Betty was a spirited and adventurous girl. She was very restless and was always getting into some sort of trouble or the other. Her parents soon found it very difficult to control her and decided to send her to a boarding school. Betty did not mind this either. She thought, ‘This will be a new […]
Around the south Devon coastline, on the night of 8 February 1855, a trail of footprints stretching on for more than 100 miles was discovered. Villagers found tracks that travelled up to doors and across roofs, through haystacks and over 14-ft walls; they even crossed River Exe. People were spooked; the prints appeared to stop
It was Dean’s fourth birthday. He waited excitedly for his father to get home. His father had promised him a lovely gift and he just could not wait to see what his father had got. When Dean’s father got home, he had a little cardboard box with him. Dean rushed to his father and peeked
The ‘Curse of Pharaoh’ is the most world-famous curse. When King Tutankhamun’s tomb was discovered in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings, stories circulated that those who dared violate the boy king’s final resting place faced a terrible curse. British aristocrat and amateur Egyptologist Earl of Carnarvon, who helped finance the search, soon fell victim to
Eight-year-old Rosy stood outside her school, waiting for the maid to come and pick her up. She looked longingly at the mothers of the other children coming to pick them up. Her mother died of an illness a few months ago. The day her mother had died, Rosy had gone around the house looking for
The world’s first time capsule was set under the foundation of Phoebe Hearst Memorial Hall at Oglethorpe University in Georgia. An assortment of artifacts and documents and items used as in 1940, with the exception of gold and silver, were stored inside steel receptacles with glass linings, filled with inert gas to prevent oxidation and
In 1961, Mikesell picked up an artifact at Olancha, California. It was like a geode, but on cutting he found a circular section of very hard, white material like porcelain with a 2-mm shaft of bright metal. The outer layer was encrusted with fossil shells with two non-magnetic metallic metal objects in the crust, resembling
Dave and Bryan were cousins who went to the same class. They lived in the same neighbourhood and also went to school together. The cousins were very excited because they had just graduated from high school and the best part was that both of them had managed to get into the same college. The only
The Chickcharney is a mysterious creature which became embedded in the local culture of the island of Andros in the Bahamas. It is a 1-metre tall, bizarre flightless bird-like creature described in historic accounts, and in modern-day sightings around the island. It is said to possess red eyes and capable of turning its head 360
Meg was a bright and friendly girl. Unfortunately, no one in her class spoke to her because they felt there was something strange in her behaviour. Many of them had seen her talking and smiling to herself. So, they stayed away from her because they thought she was slightly crazy. Some even told the strange
The Catatumbo Lightning refers to continuous lightning from a near-daily thunderstorm formed in Catatumbo River region in northern Venezuela, South America. The unique characteristic of this strange phenomenon is that the storms persist in the same place night after night. This region received 158 lightning strikes per sq.km. The scientific explanation is that during the
The summer vacation had just begun. Ned, Eric, Lola and Rita were busy making huge plans for the vacation. The children not only went to the same school but also lived in the same neighbourhood. Rita was so organised that she even went to the extent of preparing an elaborate timetable for what they were
The Castlerigg Stone Circle is situated near Keswick, northwest England. It stands on a natural plateau with a 360-degree scenic view. It is one of Britain’s earliest stone circles dating back to the Neolithic period 4,000 to 5,000 years ago. There are 38 free standing stones, some up to 10 ft high. It may have
Valerie was very excited. Finally, she would have a room to herself. ‘What a bother it is! To always share with my younger brother!’ she thought. Her father had just been transferred to a new city and the family had chosen a roomy and pretty house to move into. Valerie’s mother was especially happy that
Bouvet is an isolated land in the coast of Antarctica. In 1964, Lieutenant Commander Allan Crawford visited the island and saw a lagoon and an abandoned lifeboat. There were no markings on it that would suggest its origins. It also had neither motor nor sails. The oars were found on shore, along with a flattened