Education

  Jean Béliveau Considered one of the game’s best centers,  Jean Béliveau  won 10 (yes, 10) Stanley Cups (1956–60, 1965–66, 1968–69, 1971) with the Montreal Canadiens. He scored a then record 507 career goals and was twice named the league’s MVP (1956, 1964). In fact, Béliveau was so awesome that he didn’t even have to wait the customary three years after retiring before being voted into the Hockey Hall of Fame (1972). Maurice Richard Maurice Richard and Jacques Plante Maurice Richard (left) and goalie Jacques Plante (right) of the Montreal Canadiens defending the goal during the 1956 Stanley Cup playoffs. UPI/Bettmann/Detroit Times “The Rocket”  rewrote the record books. The right winger was the first player to score 500 goals and the first to light up the lamp 50 times in a single season. During his 18 years with the Montreal Canadiens, Maurice Richard won eight Stanley Cups (1944, 1946, 1953, 1956–60). He was also known for his aggressive play and hot temper. An i...

  Using algorithms, spreadsheets, statistics, and slide rules, I have determined the best ice hockey players ever. Kidding! I don’t even know what an algorithm is. However, I do know my hockey. So, relying solely on my deeply held opinions, I’ve come up with a very subjective list of the top 10 hockey players. Don’t agree with my picks? Well, you get a five-minute major for fighting. Alex Ovechkin Alex Ovechkin Alex Ovechkin, 2009. Dan4th Nicholas My only coworker who follows hockey loves  Alex Ovechkin . In fact, he once claimed that Ovechkin was “the world’s greatest human being.” I think he was kidding. But “Ovie” has proven himself a great hockey player. After making his  National Hockey League  (NHL) debut in 2005 with the  Washington Capitals , Ovechkin frequently led the league in scoring, winning the Maurice Richard Trophy, for most goals scored, multiple times (2008–09, 2013–16, 2018–19, 2020). He’s also a three-time recipient of the Hart Memorial Troph...

  Sekrata The  Sakalava  people, indigenous to  Madagascar , recognize the gender,  sekrata .  Sekrata  people have male sexual characteristics, but after displaying behavior viewed as feminine during childhood, they are raised as girls by their families.  Sekrata  adopt a feminine appearance in styling their hair and wearing jewelry. As adults, they inhabit a unique niche: they do not occupy traditionally male roles, like soldiering; instead, they undertake other responsibilities, like performing in ceremonies. The  sekrata  are widely accepted within Sakalava society. They are viewed as both sacred and protected by supernatural powers. Two-Spirit two-spirit people Kristina Padilla, a transgender, two-spirit, Apache/Cherokee person posing as part of National Trans Visibility March Day, Sacramento, California, October 2021. In the gender binary system, all people fit into one of two genders: man or woman. Critics often refute the pu...

  Throughout history, many cultures have recognized gender identities other than male and female. Nonbinary people have often occupied unique positions in their societies, serving as priests, artists, and ceremonial leaders. Here are some nonbinary genders recognized by cultures around the world. Hijra Hijras in India Hijras participate in a religious procession in India. Sam Panthaky—AFP/Getty Images Hindu  society features the gender hijra, the most common nonbinary identity recognized in  India  today. Hijras are found in Hindu religious texts and throughout  South Asian  history. Many hijras are born with male sexual characteristics, though the hijra community also includes  intersex  people. A unique culture underlies the hijra identity: hijras often leave home to join groups that educate new initiates in spirituality. Hijras assume a religious role in Hindu culture, celebrating rituals like weddings and births. Many believe hijras posse...

  More than 200 years ago, the crew of the HMS   Warren Hastings   reported being attacked by giant balls of fire that descended from the sky. The mysterious fireballs reportedly set the ship on fire and killed several people. A century later, a “dazzling globe of electric fire” appeared in the cottage where British occultist   Aleister Crowley   was staying, which he described in detail in his autobiography. He claimed that the floating orb instantly exploded, slightly shocking his hand. Frightening, cryptic, and potentially dangerous, this phenomenon is known today as   ball lightning . Sightings of mysterious floating balls of light have captivated humanity across many different cultures, inspiring a myriad of fantastical explanations and mythical stories. In Australian  Outback  folklore they are called Min Min lights—strange fuzzy balls of light that follow people around at night. The Japanese  hitodama  are ghostly balls of fire th...