Blue moon
When there are two full moons in the same calendar month, the second full moon is “the blue moon.” The interval between full moons is about 29.5 days. This makes it very unlikely that any given month will contain two full moons, though it does sometimes happen. There will be approximately 41 months that have two full moons in every century, so we could say that once in a blue moon is once every two-and-a-half years! If something happens’ once in a blue moon, it means that it is a rare occurrence.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a wireless technology that makes it possible for computers, phones and other devices to exchange data over short distances (about 10 metres) without any wires or cables. It uses radio waves. Ericsson, the mobile communication company invented this inexpensive technology. The funny name Bluetooth originated from a Viking king. Harald Blåtand (translated as Bluetooth in English). He united Norway and Denmark in the 10th Century. Just like Bluetooth unites devices.
Blue Lady
It was a French cruise liner considered second only to the Titanic. When at sea, she was a grand ship, with beautiful restaurants, a sparkling swimming pool and luxurious cabins. However, after around 45 years of sailing, she was retired and brought to Alang in Gujarat to be dismantled. Environmentalists objected, saying she had a lot of asbestos and radioactive material, and would endanger health of the workers. The matter was then taken to the Supreme Court which allowed the Blue Lady to be dismantled at Alang.
Blue blood
It denotes aristocratic or royal birth. When the Moors conquered Spain in the 8th Century, a group of Spanish aristocrats took refuge in the mountains of Castile in the northern part of the country. The Moors were a dark-skinned people: the Spaniards fair. Over the centuries, due to intermarriage between the conquerors and the conquered, Spaniards began to acquire a darker hue. However, the aristocrats of Castile were determined to preserve their colour which had once set them apart from the Moors. They stayed indoors as much as possible fearing that exposure to the sun would darken their skin. As a result, many of them became very pale and their veins became visible. The bright blue colour of the veins earned them the nickname ‘Blue Bloods.’ In today’s parlance, anyone of high birth qualifies for the term, ‘blue blood.’
Blue tit
The blue tit uses its short stout bill to pluck insects off leaves and twigs and for hammering open pine seeds to get at the larvae living inside. In some European towns, blue tits have learnt to open milk bottles left on the doorstep by milkmen and drink the milk!
Blue Train
The Blue Train, which runs between Pretoria and Cape Town in South Africa, is virtually a five-star hotel on wheels. It is one of the most luxurious trains in the world that offers each passenger a private suite with top-class amenities. Its glare-proof windows are tinted with gold!
Blue helmet
The blue beret is a light blue coloured soft cap worn by the personnel employed by the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations around the world. These characteristic blue caps or helmets are notably known as the Blue Berets or Blue Helmets. A UN peacekeeping operation is aimed at enabling war-torn countries to create conditions for lasting peace.
Blue collar
Employees whose jobs involved manual labour were traditionally required to dress in blue overalls/shirts, hence they were called blue-collar worker, while those engaged in office tasks had to wear white dress shirts.
Blue pencil
it is traditionally used to censor a text.
Blue baby
A blue baby develops a bluish skin because of decreased oxygen in its blood due to a defect in its heart or blood vessels.
Blue helmet
The blue beret is a light blue coloured soft cap worn by the personnel employed by the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations around the world. These characteristic blue caps or helmets are notably known as the Blue Berets or Blue Helmets. A UN peacekeeping operation is aimed at enabling war-torn countries to create conditions for lasting peace.
Blue whale
The blue whale is the largest animal on the planet reaching up to 29.9 metres in length and weighing up to 199 tonnes. It belongs to a class known as ‘baleen whales’. Instead of teeth, the whale has thin plates called baleen or whalebone. The inside of the plates is lined with brush-like fibres that filter food. The blue whale mainly feeds on plankton and shrimps.
Picture Credit : Google
