General Reference

More than six billion different knot types have been identified by mathematicians and scientists since the 1800s.

Not Your Average Knot Author: Adam Zhang Institution: Georgia Institute of Technology Chemists at the University of Manchester have produced the tightest knot ever created. Published earlier this month in the journal Science, the team led by David Leigh used techniques in synthetic chemistry to braid strands of different molecules into a structure with over […]

More than six billion different knot types have been identified by mathematicians and scientists since the 1800s. Read More »

In 1879 it was estimated the Oxford English Dictionary would take 10 years to complete, but in five years they’d only reached the word “Ant”. After crowdsourcing readers to help, it was completed 44 years later. The publishers now estimate it would take a single person 120 years to just type it.

Oxford English Dictionary This article is about the multi-volume historical dictionary. For other dictionaries published by Oxford University Press, see Oxford dictionary. “OED” redirects here. For other uses, see OED (disambiguation). The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is the principal historical dictionary of the English language, published by Oxford University Press (OUP). It traces the historical

In 1879 it was estimated the Oxford English Dictionary would take 10 years to complete, but in five years they’d only reached the word “Ant”. After crowdsourcing readers to help, it was completed 44 years later. The publishers now estimate it would take a single person 120 years to just type it. Read More »

That while the kilogram is defined in terms of three fundamental physical constants, the imperial equivalent, the pound is legally defined as exactly 0.45359237 kilograms

Pound (mass) For the unit of weight or force, see Pound (force). For the monetary unit, see Pound (currency). “lb.” and “lbs.” redirect here. For other uses, see LB and LBS. The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement. Various definitions have

That while the kilogram is defined in terms of three fundamental physical constants, the imperial equivalent, the pound is legally defined as exactly 0.45359237 kilograms Read More »

When Truman told Stalin about the Manhattan project in July of 1945, Stalin displayed little reaction, since Stalin had known about the project for almost 4 years before Truman, and he arguably knew more about it than Truman himself did.

POTSDAM AND THE FINAL DECISION TO USE THE BOMB After President Harry S. Truman received word of the success of the Trinity test, his need for the help of the Soviet Union in the war against Japan was greatly diminished. The Soviet leader, Joseph Stalin, had promised to join the war against Japan by August

When Truman told Stalin about the Manhattan project in July of 1945, Stalin displayed little reaction, since Stalin had known about the project for almost 4 years before Truman, and he arguably knew more about it than Truman himself did. Read More »

Georgy Zhukov, Marshal of the Soviet Union, was an avid fisherman in his retirement. When President Eisenhower, who considered him the most instrumental Allied leader in Hitler’s defeat, learned this he had him sent a set of fishing tackle. Zhukov used it exclusively, for the rest of his life.

Georgy Zhukov Zhukov on vacation in Sochi After being forced out of the government, Zhukov stayed away from politics. Many people—including former subordinates—frequently paid him visits, joined him on hunting excursions, and waxed nostalgic. In September 1959, while visiting the United States, Khrushchev told President Eisenhower that the retired Marshal Zhukov “liked fishing.” Zhukov was

Georgy Zhukov, Marshal of the Soviet Union, was an avid fisherman in his retirement. When President Eisenhower, who considered him the most instrumental Allied leader in Hitler’s defeat, learned this he had him sent a set of fishing tackle. Zhukov used it exclusively, for the rest of his life. Read More »