Sugar on Snow

Called “maple taffee” in English-speaking Canada, “tire d’érable” in French-speaking Canada, and “sugar on snow” in the US, maple candy is a confection made with just two ingredients: maple sap and snow. Part of traditional culture in Quebec and northern New England, the sweet is made by boiling maple sap to a certain temperature and pouring it in its molten state onto clean snow. The cold causes it to rapidly thicken, and it is served fresh. What unlikely food is often paired with the treat? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Man, 71, Burned His Retina Looking at Eclipse as a Teen: ‘Why take a chance with your eyes?’

A 20-second look at the sun in 1962 cost Lou Tomososki much of the sight in his right eye. So he has some words of advice for kids and teens tempted to look at the upcoming solar eclipse: You’ll be sorry! “Why take a chance with your eyes?” the 71-year-old … Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Demon Core Goes Critical (1945)

The Demon Core was a plutonium core—used in nuclear testing at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico—so nicknamed because it resulted in the deaths of two scientists in separate accidents. In 1945, Harry Daghlian accidentally dropped a tungsten carbide brick onto the core, causing it to go “critical,” or achieve a chain reaction of nuclear fission. Daghlian stopped the reaction, but died from radiation poisoning a month later. What happened to the second scientist nine months later? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Klondike Gold Discovery Day

On August 17, 1896, George Washington Carmack discovered gold at Bonanza Creek in northwestern Canada’s Yukon Territory. His discovery triggered a huge gold rush and an enormous influx of American miners and traders. To this day, mining remains the area’s most important industry. Also known as Discovery Day, this important event in Canada’s history is observed as a public holiday in the Yukon. The city of Dawson celebrates with various special events, including a parade, musical entertainment, bathtub races, and, of course, panning for gold. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Wilt Chamberlain (1936)

One of the greatest offensive players in the history of basketball, “Wilt the Stilt” set many records and led the National Basketball Association in scoring every season from 1959 to 1965. He played in his hometown of Philadelphia with the Warriors and 76ers, and later with California’s Los Angeles Lakers. He holds the records for both most points in a single game—100—and most rebounds in a single game—55, which he achieved against his long-time rival Bill Russell. How tall was Chamberlain? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Kea

The kea, a type of parrot endemic to New Zealand, is a crow-sized omnivore that typically feeds on plants, insects, and other birds. Dubbed “the clown of the mountains,” it is a curious and playful bird and has been known to fly off with small items left unguarded by their human owners. Their population has declined considerably, largely due to the fact that the New Zealand government once paid a bounty for kea bills. The birds were targeted because they occasionally prey on what large mammal? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Cease-Fire Declared in Iran-Iraq War (1988)

On September 22, 1980, Iraqi forces invaded Iran, which was still struggling in the aftermath of its revolution. The resulting war—ostensibly a territorial dispute—turned into a bloody stalemate that saw the first widespread use of chemical warfare since World War I. An estimated 1.5 million people were killed in the conflict. After nearly eight years, the United Nations mandated a cease-fire. Both sides held thousands of prisoners of war for years. When were the last prisoners exchanged? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary