Daily Content Archive
(as of Wednesday, November 18, 2015)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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bourdon
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| Article of the Day | |
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 Camels, the Even-Toed UngulatesCamels, ruminant mammals of the family Camelidae, are well adapted to desert life, as they can live for several days without drinking and their broad, flat, two-toed feet do not sink in the sand. There are two species of true camel, the single-humped Arabian camel, a domesticated animal used in Arabia and N Africa, and the two-humped Bactrian camel of central Asia. The humps, fat stores that provide energy and water when metabolized, also aid in desert survival. How fast can a camel run? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 The Day of Two Noons: US and Canada Adopt Standard Time Zones (1883)Before the adoption of time zones, clocks in the US and Canada were set according to the position of the sun overhead, meaning that time varied according to location. For the rail industry, this presented a logistical nightmare, and so many railroads kept their own time, further complicating matters. Standardization solved everything. On "The Day of Two Noons," train stations reset their clocks according to newly adopted time standards. Which US city continued to keep local time until the 1900s? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Asa Gray (1810)Considered one of the most important botanists in American history, Gray laid the foundation for the study of plants in North America. He made botanical expeditions to the western US, established Harvard University's botany department, and wrote prodigiously on the subject of plants, producing several classic, still-valued textbooks. Charles Darwin was such an admirer of Gray's work that he shared his theory of natural selection with Gray before publishing it. What toxin was named for Gray? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.Mark Twain (1835-1910) | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Latvia Independence Day (2020)Independence Day marks Latvia's declaration of independence from German and Russian occupation on November 18, 1918. The country remained independent until World War II, when it was absorbed by the Soviet Union. Like the other Baltic republics, Latvia proclaimed its independence from Soviet Russia in 1991, on August 21. More... | |