This Day in History: Sydney Harbour Bridge Opens (1932)

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Marsh Mallows Althaea officinalis, or the Marsh Mallow, flourishes on riverbanks and in salt marshes. Its velvety leaves, pale pink flowers, and mucilaginous root all have medicinal properties. When the plant flowers, its leaves are collected and used to treat pulmonary and urinary diseases. The root, which is harvested in late autumn, is generally used to treat gastrointestinal disorders and skin conditions. What part of the Marsh Mallow is used to make marshmallow candy treats? More...

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This Day in History

Sydney Harbour Bridge Opens (1932) The Sydney Harbour Bridge is one of Australia's major landmarks, connecting Sydney's central business district with the North Shore commercial and residential areas. Colloquially referred to as the "coat hanger" because of its arch-based design, it is the widest long-span bridge in the world and the largest steel arch bridge: the top of the bridge stands 134 m (440 ft) above the harbor. What happened at the bridge's ribbon-cutting ceremony in 1932? More...

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Geghard Monastery The Geghard monastery is one of the most frequented tourist destinations in Armenia. The unique architectural structure is surrounded by towering cliffs, and part of the monastery, known as ?the Monastery of the Cave,? was actually carved out of the mountainside. Gregory the Illuminator founded the complex in the 4th century at the site of a sacred spring, and in the centuries that followed, the monastery was destroyed and rebuilt. What religious relics were housed at Geghard? More...

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The Boomerang The boomerang is a sickle-shaped throwing stick used mainly by the Aborigines of Australia. Its arms are slightly curved, and when it is thrown, the boomerang generally follows an arc-shaped trajectory. Recreational boomerangs often travel along a circular path and return to the thrower, but other, larger versions do not return and are used in hunting and warfare. The oldest known boomerang is believed to be 20,000 years old and was discovered in what major European mountain range? More...

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Antivenin: The Antidote Antivenin is a biological material used to neutralize the venom of poisonous creatures like snakes, scorpions, spiders, and other insects. The antitoxins are created by injecting a small amount of venom into a serum-producing animal such as a horse, sheep, goat, or rabbit. The subject animal then suffers an immune response to the venom and produces antibodies which can be harvested from its blood and used to treat envenomation in others. What is mithridatism, and why is it so named? More...

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This Day in History

Anschluss: German Troops Occupy Austria (1938) The German term Anschluss, meaning ?unification? or ?political union,? is most frequently used in reference to the Nazis' 1938 annexation of Austria into Greater Germany. When the Nazis entered Austria to enforce the Anschluss, they encountered no military opposition and quickly took control of the newly created German province. The US, USSR, and UK signed a declaration proclaiming the Anschluss null and void in 1943, yet Austria did not regain its sovereignty until what year? More...

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Trembling Madness Delirium tremens, known colloquially as the DTs, is an acute, sometimes fatal episode of delirium generally caused by alcohol withdrawal following habitual excessive drinking. A patient suffering from the DTs may experience sweating, hallucinations, tremors, and convulsions, as well as increased heart rate and body temperature. In severe cases, delirium tremens may lead to hypothermia, cardiovascular collapse, and death. When left untreated, what percentage of DT sufferers die during withdrawal? More...

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Destroying Angels Originally reserved as a delicacy for the elite, edible mushrooms are now extensively grown on a commercial scale. There are, however, many poisonous species of mushroom, and the destroying angels of the Amanita genus are among the most toxic mushrooms known to man. Destroying angels are characterized by their white stalks and gills and have a telltale collar-like structure, or volva, at the base of their stalks. How soon after ingesting the toxic mushroom do symptoms of poisoning appear? More...

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Article of the Day

Free Running Free running is a physical art in which practitioners use acrobatic movements such as vaulting, jumping, and somersaulting to interact with the environment and pass obstacles along a path in a smooth and fluid manner. The sport is sometimes described as a more adventurous form of jogging, often involving building-to-building jumps and one-story drops. What 2006 action film features Sébastien Foucan, the art's founder, using his free running skills to escape from a construction site? More...

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Jinggangshan Located in the remote, mountainous border region between the Jiangxi and Hunan provinces of China, Jinggangshan is known as the birthplace of the Chinese Red Army and the "cradle of the Chinese revolution." In 1927, after an unsuccessful uprising against the Kuomintang, Mao Zedong's army retreated to Jinggangshan and established a military base there. During the 1960s, the area became a place of pilgrimage for young Red Guards. Why did the government begin discouraging such pilgrimages? More...

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This Day in History

Cuba leases Guantánamo Bay to the United States (1903) The US Guantánamo Bay Naval Base, sometimes called "GTMO" or "Gitmo," was established in Cuba in 1898. After Cuba gained its independence, the US assumed territorial control of Guantánamo Bay. Though the 1903 Cuban-American Treaty granted the US a perpetual lease of the area, the current Cuban government considers the American presence in Guantánamo to be an illegal occupation. Why have Amnesty International, the UN, and the EU requested that the Guantánamo Bay detention center be closed? More...

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