Daily Content Archive
(as of Friday, August 05, 2016)| Word of the Day | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
passementerie
| |||||||
| Article of the Day | |
|---|---|
 The Catacombs of ParisThe Catacombs of Paris are a network of subterranean tunnels and rooms located in Roman-era limestone quarries that were converted into a mass tomb at the end of the 18th century to curb the spread of disease due to improper burials and mass graves. Today, only a small portion of the catacombs, which span more than 186 miles, is open to the public, but many enter them illegally via secret entrances found throughout Paris. Why were the catacombs closed to the public in 2009? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
|---|---|
 First Electric Traffic Light Is Installed (1914)Prior to 1914, there had been several attempts to create automobile traffic signals similar to those used by railroads, but it was only after a four-way electric signal was installed in Cleveland, Ohio, that the modern traffic light system began to take root. The signal had only two colors, green and red, but the three-color version still in use today was not far off. What US city claims to be home to the oldest working traffic light in the country? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
|---|---|
 Neil Alden Armstrong (1930)Armstrong became a pilot at 16, studied aeronautical engineering, and won three medals as a US Navy pilot in the Korean War. He became test pilot in 1955 and joined the space program in 1962. He made history in 1969, when he became the first person to walk on the Moon, a feat he famously declared "one giant leap for mankind." Though this brought him worldwide renown, he, for the most part, avoided the limelight. What unusual legal battle did he face with his barber in 2005? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
|---|---|
 She had been forced into prudence in her youth, she learned romance as she grew older—the natural sequel of an unnatural beginning.Jane Austen (1775-1817) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
|---|---|
keep an eye peeled (for something or someone)— To remain vigilant or carefully watchful (for something or someone). More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
|---|---|
 Icelandic Festival (2017)The Icelandic Festival, or Islendingadagurinn, held in Gimli, Manitoba, each year is one of the oldest ethnic festivals in Canada, dating back to 1890. The Icelandic settlers who emigrated to Canada wanted to do something to preserve their heritage and customs, and the current festival continues to reflect this interest in Icelandic culture. The events include choral singing and cultural and artistic displays. Participants dress in native Icelandic costumes and eat traditional foods such as smoked lamb and skyr, which is similar to yogurt. More... | |
| In the News | |
|---|---|
Solving a Mystery of Mammoth ProportionsUntil recently, St. Paul Island was home to a mystery of mammoth proportions. Today the largest animals living on this 42-square mile speck of earth are a few reindeer, but once, St. Paul was woolly mammoth territory. For more than 4,000 years after the mainland ... More... | |