Author Archives: Emily Upton

Why Leotards Are Called That

Leotards, the skin-tight garments that cover the torso and (sometimes) arms, leaving the legs free are a common sight in everything from little girls’ dance recitals, gymnastics, and figure skating to the Olympics. Favoured by those who participate in active pursuits for the flexibility that they offer, leotards were made popular by Frenchman Jules Leotard. Born in 1842, Leotard is […]

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When People Started Burning Books

Evan asks: When did the practice of burning books start? To a writer, a bookworm, or a believer in the freedom of press and knowledge, there is nothing quite as horrifying as hearing about piles of books getting eaten by flames, never to be read again, particularly in instances in history where some of the books being burned were extremely […]

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The Man Who Accurately Estimated the Circumference of the Earth Over 2,000 Years Ago

Today I found out about a man who fairly accurately estimated the circumference of the Earth well over 2,000 years ago: Eratosthenes of Cyrene. Born around 276 B.C. in Cyrene, Libya, Eratosthenes soon became one of the most famous mathematicians of his time. He is best known for making the first recorded measurement of the Earth’s circumference, which was also […]

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Why Penguins’ Feet Don’t Freeze

Kara asks: A penguin’s feet are always on ice, so why don’t they freeze or have some sort of evolutionary built in insulation? There are many different species of penguin, and while our minds might take us to those living in the Antarctic tundras, freezing feet isn’t something every penguin has to contend with. In fact, there are some species […]

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