Month: September 2021

Averageness

In studies of attractiveness, researchers have found that average faces—those with the most conventional traits—are rated as the most attractive. Such studies often use composite photography, a tool developed in the 19th century by Sir Francis Galton, who believed that he could use composite images to identify “types” by facial appearance. Hypothesizing that certain types have similar facial features, he began creating composite photos of the faces of criminals and vegetarians. What did he find? Discuss

rubber

awareness band, awareness bracelet – An awareness band or awareness bracelet is made of rubber or fabric on which a slogan is written, usually sold to raise awareness for charitable causes. More…

Macintosh – A raincoat, named for Charles Macintosh (Scottish inventor, 1766-1843), who discovered how to waterproof fabric with rubber. More…

rubber – In the sense of the latex of the rubber plant, it is so called because you can rub out pencil marks with it, not the other way around. More…

amorphous – Something amorphous has no real shape or is irregularly shaped—like pudding; an amorphous solid lacks the perfect ordered structure of crystals. Other examples are glass, polymers, and rubber. More…

The Fra Mauro Map

Commissioned by King Alfonso V of Portugal, Venetian monk and cartographer Fra Mauro and his assistant Andrea Bianco completed a world map in 1459. Strange by today’s standards, the map is oriented with the south at the top, as was Arab tradition. Fra Mauro used Marco Polo’s travelogues for information about Asia and was one of the first Western cartographers to represent Japan. The map also features a detailed description of Africa, which encouraged Portuguese exploration. Where is the map now? Discuss

similarity

eye rhyme – A similarity between words in spelling but not pronunciation—like dove and move. More…

icon – Originally a “simile” in rhetoric; its etymological idea is of “similarity,” from Greek eikon, “likeness, similarity.” More…

goose pimples – Named for their similarity to the skin of a plucked goose. More…

lens – From Latin for “lentil,” because of the similarity in shape. More…

Fiestas Patrias

Fiestas Patrias is the great national two-day holiday in Chile celebrating Independence Day, September 18, and Army Day, September 19. In the days preceding the holiday, fondas (fairs) pop up throughout Chile, and it is a popular time for Chilean rodeos. Huasos (cowboys) compete against one another by attempting to pin a calf against the wall of the medialuna, or arena, with their horse, and are awarded points based on which part of the horse is touching the calf. Because September marks the beginning of spring in Chile, Fiestas Patrias is also a popular occasion for kite flying. Discuss