Northern Lights and Coronal Mass Ejection: Existential Threat from Methanogenic Cattle

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Reading Time: 3 minutesNORTHERN LIGHTS AND CORONAL MASS EJECTION: METHANOGENIC CATTLE OAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) has announced a G2 geomagnetic storm watch for tomorrow, August 28, which could potentially boost aurora activity. Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) are plasma and magnetic field explosions from the Sun’s corona. When aimed at Earth, they trigger geomagnetic storms that affect…

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History of Infinity Day: Why is it on August 8?

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Reading Time: 2 minutesHISTORY OF INFINITY DAY: AUGUST 8 Infinity Day, also known as Universal & International Infinity Day, is a commemoration held on the 8th day of the 8th month of each year to celebrate and promote Philosophy and Philosophizing for the ordinary person.

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History of Christmas in July

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Reading Time: 2 minutesHistory of Christmas in July erry Christmas in July, or Christmas in Summer, is celebrated primarily on July 25! It is not to be confused with LEON Day, celebrated on June 25, which falls exactly six months before Christmas Day. Christmas in July also has a practical dimension in the Southern Hemisphere, where it has the…

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History of Towel Day: Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

Towel Day

Reading Time: 2 minutesHISTORY OF TOWEL DAY May 25 celebrates Towel Day to honor Douglas Adams, the author of the five (or six) book “trilogy” Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Created in May 2001 to mark the passing of English science fiction humor author Douglas Adams, the day is set aside for fans of his writings to carry a…

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History of World Backup Day

World Backup Day

Reading Time: 4 minutesHISTORY OF WORLD BACKUP DAY There isn’t much history behind it, as the first celebration of this geek holiday was in 2011. World Backup Day is a decade and a half old. It started when a Reddit user wrote about losing their hard drive and wished someone had reminded them how important backups are. Ismail…

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History of Pi Day: 3.14

Pi

Reading Time: 3 minutesHISTORY OF PI DAY Podcast version   his holiday is often overlooked by those who do not speak Greek or those who do not speak Geek… but for the science major, this is a special celebration. Though it is an irregular constant number, we have the first three digits of “Pi” regularly and annually on…

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History of Mole Day: Avogadro’s Number

Mole Day

Reading Time: 3 minutesHISTORY OF MOLE DAY: AVOGADRO’S NUMBER Today, October 23, at 6:02 a.m., Mole Day begins. As a Geek Holiday, which is part of National Chemistry Week, it is based on something you may remember from high school chemistry:   Avogadro’s Number: 6.02 x 1023 Or fully, it’s 602,214,076,000,000,000,000,000. What better reason than at 06:02 (6.02) on October…

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History of October 10: 42 Day

October 10

Reading Time: 3 minutesHISTORY OF OCTOBER 10: 42 DAY Question: What is the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything. Answer: 42  

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History of Talk Like a Pirate Day: Ahoy, Matey!

Talk Like a Pirate Day

Reading Time: 2 minutesHISTORY OF TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY Podcast   International Talk Like a Pirate Day began not in the Golden Age of Pirates in days of yore but in 2002. It is celebrated each year on September 19; although it originated in the United States, it is now observed internationally across the Seven Seas.   The Tale…

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History of Sadie Hawkins Day: How a Comic Inspired a Dance

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Reading Time: 2 minutesHISTORY OF SADIE HAWKINS DAY November 13 traditionally marks the date of Sadie Hawkins Day, when women may ask men out on a date or to a dance. It is a folk holiday or a pseudo-holiday, similar to May the Fourth (Be With You) or Star Wars Day.   Why have you never heard about it…

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History of Gmail: 20 Years Ago

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Reading Time: 5 minutesHISTORY OF GMAIL Twenty years ago, on April 1, 2004, Google released Gmail to limited beta testing for only 1,000 users outside Google. Here’s the original press release. A few months later, I got an invitation to the beta, which was not opened to the general public until 2007. What follows is the story of…

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