Worlds Treasury (2024)

15/07/2023

A statement of the assets, liabilities, and capital of a business or other organization at a particular point in time, detailing the balance of income and expenditure over the preceding period.

Here's a breakdown of the components typically found on a balance sheet:
-Assets
-Liabilities
-Shareholders Equity

By examining a balance sheet, stakeholders can assess a company's financial health, solvency, liquidity, and capital structure. It provides valuable insights into the company's financial position, its ability to meet short-term obligations, and the extent to which it is financed by debt or equity.

12/07/2023

The online marketplace Etsy, which is known for its handmade and unique items, was founded as a result of a failed business venture.

In 2005, Robert Kalin and two of his friends attempted to start an online platform for selling handmade wooden computers. However, their product didn't gain traction in the market. Undeterred, Kalin recognized the need for an online marketplace for artisans and craftspeople to sell their handmade goods. He founded Etsy in 2005, initially as a platform for selling handmade and vintage items.

Today, Etsy has grown into a global marketplace, connecting millions of sellers with buyers worldwide, and has become synonymous with unique and handmade products. This inspiring story shows that sometimes, even a setback can lead to the creation of something successful and impactful.

09/07/2023

The shortest war in history lasted only 38 to 45 minutes. It occurred between Britain and the Sultanate of Zanzibar on August 27, 1896.

The conflict arose when the newly installed Sultan of Zanzibar refused to step down in favor of a British-supported successor. In response, the British launched a naval bombardment against the Sultan's palace and naval vessels. Within less than an hour, the Sultan's forces surrendered, marking the end of the war.

This brief and decisive conflict holds the record for the shortest recorded war in history, highlighting the vast power imbalance between the two sides.

02/07/2023

The company Nintendo, well-known for its video game consoles and iconic characters like Mario and Zelda, initially started as a playing card company.

In 1889, Fusajiro Yamauchi founded Nintendo Koppai in Kyoto, Japan, producing handmade playing cards called "Hanafuda." These cards became popular for traditional Japanese card games. As the popularity of video games grew, Nintendo ventured into various businesses, including toys, arcade games, and eventually home video game consoles.

Today, Nintendo is a major player in the gaming industry and has left a significant impact on popular culture worldwide. The company's evolution from a playing card manufacturer to a global video game powerhouse demonstrates the importance of adaptation and innovation in the business world.

27/06/2023

There is a species of jellyfish that is considered biologically immortal? The Turritopsis dohrnii jellyfish, also known as the "immortal jellyfish," has the ability to revert back to its juvenile form after reaching adulthood.

When faced with environmental stress or physical damage, the jellyfish can undergo a process called "transdifferentiation," where its cells transform into a younger state and then redevelop into a polyp, the earliest stage of its life cycle. This unique ability allows the jellyfish to essentially reset its aging process and start anew.

While not truly immortal in the sense of living forever, this jellyfish has the potential to bypass the typical aging process and continue its life cycle indefinitely under favorable conditions. It's a remarkable example of biological adaptation and regeneration in nature.

24/06/2023

The video-sharing platform YouTube, which has become a significant source of entertainment and information, was originally founded as a dating website.

In 2005, three former PayPal employees—Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim—launched a website called "Tune In Hook Up," which was designed to be a video-based online dating platform. However, the concept didn't gain much traction. Instead of giving up, the founders decided to pivot and focus on the platform's video-sharing capabilities.

They renamed the website to YouTube, which was officially launched in 2005. Today, YouTube has transformed into one of the world's largest and most popular online platforms, with billions of users and a vast library of videos covering a wide range of topics. The successful pivot from a dating website to a video-sharing platform showcases the importance of adaptability and being open to exploring new opportunities in business.

19/06/2023

Honey never actually spoils? Archaeologists have discovered pots of honey in ancient Egyptian tombs that are over 3,000 years old and still perfectly edible.

Honey's long shelf life is due to its low moisture content and acidic pH, which create an inhospitable environment for bacteria and other microorganisms. So, if you ever find a jar of honey in the back of your pantry that's been there for years, it's most likely still safe to enjoy!

17/06/2023

The popular social media platform Facebook was initially limited to college students and was called "Thefacebook."

When Mark Zuckerberg founded Facebook in 2004, it was exclusively available to students at Harvard University. However, its popularity quickly spread to other Ivy League universities and eventually expanded to colleges and universities worldwide.

In 2006, Facebook opened its doors to anyone aged 13 and older with a valid email address, and it has since become one of the largest social networking platforms in the world, connecting billions of people.

This growth from a college-based social network to a global phenomenon demonstrates the power of scaling and the impact that a simple idea can have when it resonates with a broader audience.

12/06/2023

The skin is the largest organ in the human body.

The skin serves as a protective barrier against external elements, helps regulate body temperature, and plays a crucial role in sensing touch, pressure, and pain.

The skin consists of three main layers: the epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis. The epidermis is the outermost layer, the dermis is in the middle, and the hypodermis is the deepest layer. The skin also contains hair follicles, sweat glands, sebaceous glands, and sensory receptors.

It's a remarkable and versatile organ that plays an essential role in our overall well-being.

10/06/2023

The iconic sportswear brand Adidas was founded by two brothers, Adolf and Rudolf Dassler, in the small town of Herzogenaurach, Germany.

In 1924, the brothers started a shoe manufacturing company called Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik (Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory). They gained early recognition when their shoes were worn by athletes in the 1928 and 1936 Olympic Games.

However, due to personal conflicts and differing visions, the brothers decided to split and form their separate companies in 1948. Adolf went on to establish Adidas, a combination of his nickname "Adi" and the first part of his last name "Das." Rudolf, on the other hand, founded Puma.

This sibling rivalry between Adidas and Puma not only led to the creation of two successful sports brands but also shaped the landscape of the athletic footwear industry.

05/06/2023

The African elephant holds the title for having the largest brain among land animals. With an average weight of around 5 kilograms (11 pounds), their brain is more than three times the size of a human brain.

The impressive brain size contributes to their advanced cognitive abilities, social complexity, and remarkable memory. Elephants exhibit a high level of intelligence, emotional awareness, and problem-solving skills. They have been observed displaying behaviours such as tool use, cooperation, empathy, and even mourning the loss of their fellow elephants.

The large and highly developed brain of the African elephant is a remarkable adaptation that contributes to its status as one of the most intelligent creatures on Earth.

02/06/2023

The multinational retail corporation Walmart was originally a small-town store. In 1962, Sam Walton opened the first Walmart Discount City store in Rogers, Arkansas, USA.

The store's success was built on Walton's vision of offering affordable products and providing exceptional customer service. Over time, Walmart expanded its operations, focusing on large-scale retailing and adopting innovative practices like using advanced logistics and inventory management systems.

Today, Walmart is one of the world's largest companies, with thousands of stores worldwide and a significant presence in the retail industry. Despite its immense growth, Walmart's roots in a small-town store demonstrate the potential for entrepreneurial ideas to transform into global enterprises.

29/05/2023

The iconic toy LEGO, loved by children and adults alike, initially started as a small woodworking business. In 1932, Danish carpenter Ole Kirk Christiansen founded LEGO in the town of Billund, Denmark.

The name "LEGO" is derived from the Danish words "leg godt," meaning "play well." Initially, LEGO produced wooden toys such as ducks and yo-yos. However, due to a fire at the factory in 1942, Christiansen decided to focus on plastic toys, eventually leading to the development of the famous LEGO bricks in 1949.

Today, LEGO is one of the world's largest toy manufacturers, known for its innovative design, educational value, and the endless creative possibilities it offers.

22/05/2023

The online marketplace giant Amazon was initially founded as an online bookstore. In 1994, Jeff Bezos started Amazon.com out of his garage in Bellevue, Washington. The company's primary focus was on selling books online, leveraging the rapidly growing internet.

However, Bezos had grander ambitions and envisioned Amazon as a platform for selling a wide range of products. Over time, Amazon expanded its offerings to include electronics, clothing, household items, and much more.

Today, Amazon is one of the largest and most diverse e-commerce companies globally, and it has transformed the way people shop online.

15/05/2023

The popular sportswear brand Nike was initially called Blue Ribbon Sports when it was founded in 1964 by Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman.

The company started as a distributor for the Japanese shoe manufacturer Onitsuka Tiger (now ASICS).

In 1971, the founders decided to rebrand the company and held a brainstorming session to come up with a new name. One of the employees, Jeff Johnson, had a dream in which the Greek goddess of victory, Nike, inspired him with the brand name. The name Nike was chosen, and the company officially became Nike, Inc.

The iconic Nike "Swoosh" logo was also designed by a student named Carolyn Davidson, who was paid just $35 for her work.

Today, Nike is one of the most recognizable and successful brands in the world of sports apparel and equipment.

24/04/2023

There is a correlation between a country's coffee consumption and its economic productivity.

Studies have found that countries with higher coffee consumption per capita tend to have higher levels of productivity and economic growth.

The caffeine in coffee is thought to enhance cognitive performance and alertness, leading to increased productivity in the workplace.

This is just one example of how seemingly unrelated factors can have an impact on a country's economy.

10/04/2023

The world's largest producer of cocoa beans is Côte d'Ivoire, a country in West Africa.

In fact, Côte d'Ivoire produces most of the world's cocoa beans, making it a major player in the global chocolate industry. However, despite the country's significant role in the cocoa industry, many cocoa farmers in Côte d'Ivoire live in poverty and struggle to make a decent living from their crops.

This has led to increased scrutiny of the chocolate industry's supply chains, and calls for more sustainable and ethical practices to ensure that farmers receive fair compensation for their work.

03/04/2023

Fun Fact - Netherlands Amsterdam is considered to be the oldest stock exchange in the world established in 1602.

It allowed investors to trade shares of the Dutch East India Company, which was one of the world's first multinational corporations. The creation of the stock exchange revolutionized the way people invested in businesses, and laid the foundation for modern financial markets.

Today, stock exchanges exist in countries all over the world, and are an important tool for companies to raise capital and for individuals to invest their savings.

30/03/2023

FUN FACT - The term "Gross Domestic Product" (GDP), which is commonly used as a measure of a country's economic output, was first introduced by economist Simon Kuznets in the 1930s.

Kuznets developed the concept as a way to measure the economic activity of a country during the Great Depression. However, he later expressed concerns about the limitations of GDP as a measure of economic well-being, arguing that it failed to account for important factors such as income inequality and environmental degradation.

This highlights the ongoing debate among economists about the most effective ways to measure economic growth and development.

$FUN FACT - The global economy is so vast and complex that it's estimated that only a tiny fraction of all economic activ...$

22/03/2023

FUN FACT - The global economy is so vast and complex that it's estimated that only a tiny fraction of all economic activity is captured in official statistics.

This is because much of the economy is made up of informal or underground activities that go unreported, such as black market transactions, undeclared work, and other forms of illegal or unregulated trade.

Some estimates suggest that the size of the informal economy could be as much as 30% of global GDP!

13/03/2023

FUN FACT - The world's oldest currency still in use is the British pound sterling, which has a history dating back over 1,200 years.

The pound sterling was first introduced in Anglo-Saxon England in the eighth century, and it has undergone many changes over the years, including the introduction of decimalization in 1971.

06/03/2023

FUN FACT - The world's first paper currency was invented in China over a thousand years ago during the Tang Dynasty.

The currency was called "jiaozi" and was made of mulberry bark depicting Chinese merchants inside a city. The notes featured intricate designs and were issued by merchants and local governments to replace cumbersome metal coins.

The use of paper currency quickly spread throughout China and eventually to other parts of the world, revolutionizing the way people conducted transactions and changing the course of global commerce.

27/02/2023

FUN FACT - The word "salary" comes from the Latin word "salarium", which means "money given to soldiers to buy salt".

In ancient Rome, salt was a valuable commodity that was used to preserve food and was even used as a form of currency. Soldiers were often paid in salt, which was considered essential for their health and wellbeing.

Over time, the term "salarium" came to refer to any form of payment. This Latin root can be recognized in the French word "salaire" — and it eventually made it into the English language as the word "salary."

22/02/2023

Fun fact - The world's largest denomination banknote ever issued was the 100,000,000,000,000 Zimbabwean dollar bill, which was issued in 2009 due to hyperinflation in the country.

At its peak, the inflation rate in Zimbabwe reached 79.6 billion percent per month, causing the country's currency to lose its value rapidly. The 100 trillion dollar note was barely enough to buy a loaf of bread at the time of its issuance.

However, due to its novelty value and rarity, the note has become a collector's item and is sometimes sold for more than its face value.

Worlds Treasury