The citizens of Morton, Minnesota, are probably doing a repeat performance of this pyrotechnic display today as they join the rest of the US in a celebration of Independence Day. If you want to blow the minds of your family and friends at the barbecue, steer the conversation toward fireworks and casually drop this truth bomb: Gunpowder, the fuel that makes the fireworks explode, was invented in ancient China by Taoist alchemists who hoped to create an immortality elixir. That’s some dramatic irony, at least in hindsight. Be safe!
Let’s celebrate
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
-
Great Fountain Geyser, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
-
Feeling lazy? Today s your day.
-
Patriot Day
-
Tassili n’Ajjer, Sahara, Algeria
-
A fortress in the sky
-
A ‘city’ within Valencia
-
National Take a Hike Day
-
Surf s always up in Paia
-
Flock online for the Great Backyard Bird Count
-
Burrowing owls
-
Burrowing owls
-
A silent witness to history
-
2024 Toronto International Film Festival
-
Lavender field, Hertfordshire, England
-
National Mushroom Month
-
Celebrating Festivus
-
Dunluce Castle, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
-
Pretty in pink, and purple, and red…
-
Wheels up in Beijing
-
Groundhog Day
-
Celebrating the International Day of Forests
-
Old Town Quito
-
Happy Lunar New Year!
-
For Hispanic Heritage Month: Out of Many, One
-
Space-age style by the sea
-
Kelimutu, Flores, Indonesia
-
Glass footbridge in Zhangjiajie, China
-
Coral Reef Awareness Week
-
Busy building wetlands
-
A meerkat stands alone