Interesting Facts - Page 184

Children who don't get enough Vitamin D through sunlight or diet will often develop rickets – a disease characterized by brittle bones, stunted growth, and skeletal deformities. In the early 1900s, about 90% of children in Northern Europe had some sign of rickets. It was largely cured by fortifying milk with Vitamin D.

The word "international" was invented by philosopher Jeremy Bentham in 1780 AD.

There has been a sad and stunning decline in ticker tape parades. During the 1960s, New York City averaged more than 6 ticker tape parades per year. But since the year 2000, there have only been 0.3 per year.

Rio de Janeiro was the capital of the Portuguese Empire from 1807–1821.

"The Matrix" was originally supposed to star Will Smith as Neo, but he turned it down to star in "Wild Wild West".