When two pressure cooker bombs exploded at last week’s Boston Marathon, their contents shredded the lower extremities of many of their victims. To date, 14 people have had one limb amputated. At least two women have had both legs amputated. Coincidentally, the events of the Boston Marathon focus our attention on amputation just as the […]
Since 1970, Earth Day has been celebrated each year on April 22. Â Founded by United States Senator Gaylor Nelson, what began as a teach-in focused on environmental issues has become an international celebration of the beauty and fragility of Earth, a call to protect Earth’s diverse microcosms, an examination of our individual and collective impact […]
April 15th is a gloomy day for many Americans. It is Tax Day, the day Americans file state and federal income tax forms and submit payments. This year, 2013, marks the 100th anniversary of the federal income tax. In 1913, America ratified the 16th Amendment, which allows the federal government to levy a federal income […]
A string of warm days, blooming daffodils and crocuses, honey bees buzzing through the air—these are the first signs of spring. This year you may have noticed something amiss in these early signs of spring. This year there are fewer honey bees. It is not a new phenomenon. In 2006, farmers and beekeepers noticed honey […]
Twenty to thirty seconds of “pure terror”! This is how many earthquake survivors describe their experience. Anyone who has ever experienced an earthquake or seen a volcanic eruption first hand knows the true power of nature. Modern technology enables us to study our planet in ways and visualize it in ways that were just not […]
Zoo: An excellent place to study the habits of human beings. ~ Evan Esar When you think of a zoo, what picture comes to mind? Perhaps the image of a petting zoo or a city zoo pops in your head … or even an animal park that has more of a natural habitat for its […]
Students may find it difficult to believe that it is possible for a microscopic animal called a zebra mussel to disrupt an entire ecosystem simply by popping up in places it does not belong. Though invisible to the naked eye, these creatures are having an increasingly powerful effect on the areas they have infiltrated. Just […]
In late March and early April, thousands maybe even millions of blossoms cover the cherry trees along the banks of the Potomac Tidal Basin in the National Mall. It is a breathtaking site to behold. In March 1912, over three thousand cherry trees arrived in Washington, D.C. as a goodwill gift from the nation of […]
Across the K-12 spectrum, schools have been turning their focus towards the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math realms. U.S. students continue to lag in these fields when compared to other leading nations (read the recent New York Times article that discusses this national concern). Commonly referred to as the STEM fields, students at all levels […]
Few could argue that paper money has supreme importance in today’s world. This is because of its value and the fact that it is accepted almost universally. Before the advent of paper money, Barter Exchange Systems  were in place. These procedures worked fairly well whenever each party could provide something desirable for the other party. […]