The Evolutionary Arms Race

An evolutionary arms race is a struggle between interdependent organisms that evolve competing genetic adaptations with the back-and-forth escalation characteristic of an arms race. This competitive adaptation may occur between members of the same species or between different species, such as a predator and its prey, and it can be either symmetrical or asymmetrical, meaning competitors strive either for the same trait or to counter a trait in the other. What are some examples of this phenomenon? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Scientists Finally Figured Out the Source of This Bizarre, Glowing Space ‘Blob’

The blob is one of the biggest and most mysterious objects in our universe. Discovered 16 years ago by researchers at Cal Tech’s Palomar Observatory, the gargantuan object glows 10 times bigger than the Milky Way. At first, the scientists thought the … Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Concordat of Worms (1122)

The Concordat of Worms was an agreement reached by Pope Calixtus II and Holy Roman Emperor Henry V that put an end to the first phase of the power struggle between Rome and what was becoming the Holy Roman Empire. Under its terms, the king was recognized as having the right to invest bishops “by the lance” but not “by ring and staff,” meaning he could grant them secular but not sacred authority. What message about the divine right of kings did the concordat convey? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Valley of the Moon Vintage Festival

Valley of the Moon Vintage Festival is California’s oldest wine festival, held since the late 1890s in Sonoma, the cradle of the state’s wine industry. It is located in Sonoma Valley, which Jack London made famous as the “Valley of the Moon.” In the 1850s, Hungarian nobleman Count Agoston Haraszthy planted thousands of cuttings from European grape vines to establish the Buena Vista Winery, now the state’s oldest premium winery. The three-day festival includes wine tastings, parades, live music, a blessing of the grapes, a firemen’s water fight, and grape stomps. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Mickey Rooney (1920)

Rooney was an American actor who began his career when he was just 17 months old, as part of his family’s vaudeville act, and made his film debut at 6. He went on to star in 50 RKO short comedies, and his diminutive size allowed him to play boys until he was nearly 30. From 1937, he played the cocky, energetic Andy Hardy in a series of popular films, often teamed with Judy Garland. In 1983, he received an honorary Academy Award for lifetime achievement. What was Rooney’s name at birth? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

What Lights the Firefly

Commonly called fireflies or lightning bugs, the carnivorous beetles of the family Lampyridae are named for their use of bioluminescence when attracting mates or prey. Fireflies are capable of producing red, yellow, or green “cold light” containing no ultraviolet or infrared rays. Approximately 90% of the energy used in the process is converted to visible light—compared to 10% for incandescent electric bulbs, which emit the remainder of their energy as heat. How do fireflies produce their light? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Scientists Uncovered a Skeleton from the Ancient World’s Most Famous (and Mysterious) Shipwreck

Brendan Foley was only three minutes into his first dive on his first day at the 2,100 year old Antikythera shipwreck when a colleague came swimming over to him. “You’ve gotta see this,” they said. “We found bones. We found a skull!” Archaeologists have … Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Sara Jane Moore Attempts to Assassinate US President Gerald Ford (1975)

In September 1975, Ford was the target of two assassination attempts. Just 17 days after Manson Family member Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme unsuccessfully attempted to shoot Ford, Moore shot at him outside a San Francisco, California, hotel. The bullet just missed the president, and Moore was then subdued by a bystander, who likely saved Ford’s life. Moore was sentenced to life in prison but was paroled in 2007. What has she since said about the assassination attempt? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary