Daily Content Archive
(as of Monday, July 6, 2015)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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vibrissa
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| Article of the Day | |
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 Witch HazelWitch hazel refers to a family of trees and shrubs found in Japan, China, and North America. They are deciduous shrubs that usually grow 10-26 ft (3-8 m) tall but can reach 40 ft (12 m). The fruit of the witch hazel is a two-parted capsule, 1 cm long, that bursts in Autumn and shoots seeds up to 33 ft (10 m) away. The plant's hard wood is used in cabinet making, and an astringent is extracted from its bark and leaves. The plant's branches have been used in what form of divination? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Louis Pasteur Successfully Tests His Rabies Vaccine (1885)Pasteur was a pioneer in the field of germ theory. In 1881, the inventor of pasteurization perfected a way to isolate and weaken germs, and he went on to develop a vaccine against anthrax in sheep. He soon turned his attention to researching rabies. In 1885, he inoculated a 9-year-old boy who had been badly mauled by a rabid dog. The vaccine likely prevented the boy from contracting rabies, which then meant certain death. How did Pasteur's chickens accidentally get vaccinated against cholera? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Merv Griffin (1925)Originally a singer and nightclub performer, Griffin first achieved wider fame in the early 1950s with the hit song I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts. He then shifted his focus to television, hosting The Merv Griffin Show from 1965 to 1986. He created the popular game shows Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! and wrote the latter's famous theme song. Later, he invested in casinos, resorts, and hotels. What humorous epitaph was inscribed on his gravestone? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 A mother is a mother still,The holiest thing alive. Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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does (exactly) what it says on the tin— (Something) does precisely what it claims or is supposed to do. Primarily heard in UK, Ireland. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Gettysburg Civil War Heritage Days (2017)The Battle of Gettysburg on July 1–3, 1863, marked a turning point in the American Civil War. The battle did not end the war, but the Confederate army was turned back, and it never recovered from its losses. With 51,000 casualties and 5,000 dead horses, it ranks as the bloodiest battle in American history. Every year since 1983 the anniversary of the battle has been commemorated at the Gettysburg National Military Park. There are band concerts, a Civil War battle reenactment, lectures by nationally known historians, and a Civil War collectors' show. More... | |
| In the News | |
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Simple Sniff Test Could Detect AutismThe way children sniff different aromas could form the basis of a test to accurately detect autism, a new study has found. Researchers have found that autistic children go right on sniffing in the same way, no matter how pleasant or awful the scent is. The ... More... | |