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

Source: The Free Dictionary

Carbon-14 Discovered (1940)

Carbon-14 is a radioactive isotope of carbon having a mass number of 14 and a half-life of approximately 5,700 years. It occurs naturally, arising from cosmic rays, and is used as a tracer in studies of metabolism and in radiocarbon dating—a method of determining the age of carbonaceous, once-living material. Carbon-14 was discovered by Martin Kamen and Sam Ruben at the University of California Radiation Laboratory, but its existence had been predicted six years earlier by whom? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Dominican Republic Independence Day

In the 1830s, Juan Pablo Duarte (1813-1876) organized a secret society known as La Trinitaria to fight the Haitians. After a long struggle, independence was finally declared on February 27, 1844. February 27 is still observed as the country’s Independence Day and is celebrated with parades and political meetings. Dominicans usually celebrate Carnival along with Independence Day—thousands gather in the capital, Santo Domingo, for the traditional day-long parade and street party. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

John Steinbeck (1902)

Steinbeck was an American writer perhaps best remembered for his strong, Pulitzer Prize-winning sociological novel The Grapes of Wrath, which is widely considered one of the great American novels of the 20th century. His later novels include Cannery Row, The Pearl, and East of Eden. He received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962. One of Steinbeck’s last works was Travels with Charley, a travelogue about a road trip across America. Who was Charley? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

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

Source: The Free Dictionary

The February 26 Incident (1936)

The February 26 Incident was an attempted military coup in Japan launched by a radical faction of the Imperial Japanese Army that sought to stamp out corruption and poverty in rural Japan by assassinating certain elder statesmen. Before the coup was suppressed, the rebels managed to briefly occupy the center of Tokyo and kill several leading politicians, including the finance minister. The prime minister, however, survived thanks to a case of mistaken identity. Who was killed in his place? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary