Three million years ago, the first farmers began carefully sowing seeds, fertilizing them, and waiting for them to grow into plants. These first farmers, new research suggests, were Fijian ants. Guillaume Chomicki and Susanne Renner, two researchers at the … Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
In 2004, Jennings won 74 consecutive games on the television game show Jeopardy!—the longest streak in the program’s history. His extensive knowledge of trivia earned him more than $2.5 million. Ratings for the show during his unprecedented streak increased by 22 percent. On his 75th appearance, the final answer was “Most of this firm’s 70,000 seasonal white-collar employees work only four months a year.” Jennings incorrectly responded with “What is FedEx?” What was the correct response? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
St. Andrew, the brother of St. Peter, was the first apostle called by Jesus, but he is primarily known today as the patron saint of Scotland. St. Andrew’s association with Scotland didn’t come about until four centuries after his death, when some of his relics were brought there. Scots continue the custom of wearing a “St. Andrew’s cross” on November 30, which consists of blue and white ribbons shaped like the letter X. The tradition for this form of a cross began no earlier than the 13th century. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Chisholm was elected to the US House of Representatives in 1968, becoming the first African-American woman to serve in Congress. During her 15 years in the House, she was known for her strong, liberal views, including her opposition to US involvement in the Vietnam War and her advocacy of employment programs. As a candidate for the 1972 Democratic presidential nomination, she won 152 delegates before withdrawing from the race. How many assassination attempts did she survive during her campaign? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
In August 1896, a party led by Skookum Jim Mason discovered rich gold deposits near the confluence of the Klondike and Yukon rivers in northwest Canada. The news quickly spread to other mining camps in the river valley and reached the US within a year, setting off the Klondike Gold Rush that drew more than 30,000 prospectors to the area. By the time mining ended in 1966, the area had yielded $250 million in gold. What famous American author took part in the gold rush? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Definition: (verb) To pay (a person) a suitable equivalent in return for goods provided, services rendered, or losses incurred.
Synonyms: recompense, compensate.
Usage: John carefully weeded his neighbors' gardens, aware that they would remunerate him for a job well done.
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Source: The Free Dictionary
When the asteroid believed to have killed off the dinosaurs smashed into Earth some 66 million years ago, its sheer force made the planet’s surface momentarily act like a liquid. The asteroid ripped open a 60-mile-wide hole. From miles deep in that … Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Chaired by US Chief Justice Earl Warren, the Warren Commission was appointed by US President Lyndon B. Johnson to investigate the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and the shooting of his assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald. After months of investigation, it reported that Kennedy was killed by Oswald’s rifle shots from the Texas School Book Depository and that Oswald’s murder by Jack Ruby was not part of a conspiracy to assassinate Kennedy. What later reports questioned its findings? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
In 1977, the General Assembly of the United Nations declared November 29 International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. On December 1, 2000, the Assembly reaffirmed the UN’s responsibility to work towards the peaceful creation of a Palestinian homeland and lauded those countries that observed the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Cixi was the Imperial consort who controlled the Chinese Qing dynasty for almost half a century. A low-ranking concubine of the Xianfeng emperor, she bore his only son, the future Tongzhi emperor, in 1856. After the emperor’s death, Cixi joined a triumviral regency that governed in the name of her son, who was only six at his accession. During that period, the Taiping and Nian rebellions were put down and the government was briefly revitalized. What happened when Cixi’s son died in 1875? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary