Mae Carol Jemison (1956)

Born in America at a time when being black and female were considered distinct disadvantages, particularly in the scientific community, Jemison nevertheless had big dreams and intense drive. She studied medicine and was a practicing physician until the late 1980s, when she made history by becoming the first black female astronaut. In 1992, she skyrocketed to fame aboard the US space shuttle Endeavour as the first African-American woman in space. Why did she resign from NASA the next year? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Predestination Paradox

A predestination paradox is a scenario in which a time traveler seeking to alter the past inadvertently plays a role in bringing about the same future, thus creating a loop of events that “predestines” him to travel back in time yet again. This concept, often utilized in science-fiction works, appears in an episode of The Twilight Zone in which a man goes back in time and tries to prevent a fire but instead knocks over the lamp that causes it. What are some other examples of this paradox? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

A Brain Scientist Who Studies Alzheimer’s Explains How She Stays Mentally Fit

As a specialist in Alzheimer’s prevention, Jessica Langbaum knows that exercising her mental muscles can help keep her brain sharp. But Langbaum, who holds a doctorate in psychiatric epidemiology, has no formal mental fitness program. She doesn’t do … Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

World Food Day (1981)

More than 150 countries celebrate World Food Day every year on October 16, the anniversary of the founding of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. World Food Day aims to heighten public awareness of the world food problem and to promote cooperation in the struggle against hunger, malnutrition, and poverty. It has been observed since 1981 with different themes each year, such as “United against Hunger” and “The Right to Food.” What was the theme of the first World Food Day? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Festa da Luz

The two-week Festival of Light held every year in Belém, Pará State, Brazil, honors Our Lady of Nazareth. Her image is carried through the streets to the cathedral on Saturday night in a berlinda or glass enclosure set upon wheels. Behind comes the “Miracle Car”—a heavy platform inscribed with images of the miracles performed by the Virgin—carried on the shoulders of strong men who perform this service as a form of penance. The pilgrimage that accompanies the Festival of Light dates back to the year 1700. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Oscar Wilde (1854)

Wilde was an Irish poet, novelist, and playwright who mocked social conventions and scandalized English society with his unorthodox ideas and conduct. He is best known for his sophisticated, witty plays, among them Lady Windermere’s Fan and The Importance of Being Earnest, as well as his novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, about a handsome young man who purchases eternal youth at the expense of his soul. Why did Wilde spend his final years living abroad under an assumed name? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Stonefish

Found in the tropics of the Indian and Pacific oceans and in the Red Sea, the stonefish, Synanceia verrucosa, is the world’s most venomous fish. Spines lining its dorsal area release a toxin that causes excruciating pain, local swelling, general paralysis, and, eventually, fatal respiratory paralysis. Using its resemblance to a piece of rock to camouflage itself, the carnivorous fish feeds on small fish, shrimp, and other crustaceans. A stonefish can survive out of water for how long? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

A rock that was used as a doorstop for the past 30 years turns out to be a meteorite valued at $100K

A 22-pound rock that has been propping open a door in Michigan for decades turns out to be a meteorite valued at $100,000, according to Central Michigan University. Mona Sirbescu, a CMU geology professor, gets asked all the time by people to examine the rocks they … Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary