Daily Content Archive
(as of Saturday, December 1, 2018)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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chef-d'oeuvre
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| Article of the Day | |
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 TheobromineClosely related to caffeine, theobromine is a toxic alkaloid found in cocoa, chocolate products, tea, and cola nuts. Also known as xantheose, it is bitter and colorless and acts as a diuretic, vasodilator, cardiac stimulant, and smooth muscle relaxant. Despite its name, the compound contains no bromine—a corrosive, toxic liquid element. Rather, its name is derived from the genus of the cacao tree, Theobroma, which is made up of the Greek roots theo and broma and means what? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 The Antarctic Treaty Is Signed (1959)Following 18 months of successful international cooperation and research on the icy, southern continent, 12 countries signed a treaty officially designating Antarctica a non-militarized international region to be used solely for scientific purposes. Today, scientists perform research there year-round, with citizens of multiple nations working side by side. In 2006, an unusual legal situation arose when New Zealand police were unable to fully investigate what suspicious incident in Antarctica? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Dame Alicia Markova (1910)Markova was a well-known English ballerina. She made her debut with Sergey Diaghilev's Ballets Russes in 1924 and later became the first prima ballerina of what is now the Royal Ballet. Noted for her ethereal grace and lightness, she excelled in classic roles and was celebrated as the lead in Giselle. She formed several ballet companies with Anton Dolin and served as director of the Metropolitan Opera Ballet for six years. How old was she when she retired from dancing? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 In time we hate that which we often fear.William Shakespeare (1564-1616) | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Romania National Day (2020)The national holiday of Romania has been celebrated since 1990, after the fall of the Romanian Communist Party head Nicolae Ceausescu, with military parades, speeches, and a holiday from work. This day marks the unification in 1918 of Romania and Transylvania and the formation of the Romanian state within its present-day boundaries. Romania's full independence had been recognized in 1878, but Transylvania had remained outside the new state. On December 1, a Romanian assembly passed the resolution of unity celebrated on National Day. More... | |