Crown-of-Thorns Starfish

Crown-of-thorns starfish are found on coral reefs throughout the Indo-Pacific region. These echinoderms, which can grow as large as 15.75 inches (40 cm) in diameter, are covered with thorny spines that release a neurotoxin capable of causing pain, nausea, and swelling in humans. They are voracious predators and are partly responsible for the destruction of coral reefs; a crown-of-thorns can consume as much as six square meters of reef annually. What sea creatures prey on these starfish? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Siege of Leningrad Is Lifted (1944)

During WWII, German and Finnish forces invaded the Soviet Union and encircled the city of Leningrad—now St. Petersburg—blocking supply lines for 872 days. Sparse food and fuel supplies delivered by barge and sled kept the city’s arms factories operating and its 2 million inhabitants barely alive, while 1 million children and sick and elderly people were evacuated. Still, hundreds of thousands died of starvation, disease, and shelling from German artillery. How was the siege broken? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Birthday of Mozart

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg, Austria, on this day in 1756. His achievements in composing operas, chamber music, symphonies, and piano concerti have earned him a reputation as one of the greatest musical geniuses of all time. Mozart’s birthday is observed all over the world by musical societies, who often give concerts of his music on this day. The city of his birth also honors him at the end of January with Mozart Week, as well as with the Salzburg Festival each summer. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Lewis Carroll (1832)

Carroll was the pen name of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, English author of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel, Through the Looking Glass, and What Alice Found There. Carroll developed the stories from tales he told to the children of H. G. Liddell, the dean of Christ Church College at Oxford, one of whom was named Alice. Many of his characters—the Mad Hatter, the March Hare, and the White Rabbit—have become familiar figures in literature. What else did Carroll write? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

U Thant

Burmese diplomat U Thant served as UN Secretary-General for ten years. During his first term of service, he played a major role in defusing the Cuban Missile Crisis and ending the civil war in the Congo. He was elected to a second term in 1966, but had less success in dealing with the major crises of this later period, which included the Vietnam War and the Six Day War. On the day of U Thant’s funeral, a group of students stole his coffin. What short-lived crisis did their actions spark? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Rum Rebellion (1808)

The Rum Rebellion of 1808 was the only successful armed takeover of government in the history of Australia. It began when New South Wales governor William Bligh was deposed by George Johnston, commander of the New South Wales Corps. The coup was a retaliation against attempts by successive governors to curb the power of the Corps and interfere with its lucrative rum trade—which gave the rebellion its name. The coup was the second time Bligh had been the victim of a rebellion. What was the first? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary