Daily Content Archive
(as of Wednesday, August 31, 2016)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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compunction
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Commonly Paired Adjectives and PrepositionsThere are no definite rules when it comes to combining adjectives with prepositions. What is the best way to learn correct adjective and preposition combinations? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 ParahumansOnce solely a concept of science-fiction, the parahuman, or human-animal hybrid, has recently entered the realm of reality. Efforts to combine genes from different species for medical and industrial purposes are now fairly common. Though such research could prove useful for the production of drugs and transplant-ready organs, it has raised numerous ethical, moral, and legal issues. Have scientists created human-animal hybrid embryos? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Thomas Edison Patents Kinetoscope in the US (1897)Developed by Edison's assistant, W.K.L. Dickson, the kinetoscope was a precursor to the modern motion-picture projector. It works through a phenomenon known as "persistence of vision," in which a sequence of images creates the illusion of motion. Initially, Edison hoped to synchronize the images with sound, but he was unable to achieve this. The kinetoscope was designed to be viewed by one person at a time. Why did Edison supposedly balk at the idea of projecting films before larger audiences? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Hermann von Helmholtz (1821)Helmholtz was one of the greatest scientists of the 19th century. He made fundamental contributions to physiology, optics, electrodynamics, mathematics, acoustics, and meteorology, but he is best known for formulating the mathematical law of conservation of energy. His approach was strongly empirical at a time when many scientists embraced deductions from mental concepts. He described body heat and energy, nerve conduction, and the physiology of the eye. What medical instruments did he invent? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all.Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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bored to tears— Extremely bored to the point of distraction, frustration, or irritation. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 National Championship Chuckwagon Races (2019)The National Championship Chuckwagon Races take place at Dan Eoff's "Bar Of" Ranch in Clinton, Arkansas, each Labor Day weekend from Friday through Sunday. About 150 teams consisting of a wagon and four horses compete in five divisions for the National Champion title. The races are for amateurs and open to all. In addition to chuckwagon racing, events include bronc fanning (so called because riders attempt to calm ornery mounts by fanning them with their cowboy hats) and the annual Snowy River Race. Live music and dances add to the weekend's festivities. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: vaultcoping saw - A saw with a very narrow blade stretched across a u-shaped frame—for cutting curves, with cope meaning "vault, arch." More... ossuary - From Latin os, "bone," it is any receptacle—urn, vault, etc.—for the bones of the dead. More... camera - First meant "vault, chamber." More... firmament - Means "vault of the sky," as a fixed structure. More... | |