Lydia Fairchild and Her Hidden Twin

When DNA tests showed that Lydia Fairchild was not biologically related to her children, she was prosecuted for fraud and faced the possibility of having them removed from her custody. Throughout her trial, Fairchild maintained that she had conceived and given birth to all 3 children. Further testing led to shocking results: Fairchild had two sets of DNA, one carried in her skin and the other in her internal organs. She was, indeed, her children’s mother. What is the name of this rare condition? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Royal Greenwich Observatory Begins Broadcasting Hourly Time Signals (1924)

The Greenwich Time Signal, popularly known as “the pips,” is a series of six short tones broadcast by many BBC radio stations at the end of each hour to mark the precise start of the following hour. Devised by Astronomer Royal Frank Dyson in 1924, the signal consists of six pips that occur on the five seconds leading up to the hour, with the beginning of the sixth pip marking the actual moment when the hour changes. After nearly 90 years of marking time, why might the pips soon be silenced? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

San Marino Liberation Day

In 1739, Cardinal Giulio Alberoni invaded the Republic of San Marino and occupied the country. The people of San Marino protested the occupation and appealed to the Vatican; the Pope recognized the rights of San Marino and, on February 5, 1740, he restored the country’s independence. Today, San Marino celebrates Liberation Day on February 5 to mark the anniversary of their independence. As part of the celebration, there is a public procession from the city of Borgo Maggiore to the capital city of San Marino proper. In addition, various civic celebrations take place throughout the day. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Hiram Stevens Maxim (1840)

Mechanically gifted, Maxim learned several trades as a young man. He obtained his first patent, for a hair-curling iron, in 1866. By 1884, working in London, he had produced a devastatingly effective automatic machine gun capable of firing 660 rounds per minute. Every major power adopted the Maxim gun. The company he established to manufacture his invention, with several mergers, eventually became the British defense firm, Vickers Ltd. What were some of Maxim’s “flying machines”? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Rose Windows

These circular windows, often found in medieval churches and Gothic architecture, are generally ornamented with stained glass and stone tracery laid out in round, radiating, shaft patterns. Since the pattern often resembles a rose with radiating petals, the term “rose window” is often misattributed to the flower; in fact, the 17th century name likely stems from the Old French word roué, meaning wheel. What role did the crusaders play in the spread of this decorative window style? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Did Humans’ Appetite for Eggs Drive this Giant Bird to Extinction?

The daily ritual of preparing eggs for breakfast may date back almost 50,000 years. New research out of Australia lead by University of Colorado Boulder geology professor Gifford Miller may provide some of the first direct evidence that humans in Australia … Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary