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Veneration of pictures and statues symbolizing sacred figures and biblical events was an early feature of Christian worship. Iconoclasts were opposed to the use of such religious images and destroyed them, claiming that they violated the second commandment not to make or worship “graven images.” An iconoclastic movement developed during the Byzantine Empire, and it was characterized by fierce persecution of those who made and venerated icons. What are a few modern examples of iconoclasm?

DEFINITION: (noun) A scar left by the formation of new connective tissue over a healing sore or wound. SYNONYMS: scar, cicatrice. USAGE: It was clear from the cicatrix on his back that he had been punished at one time, but, whether as a slave or as a thief, we could not tell.

Davy Jones's Locker is a euphemism for death at sea and refers to the bottom of the ocean, where drowned sailors lie. Many theories exist as to where the name “Davy Jones” stems from, but while its origins are unclear, its meaning is not; sailors use the term when referring to the devil of the sea. Jones was described by one 18th century author as having 3 rows of teeth, horns, a tail, and blue smoke coming from his nostrils. How was he portrayed in the 2006 film Pirates of the Caribbean?

According to a group of American scientists, cannabidiol (CBD), a compound found in the hemp plant Cannabis sativa, may be useful as a non-toxic alternative to chemotherapy in the treatment of breast cancer. Earlier studies have found that CBD, which inhibits the activity of a gene that leads tumors to metastasize, curtails the growth of aggressive brain cancers. CBD does not have any psychoactive properties, so its use would not violate drug laws. Researchers are hopeful that this compound will lead to a viable treatment for metastatic forms of breast cancer while avoiding the unpleasant side-effects associated with chemotherapy.

DEFINITION: (verb) To teach (others) by frequent instruction or repetition. SYNONYMS: infuse, instill. USAGE: All of virtue and chivalry and true manhood which his old guardian had neglected to inculcate in the boy's mind the good priest planted there.

Twenty nine people, including four children, are holed up in an underground bunker near Russia's Volga River as they await the end of the world. Pyotr Kuznetsov ordered the members of his True Russian Orthodox Church, a doomsday cult, to enter the bunker last month and remain there until the world ends in May. Kuznetsov, who had not yet entered the underground hideout, was arrested and placed in a psychiatric hospital for evaluation; his followers remain in the bunker and are threatening to commit mass suicide if forced to leave.

About 200 million years ago Antarctica was joined to S America, Africa, India, Australia, and New Zealand in a single, warm continent called Gondwana. According to the plate tectonics theory, Antarctica split from Gondwana and drifted to its present location at the South Pole. Persistent westerly winds began to circle Antarctica, blocking heat transport to the continent and making it the coldest region on Earth. When was the lowest temperature ever recorded on Earth, -89.4C (-129F), reported?

DEFINITION: (adjective) Plentiful; copious. SYNONYMS: lush, riotous, luxuriant, exuberant. USAGE: He wiped his forehead, which had broken out in profuse perspiration at the thought of the pain which he might have to inflict upon the poor soul.

The unusually large, spherical Moeraki Boulders that dot a stretch of Koekohe Beach in New Zealand have been the subject of attention since prehistoric times. They range in size from .5 to 2.2 m (1.5 to 6.7 ft) in diameter and are composed of mud, fine-silt, and clay, and are cemented by calcite. Centuries of coastal erosion have exhumed these septarian concretions from the mudstone enclosing them. How many millions of years did it take for the larger Moeraki Boulders to form?

Cockroaches are gregarious insects; they tend to group together with others of their species. Generally, they prefer darker shelters and settle together in a single area. Using a cockroach pheromone coating, European scientists were able to introduce robotsinto the cockroach community, and the machines were then able to lead the cockroaches to seek shelter in lighter areas. Ultimately, these mechanical cockroaches may be utilized in pest control or serve as the blueprint for larger robots that could be used to herd livestock.