America’s Research station in Antarctica is located on Ross Island in the Ross Archipeligo. Also on that island is Mount Erebus, an active volcano. It is one of the few volcanos in the world with an active lava lake. The lake has been continuously active since at least 1972, releasing gases and steam. Sometimes the… Continue Reading Where is it too hot to go in Antarctica?
Before 1878, doors were secured with latches or leather straps that fastened onto wooden hooks. But 16-year-old Oswald Dorsey, who was born a slave and freed when he was 8 months old, had a better idea. He created and patented the doorknob. The mechanism in this device moved a rod that slid into the doorframe.… Continue Reading What 1878 invention by a former slave do you use every day?
Restaurants covet receiving Michelin awards. But they are not just for upscale restaurants. Three Philly cheesesteak spots recently received Bib Gourmand awards, a category for casual restaurants: the venerable Dalessandro’s Steaks & Hoagies and two well-regarded upstarts, Del Rossi’s Cheesesteak Co. and Angelo’s Pizzeria. The Bib Gourmand rating is named for the Michelin company’s puffy… Continue Reading What is the Michelin Man’s name?
The song may refer to a white Christmas, but snow can also be pink and is sometimes called watermelon snow. The coloration is caused by a species of ice-loving algae, Chlamydomonas nivalis. This organism contains chlorophyl (green), but also has a carotenoid, which is reddish (think carrots). When the snow melts, the algae activates the… Continue Reading Were you dreaming of a pink Christmas?
Some people are afraid of snakes, others are afraid of clowns. But people suffering from christougenniatikophobia are afraid of Christmas. A specific type of heortophobia (fear of holidays), the word stems from Greek, meaning “Christ-birth-related-fear.” It is often rooted in childhood trauma, financial stress, or negative associations with traditions like Santa or family gatherings, causing… Continue Reading What is Christougenniatikophobia?
While in Paris in 1891, Tchaikovsky discovered a newly invented instrument, the celesta. He had it shipped to Russia and used it in The Nutcracker Ballet’s Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy. It has been used in recordings by artists from Fats Waller and the Beatles to Pink Floyd and Fiona Apple. And it is… Continue Reading What does a sugar plum fairy sound like?
Chilly air means sniffly noses. When we breathe in, our noses warm the air and add moisture to it as it travels down into our lungs. Cold, dry air irritates your nasal lining, and as a result, your nasal glands produce excess mucus to keep the lining moist. That can cause those drops that drip… Continue Reading Why does your nose run when it’s cold?
In 1972, the first American commercial product sold in the Soviet Union was Pepsi. Because the ruble was essentially worthless, Russia paid for Pepsi with Stolichnaya vodka. In 1989, there was a sanction against Russian products, so they paid for the soft drink with part of their naval fleet, including 17 decommissioned submarines, a cruiser,… Continue Reading Which soft drink company was once a naval power?
When the curtain rose on Act 2 of a premiere of The Daughter of the Regiment by Donizetti in 2016, a tiny woman was barely visible in a large dome chair with her back to the audience. Suddenly, she swiveled around, and there was Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. When her character asked whether another woman… Continue Reading In what opera did Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg make her debut?
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