Cool Fact of the Day
First Public Aquarium
Where was the world's first public aquarium?
People have been keeping fish since at least 2500 BC, when the Sumerians kept them in
ponds for food (the world's first aquaculture). Fish were kept as pets in Rome, and the
Chinese domesticated goldfish from drab wild carp during the Sung Dynasty (960-1278).
The first aquarium where fish were kept for public viewing opened in 1853 in Regent's Park,
England. In the years that followed, other public aquaria opened in England, and a popular
wave of home aquarium keeping resulted. In 1856, the great exhibitor, P. T. Barnum, opened
America's first public aquarium in New York City.
Unfortunately, early public and private aquaria suffered from high fish mortality rates because
of a lack of proper aeration and filtering. It was not until 1871 that public aquaria in
Blackpool, England and Frankfurt, Germany were designed to care for the fish, providing
temperature controls, bubbles for air and circulation, and filters to keep the water clear.
History of aquaria:
tetra-fish.com
Today's public aquaria are high-tech wonders with million-gallon tanks:
aquariumofpacific.org
mbayaq.org
aqua.org
Nathaniel Ward invented the terrarium:
features.learningkingdom.com
Cool Word of the Day
limbo [n. LIM-bo]
In Roman Catholicism, Limbo is the home of otherwise innocent souls who, not having been
baptized, are barred from heaven -- for example, people who lived before Christ and
unbaptized infants. The word is often capitalized when used in this sense.
From this meaning, limbo has assumed the broader meaning of a place for persons or things
cast aside or out-of-date. It can also mean a place of transition or a state of uncertainty.
Example: "The project was in limbo until a new director could be hired."
Limbo, when used in any of the above senses, comes from the Latin limbus (edge, border).
Limbo is also a dance from the West Indies in which participants bend backwards and move
under a horizontal bar that is lowered with each successful pass. This sense of limbo was first
seen in Jamaican English in the 1950s.
Person of the Day
Karl Bodmer, 1809-93
Explorer, Artist
Born in Switzerland, Karl Bodmer studied art in France before being commissioned as the
official artist on a German prince's expedition of discovery across the American West.
Bodmer and his sponsor, Prince Maximilian, ventured in Indian territory beginning around
1832, exploring what would one day become the states of North and South Dakota,
Wyoming, Nebraska, and Montana. Along the way, he painted Native Americans as they
were -- avoiding the depiction of "noble savages" that had, until then, romanticized the first
Americans.
Returning to France in 1834, Bodmer completed dozens of paintings recounting his trip. His
paintings, however, were soon forgotten, perhaps because they varied from the popular
perception of the American West. Today, Bodmer's work is cherished as one of the most
realistic depictions of the Plains Indians. Many of those paintings now hang in the collection of
the Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha, Nebraska.
More about Karl Bodmer:
monet.unk.edu
joslyn.org
Quotes of the Day
Spontaneity; On the value of spontaneity:
"The essence of pleasure is spontaneity."
-- Germaine Greer, 1939-, Australian feminist writer
"Our spontaneous action is always the best. You cannot, with your best deliberation and
heed, come so close to any question as your spontaneous glance shall bring you."
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1803-82, American essayist, poet, philosopher
"The most decisive actions of our life... are, more often than not, unconsidered."
-- Andre Gide, 1869-1951, French author
Today in History
June 6th
1523: Vasa Crowned King Gustav I of Sweden
Regent Gustav Vasa was crowned King Gustav I of Sweden. During his reign, Gustav I laid
the foundations of the Swedish national state. The church was turned into a national institution,
its estates were confiscated, and the Protestant Reformation was introduced.
His political strength grew with the "Stockholm blood bath" of 1520:
lysator.liu.se
1944: "D-Day" Occurred
"D-Day": the Allied forces began the invasion of Normandy, France, during World War II.
The assault was led by the largest invasion fleet in history -- 1,200 fighting ships, 10,000
planes, and more than 150,000 soldiers. The successful landing was hailed as the beginning of
the end of Nazi Germany.
1949: 1984 Published
"1984," George Orwell's vision of a world ruled by Big Brother, was published; this
condemnation of totalitarianism has since become a modern classic.
The Indian-born writer died at the age of 47 from an untreated respiratory problem:
codoh.com
1982: Israel Invaded Lebanon
Israel launched a full-scale invasion against Lebanon. In the operation "Peace for Galilee,"
Israeli troops besieged and bombed Beirut. During the invasion, 14,000 people were killed
and 30,000 injured, mostly civilians. While Israel claimed the invasion was in self-defense, it
was condemned by the United Nations and various human rights organizations.
1984: Attack on Golden Temple
In an effort to drive out Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his militant followers,
Indian troops invaded the Golden Temple at Amritsar, India, the Sikh's holiest shrine. Sikhs,
who account for about two percent of India's population, had taken refuge there. The battle
also claimed the lives of several pilgrims and temple workers, and caused extensive damage.
The Golden Temple is renowned for its sublime beauty and peacefulness:
pugmarks.com
Holidays & Events
June 6
Memorial Day, National Day
KOREA: MEMORIAL DAY
Koreans pay tribute today to those who have given their lives for their country. This national
holiday pays tribute to the war dead from throughout history. Civilians and soldiers are
honored in memorial services held throughout the country. The main event is at the National
Cemetery in the country's capital city Seoul.
More about Korean culture:
lifeinkorea.com
SWEDEN: NATIONAL DAY
Blue and yellow flags will fly high in Sweden today. This is Sweden's National Day and
Swedish Flag Day. June 6 celebrates the flag and commemorates the day on which Gustavus
Vasa was crowned King of Sweden in 1523. A special cupcake made from almond pastry
and strawberries and known as the Sverigebakelsen is only available on this holiday.
This national day is not a public holiday:
inv.se
hem.passagen.se
More about Gustavus Vasa:
utb.boras.se
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