Scissors or shears are used for cutting hair, thread, fabric, paper, or even food items. Specialized shears may be used for cutting metal, pruning plants, or in surgery. This type of cutlery was first invented thousands of years ago during the Bronze Age, but scissors were not readily available to everyone until the 1700s... Read more
The trumpet, also spelled trompette or trompete, is a musical instrument of the brass wind family. The term "trumpet" describes a number of instruments throughout history played by vibrating the lips against the mouthpiece. The earliest trumpets were made from the horns of animals such as rams or bulls, or conch shells. Today, trumpets are made of metal... Read more
A microscope is a scientific instrument "that produces enlarged images of small objects." The word "microscope" comes from ancient Greek words meaning "small" and "to see." Microscopes are used to investigate small objects that are too little to be seen with the naked eye... Read more
Volleyball is a sport played by two teams of six players, in which a ball is batted back and forth over a net. The aim of the game is to keep the ball from touching the ground when on your side of the net... Read more
A ballerina is a female ballet dancer. Professional ballerinas typically begin training before they reach seven years of age, and train six days a week throughout their careers... Read more
The first modern computer was built in 1937. Early computers, however, had little in common with the devices we know today. For example, one computer built in 1946 "weighed 30 tons, and had 18,000 vacuum tubes" which were used for processing. When it was first turned on, it used so much electricity that it dimmed the lights in parts of Philadelphia. Yet, it could only perform one task... Read more
Cheerleading has been around since at least the 1880s, when college football first became popular at America's Ivy League schools. Participants were then called "yell leaders." Cheerleading combines dance, acrobatics, and flashy attire to encourage the team and stir up the crowd... Read more
Basketball is an iconic American sport. Its legendary players, such as Michael Jordan and LeBron James, are considered heroes. It is the only sport to date whose origins lie solely in... Read more
Basketball may be the only sport to be invented completely in America. It arose at a YMCA in 1891 as an indoor sport to be played on a rainy... Read more
Baseball may be America's favorite pastime, but it was first played in England. Immigrants brought the game with them when they traveled to America, and its popularity... Read more
