Daily Content Archive
(as of Saturday, January 25, 2020)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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teetotal
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| Article of the Day | |
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 Perpetual MotionThe expression "perpetual motion" arose in connection to the quest for a mechanism that, once set in motion, would continue to do useful work without an external source of energy. A mechanism using this type of motion, now called perpetual motion of the first kind, would clearly violate the now firmly established principle of conservation of energy. Still, this fact has not deterred inventors throughout history from proposing hypothetical perpetual motion machines. What are some of them? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Grand Rapids, Michigan, Becomes First US City to Fluoridate Its Water (1945)Around 1901, dentist Frederick McKay began to research why many Colorado residents' teeth were stained brown yet were also cavity-free. The culprit, as it turned out, was fluoride. Though it can discolor teeth in large doses, fluoride also prevents decay. Grand Rapids, Michigan, became the first US city to experiment with adding fluoride to its water supply. The rate of cavities plummeted, and fluoridation became a national health policy. What do conspiracy theorists allege about fluoridation? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Anne of Brittany (1477)Upon her father's death in 1488, Anne became the sovereign duchess of Brittany—and her hand in marriage became very valuable. When she was forced to become queen of France by marrying Charles VIII at age 14, her marriage contract stipulated that whichever spouse survived the longest could keep Brittany. Charles died first, but Anne was then forced to marry his successor. Until her death, she fought in vain to preserve Brittany's autonomy within France. Who was technically her first husband? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 We ought to see far enough into a hypocrite to see even his sincerity.Gilbert Chesterton (1874-1936) | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Burns Night (2021)Burns Night is the anniversary of the birthday of Scottish poet Robert Burns. The day is celebrated not only in Scotland but also in Newfoundland, and wherever there are devotees of this lusty poet. The celebrations generally take the form of recitations of Burns's poetry, the imbibing of quantities of single-malt Scotch whiskey, and the serving of haggis, a Scottish dish made of a sheep's or calf's innards (liver, heart, etc.) boiled in its stomach. At the point of the carving of the haggis, it is traditional to recite "To a Haggis," with its line, "Great chieftain o' the pudding race!" More... | |