Daily Content Archive
(as of Tuesday, October 27, 2020)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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poppycock
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| Article of the Day | |
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 Messel PitOne of the most significant fossil sites in the world, the Messel Pit is a former shale quarry in Germany. About 47 million years ago during the Eocene Epoch, the area was home to a lake, and archaeologists hypothesize that it periodically released clouds of poisonous volcanic gases. Insects, fish, birds, and mammals that died there were preserved with incredible detail—down to fur and feathers—in the lake's sediment. Prehistoric versions of what modern animals have been found there? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Treaty of Madrid Signed (1795)The Treaty of Madrid—also called Pinckney's Treaty or the Treaty of San Lorenzo—was an agreement between the fledgling nation of the United States and colonial Spain. It defined the boundaries between the US and Spanish colonies to the south and west, and it secured the US rights to navigate the Mississippi River, which was a critical waterway for trade. The signatories also agreed not to incite native tribes to warfare. The borders defined by this treaty correspond to what boundaries today? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Niccolò Paganini (1782)An Italian violinist and composer whose virtuosity is the stuff of legend, Paganini was playing with an orchestra by the age of nine. By the time he reached adulthood, the renowned violinist had also earned a reputation as a shameless womanizer and inveterate gambler. The latter vice once even cost him his prized violin. Nevertheless, he had a profound influence on the evolution of violin technique. Why did the Catholic Church deny him burial in consecrated ground for years following his death? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 But there, everything has its drawbacks, as the man said when his mother-in-law died, and they came down upon him for the funeral expenses.Jerome K. Jerome (1859-1927) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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enough (something) to choke Caligula's horse— A lot of something. The phrase likely mentions Caligula because the Roman emperor was known for his penchant for excess. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 St. Vincent and the Grenadines Independence and Thanksgiving Day (2022)A group of islands in the West Indies, St. Vincent and the Grenadines gained independence from Britain on October 27, 1979, and its citizens celebrate their freedom with this national holiday. More... | |