Peter Kenneth Frampton (1950)

British rocker Peter Frampton performed with successful bands The Herd and Humble Pie before going solo in 1971. His breakthrough album, 1976’s Frampton Comes Alive!, remains one of the best-selling live albums of all time. It includes hits such as “Do You Feel Like We Do?” and “Show Me The Way,” which feature his signature talk box effect that makes the guitar sound like it is “talking.” Why did Frampton regret appearing on the cover of Rolling Stone at the height of his success? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Celiac Disease

Celiac disease is a digestive disorder in which gluten—a protein found in wheat and other flours—generates an inflammatory response in the small intestine, damaging tissue and impairing nutrient absorption. A lifelong gluten-free diet is the only effective way to relieve symptoms, which include diarrhea, weight loss, and depression. Though it was observed as early as 200 CE, celiac disease’s link to wheat remained undiscovered until 1950. What natural event may have contributed to the discovery? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

World’s Fair Starts in Seattle, Washington (1962)

Hosted at the dawn of the Space Age, the 1962 World’s Fair featured a glittering array of futuristic technology. Nearly 10 million people came to see the new cars and gadgets or ride to the top of the new Space Needle. While its technology was advanced, the fair anticipated none of the social changes soon to come—the society of the future looked like that of 1950s, but with gyrocopters. Why did US President John F. Kennedy lie, claiming to be too sick to attend the closing ceremony? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Fiesta San Antonio

The Fiesta San Antonio is a 10-day extravaganza of events held since 1901 in San Antonio, Texas, including San Jacinto Day, April 21. The highlight of the fiesta is the Battle of Flowers Parade alongside the Alamo. Merrymakers originally pelted each other with flowers, but now people crush cascarones, decorated eggshells filled with confetti, on each others’ heads. Some 150 other events include concerts, fashion shows, art fairs, a charreada (Mexican rodeo), torchlit floats in the Fiesta Flambeau Parade, and decorated barges in the San Antonio River Parade. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

John Muir (1838)

Once an aspiring industrial engineer, US conservationist John Muir devoted himself to nature after losing an eye in an 1867 factory accident. That year, he walked from Indiana to the Gulf of Mexico, a journey of about 1,000 mi (1,600 km). He then moved to California and spent much of the next 12 years traveling and writing about nature. He promoted the idea of national forest preserves and helped establish Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks. What four items did he take on his backcountry hikes? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Blood Eagle Torture

Referenced in some Norse saga literature, the Blood Eagle is a form of torture and execution performed by cutting the victim’s ribs by the spine, breaking them to resemble blood-stained wings, and pulling the lungs out through the gaping wound. Though some cite archaeological evidence of the practice, others argue that it never occurred and that accounts of the method are based on folklore or inaccurate translations. Which Viking Age rulers were reportedly victims of the gruesome torture? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Scientists Find Giant, Elusive Clam Known as ‘The Unicorn of Mollusks’

For hundreds of years, biologists knew of the giant shipworm only from shell fragments and a handful of dead specimens. Those specimens, despite being preserved in museum jars, had gone to mush. Still, the shipworm’s scattered remains made an outsize … Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary