Author: Ian

The Plumed Basilisk

Known in Costa Rica as the “Jesus Christ lizard” for its ability to run short distances across water using both its feet and tail for support, the plumed basilisk is a species of lizard native to Latin America, with a natural habitat that ranges from Mexico to Ecuador. An excellent swimmer, Basiliscus plumifrons can stay under water for up to 30 minutes. Plumed basilisks are omnivorous and eat insects, small mammals and lizards, fruits, and flowers. What predators prey on the lizard? Discuss

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Established (1958)

NASA is an agency of the US government charged with aeronautics research and the nation’s civilian space program. During its history, it has been responsible for manned trips to the Moon, orbiting observatories, and unmanned programs that explored other planets and interplanetary space. Today, its goals include improving human understanding of the universe and establishing a permanent human presence in space. NASA was created by an act of Congress passed largely in response to what 1957 event? Discuss

Alexis de Tocqueville (1805)

Tocqueville was a French political scientist, historian, and politician. Born into an aristocratic family with ties to the king, his future in government was jeopardized by a revolution in 1830. To distance himself from the trying political situation at home, he embarked on a government-sanctioned mission to the US. Out of it came his best-known work, Democracy in America—the first analytical study of the strengths and weaknesses of US society. What conclusions did Tocqueville draw in it? Discuss

Homo Floresiensis

Since their discovery on the Indonesian island of Flores in 2003, small, hominid remains—labeled Homo floresiensis—have divided scientists into two camps. While some believe the remains are the bones of a modern human with a disorder that results in a smaller-than-average skull, others see them as evidence of a newly discovered species in the genus Homo that lived among modern humans and survived until as recently as 12,000 years ago. What arguments have been raised by both sides? Discuss

Summer Jam at Watkins Glen (1973)

Summer Jam at Watkins Glen was a 1973 rock festival that drew more attendees than any pop music festival before it. An estimated 600,000 fans flocked to the Watkins Glen Grand Prix Raceway outside of Watkins Glen, New York, to see performances by The Allman Brothers Band, The Band, and the Grateful Dead. In fact, so many concertgoers arrived early that the bands performed an impromptu concert during their sound checks the day before the festival. Who was the only person to die at the festival? Discuss

Beatrix Potter (1866)

Potter was an English author and illustrator whose 23 children’s books, featuring her delicate drawings and watercolor paintings, are considered classics today. When she was 27, she sent an illustrated story to a sick boy whose mother, Potter’s former governess, encouraged her to publish it. This became her first book, The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Now one of the best-selling children’s books of all time, it was initially rejected by publishers. How did Potter respond to this setback? Discuss

Cargo Cults

First appearing in the late 19th c. but particularly prevalent after WWII, when many Pacific Islanders witnessed airdrops of supplies, cargo cults are the unorthodox religious movements that appeared in tribal societies after interaction with Westerners. Believing fallen cargo came from divine spirits who would send more upon seeing rituals based on the foreigners’ behavior, the tribes built straw airplanes, radios made of coconuts, and other pseudo-Western items. Do any cargo cults exist today? Discuss