Coal is something which we all need in some way or other. We need coal to produce heat and light for our homes and offices; our industry needs coal to provide many commercial and household goods to export all over the world. Different types of coal are often found in a coalfield. There are ‘coking coal’, for instance which, when …

These are robots that look like Volkswagen Beetle cars, only they have legs instead of wheels. They can scuttle across spaces and have the potential to help put out forest fires. They can be used in areas which can be quite dangerous for humans. These robotic Beetles were developed by the University of Magdeburg-Stendal in Germany.

Since World War II, many countries have joined common markets. These organizations try to develop the economies of the member countries, especially by removing all trade restrictions between them. The European Economic Community (EEC) was founded in 1957 by Italy, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and West Germany. Six nations joined later: Denmark. Ireland and the UK in 1973; Greece …

A teleprinter is a telegraph transmitter which has a typewriter keyboard and type-printing telegraph receiver. It is widely used in commercial offices and fro public and news services. The machines were developed so that telegraphing could be carried out by competent typists rather than highly-skilled telegraph operators. During the 1920’s and 1930’s they were developed by E.E.Kleinschmidt and the Morkrum …

There are several silicon valleys in Europe. In Finland, there is Otaniemi near Helsinki, in France, there are two – Sophia Antipolis, between Nice and Cannes, and Zirst of Meylan, close to Grenoble. In Germany too, there are two – namely Chausseestrasse, Berlin and Dresden. In the UK, there are three – M4 corridor between London and Reading, Silicon Fen, …

Hermann Hesse (July 2, 1877 – August 9, 1962) was a German Swiss Poet, Novelist, & Painter. In 1946, he received the Nobel Prize in Literature. His best-known works include Steppenwolf, Siddhartha, and The Glass Bead Game (also known as Magister Ludi), each of which explores an individual’s search for authenticity, self-knowledge and spirituality. Hermann Hesse was born on 2 …

Gunter Wilhelm Grass, born in Danzig, Oct. 16, 1927, Germany’s prominent contemporary writer, has been called the conscience of his country’s postwar generation. Drafted into the Labor Service toward the end of World War II, he was wounded and taken prisoner in 1945. After the war he moved (1947) to Dusseldorf where he studied sculpture and painting, supporting himself as …

Gonzalo Higuain — Gonzalo Gerardo “El Pipita” Higuain (born 10 December 1987) is a French-born Argentine footballer who currently plays as a striker for Real Madrid and the Argentine national team. He is the son of former footballer Jorge “El Pipa” Higuain, and the younger brother of footballer Federico Higuain. In a similar case to David Trezeguet, who could have …

George Clooney — George Timothy Clooney (born May 6, 1961) is an American actor, film director, producer, and screenwriter. For his work as an actor, he has received three Golden Globe Awards and an Academy Award. Clooney is also noted for his political activism, and has served as one of the United Nations Messengers of Peace since January 31, 2008. …

Franz Beckenbauer — Franz Anton Beckenbauer was born on 11 September 1945 in Munich. He is a German football coach, manager, and former player, nicknamed Der Kaiser (“The Emperor”) because of his elegant style, his leadership, his first name “Franz” (reminiscent of the Austrian emperors), and his dominance on the football pitch. He is generally regarded as the greatest German …