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Post by sandipaws on Feb 15, 2021 21:49:34 GMT -5
Who Knew??? The last day of Carnival and the day before for Ash Wednesday, Fat Tuesday is the intertwining of a period of festivals and feasts that lead to a time of fasting and reflection. Also known as Shrove Tuesday and Mardi Gras, this enduring celebration has many traditions and deep roots around the world.
Mardi Gras (French for Fat Tuesday) dates back to an ancient Roman festival honoring the deities Lupercalia and Saturnalia which took place in mid-February. When Christians arrived in Rome, they incorporated the festival into Lenten preparations.
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Post by MidnightSun on Feb 16, 2021 0:12:20 GMT -5
Research shows that blue-eyed people may be related. At least, they may share the same distant ancestor. After studying the DNA of blue-eyed individuals from Scandinavia, Turkey, Jordan, and India, Danish researchers found that they all had identical gene sequences for eye color. They believe this trait comes from a single individual, called the "founder," whose genes mutated between 6,000 and 10,000 years ago. Before that, everyone had varying shades of brown eyes. More on blue eyed peopleWho knew?
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Post by johnmori on Feb 16, 2021 6:11:51 GMT -5
Who knew???
February 16, 1978
The first computer bulletin board system is created (CBBS in Chicago).
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Post by BillG on Feb 16, 2021 7:10:02 GMT -5
Who knew??? On February 16th, 1938 "Bringing Up Baby", a film directed by Howard Hawks, starring Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant, is released.
 
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Post by sandipaws on Feb 16, 2021 23:28:43 GMT -5
Who Knew???
 Each year on February 17th, National Random Acts of Kindness Day grows in popularity. It is celebrated by individuals, groups and organizations nationwide to encourage acts of kindness.
The movement of Random Acts of Kindness inspires people every day. As a favorite celebration for many, people everywhere are enjoying doing these acts of kindness. Not only do the acts of kindness bring joy to the receiver, but they spread positive reactions to the giver, too!
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Post by MidnightSun on Feb 17, 2021 0:18:20 GMT -5
The cracking sound your finger joints make is the sound of gases being released. When joints are stretched, the pockets of gas that get trapped between them are released. When these bubbles of oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide escape, they might make a popping or cracking noise. Whether or not intentional joint cracking is bad for your health has yet to be decided. Some scientists say it harmless, while others say it may lead to osteoarthritis.
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Post by johnmori on Feb 17, 2021 5:58:57 GMT -5
Who knew???
February 18, 1930
While studying photographs taken in January, Clyde Tombaugh discovers Pluto.
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Post by BillG on Feb 17, 2021 8:00:22 GMT -5
Who knew??? On February 17th, 1951 the Detroit Red Wings Gordie Howe scores his 100th career NHL goal.
 
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Post by sandipaws on Feb 17, 2021 23:19:03 GMT -5
Who Knew???
 Get a charge out of National Battery Day! Observed each year on February 18th, the day serves to appreciate the convenience batteries provide to our everyday lives.
Today we would be hard-pressed to find someone in the United States who doesn’t benefit from a battery. Even those who live “off the grid” have battery-operated devices such as a flashlight, radio, or watch.
A battery changes chemical energy into electricity by bringing the different chemicals together in a specific order. When correctly ordered, the electrons will travel from one substance to another, creating an electrical current.
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Post by MidnightSun on Feb 18, 2021 0:12:03 GMT -5
Your bones can multiply in density—times eight. It's the gene mutation LRP5. (Low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5.) Those with the mutation have bones that are many times denser—up to eight, in extreme cases—than the average person's, with cases of afflicted individuals walking away from car accidents and other impact injuries with no fractures or broken bones.
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Post by BillG on Feb 18, 2021 7:02:31 GMT -5
Who knew??? On February 18th, 1930 the dwarf planet Pluto was discovered. Astronomer Clyde Tombaugh located a new planet while in the observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, and named it after the Greek god of the underworld, Pluto.
 
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Post by johnmori on Feb 18, 2021 7:20:59 GMT -5
Who knew???
February 18, 1977
The Space Shuttle Enterprise test vehicle is carried on its maiden "flight" on top of a Boeing 747.
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soutxed
Champion Member
Posts: 5,198
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Post by soutxed on Feb 18, 2021 10:21:46 GMT -5
Feb. 18, 1970, the “Chicago Seven” defendants were found not guilty of conspiring to incite riots at the 1968 Democratic national convention; five were convicted of violating the Anti-Riot Act of 1968 (those convictions were later reversed).
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Post by sandipaws on Feb 18, 2021 21:03:39 GMT -5
Who Knew???
 Recognized by the US National Confectioners Association, National Chocolate Mint Day is observed annually across the nation on February 19th. This holiday has been set aside for all the chocolate mint lovers to eat their favorite treats all day long.
The Aztecs and Mayans are given much credit for their ways with chocolate. And while chocolate was brought back to Europeans, they were not fond of the dark, bitter bean, so they used more for medicinal purposes.
As it was mostly consumed as a hot beverage, Europeans mixed mint, cinnamon and other spices to make it more palatable. Over time, they added sugar, and the combination of chocolate and mint became fashionable.
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Post by MidnightSun on Feb 19, 2021 0:57:37 GMT -5
The largest snowflake on record was 15 inches wide. On January 28, 1887, two years before Montana was even a state, U.S. Army personnel witnessed the strange sight of a frisbee-sized snowflake falling from the sky in what's now Keogh, Montana. Snowflakes sometimes combine before reaching the ground, leading to large, thick snowflakes. Today, it remains the title holder for the Guinness World Record largest snowflake ever.
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