Asia

Did you know that the door to the Gardens of Paradise that leads to the Taj Mahal was originally studded with silver rupees and had an ornate handle on it? It must have looked very appealing when it was first hung around the turn of the 18th century. In fact, it was just too appealing for some and in the early 1700's local rebels stole the door and no doubt plundered the Rupees, but what happened to the handle?

Australia

Did you know that the sun can play tricks with your eyes when you are standing in the presence of the greatest monolith on Earth, Ayres Rock - or Uluru as it is now known? As you walk towards the rock the light changes and the shadows seem to swallow people up, giving the appearance that they have somehow vanished into the rock. Surely that can't be true? If it were true then what wonders would you think lie beneath the surface?

South America

Did you know that the Nazca Lines in Peru cover some 400 square miles of desert? Nobody, but nobody seems sure exactly when they were drawn - but it's definitely thousands and not hundreds of years ago - or what purpose they served. Some say they follow underground water sources, but there are as many explanations as lines themselves. There are also giant drawings scribed onto some of the low-lying slopes of the plains, in full sight of the Lines. One particular drawing deserves a special mention - the Astronaut. Seeing as these lines and drawings can only really be appreciated from the air and one of the drawings is of an astronaut, then… well, I'll let you find out for yourself.

Europe

Did you know that the rock of Gibraltar has over 60 miles of tunnels? That might not sound a lot, but you might choose to think again when you realise that Gibraltar itself is barely 3 miles long by 1 mile wide! A lot of the tunnels are open to the public and make fascinating viewing. But what about the rest? Most of the others are in a poor state of repair and unsafe to explore - and then there are those that are out of bounds to all but a privileged few. What are they hiding?

 North America

Willis Tower (formally known as The Sears Tower) in Chicago has no real mystery attached to it, but if you want to know what possible use the huge roof antennas could be to a 12 year-year-old girl then you will have to…

Africa

Egypt - where to start? The pyramids seem like a good place. Did you know that the Great Pyramid near Cairo is one of the heaviest man-made buildings in the world and you can't place a building of that weight just anywhere - especially in the desert? The technology to site such a building has only been around since the middle-to-late part of the last century so how could the ancient Egyptians possibly have known where to build it? There's more. Much more. Did you know that to this day scientists have been UNABLE to rebuild the structure - albeit on a smaller scale - and that is with the latest technology at hand? Every time they try it collapses in on itself. Again, if this is the case then how did the ancient Egyptians manage to erect such a magnificent building thousands and thousands of years ago? Want more? OK, what lies behind the mysterious second door at the end of the (supposed) air vent that leads from the King’s chamber within the Great Pyramid?

ASIA (Again!)

Did you know that there is a lost underwater city on the coast of Japan called Mu? It was only recently discovered and like all good mysteries the more the world's scientists have explored the more questions have been raised. Mu spans 300 miles and has more than a few links with certain buildings in none other than Egypt and South America. If these sites really are linked then how did the civilizations involved manage to travel such distances between them thousands and thousands of years ago?

Happy reading.