 220 cm (7ft 3in) – some eagles are bigger. Eagles have been hunted by people and are now rare.

A whirlpool is a large, swirling body of water produced by ocean tides. When flowing water hits any kind of barrier, it twists away and spins around rapidly with great force. This creates a whirlpool. Whirlpools can occur in a small area where a piece of land juts out into a river, causing the water to swirl around. They can …