2010 - New facts/words/terms

This is a list of new facts, words and terms I have learned this year. One of my New Year's resolutions is to learn at least one new thing every day starting 1/1/2010. If you KNOW that I have any of my facts wrong, please let me know which one and where to find the correct info. Thanks.


1/1/10 - The Incas thought of space and time as a single unified concept named "pacha" a very long time before European scientists did.


1/2/10 - Emperor Honorius ended the official/legal gladiatorial games in 404 CE after a monk jumped into the arena to separate two gladiators and was stoned to death.

1/3/10 -The Alpine Munia is a species of finch found in tropical and subtropical grasslands such as Papua New Guinea.

1/4/10 - Fairy tale author Jacob Grimm was born on this day (1/4) in 1785.

1/5/10 - On this day in 1967, a gallon of gas was only 28 cents.

1/6/10 - In 1926, women were banned from competing in marathons because it was believed it caused infertility.

1/7/10 - Zero was invented in India by Indian mathematicians dating as early as 5th century.

1/8/10 - The East Japan Railway Company (JR-East), as part of research aimed at developing more environmentally friendly train stations, is testing an experimental system that produces electricity as people pass through ticket gates.

1/9/10 - In 1987, American Airlines eliminated one olive from every salad they served in the first class section. It saved the company about $40,000 that year.

1/10/10 - Emery Molyneux was a maker of globes and mathematical instruments. His globes were first published in 1592 and were the first to be made by an Englishman; in fact, they were the first to be made in England.

1/11/10 - Saying "I'm going to unpack and go through at least one entire box full of papers a day until I'm completely unpacked" is much more difficult than actually doing it.

1/12/10 - A "labyrinthine projection" is one continuous, non-intersecting line (hand drawn) tht creates a photo-realistic image. The term was coined by an American artist names J. eric Morales in 2000.

1/13/10 - We live in dangerous, yet interesting times.

1/14/10 - Planck's constant is the physical constant used to desrcibe the sizes of the quanta in quantum mechanics.

1/15/10 - It's much easier to just type these facts in every day rather than making a list on sticky notes for a week or two and then transcribing them.

1/16/10 - Wrap rage is the name given for the anger and frustration people feel from the difficulty and sometimes inability to open those hard to remove/anti-theft blister pack and clamshell packaged items.

1/17/10 - In 1982, Peters and Waterman brought for the idea of "management by wandering around" which in short means management by getting out of the office and spending time with workers and customers.

1/18/10 - A "frame" as it pertains to the four frames of organizational leadership, is a set of ideas that forms a prism, or a lens, that enables the leader to not only see but understand much more clearly what goes on from day-to-day within the organization.

1/19/10 - Whether you want to believe it or not, caffeine is addictive. Just try to go without it for a couple weeks or months. Not just coffee, also chocolate, soda, etc. Not easy, but it can be done.

1/20/10 - The Library is a great place to hang out or just relax. If you haven't been to your local branch in a while give it a try.

1/21/10 - When someone says "that will never happen here" don't believe them. We do have the occasional tornado in central AZ.

1/22/10 - It's a good idea to have a back up disaster plan. A small closet with some non0-perishable food and water and other survival supplies is a good idea especially if you live on the top floor and have no basement or lower level to retreat to.

1/23/10 - All work and no play makes Michael a dull boy.

1/24/10 - If the apocalypse 2012 doesn't occur, don't fret. There is a 1 in 3,030 (approx.) chance that Earth will be hit by an Asteroid around June 3rd-9th, 2048.

1/25/10 - Fact: When searching for information on the internet, you should check multiple sources for the same information. You can never tell if the person posting something actually knows what they're talking about. If you find a site with the exact same wording, check another site.

1/26/10 - The Atakapa is an extinct Indian tribe that was located along the coast from Louisiana to Texas (from Vermillion Bay to Trinity Bay) in the 1600's.

1/27/10 - The Tonkawa were a nomadic Indian tribe comprised mainly of hunters who roamed parts of Texas and Oklahoma in the late 1600's.

1/28/10 - in 1675 Newton delivered his discourse on "light and color" to the Royal Society.

1/29/10 - In 1695 Nehemiah Grew successfully separated magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt) from spring water. (Mr. Grew, my feet thank you for that.)

1/30/10 - In 1748 Jean Nollet, a clergyman and physisist, discovered a form of osmosis.

1/31/10 - Peter Henlein built the first pocket watch ever made in 1502.

2/1/10 - Raw sugar was first refined in 1503.

2/2/10 - In 1933, Ernst Ruska built the first electron microscope. It had a 12,000 power magnification. We now have electron microscopes that give 1,000,000 power magnification.

2/3/10 - The Palio is a horse race held in Sienna, Italy, where jockeys attack each other with whips. It's brutal and has been going on for over 800 years.

2/4/10 - In 1947, Dennis Gabor developed 3D holography. (1947!!! That was 63 years ago. Where's my 3D TV/movie??)

2/5/10 - Amelia Earhart disappeared in 1937 (I knew that). Her co-pilot's name was Fred Noonan (didn't know that).

2/6/10 - The first world map showing "America" was created in 1507.

2/7/10 - In 1960, the first argon ion laser is built.

2/8/10 - An Inkstone is a stone used to mix dry ink with water for Chinese calligraphy and painting.

2/9/10 - Bioinfotmatics is the use of computers, mathematics and information theory to model and analyze biological systems.  It is used quite a bit in genetic research.

2/10/10 - Soil liquefaction occurs during earthquakes when the water saturated ground loses its strength and turns from a solid to a liquid.

2/11/10 - The Bianchini Crater is on the northwestern part of the moon just north of the Jura Mountains.

2/12/10 - Many birds do not have gall bladders.

2/13/10 - The Javan Rhinoceros is one of the most critically endangered species on the planet.

2/14/10 -