Daily Content Archive
(as of Saturday, December 15, 2018)| Word of the Day | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
abbess
| |||||||
| Article of the Day | |
|---|---|
 The MatchlockInvented in the 15th century, the matchlock was the first mechanical device for igniting gunpowder and a major advance in small-arms manufacture. It consisted of an S-shaped arm designed to hold a lit match and a trigger that would lower it into a flash pan and ignite the priming powder that would then ignite the main charge. Though slow and rather clumsy, the matchlock allowed users to keep both hands on the weapon and both eyes on the target when firing. What eventually replaced the matchlock? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
|---|---|
 First Space Rendezvous (1965)Three years after the first manned space flight, NASA launched the Gemini program, a series of two-man space missions aimed, among other things, at developing astronauts' ability to maneuver spacecraft. One goal was to achieve orbital rendezvous, and after a failed attempt in June 1965, Gemini had success. Astronaut Wally Schirra maneuvered the Gemini 6 spacecraft to within feet of Gemini 7, close enough to have docked had they been so equipped. When was the first docking achieved? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
|---|---|
 Oscar Niemeyer (1907)Considered one of the most important figures in modern architecture, Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer was a pioneer in the use of reinforced concrete. His buildings feature smooth curves that are distinct from those of his more utilitarian contemporaries. Niemeyer's remarkable work in the creation of Brazil's capital, Brasília, included his design for the President's Palace and the cathedral. In 1947, Niemeyer joined a team of architects to design what internationally recognized US building? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
|---|---|
 Children have a natural antipathy to books--handicraft should be the basis of education. Boys and girls should be taught to use their hands to make something, and they would be less apt to destroy and be mischievous.Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
|---|---|
caught unawares— To be surprised by someone or something. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
|---|---|
 Consualia (2022)The infamous rape of the Sabine women occurred at the first Consualia in ancient Rome. Consus is said to have advised Romulus to abduct the Sabine women as wives for his supporters. The sanctuary dedicated to Consus in 272 BCE was located on the Aventine Hill in Rome, and sacrifices were held there during his festival. There were also horse and chariot races in the Circus Maximus, the large arena that lay between the Palatine and Aventine hills. Two festivals were actually held in honor of Consus—one on August 21 and the other on December 15. More... | |