Definition: (adjective) Straightforward; not fanciful or imaginative.
Synonyms: matter-of-fact.
Usage: It is to be a cold, prosaic, matter-of-fact business proposition.
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Month: February 2024
Carbon-14 Discovered (1940)
Carbon-14 is a radioactive isotope of carbon having a mass number of 14 and a half-life of approximately 5,700 years. It occurs naturally, arising from cosmic rays, and is used as a tracer in studies of metabolism and in radiocarbon dating—a method of determining the age of carbonaceous, once-living material. Carbon-14 was discovered by Martin Kamen and Sam Ruben at the University of California Radiation Laboratory, but its existence had been predicted six years earlier by whom? Discuss
John Steinbeck (1902)
Steinbeck was an American writer perhaps best remembered for his strong, Pulitzer Prize-winning sociological novel The Grapes of Wrath, which is widely considered one of the great American novels of the 20th century. His later novels include Cannery Row, The Pearl, and East of Eden. He received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962. One of Steinbeck’s last works was Travels with Charley, a travelogue about a road trip across America. Who was Charley? Discuss
beer muscles
An inflated notion of one’s strength, ego, or bravado due to excess consumption of alcohol (not necessarily beer). Watch the video
The Space Pen
Marketers of the Space Pen claim that the writing implement can be used in zero gravity, upside down, underwater, over wet paper, at any angle, and in extreme temperatures. The pen, which was invented by American industrialist Paul C. Fisher, uses pressurized ink cartridges to force thixotropic ink through its tungsten carbide ballpoint. Though standard ballpoint pens can be used in space, both the American and Russian space programs use Fisher’s pen. Why is it dangerous to use pencils in space? Discuss
pillbox
The February 26 Incident (1936)
The February 26 Incident was an attempted military coup in Japan launched by a radical faction of the Imperial Japanese Army that sought to stamp out corruption and poverty in rural Japan by assassinating certain elder statesmen. Before the coup was suppressed, the rebels managed to briefly occupy the center of Tokyo and kill several leading politicians, including the finance minister. The prime minister, however, survived thanks to a case of mistaken identity. Who was killed in his place? Discuss
Victor-Marie Hugo (1802)
Hugo was a French poet, dramatist, and novelist. The son of a general, he was an accomplished poet before age 20. With his verse drama Cromwell in 1827, he emerged as an important figure in Romanticism. His best-known novels are The Hunchback of Notre Dame, an evocation of medieval life, and Les Misérables, the story of the convict Jean Valjean. Their immense popularity made him the most successful writer in the world at that time. Why was Hugo forced into exile in 1851? Discuss
Faustian bargain
An agreement, bargain, or deal in which a person sacrifices or abandons their moral, ethical, or spiritual values in favor of wealth, power, or other benefits. A reference to the legend of Faust, who sold his soul to the devil for unlimited knowledge and power. Watch the video
Dissociative Amnesia
Dissociative amnesia is a loss of personal memory caused by a severe psychological trauma. Because the amnesia does not result from physiological trauma, such as a brain injury or disease, it is often treated with psychological therapy. While dissociative amnesia is often associated with particular events or periods of time, in its most radical form there is a total abandonment of personal identity and memory. How was “truth serum” used to treat dissociative amnesia during World War II? Discuss