Flying Squirrels

There are 43 known species of flying squirrel. While the name flying squirrel is a bit of a misnomer—the creatures cannot actually fly—they are able to glide long distances by leaping from tall heights and extending flaps of skin, called patagia, that stretch from their forelimbs to their hindlimbs. Once airborne, the squirrels have a high degree of maneuverability and are able to steer by adjusting the tautness of the patagia and using their tails as stabilizers. How do they “brake”? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Thousands of Children Injured by Strollers and Carriers Every Year, Study Finds

Thousands of young children head to the emergency room every year because of injuries associated with strollers and baby carriers, according to a new study published today in the journal Academic Pediatrics. Investigators estimated that an average of … Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Big Burn (1910)

The Great Fire of 1910 was a wildfire that burned approximately three million acres (12,000 sq km) in Washington, Idaho, and Montana. Spurred by hurricane-force winds, it destroyed parts of several national forests. Since known as the Big Burn, the firestorm burned over two days and killed more than 80 people, including 78 firefighters. It is believed to be the largest, although not the deadliest, fire in US history. How did the Great Fire of 1910 shape future US Forest Service policy? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Santa Fe Indian Market

This showplace for traditional and contemporary American Indian art is held on the Plaza of Santa Fe, New Mexico. The market is the oldest and largest juried competition among Native American artists. Today, more than 800 artists enter the competition, largely from the 19 New Mexico pueblos and the Apache, Navajo, Hopi, and Ute tribes of the Southwest. Besides the booths of art works, there are numerous food booths, offering such specialties as green chile on fried bread, and there are Native American dances performed at the courtyard of the Palace of the Governors. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Jöns Jakob Berzelius (1779)

Regarded as one of the founders of modern chemistry, Berzelius was a Swedish professor who achieved an immensely important series of innovations and discoveries. He developed chemistry’s modern system of symbols and formulas, prepared a remarkably precise table of atomic weights, analyzed numerous chemical compounds, and discovered the elements selenium, thorium, and cerium. He also introduced basic laboratory equipment that remains in use today. What common scientific terms did Berzelius coin? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Cosplay

A combination of the words “costume” and “play,” cosplay refers to a Japanese subculture in which participants dress as characters from anime, manga, video games, and other forms of entertainment. Often seen at conventions or parties at nightclubs or amusement parks, cosplay is also publicly practiced in places like Tokyo’s Akihabara district, where costumed servers wait on patrons at many of the area’s cafés. How does cosplay in the US and UK differ from that in Japan? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

This Impossibly Cute Sea Creature Looks like a Googly-Eyed Cartoon Octopus

Scientists manning the exploration vessel Nautilus and its remotely operated vehicles spotted something truly adorable recently: Just off the coast of California, hanging out 3,000 feet below the surface, they saw what looked to be a googly-eyed cartoon … Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

American Outlaw John Wesley Hardin Shot Dead (1895)

Hardin was an American desperado who claimed to have killed 42 men, one of them allegedly for snoring. He became a gambler and a gunman very early in life, but his friends and gunfighting skills helped him evade the authorities until 1877, when he was sentenced to 25 years for killing a sheriff. He studied law in prison and was released after serving 16 years. Pardoned in 1894, he passed the bar exam and began to practice law, but a local constable shot him to death a year later for what reason? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary