Vismita Singh

Regarded as the quintessential example of the suspension bridge model, the Tacoma Narrows Bridge is located across Puget Sound's narrows and connects mainland Washington state with the Olympic Peninsula.

The bridge is remembered as a landmark failure in the history of bridge engineering in the world because of its defective structural integrity. The drive to create a narrow, slender, and eye-catching structure was chosen as the identity of the bridge.

However, the components used in the structure were anything but safe. Building the bridge was seen as a massive expense, and funds were taken from various sources by the Tacoma Chamber of Commerce.

In the end, these financial problems became the main issue, as cost-cutting was the leading cause of the collapse of the bridge in 1940, just four months after it opened.

Today, the remains of the original bridge are exactly where they fell, and the wreckage has resulted in the formation of an artificial reef that is protected by the National Register of Historic Places.

The Xia dynasty is considered to be one of the earliest Chinese dynasties that ruled ancient China from 2205 BCE-1600 BCE.

Chinese legends tell the story of the first rulers of China before the Xia dynasty was founded. The country was ruled by the Three Sovereigns, who had god-like powers and created humans.

The Three Sovereigns are also believed to be the creators of farming, medicine, writings, fishing, and hunting. The Three Sovereigns were succeeded by the Five Emperors (Huang-ti, Zhuanxu, Emperor Ku, Emperor Yao, Emperor Shun), who were considered sages.

Legends state that Emperor Yao passed his throne to his son-in-law, Shun the Great. Under Yao, Yu the Great became a legend for his work in averting the flood of the Yellow River.

Yu's legends did not go unnoticed as, in the final years of his rule, Shun the Great, the last of the Five Emperors, considered his son Shangjun to be unworthy and picked Yu as the next king, who went on to create one of the most successful dynasties in ancient China.