Daily Content Archive
(as of Friday, January 22, 2021)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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yesteryear
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| Article of the Day | |
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 SuperfluidWith the lowest melting and boiling points of any known substance, helium—alone among the elements—will not solidify even as its temperature approaches absolute zero. Instead, it takes on extremely unusual physical properties, as physicists discovered in 1937. It becomes a superfluid. With zero entropy, zero viscosity, and extremely high thermal conductivity, superfluid helium can overcome friction to climb out of an open jar. What does superfluid helium do if placed in a rotating container? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Swiss Guard Arrives at the Vatican (1506)Though various units of Swiss Guards have existed throughout history, the most famous unit—and the only one remaining—is responsible for the safety of the Pope. Known for their colorful uniforms, the guards must be single, Swiss, and Catholic and must have completed Swiss military training. The first 150 Swiss mercenaries were invited to the Vatican during the reign of Pope Julius II. In 1527, 147 of the Swiss Guards were killed while helping the Pope escape from whom? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Pierre Gassendi (1592)As a priest and a professor, Gassendi lectured on theology in his native southeastern France. However, as a philosopher, scientist, and astronomer, he was compelled to try to reconcile his scientific beliefs with the teachings of the church. Dissatisfied with the teachings of Aristotle, he came to espouse empiricism and atomism, the belief that tiny, indestructible particles form the basic building blocks of the entire universe. In 1631, he became the first person to observe what? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 The finest language is mostly made up of simple unimposing words.George Eliot (1819-1880) | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 St. Vincent's Day (2021)São Vicente St. Vincent of Saragossa is the patron saint of Lisbon, Portugal. In Lisbon, people celebrate his feast day with processions and prayers. But in the surrounding rural areas, there are a number of folk traditions associated with this day. Farmers believe that by carrying a resin torch to the top of a high hill on January 22, they can predict what the coming harvest will be like. If the wind extinguishes the flame, the crops will be abundant; if the torch continues to burn, a poor growing season lies ahead. More... | |