Intellectual Property

Intellectual property is an umbrella term for the various legal entitlements associated with certain names, literary works, recorded media, and inventions. The holders of such entitlements may exercise various exclusive rights in relation to the use of their intellectual property. The concept is controversial because it implies that intellectual works—so-called products of the mind—are analogous to physical property. What is the difference between a copyright, a trademark, and a patent? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Perfect Numbers

In mathematics, a perfect number is an integer that is the sum of all of its proper, positive divisors not including the number itself. The first perfect number is 6, because 1, 2, and 3 are its proper, positive divisors and 1+2+3=6. Euclid, a Hellenistic mathematician living in the third century BCE, discovered a formula that identifies the first four perfect numbers. What is the second number in this set? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Lafarge Poisoning Case

In one of the first trials followed by the public through daily newspaper reports, Frenchwoman Marie-Fortunée Lafarge, who stood accused of poisoning her husband with arsenic, was found guilty of murder. Her conviction in 1840 was the first to be based heavily on direct forensic toxicological evidence. During the trial, local experts presented contradictory testimony regarding the presence of arsenic in the victim’s body, and it was ultimately exhumed and tested using what new detection method? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Space-Time

In physics, space-time is a four-dimensional continuum consisting of three dimensions in space and one dimension in time. This mathematical model, which is an integral part of Einstein’s relativity theory, combines space and time into a single continuum that allows physicists to more uniformly describe the workings of the universe. The merger of space and time is often represented as a measure of distance expressed in units of time. What novelists have referenced the topic of space-time? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Polymers

Both DNA and plastic, two seemingly unrelated materials, are classified as polymers, compounds of usually high molecular weight consisting of a number of structural units linked together by covalent bonds. A diverse assortment of natural and synthetic materials comprises the class of polymers, including hair, polyester, and shellac. Polymers are even used in the production of microprocessor parts. What is the process that produces polymers called? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Parahumans

Once solely a concept of science-fiction, the parahuman, or human-animal hybrid, has recently entered the realm of reality. Efforts to combine genes from different species for medical and industrial purposes are now fairly common. Though such research could prove useful for the production of drugs and transplant-ready organs, it has raised numerous ethical, moral, and legal issues. Have scientists created human-animal hybrid embryos? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Pica

Characterized by the consumption of materials such as soil, chalk, and hair, pica is a disorder involving an appetite for non-nutritive substances or an abnormal compulsion to eat foodstuffs that are usually ingredients, such as flour or starch. Such eating behaviors have been observed in people of all ages but are only termed pica if they persist for more than one month in persons deemed developmentally able to determine whether an item is appropriate for consumption. How is pica treated? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Total Solar Eclipse of 1999

Often considered the most-viewed total solar eclipse in human history, the eclipse of August 11, 1999, was the first total eclipse visible from Europe in nearly a decade. The path of the moon’s shadow began in the Atlantic Ocean just before noon and traversed England, France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, and Serbia before reaching maximum coverage in Romania and continuing across Bulgaria, the Black Sea, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, and India. What spacecraft also observed the moon’s shadow? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Carnivorous Plants

Usually found in places with thin or nutrient-poor soil, carnivorous plants derive some or most of their sustenance by attracting, trapping, and digesting insects, small animals, and protozoans. Though there are hundreds of species of carnivorous plants, they all attract and trap prey using any of 5 basic mechanisms: pitfall traps, flypaper traps, snap traps, bladder traps, and lobster-pot traps. Just two species are classified as “active” snap traps; one is the Venus flytrap, what is the other? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Subvertising

Subvertising is the practice of making spoofs or parodies of corporate and political advertisements. Taking its name from a combination of the words “subvert” and “advertising,” the act is often intended to sabotage its targets by presenting easily recognizable images that are shocking upon second glance. Still, some critics say subverts, which are often modified versions of existing images, merely increase public awareness of the original symbols. How have subverts been used politically? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary