Astronomers believe they may have found humanity’s first stargazing tools. At the National Astronomy Meeting held this week in Nottingham, England, researchers presented evidence that simple apertures like tunnels and doorways might have been used to … Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Frenchman Samuel de Champlain founded Quebec City as a trading post at the confluence of the St. Lawrence and St. Charles rivers. From this and subsequent settlements Catholic missionaries, explorers, and fur traders pushed across N America. Begun with just 32 colonists, the city is now home to about 500,000. Most residents are of French descent, despite the fact that the area was ceded to the British in 1763. By what name was Quebec originally known? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
After nearly 70 years under Soviet rule, Belarus declared its sovereignty on July 27, 1990, and issued its declaration of independence on August 25, 1991. Belarus officially became autonomous on December 26, 1991, as did other former Soviet republics. On April 2, 1997, however, a treaty was signed to unite Belarus with the Russian Federation. Thus, Belarus reverted to its earlier Independence Day, July 3, which commemorated the liberation of the capital, Minsk, from German occupation in 1944. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Korzybski was a Polish-American linguist who developed a school of thought known as general semantics. He aimed to distinguish between words and the objects they describe, as well as between individual objects all described by the same word. He stressed the arbitrary nature of language and other symbols and the problems that result from misunderstanding their nature. Why did Korzybski once trick his students into eating dog biscuits during a lecture? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Once boasting a population of nearly 10,000 during a mining boom in the late 1800s, Bodie, California, is now an authentic Wild West ghost town. Visitors can walk the deserted streets to see the remnants of a town whose mines produced more than $34 million worth of gold. That success brought to Bodie the amenities of larger towns, including a railroad, banks, a brass band, and a jail. What type of business had 65 different locations along Bodie’s main street at the peak of the city’s popularity? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Definition: (noun) A domestic establishment.
Synonyms: household.
Usage: What sort of a menage is it which pays double the market price for a governess but does not keep a horse, although six miles from the station.
Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Venomous lionfish are striking to look at, with bold stripes and flowing, sail-like fins. However, scientists are paying especially close attention to the fish not for their beauty, but for their ability to invade ecosystems where they have no natural … Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Proposed by President John F. Kennedy and strengthened and passed under President Johnson, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is widely considered the most important US law on civil rights since Reconstruction. A comprehensive law intended to end discrimination based on race, color, sex, religion, or national origin, it guarantees equal voting rights and prohibits segregation or discrimination in public places, among other provisions. How long did some senators filibuster to delay the bill’s passage? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Laylat al-Qadr commemorates the night in 610 CE during which Allah revealed the entire Qur’an to Muhammad. It was then that the angel Gabriel first spoke to him, and was thus the beginning of his mission. These revelations continued throughout the remainder of his life. The common belief that this day occurred on the 26th or 27th of Ramadan has no Islamic base. It seems to have originated in Manicheism, where the death of Mani is celebrated on the 27th of the fasting month. This day is also known as the Night of Power or Night of Destiny. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Cranmer became the first Protestant archbishop of Canterbury after he helped Henry VIII in his negotiations with the pope over divorcing Catherine of Aragon. He annulled Henry’s marriage to Catherine, supported his marriage to Anne Boleyn, and later helped him divorce her. After Henry’s death in 1547, Cranmer became adviser to Edward VI. When the anti-Protestant Mary I became queen, Cranmer was tried, convicted of heresy, and burned at the stake. Why did he place his hand into the fire first? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary