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DATE	FACT OF THE DAY
12/1/22	Before Maine became the 23rd state in 1820, it was a part of Massachusetts. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/2/22	Scientists believe global warming could affect autumn colors. As the world warms, leaves may delay changing their colors. Additionally, trees may not use their sugars to create red pigments; rather, they might send that fuel to growing new twigs. Global warming may also alter the habitats of trees, such as the sugar maple, which creates some of the most vibrant fall colors. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/3/22	While they are hibernating, bears do not urinate. Their bodies convert waste into protein. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/4/22	Philosophical Transactions is the world’s first and longest-running scientific journal. It was launched in March 1665 by Henry Oldenburg (c.1619-1677), the Society’s first Secretary, who acted as publisher and editor. Provided by The Royal Society Publishing
12/5/22	Hawaii's Kilauea volcano is one of the world's longest erupting volcanos. It has been erupting since January 3, 1983. The word "Kilauea" means "much spreading" or "spewing" in Hawaiian. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/6/22	Birth control can affect a woman’s sense of smell, which can influence whom she is attracted to. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/7/22	Philosophical Transactions is the world’s first and longest-running scientific journal. It was launched in March 1665 by Henry Oldenburg (c.1619-1677), the Society’s first Secretary, who acted as publisher and editor. Provided by The Royal Society Publishing
12/8/22	The Oscar Wilde Memorial Bookshop was founded in 1967 in New York City and was the first gay bookstore in the world. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/9/22	In the 1960s, the United States spent large sums of money to build schools, streets, houses, a hospital, and 2 tuna canneries to assist in improving the living conditions of the American Samoa islands. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/10/22	When archeologists discovered early evidence of our human ancestors' hunting activities, it became clear that adding meat to the diet meant big changes for early Homo sapiens. For example, skeleton size increased soon after, suggesting meat was important for evolution. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/11/22	Ecologists call elephants a ‘keystone” species and a “giant force of nature whose fortunes affect everything around them—for good or ill.” Approximately 100 African elephants are killed each day by poachers, leaving elephant populations in a continuing steep decline. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/12/22	Greenland is officially the world’s largest island that is not a continent. It covers 836,300 square miles. Provided by Denmark’s Government
12/13/22	In medieval Europe, leeches were commonly used to treat babies’ illnesses. For example, leeches were placed on a baby’s windpipe for croup. Additionally, teething babies were commonly purged or bled. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/14/22	A binary communication system, or binary code, the basis for all computer language and programming, was first proposed by G.W. Leibniz in the 17th century. George Boole and Alan Turing, among others, later developed the idea for programming computers. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/15/22	Scholars note that Catholicism spread largely because of the work of Roman road-builders. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/16/22	A tiger's paw print is called a "pug mark." Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/17/22	The country with the largest number of WWII causalities was Russia, with over 21 million. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/18/22	Abraham Lincoln is the only president to receive a patent (# 6469). He was the first president to have a beard, at the request from a little girl named Gracie Bedell. The first child to die in the White House was Abraham Lincoln’s 12-year old son, Willie. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/19/22	Stan is an ancient Persian word meaning “land” or “nation,” and Kazakh means “wanderer,” “adventurer,” or “outlaw.” Therefore, the name Kazakhstan translates as “Land of the Wanderers.” Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/20/22	In the Philippine island province of Camiguin, there are more volcanoes (7) than towns (5). There hasn’t been an eruption since the mid-1950s, but the island has the most number of volcanoes per square kilometer in the world. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/21/22	Found only in the Chinese province of Yunnan, the black snub-nosed monkey lives at the higest altitudes, near 15,000 feet (4,572 m) of any primate. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/22/22	While it seems counterintuitive, Earth is actually closest to the sun in December, even though winter solstice is the shortest day of the year. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/23/22	There are two competing claims as to which president was the first to place a Christmas tree in the White House. Some scholars say President Franklin Pierce did in 1856; others say President Benjamin Harrison brought in the first tree in 1889. President Coolidge started the White House lighting ceremony in 1923. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/24/22	The smallest monkey in the world is the pygmy marmoset, with a body as little as 5 inches (12 cm) and a tail length of about 7 inches (17 cm). As a comparison, they are about the size of a hamster, can fit in the palm of a human hand, and they weigh the same as a pack of cards. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/25/22	Puritan Oliver Cromwell outlawed Christmas celebrations and carols in England from 1649-1660. The only celebrations allowed were sermons and prayers. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/26/22	German-born American illustrator Thomas Nast (1840-1902) helped create the modern version of Santa as jolly, chubby, and dressed mainly in red. Coca-Cola further solidified his image in the mainstream media in 1931 when they used him in their advertising. Provided by FactRetriever.com
12/27/22	In 2014, McDonald’s claimed that it created bubblegum flavored broccoli as a failed attempt to try to get kids to eat healthier. Provided by CBS News
12/28/22	The record for the shortest reign of a monarch is shared. It took only 20 minutes for Louis-Antoine of France to abdicate in July 1830. Crown Prince Luís Filipe of Portugal reigned for that same duration before he died from the same assassination attack that claimed his father's life. Provided by Guiness World Records
12/29/22	Based on a survey of 34,382 Americans, the Electoral College method of selecting the President is disliked. 55% of adults and 60% of female adults prefer to eliminate it. Provided by YouGov
12/30/22	The first eBook for reading enjoyment and unlimited free redistribution was created on July 4, 1971 by Project Gutenberg founder Michael S. Hart. It was a digital release of < a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1">The Declaration of Independence of the United States of America by Thomas Jefferson, first made available on the internet in 1996. Provided by Project Gutenberg
12/31/22	A large gray wolf can eat over 22 pounds of meat in a single meal, and some have been observed to live over a decade in the wild. Provided by International wolf Center

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