Definition: (noun) A faint glowing spot in the sky, exactly opposite the position of the sun.
Synonyms: counterglow.
Usage: The gegenschein is so faint that it cannot be seen if there is any moonlight or if it falls in the vicinity of the Milky Way.
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Source: The Free Dictionary
English illustrator Edward Whymper developed an interest in mountaineering after being sent to sketch the mountain scenery of Switzerland in 1860. In 1865, after several failed attempts, he and his expedition party became the first to climb the Matterhorn—one of the last Alpine mountains to be ascended. Tragically, during the descent, four of his companions were killed in a fall. Whymper describes his experiences in Scrambles Amongst the Alps. What did he write about the accident? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
The first Native American to be beatified, Kateri Tekakwitha (1656-1680) is a venerated figure among both Catholics and Native Americans. Catholic churches hold mass on her feast day, during which congregants may offer prayers to God through her intercession. Among the North American churches and shrines, sites that have noteworthy feast day celebrations are the National Kateri Shrine in Fonda, New York, where she first encountered Christianity, and the Kateri Center at the Saint Francis-Xavier Mission at Kahnawake, Quebec, where she lived following her conversion. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
An American journalist, playwright, and diplomat, Noah was the first Jew born in the United States to reach national prominence. After finding success as a diplomat, Noah held several public offices in New York City, edited and founded many newspapers, including the New York Enquirer and The Evening Star, and wrote plays such as She Would Be a Soldier. In the 1820s, he unsuccessfully attempted to buy Grand Island in the Niagara River to use for what purpose? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Marco Polo was a Venetian trader and explorer who, together with his father Niccolò and his uncle Maffeo, was one of the first Westerners to travel the Silk Road to China and visit with Genghis Khan’s grandson, Kublai Khan. Polo helped generate extraordinary interest in the Far East among Europeans, and his book, Il Milione, was an instant hit at a time when books had to be painstakingly copied by hand. What famous explorer carried a heavily annotated copy of Polo’s book? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Definition: (noun) A person from a foreign country; a foreigner.
Synonyms: alien, foreigner, noncitizen.
Usage: As long as the number of outlanders remained small, the natives were friendly toward them.
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Source: The Free Dictionary
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The iconic Hollywood sign overlooking the community and spelling out its name in 50-foot (15-meter) high white letters originally said “Hollywoodland” and was erected as an advertisement for a real estate firm promoting a new housing development with that name. Though not intended to be permanent, the sign quickly became an internationally recognized landmark, and the last four letters were removed in 1949. What are some of the ways that pranksters have altered the sign over the years? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
This event takes place on the Pierre St. Martin, in the Pyrenées Mountains between Spain and France, on July 13 every year. Representatives of the French valley of Barétous and those of the Spanish valley of Roncal meet at the summit at 10 o’clock in the morning and pile their hands on top of each other’s in a show of friendship. Then the French hand over three cows, which must be healthy two-year-olds. This tribute was imposed by treaty in 1375, when the two valleys were at war with each other, and the Roncal cowmen emerged as the victors. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Alberto Ascari was just 7 years old when his racecar driver father was killed in the 1925 French Grand Prix, but that did not deter him from following in his father’s footsteps. He went on to become a successful driver and remains one of only two Italian Formula One World Champions in the history of the sport. In 1955, he was thrown from his car during a crash and killed. Both he and his father were 36 when they died. What other eerie similarities exist between his death and that of his father? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Conchs are marine gastropod mollusks with heavy, spiral shells with overlapping whorls. Unlike other gastropods, which crawl, conchs move by jumping. Most conchs are carnivorous, feeding on bivalve mollusks. Their shells are used for carving cameos in Europe and are sometimes made into crude instruments by removing the small tip of the shell to form a mouthpiece. In popular folklore, it is believed that the ocean can be heard if one holds an open conch shell to the ear. How does it work? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary