Interesting Things You Never Knew About Travel, Stars, and Balloons

Did you know about the flight to nowhere?
Back in the 1990s, El Al ran a unique campaign: a flight that didn’t really go anywhere. Each day, a plane took off, flew over the Mediterranean for two hours, then landed right back at Ben Gurion Airport. Why? People just wanted to shop at duty-free! For some, it was cheaper to buy a flight ticket and shop there than to buy the same items in regular Israeli stores. The campaign didn’t last long, and soon a law was passed that duty-free shopping was only allowed if you stayed abroad for more than 48 hours.

Did you know what a sextant is?
Before GPS, sailors used a tool called a sextant to find their way. It helped them measure angles between stars and the horizon, which told them their location at sea. This optical tool was invented in the 1700s and remained the main way to navigate ships until modern satellite systems took over.

Did you know what the Hawthorne effect is?
In the 1920s, researchers at a factory in the U.S. tried changing things like lighting to see if it affected how well workers did their jobs. Surprisingly, no matter what they changed, brighter lights, dimmer lights, productivity went up. They realized that the workers were responding not to the changes, but to the attention they were getting. Today, this is called the "Hawthorne effect"—when people change how they act just because they know they’re being watched.

Did you know about the most dangerous starfish?
It’s called the crown-of-thorns starfish. It spreads its arms over coral and releases special chemicals that quickly break it down, allowing the starfish to eat it. These starfish come out at night and can destroy a large coral in just one night.

Did you know about the famous bell that never rang?
The Tsar Bell, sitting in the Kremlin in Russia, is the biggest bell ever made. But it never rang even once. During its creation, a fire broke out, and the bell cracked. A large piece broke off, so it was never used.

Did you know how we find oil under the ground?
Digging for oil or gas costs a lot, so before drilling, scientists use smart tools to check if there’s oil down there. One method is 3D seismic imaging, which sends sound waves into the ground, kind of like sonar to “see” if oil or gas is likely to be found.

Did you know what balloons are made of?
Those colorful balloons we love are made from latex. After blowing them up to the right shape, they’re dipped in a special coating that helps them stay stretchy. Then they’re cleaned to remove any leftover materials before being packed up for sale.