On the first day of Ramadan, a boy in India arranges glasses of water before Iftar, the meal Muslims eat to break their dawn-to-dusk fast -- Jaipal Singh/Photolibrary

On the first day of Ramadan, a boy in India arranges glasses of water before Iftar, the meal Muslims eat to break their dawn-to-dusk fast -- Jaipal Singh/Photolibrary

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• For more than a fifth of the world\s people, the holiest month of the year starts today.""What is the special occasion?
• Despite more than 80% of the population being Hindu, this country still contains the third largest number of Muslims in the world.""Which populous country is this?
• After sipping a glass of water, tradition holds you eat this sugary fruit first when breaking your fast.""It\s been cultivated since the dawn of civilization
• Why is it that Ramadan starts in August this year but will be in July in 2012?""It all depends on what calendar you use

Cross section of chambered nautilus -- Josh Westrich/Corbis

Cross section of chambered nautilus -- Josh Westrich/Corbis

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• This animal uses so little energy when swimming that it only needs to go for dinner once a month.""What animal is this cheap date?
• The mollusc who calls this shell home lives in only the outermost chamber, using the rest as ballast.""Think of it as nature\s perfect submarine
• What does this shell have in common with sunflowers, corn kernels, beehives, pinecones and pineapples?""Nature\s magic algorithm
• What has this shell\s pattern got to do with the number 1.618?""It is a number so special that it has inspired artists and architects for centuries

Orphaned orangutans at Sepilok Reserve, Borneo-- Frans Lanting/Corbis

Orphaned orangutans at Sepilok Reserve, Borneo-- Frans Lanting/Corbis

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• Orang-utans can be found in only two places in the world, Sumatra…""…and the world\s third largest island
• These awesome apes are at the Sepilok Orang Utan Sanctuary, where rescued orphan babies are brought up to be released into the wild.""It must be hard letting these cute creatures leave home
• The name of these animals comes from the Malay words ‘orang\ meaning man, and ‘(h)utan\ meaning forest.""So how closely are we related to the “man of the forest”?
• Orang-utans love to dine on durian fruit.""What unappealing property does this fruit possess?

Coho salmon eggs at fish hatchery -- Frans Lanting/Corbis

Coho salmon eggs at fish hatchery -- Frans Lanting/Corbis

comments,

• If only these kids knew what their parents went through to make them.""Life as a salmon is an upstream struggle
• Fans of Japanese cuisine may recognise these tasty looking morsels.""It\s sushi time!
• They might not fill much of a hole right now, but when these eggs finally crack they\ll turn into a delicious and popular dish.""Of course you\ll need to know what to do with them first
• After spending their adult lives in the open ocean, most wild salmon return to the very same river or stream where they were born to reproduce.""If they can\t read a map then how do they get there?

Butterflies sipping water and minerals from a riverbank in Manu National Park, Peru -- Frans Lanting/Corbis

Butterflies sipping water and minerals from a riverbank in Manu National Park, Peru -- Frans Lanting/Corbis

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• Butterflies and moths come second only to beetles as the world\s most numerous insect.""There are 200,000 known species of them!
• Designated as a biosphere reserve, this rainforest is one of the most biologically diverse spots in the world.""The butterflies are just the beginning
• In the past 10 years, 1,147 plant species have been found in a small area of this national park.""What else is to be discovered in the 1.5 million hectares?
• Have you got butterflies in your tummy?""You\ll need some tips on how to stay calm then

Sunset of Elliott Bay taken from the Space Needle, Seattle, USA -- Mohammed Kamel

Sunset of Elliott Bay taken from the Space Needle, Seattle, USA -- Mohammed Kamel

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• When this city was first established it was called New York.""What is it better known as these days?
• Since 1942, this place has been known as ‘The City of Flowers\.""The official city flower has been known to grow up to 10m tall!
• A popular comedy set in this city stars a character who was first seen in a bar in Boston.""His catchphrase was “I\m listening”
• Here\s an odd fact: people in this city buy more sunglasses per person than anywhere else in the US.""You\ll need them at the top of this sunny vantage point

Donkey looking over an ancient rock wall in Ireland -- Ryan Donnell/Corbis

Donkey looking over an ancient rock wall in Ireland -- Ryan Donnell/Corbis

comments,

• When hedges won\t grow, these dry stone walls are a great alternative.""This country has them in spades
• If you think building a wall like this is just putting a few rocks on one another then think again.""Master the art of making one
• The word donkey probably originated in the 18th century when the original name ‘ass\ was deemed too similar to the rude word…""We\ll let you use your imagination for the rest of that fact
• Which musical mule is known for his ability to dance on a piano?""He is considered one of the first great stars of children\s television

Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway, Paignton, Devon, England -- SIME/eStock Photo

Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway, Paignton, Devon, England -- SIME/eStock Photo

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• For more than 150 years this train line has been chugging passengers around the Devon coast.""It has marvellous views, wouldn\t you agree?
• Who needs the likes of Monaco, Saint Tropez or Cannes.""This place is the heart of the English Riviera
• Which famous engineer demonstrated his first steam engine today in 1814?""You may recognise him from an old £5 note
• This beautiful county has 300 miles of shoreline across two different coasts.""Why not seek out the best of the beaches

Incan ruins of Machu Picchu outside Cuzco, Peru -- Sean Caffrey/Lonely Planet Publications Ltd.

Incan ruins of Machu Picchu outside Cuzco, Peru -- Sean Caffrey/Lonely Planet Publications Ltd.

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• Exactly 100 years ago today, an American scholar hiked up this ridge and discovered these ruins.""Who was this real life Indiana Jones?
• The Incas built these complex stone structures centuries ago amid some of the most forbidding mountain slopes around.""The question is why?
• During the Spanish conquest of this continent they missed this amazing “Lost City of the Incas”.""See more pictures of this Unesco World Heritage Site
• This mysterious and captivating place has inspired poets, artists, writers and…""…prog-folk bands with unusual dance moves

Tahiti, French Polynesia -- Larry Dunmire/SuperStock

Tahiti, French Polynesia -- Larry Dunmire/SuperStock

comments,

• Archery on this island was once a sacred and noble sport and was never used as weaponry.""Where would you bow to those with a bow?
• This sprawling country covers a massive two million square miles of the earth\s surface.""But only 1,600 square miles of it are land
• A museum on this island is the only one in the world dedicated to which precious item?""Its chemical formula is CaCO3 if that helps
• Ancient legend from these parts says that the god Tohu painted all the beautiful patterns that appear on fish.""Which art form got its name from this tale?

The Earth and Moon -- NASA, Jet Propulsion Laboratory

The Earth and Moon -- NASA, Jet Propulsion Laboratory

comments,

• Today marks an anniversary that\s out of this world.""Happy Moon Day
• To be an astronaut you need to be highly intelligent, a model of physical fitness and incredibly brave.""Clearly singing isn\t on that list
• Let\s be frank, this guy has been flying people to the moon for decades.""And he knew what spring was like on Jupiter and Mars
• Twelve astronauts have stepped on the moon, all of them from Apollo missions.""Where might we go next?

Highway through Qaidam Basin in western China -- Hou Deqiang/Corbis

Highway through Qaidam Basin in western China -- Hou Deqiang/Corbis

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• What tough guy calls this arid, unforgiving landscape home?""He\s a bit grumpy and a little lumpy
• Abundant reserves of natural gas, salt, oil, lead, zinc, borax and other resources give this place the nickname “Treasure Basin”.""Where is it?
• Some of the world\s longest and highest roads share this space with more traditional modes of travel.""They may not be as fast, but they\ve got local colour
• You\d think water would be hard to come by in such a cold, dry place but near this dusty highway you\ll find the largest lake in this country.""Where is this wonderful watering hole?