Month: August 2017

Chemical Element Meitnerium Is Synthesized (1982)

In 1982, a German research team led by Peter Armbruster and Gottfried Münzenberg at the Institute for Heavy Ion Research created a new element. While bombarding bismuth-209 atoms with iron-58 ions, they detected a single atom of what is now called meitnerium. Its atomic number is 109. The artificially-produced, radioactive element is named for Lise Meitner, the Austrian-Swedish physicist and mathematician who helped discover nuclear fission. When was the name “meitnerium” officially adopted? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Radha Ashtami

This Hindu holiday celebrates the birth of Radha, who was the mistress of the god Krishna during the period of his life when he lived among the cowherds of Vrindavana. Although she was the wife of another gopa (cowherd), she was the best-loved of Krishna’s consorts and his constant companion. Some Hindus believe that Radha is a symbol of the human soul drawn to the ineffable god Krishna. Images of Radha are bathed on this day and then dressed and ornamented before being offered food and worship. Hindus bathe in the early morning and fast all day to show their devotion to Radha. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

John Locke (1632)

Locke was an English philosopher and founder of British Empiricism. He summed up the Enlightenment in his belief in the middle class and its right to freedom of conscience and right to property, in his faith in science, and in his faith in the goodness of humanity. His influence on philosophy and political theory has been incalculable. His 1690 Two Treatises of Government influenced the American and French revolutions. He once fled to Holland under suspicion of involvement in what plot? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Mudra

In dharmic religions like Buddhism and Hinduism, mudras are symbolic gestures of the hands and fingers used in ceremonies, dance, and art. Each is associated with a specific quality, such as knowledge, that is said to be imparted on the practitioner. Mudras often accompany the vocalization of a mantra, or sacred utterance, and act as a kind of ceremonial seal affirming the statement or prayer. Which mudra expels demons and removes obstacles such as sickness or negative thoughts? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

First Issue of Scientific American Magazine Is Published (1845)

In 1845, Rufus Porter—an eccentric inventor, painter, and editor—published the first issue of Scientific American, a weekly newspaper about new inventions. By 1853, its circulation had reached 30,000 and it was reporting on various sciences, such as astronomy and medicine. In 1921, it became a monthly. Its solidly-researched, well-written articles, accompanied by illustrations and explanations, have made it a highly regarded publication. How much did the first subscriptions cost? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

William Robertson Davies (1913)

Davies was one of Canada’s most distinguished writers. Educated at Oxford, he produced more than 30 works of fiction throughout his long literary career, as well as plays, essays, and criticism. Among the themes explored in his densely plotted novels are life’s moral dimensions and the isolation of the spirit. He is best known for his three novel trilogies dealing with life and culture in fictional Ontario villages. What innovative technology, considered indispensible today, did he proudly shun? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Et in Arcadia Ego: I Am Also in Arcadia

“Et in Arcadia Ego” is a Latin phrase that most famously appears as the title of two highly influential 17th-century paintings depicting shepherds from classical antiquity gathered around an austere tomb. The phrase is usually interpreted as “I am also in Arcadia,” and its purpose is to set up an ironic contrast between mortality and idle merriment. Recently, however, the phrase has been used in conspiracy theories and interpreted to mean what? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary