Month: August 2019

Wardian Cases

The forerunner of the modern terrarium, the Wardian case was a small glass container for housing ferns and similar plants. It was invented in 1829 by physician and amateur botanist Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward after he noticed that, though the polluted London air was taking a toll on ferns in his garden, fern spores inside the glass bottles where he kept cocoons were germinating. His invention allowed plants to be shipped great distances and helped advance the Victorian craze for growing what flower? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Helsinki Festival

The largest cultural event in the Nordic countries is the Helsinki Festival. First held in 1967, its programming includes music from all periods—rock, jazz, opera, symphonic music, and chamber works—as well as theater, ballet, circus, and art and photo exhibitions. Among the many musical events is what is known as the Festival Informal, a series where artists and visitors meet informally for “relaxed performances.” Events are held in the city’s parks and arcades as well as in the modern Finlandia Hall and the Finnish National Theatre and Opera. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Táin Bó Cúailnge: The Cattle Raid of Cooley

Set in the 1st century BCE and recorded between the 8th and 11th centuries, Táin Bó Cúailnge—The Cattle Raid of Cooley—is the central and longest text of the Ulster cycle, a group of early Irish legends about the pagan heroes of the pre-Christian age. The hero of this tale is 17-year-old Cuchulain, an Irish Achilles who single-handedly defended the province of Ulster against the armies of Ireland, led by Queen Medb. What mythical beast had Medb hoped to capture in the attack? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Naval Mines

Naval mines of various types have been used since the 16th century. However, it was not until World War I that they entered into wide use. Modern naval mines, which can be either automatic or remotely controlled, are equipped with sonar or magnetic sensors. They are laid on the surface of the sea or sometimes anchored below. For defensive purposes, mines are often placed in secretly charted locations near protected harbors by specially equipped vessels called minelayers. How are mines detected? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Grasmere Sports

This annual event in England’s Lake District began in the 1800s to encourage Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling, but it has since expanded to include other traditional Lake District sports. Fell running (a fell is a highland plateau), another traditional sport, is an all-out race to the top of the nearest mountain and back. Hound trailing, which reflects the Lake District’s importance as a center for fox hunting, is done on foot with packs of hounds that run across the fells after their prey. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Royal Library of Ashurbanipal

The Royal Library of Ashurbanipal in Nineveh was the first systematically organized library in West Asia. It was created by Ashurbanipal, the last great Assyrian king, who reigned in the 7th century BCE and controlled most of the then-known world. Excavations at the site have uncovered thousands of clay tablets constituting today’s chief source of knowledge about ancient Mesopotamia. The collection includes historical and scientific literature, flood and creation myths, and what famous epic? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary