120 years ago today, Salvador Dali was born. Known for his striking and bizarre images, he is one of, if not the most famous surrealist painter in history. Inspired by the Renaissance masters, Dali nevertheless gravitated to the surrealist movements in the early 20th century. He would live in France for the duration of the […] The post Good News in History, May 11 appeared first on Good News Network.

Biden's Latest Attack on Israel May Be the Worst

It’s easy to think of the plant world as gentle and calm, but take a closer look and you’ll find plenty of plant life that doesn’t quite fit that perspective. That includes the Chinese witch hazel (Hamamelis mollis), which scientists have captured squeezing out its seeds with an impressive level of force.It all started at the University of Freiburg. “By coincidence, we had a twig of this plant in an office, and it started shooting the seeds,” Simon Poppinga, the study’s lead author told The New York Times. “This triggered our interest in it, so we started investigating, and it became more interesting and even more interesting and even more interesting.”Many plants exhibit ballistochory, a form of seed dispersal characterized by forceful ejection, but using a combination of MRI scans, microscopy, and high-speed camera footage, Poppinga and the team were able to figure out exactly how the Chinese witch hazel does it.They discovered that the fruits of the plant act as “drying squeeze catapults”. As the outer part of the fruit (the exocarp) dries out, it shrinks, whilst the inner part (the endocarp) also changes shape. This puts increasing amounts of mechanical pressure on the seed inside until it shoots out, a mechanism used by the similarly speedy Sphagnum mosses. When that happens, you can actually hear the connective structures linking the endocarp and the seed together breaking, with what the researchers call a “distinct cracking sound”.“You hear the crack and then it shoots out,” said fellow author Thomas Speck. “The fascinating thing is there is no explosive mechanism.”And when the seed goes, it goes. It launches with a force equivalent to approximately 2000g – way, way beyond the G-force that a human could tolerate, not that we’re planning on being thrown out of fruit – and then flies through the air at a maximum of around 27.5 miles per hour (44.3 kilometers per hour). The study suggests that the seeds could even land as far as 18 meters (59 feet) away.Those are some impressive stats, but what the team found interesting was that the seeds also spun as they flew, some even doing so up to 25,000 revolutions per minute. The authors attributed this to a tiny ridge on the seed – much like how grooves on the inside of a rifle barrel put spin on a bullet.“We hypothesize that these features increase the dispersal distance of H. mollis seeds,” the team writes in the study. What isn’t entirely clear is why the Chinese witch hazel needs this extra distance, though it’s suspected that it’s because it lives in the undergrowth; firing its seeds further might help it better compete in a potentially less crowded spot.Not sure what the new neighbors will have to say about the racket it makes, though.The study is published in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface.

AGAIN!? Ron DeSantis 'Needs to Make Gavin Newsom a New Poop Map'

Clarence Thomas Unleashed: Calls DC a 'Hideous Place' Where 'People Pride Themselves in Being Awful'

Is Russia's Baltic GPS Jamming Harassment or a Military Test Bed?

Octogenarian Climate Loons Try to Damage Magna Carta

King Sneferu (Snofru, Seneferu) was the father of Khufu and is famous for being responsible for two pyramids, plus finishing his predecessor’s at Meidum. Read moreSection: ArtifactsAncient TechnologyNewsRead Later 

A simple homemade White Texas Sheet Cake with a fluffy made-from-scratch frosting that can serve up to a dozen and is ready in under an hour! AN EASY HOMEMADE SHEET CAKE RECIPE I love making a good ol’ fashioned homemade White Texas Sheet Cake! It’s great for using for special occasions since it can make 12 servings in no time (or just because you’re craving some homemade cake but want to keep it simple.) Plus, since it’s a white sheet cake it is very versatile and insanely simple to customize. But, my favorite part is the fact that it’s ready to go in under an hour. You don’t have to even let the butter come to room temperature because the icing is drizzled on and it sets up as it cools. The creaminess of this icing and the fluffiness of the cake with that perfect, tender cake crumb, really makes this cake stand out from others. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS How is a Texas White Sheet Cake different from a regular sheet cake? Usually, the Texas version typically contains a higher ratio of butter in the batter, giving it a richer flavor and a more tender cake crumb. It also has an icing that is not whipped. It is made with melted butter with the other icing ingredients added to the melted butter then drizzled onto the cake where it sets up as it cools. What other toppings could I use? Instead of sprinkles, you could add any of the following: Sliced almonds or other nuts, M&M’s, drizzle with any flavored syrups or sauces, or top with other candies. What size sheet pan do I use? I used a 13×18-inch sheet pan. This is called a half sheet pan. You could also use a jelly roll pan which is 11×15-inches. The cake will just be a tad thicker and you may need to cook it for just a few minutes more. Can I make this with cake mix? Sure can! If you don’t want to make this sheet cake from scratch, I suggest grabbing a Duncan Hines White Cake Mix, but ditch the box instructions. Instead, beat 3 egg whites until frothy and mix with the cake mix in a mixing bowl. Then add in ½ cup melted salted butter with ¾ cup milk, and a teaspoon of almond extract and mix well. Then transfer to pan and bake as directed. Make the icing and ice as normal.   Can I make this without a sheet cake pan? You could use a regular 9×13- inch baking pan. Just take care not to overfill the cake pan. It should only go 3/4 of the way up the baking pan. You will need to adjust your cooking times for the thickness of the cake. I recommend checking it at the 20-minute mark and inserting a toothpick into the center. When the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is done. If it does not come out clean, check in additional 5-minute intervals.  How do I store leftover Texas Sheet Cake? Any leftover White Sheet Cake should be stored at room temperature in an airtight container or just covered appropriately for up to 3 days. I don’t like to put any homemade cakes in the fridge because I find that it dries the cake leftovers out faster. You can keep the cake for up to 3 months in the freezer by wrapping individual slices with plastic wrap and then with foil. Just keep in mind that the texture may change and the cake may dry out over time. INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE) unsalted butter– if you only have salted butter to use, omit the salt later on. water all-purpose flour – you can use self rising flour, just omit the additional baking soda as it is already included in self rising flour. granulated sugar – you could use a 1:1 sugar substitute as well. salt – just regular table salt here. baking soda – make sure your baking soda is fresh. Your cake will turn out heavy and dense if your baking soda is no longer fresh. To test for freshness; add 1/4 teaspoon baking soda into a cup and add 2 teaspoons vinegar. If it bubbles then it is still good but if you don’t see any bubbling, time to get a new box. large eggs – if you have time, allow the eggs to come to room temperature. Room temperature eggs mix into the batter much better and much more evenly. almond extract -this can be replaced with vanilla extract. This recipe was tested using both almond and vanilla extract. You will keep the measurements the same.  sour cream – if you don’t have it on hand, you can omit this. But, the cake won’t turn out as moist as it would with the sour cream. You don’t taste the sour cream as a separate ingredient so don’t think this will somehow come out tart. milk – the milk and sour cream can be omitted and you could use buttermilk in place of those two ingredients. If using buttermilk instead of milk, you would use the same measurement for the buttermilk as you would the regular milk for this recipe.  sprinkles powdered sugar– I don’t sift my powdered sugar before using but a lot of people swear by it. I have just never found it necessary but if you are a sifter then go for it! HOW TO MAKE A WHITE TEXAS SHEET CAKE Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a half sheet pan (13×18 inches) or a jelly roll pan (10×15 inches). Combine flour, salt, and baking soda in a mixing bowl. Set it aside. In a large saucepan, add butter and water. Bring to a boil and remove from heat.  Mix flour mixture into the water and butter. Mix well, being sure to break up any clumps. Let  cool for 5-10 minutes before moving to the next step. (This is important so that the eggs don’t  curdle in the  batter.)  Stir in almond extract, sour cream, and milk. After this is mixed thoroughly, add in eggs.  Pour batter into prepared sheet pan. Bake for about 20 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean.) Remove the cake from the oven and place pan on a wire rack to cool for about 15 minutes while you make the icing. In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add in powdered sugar, milk, and almond extract. Whisk together and cook until sugar is well incorporated. Pour warm icing over warm cake.  Top with sprinkles, if desired.  CRAVING MORE RECIPES?  Texas Sheet Cake Chocolate Sheet Cake Homemade White Cake Homemade Yellow Cake One Bowl Homemade Chocolate Cake Homemade Lemon Layered Cake Homemade Funfetti Cake Homemade Angel Food Cake Homemade Pound Cake Homemade Double Crumb Cake Homemade Banana Cake Cinnamon Roll Cake Fresh Strawberry Cake Print White Texas Sheet Cake A simple homemade White Texas Sheet Cake with a fluffy made-from-scratch frosting that can serve up to a dozen and is ready in under an hour! Course DessertCuisine American Prep Time 30 minutes minutesCook Time 20 minutes minutesTotal Time 50 minutes minutes Servings 12 servings Calories 487kcal Author Brandie @ The Country Cook IngredientsFor the Cake:½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter1 cup water2 cups all-purpose flour2 cups granulated sugar1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon baking soda2 large eggs1 teaspoon almond extract¼ cup sour cream½ cup milkFor the Icing:½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter3 cups powdered sugar6 Tablespoons milk½ teaspoon almond extractsprinkles (optional) InstructionsPre-heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a half sheet pan (13×18-inches) or a jelly roll pan (10×15-inches).Combine flour, salt, and baking soda in a mixing bowl. Set it aside.In a large saucepan, add butter and water. Bring to a boil and remove from heat.Mix flour mixture into the water and butter. Mix well, being sure to break up any clumps. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before moving to the next step. (This is important so that the eggs don’t curdle in the batter.)Stir in almond extract, sour cream, and milk. After this is mixed thoroughly, add in eggs.Pour batter into prepared sheet pan.Bake for about 20 minutes (until a toothpick comes out clean.) If using the smaller jelly roll pan (10×15-inch) I would check at about the 17 minute mark.Remove the cake from the oven and place pan on a wire rack to cool for about 15 minutes while you make the icing.Icing Instructions:In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.Add in powdered sugar, milk, and almond extract.Whisk together and cook until sugar is well incorporated.Pour warm icing over warm cake.Top with sprinkles, if desired. Notes Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions. NutritionCalories: 487kcal | Carbohydrates: 80g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 18g | Sodium: 309mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 64g