Skydiving

Andre-Jaques Garnerin used his invention, the parachute, when he undertook the first jump from a hot air balloon in 1797. Since then, parachuting, or skydiving, has been utilized in military operations as well as for recreation and sport. Skydiving typically involves jumping from an aircraft at an altitude of about 4,000 m (13,000 ft), free-falling, and then deploying a parachute to slow the landing. Who holds the record for the highest parachute jump in history? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Poison Dart Frog

These frogs belong to the family Dendrobatidae, a group of small, diurnal, often brightly colored frogs native to Central and South America. These frogs secrete poisonous alkaloids through their skin, which ranges in color from bright orange to black and blue. Most poison frogs are not toxic to humans or animals, but a few secrete a potent neurotoxin that can kill within minutes. Why is it that poison frogs captured from the wild and fed a typical captive diet lose their toxicity? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Jonesboro School Massacre

On March 24, 1998, Mitchell Johnson, age 13, and Andrew Golden, age 11, opened fire on students and teachers at their Arkansas middle school. Johnson hid in a wooded area and waited while Golden set off the school’s fire alarm. Then, as the building was being evacuated, the two boys shot and killed four students and a teacher; another 10 people were wounded in the shooting. Both boys were apprehended, tried, and convicted. When were they released from custody? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Isolation Tanks

In 1954, John C. Lilly developed the isolation tank to test the effects of sensory deprivation. Such tanks are intended to completely deprive the brain of any external stimulation; they are lightless, soundproof, and filled with warm saltwater to promote flotation and reduce skin sensation. Isolation tanks are now used for meditation, relaxation, and in alternative medicine. A therapeutic session typically lasts an hour, and it is reportedly common to experience what during the first 40 minutes? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Nauvoo Temple

After Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints, and his Mormon followers were forced to flee Missouri in 1839, they established a new community in Nauvoo, Illinois. They soon set to building a grandiose temple, but construction was only half complete when Smith was assassinated in 1844. Two years later, the Mormons were driven from that city as well. They tried to sell their temple for $200,000, but it ultimately sold for what greatly reduced price? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Ibn Battuta

In 1325, Ibn Battuta embarked on an extraordinary 75,000-mile (120,675-km) journey via Mecca to Egypt, East Africa, India, and China. He set out at age 21 and returned home some 30 years later. No other medieval traveler is known to have journeyed so extensively. The details of his travels are recorded in a narrative titled The Adventures of Ibn Battuta. His inventions and academic work are also renowned. What nearly cost Ibn Battuta his life en route to China? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Tootsie Rolls

The Tootsie Roll chocolatey chew has a long history that begins in New York City in 1896. Leo Hirshfield invented the candy as a non-melting, economical alternative to traditional chocolates. Tootsie Rolls were so hardy, in fact, that they were added to soldiers’ rations during WWII. As of 2003, Tootsie Roll Industries, Inc. was producing 60 million Tootsie Rolls and 20 million Tootsie Pops, lollipops with a Tootsie Roll filling, every day. During what era did the Tootsie Pop gain popularity? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Recapitulation Theory

The now discredited theory of recapitulation, also known as the biogenetic law, states that the stages in an organism’s embryonic development and differentiation (ontogeny) correspond to the stages of evolutionary development characteristic to its species (phylogeny). Ernst Haeckel, who proposed the theory in 1866, produced a number of controversial embryo drawings to support this premise. How did he interpret the presence of gill slits in human embryos? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Pulse Palpation

A pulse is caused by the alternate expansion and contraction of artery walls as heart action varies blood volume within the arteries. The arteries become distended during systole, or heart contraction, and their walls contract during diastole, when the heart relaxes. The pulse, measured in beats per minute, can be felt at a number of points throughout the human body, but is most commonly palpated at the wrist or neck. Where are the pulse points in the lower limbs? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Earth First!

In 1980, a group of radical environmental activists formed the group Earth First!, pledging “No Compromise in Defense of Mother Earth!” In 1985, the group held its first “tree sit,” in which members sat in and around trees to prevent logging. From about 1987 on, the group turned to direct action tactics and attracted many new members. Though the organization has its roots in the US, chapters have developed in countries spanning the globe. What was the Merseyside Dock Action? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary