February 27th, 2017

3 Minute Thesis is an annual contest that was started at the University of Queensland, in which PhD students have three minutes to explain their thesis to individuals who know nothing about their topic. They were first held in 2008, and have now caught on around the world. In 2012 they were introduced to the French speaking world, via Québec, as 'Ma thèse en 180 secondes'.

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February 26th, 2017

Okra is a plant that isn't very well known in the US nor Canada, but very popular elsewhere. That being said, nobody can agree on what to call it. It goes by okra, okro, ochro, ladies' fingers, or gumbo in the English speaking world; gombo, okra, lalo, or calou in the French speaking world; भिण्डी (bhindi) in India; بامية (bamia) or قناوية (qanawiya) in the Arab world; quimbombo, gombo, molondron, ocra, okra, or bamia in the Spanish speaking world; and the list goes on... When cut open, okra releases a gooey substance called mucilage, which is also found in cacti, and helps with water storage. This stock of mucilage makes okra one of the most heat and drought resistant vegetables in the world, perhaps partly explaining its international popularity. Still, okra grows best in wet regions, such as East India and Bangladesh. The Louisiana dish Gumbo may have gotten its name from okra.

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February 25th, 2017

The 5th of September 1944 is remembered in the Netherlands as 'Dolle Dinsdag' (Mad Tuesday). On this date, it was announced that allied forces were entering into the country, causing euphoria among the occupied Dutch. However the German forces panicked, and quickly retreated, taking anything they could with them. Their bounty included many tram cars and bicycles. More than 70 years after the end of the war, the Dutch still like to poke fun of the Germans by reminding them of this episode with the taunt "Give back my bicycle".

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February 24th, 2017

In the 8th century BC, in the ancient city of Tyre (in modern day Lebanon), a dying king made his son and daughter his joint heirs. The daughter's name was Dido, and although much of her story has been lost to the foggy recesses of time, what has survived leaves no doubt that she lived an incredible life. Her story was supposedly well chronicled in a tome called 'Phillippic Histories and the Origin of the Whole World and the Places of Earth' by a 1st century Roman historian named Trogus, which was possibly based on an older work titled 'Universal History' by the Greek historian Timagenes. Unfortunately, no known copies of either book exists, however, a 2nd century historian named Iustinus thankfully created a summary of Trogus' work. It is hard to say how much of what is written is fact, but if Iustinus' work is to be taken as true, after her father's death Dido married her wealthy uncle Acerbas. Dido's brother then murdered her husband, hoping to claim his wealth. Dido pretended to destroy her deceased husband's wealth, but secretly fled with it. She first arrived in Cyprus, where she added to her numbers, before finally arriving in North Africa. There, she supposedly asked a Berber King for a small amount of land - whatever she could encompass in a ox hide. After agreeing, it is said Dido cut up the hide into thin strips and encircled a large hill. From this, she eventually built the city of Carthage, which would then spread out to become the Carthage Empire, encompassing much of the shores of the Mediterranean. Dido is said to have killed herself to stay true to her first husband when she was forced to marry again. The story of Dido is murky after nearly three thousand years, with some saying she may have never existed at all. There are some small hints that it may have been factual. For example, the name 'Carthage' can be traced back to the Punic 'New City', perhaps meaning a New Tyre. Some mention of the characters do seem to exist, and archaeological evidence does show there was trade between North Africa, Ancient Cyprus, and Tyre at the time where Dido was supposedly living. So what happened to the city of Carthage? It continued growing, and today is known by another name: Tunis.

Bonus:
The story of Dido and the ox hide is immortalized in the name of a math problem: Dido's problem, which asks for the maximum area one can encompass using a straight line and curved line whose endpoints lie on the straight line. If Dido truly did exist she knew that the answer was a circle.

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February 23rd, 2017

Mate (or Jerba) is a popular drink in South America, as well as in Syria. It is prepared by steeping the dried leaves of the Yerba Mate plant, and it usually drunk through a thick silver straw. There is some standards for how it should be drunk; the straw should not be moved, and the entire drink should be finished fairly rapidly each time the boiling water is refilled.

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February 22nd, 2017

During the Vietnam War, the Viet Cong practiced night-time warfare known as 'Du Kich'. Small bands of Viet Cong wait wait in the jungles around American camps until nightfall, and would then sneak out to kill soldiers while they were unprepared.

Bonus:
In French, when a word ends with 'z' and is followed by a vowel (allez-y) the 'z' is pronounced, but for words where the 'z' is followed by a consonant (soyez gentil) it is not. This is true even for silent consonant sounds, such as 'soyez hereux'.

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February 21st, 2017

Since 1993, the Roud Folk Song Index has been compiling English folk songs. There are now over 200,000 entries, including 'Row, Row, Row Your Boat', 'Hey Diddle Diddle', 'Mary had a Little Lamb', etc.

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February 20th, 2017

In the Islamic faith, ذَبِيْحَة‎‎ (dhabihah) is the suggested method of slaughter, and involves a quick deep gut through the neck performed by a Muslim while reciting Allah's name. Meat which is derived from an animal slaughtered via dhabihah is said to be حلال (halal, meaning permitted), while meat killed through other means is said to be حَرَام (haram, meaning forbidden). Not all meat is halal, even if slaughtered correctly - some meats are always forbidden. The set of traits that decide whether or not an animal is halal or haram can be somewhat complicated. For example, most bugs are haram, but locusts are halal. Hybrid animals are halal so long as the mother is halal. Birds are permitted if they do not wound with their claws, and subsist only on pecking. Fish are almost always halal, however shrimps remain a grey area.

Bonus:

गविष्टि is a Sanskrit word meaning battle. It comes from the roots गो (cow) and इष् (to strive for), which some have pointed out implies that war is a 'desire for cows'.

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February 19th, 2017

In French, there are two principle forms of saying goodbye. "Au revoir" is perhaps the most common, and literally means "until re-see" (until we next meet). "Adieu" is the alternative, and its meaning is somewhat more interesting. It is a contraction of "à Dieu" (to God), which is turn a shortening of "je vous recommande à Dieu" (I recommend you to God). In this context, recommend is not quite a synonym for suggest, but implies the act of praying for God's grace and protection. Because of this history, Adieu is a much more powerful word, and conjures a sense of finality.

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February 18th, 2017

It's very hard to define a continent, and depending on your choice of nomenclature, there can be anywhere between 4 and 7 continents (as summarised quite nicely in this video). If one is looking for a more rigorous definition, geologists have proposed various alternative schemes, often based on tectonic plates, or cratons - sections of old and stable rock, or the general thickness of the crust. By some of these definitions, New Zealand, a country which often gets forgotten, receives the honour of having its own continent: Zealandia.

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February 17th, 2017

A tessera is a small tile which can be made of various materials, though most often clay. They have historically been used to make mosaics, but they have also occasionally been used as tokens that would allow the bearer entry to an event. The tesserae would be stamped with a simplistic pattern, related to the occasion: a banquet scene, a deity, or the resemblance of a dead relative. These would presumably allow entry to a ball, a religious ceremony, and a funeral. In a way, they acted as the world's first admission tickets.

Bonus:
Many tesserae have been found around the ancient city of Palmyra in modern day Syria, with the largest yield coming from the Temple of Bel. It seems as though many events took place in this temple, including large balls. Unfortunately the 2000 year old temple was destroyed by ISIS in 2015, and only the main entry arch remains.

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February 16th, 2017

The French Revolution lasted over a decade, and aimed to better social and political conditions not only for France, but all of humanity. The event inspired the phrase 'Liberté, égalité, fraternité' (Liberty, equality, brotherhood) which would go on to become the National Motto of France. Indeed, the revolution largely met this aim: among other outcomes, the government was secularized and democratized, ethnic and religious minorities had their rights bolstered, and homosexuality was decriminalized. These policies went on to be echoed by other European powers. Yet, somewhat contrary to its central dogma, women saw almost no change in status. Despite the pivotal Women's March on Versailles in 1789, and their participation in all major protests, they entered and exited the revolution with almost no rights in French society. Many of the prominent feminist figures who emerged during the revolution were punished, and in some cases executed. The feminist movement was effectively muzzled, and women's suffrage was only introduced in France at the end of the 2nd World War, in 1944.

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February 15th, 2017

Tangier is a port city in northern Morocco, that has traditionally been a haven for spies, authors, hippies, and artists. Anthony Bourdain explores it in an episode of his show Parts Unknown, discussing aspects of its history and cuisine.

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February 14th, 2017

Today is Valentine's Day, a time to celebrate all things romantic, from the kitschy to the genuine. Probably leaning more towards the former is the song 'Sugar Sugar' by The Archies. The band never actually existed, but was occasionally featured on the cartoon The Archie Show, with songs recorded by various artists. Even without a real band, Sugar Sugar topped the charts, and became a pillar of so-called 'Bubblegum Pop'. Some of the lines, especially "pour a little sugar on it honey", led to speculation that there may be some innuendo behind the cheery number. However, one of the original singers, Toni Wine, defended the wholesomeness of the piece in a 2007 interview, saying "No, 'Sugar Sugar' was very sweet and innocent [...] 'give me some sugar' is a very old-fashioned saying. It can refer to people kissing each other, that's sugar. Dogs licking you, that's 'gimme some sugar.' Sugar is just a form of love." The integrity of Riverdale High remains intact...

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February 13th, 2017

In the European Union, any truck with a total mass of more then 3.5 metric tonnes is called a Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV). Many countries place bans on when they can drive, including a general nighttime ban in Austria and Switzerland. France also maintains strict guidelines on when HGVs can be on the road, with additional consideration taken for Paris. Because of the narrow streets and tight corners, it's very rare to see HGVs in central Paris. There are bans in place Monday and Friday in Paris, and websites urge avoiding the capital if at all possible.

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February 12th, 2017

Hindi and Tamil are geographically quite close to each other, but linguistically very distant: besides some vocabulary, the two share very little. Hindi descended from Proto-Indo-European via Proto-Indo-Aryan. Tamil, on the other hand, is a Dravidian language, and is thought to have originated in the Indian subcontinent, or possibly further east. Many European languages also descend from Proto-Indo-European, meaning that by some definitions English and French are closer to Tamil than Hindi is.

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February 11th, 2017

Some programs, such as photo and video editing software, generate a secondary file whenever a project is saved. This secondary file is identical to the first, but contains an additional file extension: .bak. This is a backup file, and if anything happens to the main file, simply removing the '.bak' extension will turn it into an identical copy of the original file. Without removing the '.bak' extension, however, the file cannot be opened.

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February 10th, 2017

The old buildings in central Paris derive their warm creamy colour from Lutetian Limestone, which was mined from the earth below the capital from the 17th to 19th centuries. The excavation left a vast expanse of tunnels under Paris, know as the 'Carrières de Paris' (Quarries of Paris). A small section of these mines, used as an ossuary, is open to the public (known as the Catacombs of Paris), yet it is illegal to enter into the rest of the system. Still, many urban explorers frequent the network, and an intriguing culture has developed within the tunnels. These spelunkers are known as cataphiles, and they map, maintain, and decorate the existing section, in addition to digging new tunnels to connect separate networks. There are also plenty of parties in the larger caves, all year round.

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February 9th, 2017

When Indians are preparing for marriage, they sometimes create a résumé of their character, called biodata. This can include height, skin colour, family history, careers, education, star signs, caste, etc. They are then sent out to interested suitors. Some websites have a pre-made template to speed up the procedure.

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February 8th, 2017

The Romani People (or Roma) are an ethnic group found scattered primarily across Europe and the Americas. Their nomadic lifestyle, and preconceptions about their way of life, have clashed with the norms of many of the cultures within which they have settled. There has been some effort to improve their image, and help them integrate into society. Victor Hugo gave them a nod in 'The Hunchback of Notre-Dame', in which the character Esmeralda is described as a compassionate and beautiful Romani woman. Genetic evidence suggests the Romani originated in Northern India, from which they left roughly 1,500 years ago. Linguistic evidence supports this, and some words of the curious Romani Language still betray their Sanskrit roots, even after a millennium and a half.

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February 7th, 2017

Dorothy Parker was a prominent figure in American literature during the early to mid 20th century. Throughout her life, she was no stranger to unhappiness. Her mother died when she was four, her stepmother when she was nine, and her father when she was twenty. Her first husband left her to go fight in the First World War, and her second committed suicide. Throughout this tumult, she developed a cynical but sharp wit, as attested to by the many quips, reviews, anecdotes, and poetry she left behind. Parker would often eat lunch at the Algonquin Hotel Restaurant in New York, joined by other writers. This informal ritual became known as the Algonquin Roundtable, and included some of the biggest names of the 'Roaring Twenties', almost all of whom went on to have noteworthy careers. Around 1929, when the decade ended, so did the ritual, and the last surviving individual to have participated in the Algonquin Roundtable, actress and author Eva La Gallienne, passed away in 1991.

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February 6th, 2017

Female Genital Mutilation (the removal of the labia, clitoral hood, and/or clitoris) is, thankfully, slowly going out of fashion. However, in 13 African countries, more than half of adult women have undergone FGM. In Somalia, the figure is a shocking 98% of adult women, with many other countries not far behind. Increased awareness of the dangers of FGM is gradually putting an end to the practice, but progress is not seen in all countries. As well, an increasing population means the number of women who have undergone FGM is on the rise, even as the percentage falls. Male circumcision is much more widespread, with one third of males worldwide being circumcised - Canada at 32% and the U.S. at 55%. In the Islamic and Jewish faiths, male circumcision is considered an obligation, but not in Christianity. Circumcision spread amongst predominantly Christian countries when it was suggested it prevented masturbation, and could also provide health benefits. However, the practice has declined in recent years as masturbation has gained acceptance, and the health benefits have come under question (although it has been shown to slightly reduce the risk of contracting HIV).

Bonus:

Subsequent anniversaries of monarchs are referred to as jubilees, and are named after materials of increasing worth. 25 years on the throne is silver, 40 is ruby, 50 is golden, 60 is diamond, 65 is sapphire, and 70 is platinum. Only three leaders have lived to celebrate their platinum jubilee.

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February 5th, 2017

Bob Hawke set a world record in the 1950s, sculling 2.5 pints of beer in 11 seconds. He later became the Prime Minster of Australia.

Bonus:

The national anthems of India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka were all written (or in Sri Lanka's case, inspired) by the same person: poet Rabindranath Tagore.

Bonus 2:
In New Zealand, sandals are sometimes called jandals.

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February 4th, 2017

Purity rings are rings worn as a pledge that one is intending to remain celibate until marriage. They have been promoted primarily by Christian organisations since the 1990s, and there is even a wikihow page explaining how to wear one. There is also ongoing debate about the effectiveness of purity rings, both in terms of STD prevention, celibacy promotion, and discouraging heteronormativity. Not only does research suggest the majority of pledges are broken, but pledge-breakers are less likely to take contraceptive measures than those who never pledged to begin with. Zach Weinersmith has a different take on the topic...

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February 3rd, 2017

There is some order to the madness that is Chinese characters. All of the thousands of characters are built using a set inventory of 214 basic symbols, called radicals. Radicals combine together to give hints about the pronunciation, or meaning, of a character. For example, take the character 召. Someone familiar with the radicals would recognise it consists of the radicals 刀 (dāo, meaning knife) and 口 (kǒu, meaning mouth). From this they could infer something about both the pronunciation, and the meaning: the character is most likely pronounced something like dāo or kǒu, and the meaning is most likely something related to mouths or knives (or possibly both). In fact, the pronunciation is zhào (similar to dāo), and the meaning is 'to call for someone' (hence the mouth). The radicals don't always provide these hints (or the relevancy of the radicals has been lost to history as meanings and pronunciations evolve), but for the large majority of characters, they do. The prevalence of some of the 214 radicals over others is quite surprising. For example, the radical 艸 (cǎo, meaning grass) forms the basis of 1,902 characters, while 艮 (gēn, meaning stopping) only 5.

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February 2nd, 2017

The Youtube channel Geography Now, run by Paul Barbato, gives lighthearted yet informative summaries of the world's nations. The Georgia episode showcases a quite unique dish found in the country, Khachapuri: a cheese filled bread with an egg on top. Khachapuri is the national dish of Georgia, within which it is so widespread that it's pricing can be used as a measure for economic inflation.

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February 1st, 2017

The French word for turnip is 'navet', and this name has a long history. It comes from Latin 'napus' (also meaning turnip), which comes from Ancient Greek 'νᾶπυ' (napu) meaning mustard, which is itself possibly from Egyptian. Though the point of origin for the vegetable seems to have been Europe or Asia. The English name 'turnip' is also born of Latin 'napus', which became 'nepe' in Middle English, and finally morphed into turned (rounded) nepe, or turnip.

Bonus:

The 'nip' suffix is also the reason for 'parsnip', which was a portmanteau of Latin 'pastinum' (a type of fork) and 'nepe'.

Bonus 2:

Speaking of portmenteaus, Wikipedia has a list.

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January 31st, 2017

Coronation Street is a long running soap opera, and a staple of British culture. In fact, it's not just a long running soap opera, it's the longest running soap opera. It has been on-air for 57 years, and has over 9000 episodes. Watching the full series without taking breaks would add up to 4 months, 10 days, 19 hours, and 24 minutes of sitting in front of the TV. Even more incredible is that there is still one (and only one) actor left from the original cast: Ken Barlow, who is played by William Roache. Roache was 28 when he started, and he and his character are now 84, making him the longest serving actor in a continuous role.

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