November 16, 2025
LSD Is First Synthesized by Swiss Chemist Albert Hofmann (1938)
Ergot, a toxic fungus that grows on rye, can cause spasms and hallucinations if accidentally ingested. In 1938, Hofmann was researching potentially useful derivatives of ergot when he first synthesized lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). However, he did not discover its hallucinogenic properties until five years later, when he accidentally absorbed some of the substance through his fingertips. In 1947, his laboratory introduced LSD as a psychiatric drug. What is "Bicycle Day"? Discuss
November 15, 2025
Margaret Thatcher and Garret FitzGerald Sign the Anglo-Irish Agreement (1985)
Though it did not bring an immediate end to the Troubles, the Anglo-Irish Agreement addressed some specific points of contention. It granted the Republic of Ireland a role in the government of Northern Ireland for the first time, while confirming that Northern Ireland would remain a part of the UK until a majority of its citizens decided otherwise. The agreement met with fierce opposition in Northern Ireland. One politician compared Thatcher, the British Prime Minister, to what biblical villain?
November 14, 2025
British Broadcasting Company Makes Its First Radio Broadcast (1922)
The original BBC—the British Broadcasting Company—was founded by radio manufacturers eager to provide programs for the radios they were selling. Just two weeks after listeners began purchasing receiving licenses, Arthur Burrows read the first newscast from Marconi House in London. Two more stations—Birmingham and Manchester—went on the air the next day. Within five years, the company was transformed into the British Broadcasting Corporation. What was reported on the second day of broadcasting?
