Yearly Archives: 2010

  1. What Bizarre Error Gave California Its Name?

    When the Spanish first began exploring the Pacific Coast of North America, they mistakenly believed that California was an island. (Some of the earliest and most fascinating maps of the state depict it as separated from the mainland.) This is considered one of the greatest, albeit short-lived, cartographic errors. Early mapmakers began labeling the “island” as California, the name of a mythical island in a book …

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    The most unusual celebrity name? What does “Gwyneth” mean, and what language is it?

    Hollywood starlet and Oscar winner Gwyneth Paltrow is being honored with a star along the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The actress is also the first to have the words on her star receive a thorough spellchecking. One reason: to avoid another misspelling scandal like the one surrounding the star of Julia Louis-Dreyfus. (Why is it called an “Oscar,” not a “Frank” or “Bartholomew?” Get the

  3. Bermuda Triangle region outlined on a map, in blue.

    Why Is It Called The Bermuda Triangle—And Is It Real?

    Usually, triangles only strike fear and terror into the hearts of trigonometry students. However, there is one particular triangle that has captivated and terrified people the world over for quite a long time: the Bermuda Triangle. Is the Bermuda Triangle actually real and is there really any good reason to be afraid of this three-cornered geographic area? Let’s brave the unknown together and travel deep …

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    Where did UGG boots get their name? Is the name really short for “ugh?”

    The unisex sheepskin and fleece footware called UGG boots, or simply uggs, gained popularity in the 1960s when competitive surfers began wearing them. They were the perfect remedy for cold, numb, wet feet. Now, everyone seems to be sporting the boots, from Hollywood celebrities and their tween followers to suburban moms. Originally of simple design, uggs now sport glamorous embellishments such as brass grommets, fringe, …

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    One, easy language for the whole world? Meet the man who tried to make it happen.

    If humankind can create airplanes, cellphones, and penicilin, surely we can tackle the hassle of language. Why doesn’t some brainiac come up with the perfect language that everyone can learn? Before you get all riled up, be assured this question is rhetorical. To start, this is not a new idea. In the late nineteenth century, a Polish oculist and linguist named Ludwik Lejzer Zamenhof set …

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    Who Is The Amber In AMBER Alert?

    The term “AMBER Alert” has become synonymous with stories of missing children. So who is Amber? And why is her name blasted out to cellphones and on highway signs every time police need our help locating a child in danger? What is an AMBER Alert? First, the basics. In the suspected kidnapping of a child, an AMBER Alert is issued. This urgent bulletin is voluntarily …

  7. Why Are So Many Searching For A “Holy Grail”?

    What exactly is the holy grail?  Search recent and current headlines, and you’ll find folks looking for the “holy grail” of everything from winemaking, to math and clean energy. The term is so rich in myth and history that we can’t resist the opportunity for elucidation. What is a holy grail? For the record, most of the uses of this term holy grail are informal …

  8. Is Ironic The Most Abused Word In English?

    “That is sooooo ironic.” This sentence is used frequently—and usually incorrectly—in American English. Often the word ironic is misused to remark on a coincidence, such as This is the third time today we’ve run into each other. How ironic. It is also mistakenly used to describe something out of the ordinary or unusual: Yesterday was a beautiful, warm day in November. It was really ironic. …

  9. What’s the infamous chemical that made a NASA new life discovery so amazing?

    Few poisons are more notorious than arsenic. So, scientists were recently shocked to find that a strange bacterium called Halomonadaceae (a type of protobacteria) in Mono Lake, California, is actually thriving on it. The finding is blowing researchers’ minds, showing how much more there is to be discovered about the types of life forms that may exist both on Earth and in space. To give you an …

  10. The “Naga Viper” Chili Pepper And Its Spicy Name

    Teary eyes? Burning throat? Is this how you respond if there’s a little too much jalapeno in your salsa? Then you better steer clear of the Naga Viper, the new record holder for the spiciest chili pepper in the world. The farmer who is responsible for the pepper says that eating it is dangerous — and invigorating. The Naga Viper scored 1,359,000 on the Scoville scale, …

  11. Cellar door

    What’s The Most Beautiful Word In English?

    Have you ever thought about whether cellar door should be a contender among the most euphonious phrases in the English language? Our discussion of this prompted hundreds of readers to reply with their top picks for the best-sounding word or phrase in English. The results are eclectic, poetic and exotic. Below are the words that were suggested by the greatest number of people. The popular reaction to cellar door …

  12. Glow-in the-dark squid? Plus, what’s the amazing, vicious difference between squid and octopi?

    On a recent expedition to explore the seamounts in the southern Indian Ocean by scientists, a new species of large squid was discovered. A specimen of the new species, which can grow up to 30 inches long, belongs to the deep-sea Chiroteuthid family, which are known for being radically bioluminescent (naturally glowing.) Don’t confuse this squid with the squidworm, a creature also just discovered that is …