A pearl is created when a piece of grit lodges in the shell. The shellfish covers the grit with a layer of shell lining known as mother-of-pearl, or nacre. The pearl that is formed removes the irritating grit.

‘Size zero’ was first used in 1966 for British supermodel Twiggy, who had a fragile figure. Now, ‘size zero’ is a women’s clothing size in the US system, equivalent to a UK size 4, with a waist measurement of 23 inches, the average girth of an 8-year-old girl. It is a petite size for women with a 32-inch bust, 23-inch …

When you were born, sometimes a mole or nevus appeared on your skin. This is called a “birthmark” because it was present at birth. Moles are soft, dark, raised spots that can appear on almost any part of the body. They can differ from each other in what they are made of. Some moles consist of tissues from vessels; others …

What is it? Obesity expert, laparoscopic and bariatric surgeon Dr Muffazal Lakdawala says EA is a term coined by Linda Stone, a former IT executive. “It happens when a person becomes so engrossed in his/her computer that he/she forgets to breathe. It is a variant of sleep apnoea, which is commonly seen in obese individuals. Sleep apnoea is characterised by …

The human body contains about 48 liters of water. But this body fluid is not pure water. It is actually a salt solution. Why is this so. According to one scientific theory, all land animals, including man, are descendants of organisms that once lived in the sea water, and when they left life in their body fluid. Thus, the body …

There’s a media gag on the Indian cricket players at the World Cup. They speak to members of the media only when they absolutely must. If they fail to do that, they face sanctions by the International Cricket Council (ICC). But for the first time in the World Cup, an Indian player — Virat Kohli, no less — spoke to …

Since the advent of films in the early 1900s, theatres have been trying to optimize their viewing quality. During the 1920s, movie producers began to incorporate silver because of its reflective qualities, which delivered a better image. Eventually, the use of silver lenticular screens would fall out of fashion as alternatives became available. But because of the early prevalence of …

Zorro is a charismatic legend, which changed through 90 years of cinema. Zorro’s origin lies in Baroness Orczy’s 1905 novel ‘The Scarlet Pimpernel’, where the hero helped scores of French aristocrats escape from France and avoid the guillotine. Johnston Mc-Culley first introduced the character of Zorro. In 1920, Douglas Fairbanks Sr brought fame to McCulley, by starring as Don Diego …

It is a spectacular dance with several dancers wearing bright, colourful costumes, accompanied by merry music. It is always held in open terrain, such as a square, street etc. This dance is a traditional art form combined with a magical show or trance dance. The Reog dates back to the Hindu period in East Java in Indonesia.

The Peking Opera, which originated in the late 18th century, is a synthesis of music, dance, art and acrobatics. It is the most influential of all operas in China, and can be divided into ‘civil’ pieces characterized by singing, and ‘martial’ ones featuring acrobatics and stunts. Some operas are a combination of both. The operatic dialogues and monologues are recited …