The Siberian Unicorn
For 200 years, it was thought Elasmotherium sibericum, The Siberian Unicorn, went extinct 350,000 years ago. Now we know they were walking the earth at the same time we were...read article here... |
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Cassini
The space probe Cassini went on a 20-year voyage to study Saturn's secrets and as a result, our knowledge has grown, well, astronomically, one might say. Here is some of what we learned...read article here... |
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Google vs. Googol
Whether you spell it Google or Googol, we are talking about massive numbers. And, what exactly is a Googol?...read article here... |
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The World's Oldest Royal Library
The Library of Alexandria is one of the largest and most important libraries in Earth's history, however, it is not the oldest by more than 5 centuries. The Royal Library of Ashurbanipal which holds more than 30,000 cuneiform tablets...read article here...
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Quarantine in the Ancient World
Quarantine, or separating those with an illness from those who don’t have it in an effort to stop the spread of a disease, has been man's go-to solution for preventing epidemics for a long time. (The word is from the Italian quaranta giorni, literally "space of forty days.”) Ancient civilizations relied on this method of preventing the spread of disease even before understanding how disease can be transmitted. From Leviticus 13:46 in the Old Testament to the Plague of Athens in the time of Hippocrates, quarantine of the ill was often the only remedy available to a population trying to save itself.
As global travel became more prevalent, the world became a smaller place. Immunities in one area didn't exist in other areas, and indigenous pathogens were able to spread from place to place with a speed that had been impossible only years earlier. In the Middle Ages, Italy created the 40-day quarantine as a preventive measure in the face of the Black Death, which ravaged Europe in the 14th century. This led to preemptive isolation for ships and travelers arriving in city areas. While the enforcement of such restrictions ebbed and flowed with the times, this and similar solutions always came around again eventually.
Certainly, we can do more for the ill now than we could in ancient times. Modern hygiene and the introduction of antibiotics and other modern medical capacity has diminished the need for the degree of vigilance practiced in past centuries. Yet as we are seeing now, disease does come and can spread. As with so many things, the simpler, age-old solutions are sometimes the best option we have.
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Possible altar dedicated to Romulus found
It never ceases to amaze us when significant ancient sites and artifacts are newly discovered, and a recent find in Rome is no exception. Working below a stairway entrance to the Curia inside the Roman Forum (where Roman senators met to vote), archaeologists found an area devoted to Romulus, legendary founder of Rome. The area included an altar and a rock sarcophagus. It is possible the 2,600-year-old tomb contains the remains of Romulus, the legendary founder of the city of Rome.
For those who need a refresher in Roman history, legend has it that Romulus and and his twin brother Remus were born in a city near the future site of Rome. They were the offspring of a vestal virgin named Rhea Silvia and the god Mars. Their great uncle, King Amulius, who had usurped the throne from Rhea’s father, saw them as a threat to his rule and so ordered them killed. They were left on the banks of the river Tiber to die but were saved by Tiberinus Father of the River, and others. The twins were suckled by a she-wolf and eventually adopted by a shepherd. As they grew into manhood, they exhibited natural leadership capabilities, eventually helped restore their grandfather to the throne, and went off to build a city of their own. As close as they were, they had a falling out over which of the Seven Hills of Rome would be chosen for the seat of their city. Romulus or one of his followers killed Remus. Romulus then went on to found the city of Rome, its institutions, government, and military and religious traditions. He reigned for many years as Rome’s first king.
The twins, and this newly discovered tomb, date to the 6th century B.C. As no remains have yet been found in the tomb, we may never know for certain that it belonged to King Romulus. Still, researchers and armchair historians like ourselves consider it a fascinating find.
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The Odyssey tells the story of famous Odysseus, hero of ancient Greece, and his 20 year wandering return from the Trojan War. Beset by heartache and diversion, Odysseus' story is one of adventure, glory and despair of one man's determination to return home and of the times in which he lived. Timeless in the telling, it depicts an age when mythology and truth merged into reality in literary form...more
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has long been regarded, not only as Sophocles' finest play, but also as the purest and most powerful expression of Greek tragic drama. In this new verse translation, Ian Johnston captures the compelling tension of Sophocles' drama, the intense poetic vision which has made this play justly celebrated as one of the great masterpieces of Western literature...more