Dragons, Aliens, Bugs? Scientists May Have Solved the Mystery of the Desert’s “Fairy Circles”

The enigmatic circles of sand — burnt orange, almost impeccably round and rimmed by a fringe of tall grass — are spaced at surprisingly regular intervals across the otherwise barren landscape. Over the course of decades, they appear, expand and then … Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Synthesis of Californium Announced (1950)

The sixth transuranium element to be synthesized, californium is an artificially produced, radioactive metallic chemical element. A member of the actinide series of elements, it has isotopes with half-lives ranging from about 40 seconds to 900 years. One isotope, californium-252, is used as a neutron source in nuclear reactors. Which four scientists first produced californium in a cyclotron at the University of California at Berkeley? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

St. Patrick’s Day Parade (Savannah, Georgia)

This parade is one of the oldest and biggest parades in the US, held since 1824 in Savannah, Georgia, a city with a long Irish history. The first public procession was recorded in 1824, and public parades have been held ever since. Today, the parade, which follows a route through the city’s historic district, comprises between 200 and 300 separate units, including family groups, commercial floats, high school bands, and military bands and marching units. The day begins with Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

John Wayne Gacy (1942)

Gacy was an American serial killer who was convicted and later executed for murdering 33 boys and young men between 1972 and 1978. Gacy buried dozens of his victims in a crawl space under the floor of his house and threw several others in a nearby river. Known as the “Killer Clown,” he often performed as a clown at local parties and even had drinks at a local bar while in costume on a few occasions. Gacy took up painting while on death row. What motif appeared in many of his art works? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Aramaic Language

During the 12th century BCE, Aramaean nomads, the native speakers of Aramaic, began to settle in modern-day Syria, Iraq, and Turkey. As Aramaic grew in importance, it spread throughout the Fertile Crescent as a lingua franca, or common language, and settlers and missionaries later brought the Semitic language to parts of N Africa, Europe, Persia, India, and China. What 2004 film became a major box-office success despite the fact that most of its dialogue is spoken in ancient Aramaic? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Destroying Angels

Originally reserved as a delicacy for the elite, edible mushrooms are now extensively grown on a commercial scale. There are, however, many poisonous species of mushroom, and the destroying angels of the Amanita genus are among the most toxic mushrooms known to man. Destroying angels are characterized by their white stalks and gills and have a telltale collar-like structure, or volva, at the base of their stalks. How soon after ingesting the toxic mushroom do symptoms of poisoning appear?

Source: The Free Dictionary

My Lai Massacre (1968)

During the Vietnam War, US troops searching for Viet Cong fighters massacred hundreds of civilians from the Vietnamese hamlet of My Lai. Though they had not located any insurgents in My Lai, the soldiers opened fire on the villagers, killing men, women, and children. The incident was initially covered up by army officers. When it was revealed in the press nearly two years later, it divided the US public and increased pressure to end the war. How many soldiers were convicted for their crimes? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary