May 13: World Tech for the Future Day, Velcro's birthday

Today, on May 13, all fans of innovation, scientific and technological development, and progress can join the events on the occasion of the World Day of Technology for the Future, UNN reports.

Today, technology affects virtually every aspect of life, from transportation efficiency and safety to access to food and healthcare, socialization and productivity.

The purpose of today's event is to draw humanity's attention to the importance of technological development and to raise awareness of future technologies and their use. This is a professional holiday for engineers and developers, which is celebrated to tell people more about the opportunities and developments in the technical, scientific and computer industries.

Today is also the birthday of the Velcro fastener. It was on May 13, 1958, that Swiss Georges de Mestral received a patent for this invention.

The idea to create a Velcro fastener came to him quite by accident. One day, after a walk in the woods, de Mistral noticed that a lot of thistles were stuck to his clothes and his dog. This gave him the idea to create a fastener that would work on a similar principle.

It took a few more years to perfect the invention, and in 1968, the first sneakers with Velcro fasteners were released.

Plant lovers can join the Dandelion Day today.

The dandelion has a taproot that is 25 mm thick and 50 cm long. The plant has glabrous pinnate leaves, collected in a rosette. The succulent peduncle has a cylinder shape and one inflorescence in the form of a basket with bright yellow flowers. The first dandelion flowers appear in April, then, when the seeds ripen, the bright yellow flowers are replaced by fluffy white caps.

In addition to being a delight to the eyes of millions of people, dandelions are also actively used in medicine and cosmetics.

Fans of healthy and nutritious food are celebrating International Hummus Day today.

Hummus is an appetizer made from chickpea puree, which usually includes olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, paprika, and sesame paste.

This dish is common in the Middle East and is considered a national dish in Israel. Hummus appeared in ancient times, but the specific place of origin is unknown.

Hummus is now growing in popularity around the world because it is nutritious and healthy. Hummus is especially popular among vegetarians and healthy food lovers.

On the second Monday of May, many countries around the world hold various events dedicated to World Melanoma Day.

Melanoma is a malignant tumor that develops from melanocytes (pigment cells that produce melanin). The tumor is mainly localized in the skin, much less often in the retina, mucous membranes (mouth and nose, perianal and vulvovaginal areas), etc.

This is one of the most malignant human tumors, often recurrent and metastasizing, spreading through the lymph and blood to almost all organs.

Usually, melanoma metastases appear within the first year from the onset of the disease, metastasis is more frequent, first occurs in the lymph nodes, and later spreads to the lungs, liver, bones, and brain.

According to statistics, there are currently about 30 thousand melanoma patients in Ukraine. Every year, their number grows by 4% on average.

According to the WHO, up to 50,000 melanoma-related deaths are reported worldwide every year.

The main cause of melanoma is exposure to ultraviolet radiation due to excessive sunbathing in the sun or in a solarium.

According to the church calendar, today is the Day of Remembrance of the Martyr Alexander, who lived in the third century in the Roman Empire.

The man was a noble warrior and secretly professed Christianity. For refusing to participate in a pagan festival and sacrifice to pagan gods, Emperor Maximilian ordered Alexander to be captured and beheaded.

Today, Alexander, Vasily, Sergey, and Irina celebrate their name days.