Have you ever wondered why tennis balls are mostly yellow? The governing bodies of tennis approve both white and yellow balls. However, the fluorescent yellow ball known as the 'high visibility optic yellow' quickly became the norm after it was introduced in 1972 as it was easier to see on colour TV. Though orange balls had been shown by studies to be the most visible against many backgrounds and surfaces, they didn't show up well on television. The increased visibility of the yellow colour helped the players to make the correct choices and correct shots on field.

Why do celebrities walk the red carpet? Red carpets and rugs were rolled out to welcome royalty and sacred figures way before it was used in movie premieres. Aeschylus, the ancient Greek playwright first mentioned the ritual in the play 'Agamemnon.' President James Madison stepped off a riverboat and onto a red carpet in the year 1821. By 1902, the red carpet was a symbol of hospitality for railroad passengers. In 1961, it was re-associated with royalty when it debuted at an awards show!

Is there a reason why referees wear black and white? Let's find out. In the early 20th century, referees used to sport white dress shirts, bow ties, and beret-like hats. In 1920, when a referee named Lloyd Olds got mistaken for a football player and passed the ball, he decided it was time for a change of clothes. A year later, he showed up at a game wearing the black and white striped shirt that we all know of. Initially, the fans hated the new look until they realized it really did help distinguish the referee from the players!

Once you finish using a water-based paint, wipe as much of it as possible off brushes and rollers before you rinse them in the sink, so that as little as possible is washed down the drain. Remember not to pour used white spirit or solvent-based paint down the sink or into a drain, as doing this can harm the local water supply, animals and plant life.

When you have finished your paint project, there will usually be a part of the surface that you painted first that will have dried. Often you can wipe any leftover paint over the dry surface. To clean the brush, hold it under cold running water and make use of a scrubbing brush to brush out any paint. You will find that paint has a habit of gathering at the base of the bristles, so continue this process until the water runs clear. As an alternative, you can dry out the paint and simply put it in the garbage to dispose it.

It is a good idea to wrap paintbrushes tightly in either kitchen foil or cling film so that air cannot get to it. The brush will then be ready for use later—or even the following day. Plastic wrap or plastic bags are not the ideal brush and roller wrapping material. They don't work well as excessive air in the bag allows drying to take place and thin plastic wraps can be slightly porous, allowing moisture to escape, hardening the paint on the brush.