Trekking along a mountain in Guanacaste Province, Costa Rica, entomologist Justin Schmidt came across a nest of the tropical wasp species Polybia simillima, better known as the Fierce Black Polybia Wasp. The agile, buzzing insect has a reputation for … Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
At the deadlocked 1880 Republican national convention, Garfield was nominated as a compromise candidate for president, with Chester A. Arthur chosen for vice president to appease the “Stalwart” faction of the party. However, after Garfield became president, he passed over the Stalwarts in his appointments, creating a bitter rivalry. Guiteau, who unreasonably expected to be offered a diplomatic post, shot Garfield and said, “I am a Stalwart and Arthur is president now!” When did Garfield die? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire) gained independence from Belgium on this day in 1960. It had been a Belgian colony since 1907, and powerful movements had struggled for self-rule since the 1950s. The people celebrated the first independence day with fireworks and bonfires in the capital city of Léopoldville (now Kinshasa). Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Ballard is an American oceanographer and marine geologist. While working at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Research Institution, he pioneered the use of deep-diving submersibles, took part in the first manned exploration of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, and discovered warm water springs and the unusual animal communities that grow up around them in the Galápagos Rift. He is best known for his dramatic discovery of the wreck of the Titanic in 1985. What other notable wrecks has Ballard located? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
.jpg)
Characterized by their corkscrew-like shaft, Solomonic columns draw their name from the Biblical description of the two columns that famously flanked the entrance to the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem, built in the 10th c BCE. According to tradition, that temple was the source of a set of columns brought to Rome by Constantine the Great in the 4th c CE for the original St. Peter’s Basilica, where several of the pillars still remain. These columns are now believed to have originally stood where? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Definition: (noun) A lover of good food.
Synonyms: trencherman, glutton.
Usage: Because he had a great appreciation for fine cuisine, the gourmand was asked to serve as a judge in the televised cooking contest.
Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Suicide is among the leading causes of death in U.S. adolescents and while it’s not entirely preventable, doctors can minimize the risk by asking the right questions during routine checkups, the American Academy of Pediatrics says. Pediatricians should … Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
In 2007, a potential tragedy was averted in London when two car bombs were disabled before they could be detonated in a busy district of the city. The cars and devices were recovered intact for forensic examination and both were found to contain gasoline canisters, nails, and a mobile phone-based trigger. The next day, two men drove a car laden with propane into a terminal at Glasgow International Airport and set it ablaze. The surviving conspirator was jailed for both incidents. Who was he? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
It is said that St. Peter and St. Paul were both martyred on June 29, and, for this reason, their names have been linked in various observances around the world. In Peru, the Día de San Pedro y San Pablo is celebrated in fishing villages because St. Peter is the patron saint of fishermen. Processions of decorated boats carrying an image of the saint are common, and sometimes a special floating altar is set up, with decorations made out of shells and seaweed. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Mahalanobis was an Indian scientist and applied statistician. He is best remembered for the Mahalanobis distance, a statistical measure he used in his pioneering studies in anthropometry—the study of human body measurement for use in anthropological classification and comparison. He founded the Indian Statistical Institute and contributed to the design of large scale sample surveys. His survey methods have been used to study things like tea-drinking habits, crop acreage, and what else? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary