Proto-Sinaitic Script

Despite a century of study, researchers can agree on the decipherment of only a single phrase of Proto-Sinaitic script, a Middle Bronze Age alphabet dating to 1500 BCE. The Proto-Sinaitic script is one of two similar undeciphered scripts dated to that period and believed to be ancestral to nearly all modern alphabets. Many experts believe the language of Proto-Sinaitic inscriptions is Semitic, and cite the one phrase that was interpreted as proof of this hypothesis. What is the phrase? Discuss

Chekhov's Gun

Chekhov’s gun is a literary technique in which a seemingly insignificant element is introduced early in a story and later becomes crucial to the plot. It is named for famed Russian dramatist Anton Chekhov, who felt strongly that any object introduced in a story must be used, or it should not be featured in the first place. The technique has remained popular and is widely used in modern literature, film, and television. What popular fantasy novels frequently feature this plot device? Discuss

Space Food

The weightlessness experienced by humans in space poses a number of challenges in the performance of day-to-day tasks. Early experts feared that weightless conditions would make food difficult to swallow, allowing it to collect dangerously in the throat. Scientists began developing bite-sized cubes, freeze-dried powders, and semiliquid space foods for astronaut use, but the space travelers found the foods unappetizing, difficult to rehydrate, and messy. How have these concerns been addressed? Discuss

The "Rat-Squirrel"

When scientists discovered the Laotian rock rat, a large, rat-like creature with a thick, hairy tail, they believed that the animal was so different from known rodents that it warranted classification in a new, distinct family called Laonastidae. Shortly thereafter, another group of experts published their assertion that the animal was actually a member of the ancient fossil family Diatomyidae. Under what urban circumstances did researchers find the first Laotian rock rat specimens? Discuss

The White Rose Society

During the early 1940s, a group of German university students and their philosophy professor founded the White Rose resistance movement, secretly drafting, printing, and distributing leaflets urging Germans, particularly the intelligentsia, to rise up against the Nazi regime. In February 1943, 2 prominent White Rose members, Sophie and Hans Scholl, were arrested. The rest of the group’s founding members were soon captured, and all 7 were sentenced to death. What were Sophie Scholl’s last words? Discuss

Pandora

According to Greek mythology, Zeus ordered that the first woman, Pandora, be created as a punishment to humankind for Prometheus’s theft of fire. The gods endowed her with every charm, but also with curiosity and deceit. Zeus sent her to marry Prometheus’s brother, Epimetheus, and gave her a box that he forbade her to open. Despite Prometheus’s warnings, Epimetheus allowed Pandora to open the box, letting out all the evils that have since afflicted man. What alone remained inside the box? Discuss

Amenhotep III

Amenhotep III, 9th pharaoh of the 18th dynasty, ruled Egypt during the 14th c BCE. He enjoys the distinction of having the largest number of surviving statues depicting his likeness of any Egyptian pharaoh; these include the Colossi of Memnon, 2 massive stone statues built at the gateway of his mortuary temple. His lengthy reign saw a period of unprecedented prosperity and artistic splendor. As pharaoh, Amenhotep elevated 2 of his daughters to the role of Great Royal Wife, a title meaning what? Discuss

Leaplings

Since, technically, a year consists of 365 days and approximately 6 hours, every four years these hours amount to a full day. In order to synchronize the Gregorian calendar with the astronomical year, a leap day, February 29, is added to the 28-day month once every four years. As such, leap years are always evenly divisible by four. Persons born on a leap day are called “leaplings,” and, contrary to popular myth, they do age during non-leap years. What opera centers on a leapling and his aging? Discuss

Orgone

In the late 1930s, psychoanalyst Wilhelm Reich publicized his theory of universal life energy, a force he called orgone energy. He claimed that orgone fills all space, has a blue hue, and can be accumulated and used to restore psychological well-being. Most experts believe his hypotheses to be pseudoscience, and his books on the subject were burned following a court decision intended to prevent health-fraud. What renowned scientist agreed to participate in Reich’s experiments? Discuss

Anesthesia Awareness

In a rare subset of patients undergoing general anesthesia, the anesthetic is inadequate to keep the patient unconscious during an operation. This is a condition known as anesthesia awareness. The patient may feel the pain of surgery and hear the conversations of surgical staff but is often unable to communicate because a muscle relaxant or paralytic has also been administered. Having which hair color may indicate that someone will require a higher dose of anesthesia? Discuss