Author: Ian

Svetlana Savitskaya Becomes the First Woman to Perform a Spacewalk (1984)

Savitskaya is a former Soviet female aviator and cosmonaut who flew aboard Soyuz T-7 in 1982, becoming the second woman in space some 19 years after Valentina Tereshkova. She logged nearly 20 days in space during her career, including three and a half hours spent outside the Salyut 7 space station in 1984, when she became the first woman to perform a spacewalk. Before becoming a cosmonaut, she was a test and sport pilot and a parachutist. What world records did she set? Discuss

The Philosopher's Stone

Long sought as the “holy grail” of Western alchemy, the philosopher’s stone is a legendary substance that is supposedly capable of turning inexpensive metals into gold and is believed by some to have the power to restore youth. At one time, alchemists believed a key ingredient of the stone was a mythical element called “carmot.” According to legend, to whom did 13th-century scientist Albertus Magnus give the philosopher’s stone after discovering it shortly before his death? Discuss

Phrygia

In antiquity, Phrygia was a kingdom in the west-central part of the Anatolia, the site of modern Turkey. The Phrygian people settled in the area around 1200 BCE and established a kingdom in the 8th century BCE before being conquered and becoming part of the Persian, Greek, and Roman empires. Phrygia developed an advanced Bronze Age culture and the earliest traditions of Greek music were derived from the area. Who was the mythic Phrygian king who was given the “golden touch”? Discuss

Hiram Bingham III Locates Machu Picchu (1911)

Bingham was an American archaeologist who explored the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu, which he incorrectly identified as the “lost city” of Vilcabamba, bringing them to the attention of the outside world for the first time. Ironically, he was also the first modern explorer to reach Espiritu Pampa, found 60 mi (110 km) east of Machu Picchu, a site now widely recognized as the actual remains of Vilcabamba. A Yale University lecturer, Bingham may have been the inspiration for what fictional character? Discuss

Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald (1900)

Zelda Sayre was an aspiring writer when she married F. Scott Fitzgerald in 1920. A glamorous and witty couple, they lived an extravagant life in New York City that F. Scott unsuccessfully attempted to support with his writing. They eventually moved to Europe, where they became part of a celebrated circle of American expatriates known as the Lost Generation. After 1930, Zelda was intermittently confined to sanatoriums for schizophrenia but still managed to publish short stories and what novel? Discuss

The "Gimli Glider": Air Canada Flight Runs Out of Fuel Mid-Flight (1983)

The “Gimli Glider” is the nickname given to Air Canada Flight 143, which ran out of fuel on a routine flight from Montreal to Edmonton in 1983. The crew was able to glide the aircraft safely to an emergency landing at a retired airstrip in Gimli, Manitoba, even through part of the runway had been converted into a racetrack and a large event was being held there at the time. Amazingly, no passengers or bystanders suffered any serious injuries. Why did the plane run out of fuel? Discuss

Korean Wines

In Korea, the tradition of brewing alcoholic beverages, known as ju, is a long and proud one. These beverages are generally made from rice, a major Korean crop. The many varieties of ju include liquors and fruit, flower, and medicinal wines. One variety, called ihwaju, or “pear blossom wine,” is brewed with rice malt fermented during the pear blossom season, a process that often produces a liquid so thick that it must be consumed in what way? Discuss