Over 40 years ago, a NASA mission may have accidentally destroyed what would have been the first discovery of organic molecules on Mars, according to a report from New Scientist. Recently, NASA caused quite a commotion when it announced that its … Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Launched in 1903, the passenger ship Eastland was plagued with problems from the start. That year alone, the Eastland was damaged after colliding with another ship, and, in an unrelated event, its crew mutinied. Prone to instability and listing, the ship met with disaster in 1915 when it rolled over while still moored to the wharf of the Chicago River, killing more than 840 people shortly after boarding. How did the sinking of the Titanic impact the Eastland disaster? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
The Tenjin Festival in Japan honors the scholar and statesman Sugawara Michizane (845-903), who was deified as Tenjin after his death. The festival opens at the Temmangu Shrine with the beating of the Moyooshi Daiko, a drum about five feet in diameter. The drum-cart is followed by a masked figure who represents Sarutahiko, the deity who led all the other gods to Japan. Most important is the mikoshi—the decorated shrine in which the soul of Tenjin is believed to reside. In the evening, the parade moves to the river, with numerous boats carrying glowing lanterns. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Dumas was a largely self-educated French novelist and dramatist whose highly romantic novels immortalizing the adventures of the Three Musketeers and the Count of Monte Cristo have delighted many generations of readers. These historical novels, written with the aid of collaborators, are often scorned by critics, who find them lacking in style and characterization, but they have had enormous popularity. In 2005, Dumas’s recently discovered last novel was published. Who wrote its final chapters? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Mummers plays, developed in England in the 17th century, are a form of traditional dramatic entertainment based on the legend of St. George and the dragon. The central theme of these plays, which are still performed in parts of Britain around Christmastime, is the death of a hero who is restored to life by a doctor. The word “mummer” has been linked to words such as mumble and mute and non-English words meaning what? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Definition: (noun) (KNO3) Used especially as a fertilizer and explosive.
Synonyms: niter, potassium nitrate.
Usage: Gunpowder was not invented by any one; it was the lineal successor of the Greek fire, which, like itself, was composed of sulfur and saltpeter.
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Source: The Free Dictionary
When the sun was young and faint and the Earth was barely formed, a gigantic black hole in a distant, brilliant galaxy spat out a powerful jet of radiation. That jet contained neutrinos — subatomic particles so tiny and difficult to detect they are … Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
The iconic Brooklyn Bridge opened in 1883. Three years later, a New Yorker named Steve Brodie claimed to have survived a jump off the span, and newspapers eagerly reported the stunt, allegedly done as part of a bet. Vaulted to sudden fame, Brodie embarked on a successful stage career and opened the popular Bowery Tavern. “To pull a Brodie” even became a slang term for doing something flamboyant and dangerous, but Brodie’s dubious claim about his leap was later disputed. What really happened? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Haile Selassie I (1892-1975), emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974, was born Tafari Makonnen; he became Prince (or Ras) Tafari in 1916. Among the Jamaicans known as Rastafarians, Selassie was believed to be the Messiah, and Ethiopia was identified with heaven. Ethiopians still celebrate Haile Selassie’s birthday. During the years of his reign as emperor, Selassie would stand on the balcony of his palace in Addis Ababa and greet the thousands of well-wishers who gathered there on his birthday. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Prior to his death in 2010, at age 109, Babcock was Canada’s last known surviving veteran of World War I. He joined the army at 15 by lying about his age. When he was discovered to be too young for combat, he was given labor jobs and was later transferred to England, where he continued his training in the Young Soldiers Battalion. Because he never actually fought on the front lines, he was uncomfortable with his fame as a veteran. At what age did Babcock finally earn his high school diploma? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary