Daily Content Archive
(as of Monday, November 20, 2017)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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redoubtable
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| Article of the Day | |
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 Twenty-Mule TeamsIn 1883, miners seeking to transport the mineral borax from mines in Death Valley to the nearest railroad spur, 165 miles (266 km) away in Mojave, California, came up with a novel solution: massive wagons hauled by teams of 18 mules and two horses. When fully loaded, the caravans weighed 36.6 tons (33.2 tonnes) and stretched over 100 feet (30 m). The teams hauled more than 20 million pounds (9,000 tonnes) of borax over a six-year period. Why were two horses included on each mule team? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Oil Rig Accidentally Drains Lake Peigneur (1980)When Leonce Viator, Jr., set out in his boat for a day of fishing on Louisiana's Lake Peigneur, he never imagined he would end up fighting for his life. But that is exactly what happened after an oil rig on the lake's surface accidentally bored through the roof of a salt mine beneath it. Like a bathtub whose plug has been pulled, the lake began draining into the mine, creating a whirlpool that sucked in not just water but barges, trees, and acres of surrounding land. What happened to Viator? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Selma Lagerlöf (1858)Lagerlöf was a Swedish author who is best known for her children's book, The Wonderful Adventures of Nils. While working as a teacher, Lagerlöf got her big break as a writer when chapters of her first novel, Gösta Berling's Saga, won first prize in a literary contest. Lagerlöf rooted her work in legend in a reaction against contemporary Swedish realism. In 1909, she became the first woman to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. What did she do with her medal during World War II? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 As for a future life, every man must judge for himself between conflicting vague probabilities.Charles Darwin (1809-1882) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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have other fish to fry— To have more important or more interesting things to do or attend to. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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.jpg) Africa Industrialization Day (2022)In 1989 the United Nations designated November 20 as Africa Industrialization Day. Observances center around mustering international support for the industrialization of Africa. More... | |