Fourier was a French mathematician and Egyptologist. As an engineer on the Egyptian expedition led by Napoleon—who later made him a baron—he conducted anthropological investigations and wrote the preface to the monumental Description de l’Égypte, whose publication he oversaw. In mathematics, he is primarily known for his work in heat conduction and for his use of the Fourier series to solve differential equations. Whom did Fourier inspire to study Egyptology? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Tardigrades, commonly known as moss piglets or water bears, can be found living in water, damp moss, flower petals, and sand all around the world. The minute invertebrates are usually 1 mm (0.04 inches) or smaller in size and have a head, four fused body segments, and eight claw-ended legs. Tardigrades are able to resist extremely low temperature, pressure, and humidity, and go into dormant states for months or even years. How many years can a moss piglet survive without water? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Definition: (noun) A mixture.
Synonyms: mishmash, farrago, hodgepodge, mingle-mangle, oddments, odds and ends, omnium-gatherum, ragbag.
Usage: The movie was a strange melange of romance, science fiction, comedy, and drama.
Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
The dangers of sitting for long stretches of time have come into focus in recent years, with the sedentary act connected to increased risk of obesity, diabetes and heart disease. More and more people have been looking at ways of combating “sitting … Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Chartered by the parliament of the Netherlands to expand trade and assure close ties between the government and its colonial enterprises in Asia, the Dutch East India Company was the world’s first multinational corporation. It had quasi-governmental powers, including the ability to wage war, and wrested control of the Spice Islands trade from Portugal. However, it was plagued by corruption and insolvency in the late 18th century and was dissolved. What issues contributed to its decline? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Independence Day is a public holiday in Tunisia commemorating a treaty signed on this day in 1956 that formally recognized Tunisia‘s independence from France. It had been a French colony since the 1880s. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Ibsen, a Norwegian playwright, is considered the father of modern theater. Emphasizing character over plot, he explored psychological conflicts stemming from frustrated love and destructive family relationships, and he addressed social problems such as political corruption and the changing role of women. Many considered his plays scandalous, but he earned a worldwide audience with powerful studies of middle-class morality, such as A Doll’s House. What, allegedly, were Ibsen’s last words? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
The Islamic Revolution’s Guards (IRG) is the largest branch of Iran’s military. It is separate from, and parallel to, the other arm of the Iran’s military and is equipped with its own ground forces, navy, air force, intelligence, and special forces. The IRG’s stated role is to maintain national security, yet the force is also rumored to have ties with terrorist organizations like Hezbollah. The IRG also controls the Basij force, which has a potential strength of how many million volunteers? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Definition: (noun) Swiftness of action or motion; speed.
Synonyms: rapidity, quickness.
Usage: These rapid attentions were bestowed with the celerity and skill of a practiced surgeon.
Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
In a few days, NASA will send a box into space and remotely light materials inside of it on fire to learn more about how zero gravity and limited oxygen affect flame size and spread of fire. The findings from the experiment, and a couple of others later this
… Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary