Fisticuffs

Alternately known as fisticuffs, bare-knuckle boxing is the original form of boxing and involves two combatants fighting without gloves or padding on their hands. Though closely related to ancient combat sports, it differs from street fighting in that there are specific rules that participants must observe, such as not striking an opponent who is already down. John L. Sullivan, who won a 75-round match in 1889, was one of the last great bare-knuckle boxers. Who are some other notable pugilists? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

A giant ‘singing’ cloud in space will help us to understand how star systems form

We know that the birthplaces of stars are large molecular clouds of gas and dust found in space. But what exactly determines the number and kind of stars and planets that are formed in these clouds? How was our solar system nursed and how did it emerge from … Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Nuclear Submarine USS Scorpion Sinks, Cause Unknown (1968)

On May 21, 1968, the crew of the US Navy’s Scorpion submarine engaged in communications with land stations. Six days later, the submarine was reported overdue. After an unsuccessful search, the Scorpion and its crew were “presumed lost.” However, in October, a Navy research ship located sections of the submarine’s hull in approximately 10,000 feet (3,048 m) of water about 400 miles (644 km) southwest of the Azores. What are some theories about how the Scorpion may have sunk? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

National Maritime Day

It was President Franklin D. Roosevelt who first proclaimed May 22 as National Maritime Day in 1933. Since that time, observations of this day have grown in popularity, particularly in American port cities. Ships are opened to the public, maritime art and essay contests are held, and parades and band concerts are common. Environmentalists sometimes take advantage of the attention focused on the country’s maritime heritage on this day to draw attention to pollution and deterioration of maritime environments, particularly in large commercial ports like New York City. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Mary Cassatt (1844)

Cassatt was an American figure painter and etcher. As a young art student, she moved to Paris, where she was inspired by the work of Edgar Degas, with whom she developed a friendship. She allied herself with the Impressionists early in her career, but, in the late 1880s, she began experimenting with other styles and techniques. Many of Cassatt’s best-known works are intimate depictions of mothers and children. What cause did she take up when cataracts put a stop to her painting career? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Coke or Pepsi?

The rivalry between soft drink manufacturers PepsiCo and The Coca-Cola Company—epitomized by a series of marketing campaigns in the 1980s and 1990s—is simply known as the Cola Wars. In their ongoing battle for supremacy in the soft drink market, the two companies have employed several different tactics, including commercials featuring pop stars, programs to reward loyal customers with free merchandise, and even revisions of their signature products, including what controversial changes? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

These Dinosaur Tracks Are 200 Million Years Old, but Tourists Keep Ripping Them Up

Forget initials carved into trees or litter tossed by the side of a trail—Red Fleet State Park in Utah has bigger vandalism problems. Tourists have been tearing up slabs of ancient rock and tossing them into a nearby reservoir, the Utah State Parks … Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Rajiv Gandhi Is Assassinated (1991)

When his brother Sanjay Gandhi died in a plane crash in 1981, Rajiv Gandhi—then an airline pilot—was drafted into politics by his mother, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. When she was assassinated in 1984, he succeeded her as prime minister. In 1987, he sent peacekeeping forces to Sri Lanka in an unsuccessful attempt to end Tamil-Sinhalese violence. Following allegations of corruption, he resigned as prime minister in 1989. He was assassinated in 1991. How and by whom was he killed? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary