Dead Writers
Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862) was a renowned American essayist, poet, and philosopher associated with Transcendentalism. He is best known for his works on "Civil Disobedience" as well as his reflections of this place.
What is "Walden Pond"?
What is "Sumerian"
To prove our own existence to ourselves, this simple solution was thought up by the philosopher René Descartes.
What is "I think therefore I am"
In Ancient Egypt starting back in the Old Kingdom and continuing into the Late Period, the process of mummification included the removal of certain body parts which were stored in these funerary vessels.
What are "Coptic Jars"?
As most beach goers know, lighting knows how to put a damper on a fun day in the sun. It is commonly recommended that people do this if lightning is spotted over a lake.
What is "go inside the nearest building"
In 1818, Mary Shelley wrote one of the first stories of modern science fiction thanks to a writing challenge between friends. The story was published under two titles, Frankenstein; or, this other title.
What is "The Modern Prometheus"?
Part of the "kill the Indian, save the man" policy of American Indian boarding schools was to prevent Native Americans from transmitting their native language to the next generation and to punish children who spoke the language of their culture of origin. Forced language death can also be a factor in this international crime.
What is "genocide"
Although not an actual bug, this title refers to a person who persistently challenges, criticizes, or provokes others—particularly those in authority—to stimulate change, innovation, or deeper thinking. They are often seen as an irritating nuisance. The most famous example of this is Socrates.
What is "a gadfly"
Cremation is a method of final disposal of a corpse through burning. Cultures around the world have performed this funerary ritual in various ways for centuries. Once a cremation is complete, the average amount of ash left over weighs this much.
What is "5 lbs"?
This third metal prong on electrical plugs is a crucial safety feature designed to prevent electric shock by providing a safe pathway for electricity in case of a short circuit. It connects the metal casing of an appliance to the building’s grounding system, reducing risks.
What is "A Grounding Pin"
In 1922, Robert frost published a famous poem entitled "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening". Even if people have never heard the full poem, most will know it by these last two repeating lines.
What is "Miles to go before I sleep"?
Language revival is the attempt to re-introduce an extinct language in everyday use by a new generation of native speakers. Many researchers refer to these as dormant languages, while others give them this fairy tale title.
What are "sleeping beauty languages"
German Philosophers are always fun party conversations that I always recommend. Nietzsche is no exception with his commonly misinterpreted quote about us killing this person/thing.
What is "God"
"God is dead and we killed him"
For those who have spent time preserving and restoring old headstones (my wife), it quickly becomes clear that this type of stone is the best for longevity and always looks brand new once cleaned.
What is "Granite"
In the 1870s-1930's telephone lines were beginning to connect the country. Insulators were necessary when attaching the wires to the poles and to help prevent electric current loss during transmission. The insulators were primarily made out of this material.
What is "glass"
Although better known for her stories about lively families, this famous writer enlisted as a nurse during the civil war. She lasted only a few months before contracting typhoid fever and having to return home.
Who was "Louisa May Alcott"?
Siouan is a language family of North America located primarily in the Great Plains. An offshoot of Siouan, once popular in North Dakota was determined to be extinct as of December 9th 2016. This language shared a name with the indigenous group that spoke it. It is also the name of a town in the middle of North Dakota.
What is "Mandan"
This is the 18th-century, circular prison design by philosopher Jeremy Bentham allowing a central guard tower to monitor all inmates, who cannot know if they are being watched. Philosopher Michel Foucault used it as a metaphor for modern disciplinary societies. More recently it is used in reference to mass digital surveillance.
What is the "Panopticon"
These specialists study insect infestation on dead bodies to determine the time of death (post-mortem interval).
Forensic Entomologists
"Live Wire" is the second single by this American heavy metal band. It was released on their 1981 debut album Too Fast for Love.
What is "Mötley Crüe"
Many people know the poem "O Captain! My Captain!" from the movie Dead Poet's Society when the students are showing their support for their teacher who is forced to resign following the death of their classmate. Walt Whitman originally wrote this poem as an elegy for the untimely death of this person.
Who is "Abraham Lincoln"
Anja has a tendency to try to learn dead languages because she mistakenly thinks they will be easier than living ones. In high school, she barely made it out of Latin with C's. However, since she shared this niche hobby with her teacher, she still managed to become their favorite.
What is "Collecting pens"
Epicurus famously argued that fear of death is irrational, stating, "Death is nothing to us," because when we exist, death is not present, and when death is present, we do not exist. However, this German philosopher (who got too close with his students and the nazis) viewed humans as "being-toward-death," meaning our awareness of mortality defines our existence.
Who is "Martin Heidegger"
This creature was taxidermied in 1865 and still holds the title of "The largest thing ever taxidermied". It is still displayed at the Natural History Museum in Gothenburg, Sweden.
What is "a whale"
What is "Harley-Davidson"