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The Roman Saturnalia, an ancient festival celebrated on December 17-24 that consisted of wild merrymaking and people enjoying themselves to the fullest. The day after this festival was adopted by the church as Christmas in an attempt to counteract the effects.

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Saturnalia

What Is Saturnalia? Saturnalia, the most popular holiday on the ancient Roman calendar, derived from older farming-related rituals of midwinter and the winter solstice, especially the practice of offering gifts or sacrifices to the gods during the winter sowing season. The pagan celebration of Saturn, the Roman god of agriculture and time, began as a […]

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Eclipses

Types Of Eclipses A solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun and partially or fully blocks the view of the Sun. When the Moon passes directly behind the Earth, into its shadow, a lunar eclipse occurs. A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon totally covers the Sun’s disk. […]

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UFOs and Alien Invasions in Film

The Day the Earth Stood Still One of the first notable examples of Hollywood’s depiction of the UFO phenomenon is The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951), adapted from Harry Bates’ 1940 short story “Farewell to the Master.” In the film, a flying saucer causes utter chaos when it appears in the skies over Washington, […]

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June 1965) Astronaut Edward H. White II, pilot for the Gemini-Titan 4 (GT-4) spaceflight, floats in the zero-gravity of space during the third revolution of the GT-4 spacecraft.June 1965) Astronaut Edward H. White II, pilot for the Gemini-Titan 4 (GT-4) spaceflight, floats in the zero-gravity of space during the third revolution of the GT-4 spacecraft. (Photo by: HUM Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

The Space Race

Causes of the Space Race By the mid-1950s, the U.S.-Soviet Cold War had worked its way into the fabric of everyday life in both countries, fueled by the arms race and the growing threat of nuclear weapons, wide-ranging espionage and counter-espionage between the two countries, war in Korea and a clash of words and ideas […]

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Stories

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Apollo 7

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The Apollo Mission That Nearly Ended With a Mutiny in Space

There were arguments over food, helmets and spacesuits that required 30 minutes for astronauts to use the bathroom.

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Is there life on Mars?

Life on Mars? The Search for Signs Goes Back Centuries

Our fascination with alien life on the red planet began long ago.

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Stephen Hawking

7 Things You Didn’t Know About Stephen Hawking

Little known facts about the astronomical life of author, cosmologist and physicist Stephen Hawking.

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Big Bird Nearly Rode on the Disastrous Challenger Mission

Caroll Spinney—the puppeteer in the yellow suit—was in talks to go to space.

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This Day in History

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1983

Guion S. Bluford becomes the first African American to travel to space

Black History
1966

Lunik 9 soft-lands on lunar surface

Space Exploration
1965

Mariner 4 studies Martian surface

Space Exploration
1983

Pioneer 10 departs solar system

Space Exploration
1900

The birth of quantum theory

Inventions & Science
1975

Superpowers meet in space

Space Exploration
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