Facts

Saffron, made from the dried stamens of cultivated crocus flowers, is the most expensive cooking spice.

Saint Isidore, or Seville, who lived in the 17th century, was believed to have written the world's first encyclopedia, the Etymologies. It included entries on medicine, mathematics, history and theology.

Salt caravans crossing the Sahara desert sometimes numbered as many as 40,000 camels.

Salt is mentioned more than 30 times in the Bible.

Salt was once a very precious commodity, so much that many people were paid

Samual Morse, who invented the telegraph, was originally a portrait painter and didn't give up painting to turn to inventing until he was 46 years old.

Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) was born on and died on days when Halley's Comet can be seen. During his life he predicted that he would die when it could be seen.

Samuel Clemens [AKA Mark Twain] was born in 1835 when Haley's Comet came into view. When he died in 1910, Haley's Comet came into view again.