carfax, carrefour – A carfax or carrefour is a place where (usually four) roads or streets meet, from French carrefurcs, from Latin quadrifurcus, “four forks.” More…
multivious – Having many paths or roads. More…
invious – Describes something that is pathless or without roads. More…
jiggle-bars, rumble strips – The rough spots intentionally created on the sides of roads to alert drivers are jiggle-bars or rumble strips. More…
At just 15 years of age, Ellen Turner, the eligible daughter of a wealthy English mill owner, caught the attention of Edward Gibbon Wakefield. Following his wife’s death, he hatched a plan to kidnap and marry Turner, thereby gaining access to her sizeable inheritance. After convincing the mistresses at Turner’s boarding school that her father had sent for her, Wakefield abducted the young girl and married her. Turner’s family, however, soon had him arrested. What became of Wakefield? Discuss
The birthday of naturalist and plant breeder Luther Burbank (1849-1926) is observed in California in much the same way Arbor Day is observed in other states—that is, with activities promoting the value of natural resources and the protection of trees and birds. Burbank moved from his native Massachusetts to Santa Rosa, California, in 1875 and spent the rest of his life there experimenting with new varieties of fruits, flowers, and vegetables. On March 7, a birthday and Arbor Day celebration is held at the Luther Burbank Home and Gardens. Discuss
Dutschke was an important figure in the Socialist German Student Union and the most prominent spokesperson of the left-wing German student movement of the 1960s, a movement aimed at creating a more democratic society. In 1968, Dutschke survived an assassination attempt, in which a disgruntled anti-communist shot him in the head. Dutschke lived more than a decade before suffering a seizure in the bathtub and drowning on December 24, 1979. How had his shooting disrupted a German newspaper empire? Discuss
adjective (used before a noun) Characterized by a rise from poverty to great or exceptional wealth. Watch the video
Curling is a precision sport played on ice with heavy polished stones. Two teams of four curlers each play this game, which is most popular in Canada, but is played all over the world. When did curling become an official Winter Olympic sport? Discuss
reptile, amphibian – A reptile has dry, scaly skin, while an amphibian has moist skin. More…
herptile – Another word for reptile or amphibian. More…
spear – The sting of a reptile or insect. More…
herpetology – The branch of zoology dealing with amphibians and reptiles, based on Greek herpeton, “creeping thing.” More…
The periodic table is a tabular display of all known chemical elements arranged according to the periodic law discovered by Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev. The elements are arranged in columns and rows according to increasing atomic number, which is defined as the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom. The table summarizes the major properties of the elements and enables predictions to be made about their behavior. How many elements currently appear on the periodic table? Discuss
Known as Gyeongchip in Korea and as Ching Che in China, the Feast of Excited Insects marks the transition from winter to spring. It is the day when the insects are said to come back to life after hibernating all winter. In China, it is the day when “the dragon raises his head,” summoning the insects back to life, and people perform various rituals designed to prepare for the onslaught. In Korea, this is one of 24 days in the lunar calendar that marks the beginning of a new season. Farmers prepare their fields and begin planting their barley, cabbage, and other vegetables. Discuss