by Diana Filer
1. The skin of a polar bear is black. Its fur is actually pigment-free and transparent,
2. On the 4th day of Christmas, it is ‘colly birds’, rather than calling birds, that are sung about, according to recent research. Same bird, but ‘calling’ describes the song.
3. A spelk plane is used primarily to create the ribbons of wood used in basket making.
4. The brightest spot on earth at night seen from space is Las Vegas, Nevada.
5. In 1954, American actor Barry Nelson played James Bond in an hour-long television version of Casino Royale, author Ian Fleming having sold the rights to it for $1,000.