Daily Content Archive

Word of the Day
analgesic Definition: (noun) A medicine used to relieve pain. Synonyms: anodyne, painkiller Usage: An over-the-counter analgesic is not going to suffice for this pain.

Article of the Day

Spark Gap A spark gap consists of two electrodes that are separated—usually by air—to allow a spark to form between them. Small spark gaps are used to ignite combustion in engines, and huge spark gaps are used in high-voltage switches at electrical substations. Spark gaps can also be used in novelty devices such as the "Jacob's ladder," in which electric arcs continuously stream upward between two wires. How are such toys dangerous to houseplants? More...

This Day in History

The "Flying Tailor" Dies after Failed Parachute Jump from Eiffel Tower (1912) Parachutes at the dawn of the aviation age were bulky and, inconveniently, had to be pre-opened. Among those trying to improve upon their design was French tailor Franz Reichelt. He had some success testing his designs on dummies, but he had no evidence that his parachute would work with a real person when he jumped from the Eiffel Tower before a crowd of spectators and reporters. The chute failed to open, and he plummeted to his death. How had he convinced the authorities to allow the jump? More...

Today's Birthday

Charles Lindbergh (1902) In 1927, Lindbergh, an American aviator, made the first nonstop solo flight across the Atlantic in 33.5 hours, landing in Paris to a hero's welcome. He returned to the US a celebrity but moved to England in 1932 to escape the media frenzy surrounding the kidnapping and murder of his son. Returning to the US in 1940, he faced criticism for opposing US entry into WWII. Still, he flew combat missions for the US during the war. He helped invent what device that made open-heart surgery possible? More...

Quotation of the Day
To be different from your fellow creatures is always a misfortune. L. Frank Baum (1856-1919)

Idiom of the Day
lust for power — Intense, insatiable desire to attain power and control. More...

Today's Holiday

Sri Lanka National Day (2024) The former British colony of Ceylon changed its name in 1972 to Sri Lanka, which means "Blessed Isle." Sri Lankans commemorate the granting of their independence from Great Britain on February 4, 1948, with public gatherings throughout the island and special services in the temples, churches, and mosques. There are also parades, folk dances, processions, and national games. More...