Huygens Probe Lands on Titan (2005)

It took the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft more than six years to reach Saturn. During the trip, the Huygens probe remained dormant, preserving its battery life for a landing on Saturn’s largest moon. The only moon in the solar system known to have clouds and a dense atmosphere, Titan resembles Earth in many ways. It was not known whether the probe would land on solid ground or in an ocean. After Huygens touched down, Titan’s surface was described as being similar to what food? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Meitlisonntag

In the Seetal district of Aargau, Switzerland, the girls of Meisterschwanden and Farhwangen hold a procession on the second Sunday in January known as Meitlisonntag, or “Girls’ Sunday.” They dress in historical uniforms and stage a military parade before an all-female General Staff. The custom dates from the second Villgermen War of 1712, a conflict in which the women of Meisterschwanden and Fahrwangen played a vital role in achieving victory. The military procession is followed by a popular festival. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Kimitake Hiraoka, AKA Yukio Mishima (1925)

Born into a samurai family, Mishima served briefly in the finance ministry before going on to become one of the most important Japanese novelists of the 20th century. His novels are known for their exquisite attention to detail and character and often involve paradoxes—such as when a troubled monk destroys the temple he loves in The Temple of the Golden Pavilion. Following a failed coup attempt in 1970, he tried to commit seppuku, ritual suicide by self-disembowelment. How did he die? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Xenoglossy

Often cited as proof of reincarnation, xenoglossy is a purportedly paranormal phenomenon wherein a person displays the ability to speak a language that he or she could not have learned by natural means. For example, an individual who begins to speak fluent German but who has never studied German, traveled to a German-speaking country, or associated with German speakers is said to exhibit xenoglossy. What are some of the bizarre accounts of individuals reported to have experienced xenoglossy? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Survivor of British Retreat from Kabul Reaches Jalalabad (1842)

During the First Anglo-Afghan War, a group of 4,500 British soldiers and 12,000 British civilians left Kabul for Jalalabad. Beset by murderous bands, their numbers quickly dwindled. A few were captured alive and later released, but army surgeon William Brydon was the sole person to escape the final ambush by Afghan tribesman and reach the British camp at Jalalabad that day. Part of Brydon’s skull had been sheared off by a sword, but he survived thanks to what object stuffed inside his hat? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Lohri

Lohri is a traditional seasonal festival in India celebrating winter’s end and the returning prominence of the sun to the Northern Hemisphere. Among Hindus and Sikhs, Lohri is a particularly special occasion for families who have had a baby during the previous year; families may celebrate with a feast and family members and friends often give gifts to the new child. Throughout India today, Lohri is widely celebrated at night with bonfires and dancing. People eat seasonal nuts and candies and also throw them into the fire. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Horatio Alger, Jr. (1832)

Alger was an American author who wrote more than 100 children’s books. Highly formulaic, each taught that through honesty, perseverance, and hard work, poor but virtuous lads could prevail in life. Published in 1868, the first of those books, Ragged Dick, was an immediate success. Despite the weaknesses of Alger’s writing, his books ultimately sold more than 20 million copies, making him one of the most popular writers of the 19th century. What ended Alger’s previous career as a minister? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Improvised Explosive Devices

Fabricated from all manner of munitions and triggering mechanisms—both military and nonmilitary—improvised explosive devices (IEDs) are bombs that are deployed using methods other than those of conventional military action. Though IEDs have been used in conflicts throughout the world, the term is now commonly associated with the Iraq War due to the extensive use of such devices by insurgents. During the Vietnam War, what common household items were used in conjunction with grenades to form IEDs? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary