HOBBITS ARE REAL !!

Hobbits

Flores1Excavations of a limestone cave on the Indonesia island of Flores uncovered a three-foot-tall skeleton with a skull one third the size of a normal human—a hobbit. Researchers discovered the bones of nine such people, the youngest of which dates back about 12,000 years. They also found tools and other signs of civilization. There are skeptics who believe the hobbits are simply humans that suffered from a growth inhibiting condition such as microcephaly, but the popular opinion among scientists is that the hobbits are a separate species like Neanderthals that shared a common ancestor with humans. Also, Indonesia has active volcanoes, which you could, say, throw a ring inside if needs be . . .

FACTS ABOUT THE AMAZON WOMEN

Amazon Women

Amazon Warriors Close-UpYou’ve no doubt heard of the Amazon’s—exclusively female tribes of fierce warriors who are best known for getting wild with Hercules. The Greek historian Herodotus wrote of the fate of the Amazons, saying that they were captured, relocated, overcame their captors, became shipwrecked, and then ended up on the Eurasian Steppe where they fought the Scythians. Thinking the Amazons would make strong wives, The Scythian men decided to fight the next battle on the field of love. The dwindling Amazons eventual agreed to inter-marry with the Scythians as long as their daughters were encouraged to continue the proud tradition of the woman warrior.Herodotus has been known to embellish history, so it’s best not to believe him unless he’s backed by archaeological evidence. And he is. Ancient graves unearthed in the Eurasian Steppe reveal that a good portion of the Scythian women had battle-damaged bones, and that they were buried with swords, bows, daggers and other staples of the warrior.

TRUTH ABOUT THE TOWER OF BABEL

Tower of Babel

Tower-Of-Babe: Unlike the Hanging Gardens, there is archaeological evidence at the dig-site of Babylon to support that Nebuchadnezzar II commissioned the Tower of Babel. You can see its remnants here.Only it wasn’t a place of babbling gibberish that was destroyed by God. It was a ziggurat named Etemenanki, a temple to the god Marduk that was later destroyed by Alexander the Great. He wished to rebuild it in his image, but died before that could happen. Many people subsequently tried to rebuild it in their own images, each time tearing down what had been rebuilt to start anew. But nobody ever finished it. It looks like this place ended up representing humankind’s inability to work together after all.

A TRUTH ABOUT AN INDIAN MYTHOLOGICAL CITY

Krishna’s City of Dwarka

Dwarka :  According to legend, Krishna (Hindu equivalent of Jesus) ruled over the city of Dwarka—until it was swallowed by the sea. For Hindus, finding the Lost City of Dwarka would be like finding the Holy Grail or the Arc of the Covenant. Archaeologists have discovered a sunken city off the shores of India. Stone reliefs found in this city have not only indicated that it is in fact Dwarka, the oldest city in history, but that it was ruled by a flesh and blood Lord Krishna.

THE ORIGIN OF MOON

The Moon’s Origin

Where did the Moon come from? The short answer is that we don’t really know. However, science is able to hazard a few educated guesses.There are five main theories about the origin of the Moon. The Fission Theory argues that the Moon used to be a part of our planet that was separated at some very early point of Earth’s history. This would make the Moon part to what is currently the Pacific Ocean basin. The Capture Theory says that the Moon was just wandering the universe until our gravitational field caught it. Other theories say our satellite was either condensed from a bunch of asteroids or the remains of Earth’s collision with an unknown Mars-sized planet.Currently, the most likely candidate for the Moon’s origin story is the Ejected Ring Theory, which is better known as Giant Impact Theory. According to this version, a protoplanet (a planet that is forming) called Theia collided with Earth. The ensuing cloud of debris eventually condensed into the Moon.

MOONQUAKES

Moonquakes

Despite being a dead hunk of rock with very little geological activity, the Moon is prone to shaking fits. These earthquake-like tremors are called moonquakes, and there are four different kinds of them. The first three types—deep quakes, vibrations from meteorite impacts, and thermal quakes caused by the Sun’s heat—are relatively harmless. The fourth one, however, can be quite unpleasant. These “shallow” moonquakes can register up to 5.5 on the Richter scale—enough to move large furniture around—and last for a remarkably long 10 minutes. According to NASA, these quakes also have the effect of making the Moon “ring like a bell.”The frightening thing about moonquakes is that we have no real idea of what causes them. Earth’s earthquakes are usually caused by the movement of tectonic plates, but the Moon doesn’t have any active plate tectonics. Some researchers think they may have some link to Earth’s tidal activity, which is caused by the Moon’s pull. However, this theory is inconclusive, as the tidal forces affect the entirety of the Moon, but moonquakes are usually localized.

THE BORDER BETWEEN THE RICH AND THE POOR NATIONS FROM SPACE

The Borders Between Wealthy And Poorer Nations

Modern civilizations have made such an impact on the globe that our political borders are visibly discernible from hundreds of miles in the air. NASA astronaut John Grunsfeld has flown on a space shuttle five times during his career. He explained that wealthy countries are typically lined in green, while poorer countries with less access to water are a shocking brown color. Also, nations that don’t have as much widespread electricity look dim at night and stand in stark contrast to neighboring nations whose bright cities light up the sky.

This is especially evident between the borders of North and South Korea. At night, South Korea is lit up like any modern area while North Korea is so dark it virtually disappears. In the picture above, we see South Korea illuminated vibrantly in the bottom right corner (Seoul is the brightest spot) while China is equally dazzling on the other side of the photo. But where’s North Korea? No, it didn’t sink into the ocean; it’s actually the black mass between the lights of South Korea and China. (Also note the curvy, orange border of the DMZ.) The only visible illumination in that area is the capital city, Pyongyang. While North Korea certainly isn’t guilty of light pollution, this image reveals how much of the country is likely living without basic electricity and all that comes with it: heat in the winter, refrigeration, and adequate hospitals.

INDIA AND PAKISTAN BORDER FROM SPACE

The Border Between India And Pakistan

There’s no better vantage point than space to see the expansive beauty of the planet and the interconnectedness of the human race. However, even getting hundreds of kilometers above Earth isn’t far enough away to blur some of the ugly sides of life and the divisions we create between each other.Take, for instance, the man-made border between India and Pakistan. These two countries are at such odds that they’ve erected a physical, militarized border which remains lit by floodlights at night to prevent ammunition trafficking and terrorist crossings. There’s such a bright, orange glow along the border that the 2,900-kilometer (1,800 mi) demarcation line is easily pinpointed from the ISS. The border covers a variety of terrain, including cities and deserts, yet is amazingly lit the entire length.Over the past decades, the India-Pakistan border has been one of the most dangerous places in the world, plagued by lawlessness, violence, and deadly drone strikes.

VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS APPEAR FROM SPACE

Volcanic Eruptions

Although we’d expect to see massive volcanic eruptions from space, it’s somewhat surprising to find out that around 50 to 60 eruptions happen on the planet each year and, on any given day, orbiting astronauts can look down on Earth and see a plume of ash and steam rising from one of these natural chimneys. Occasionally, even a volcano’s hot, glowing magma is visible from heights far above the stratosphere.The Sarychev volcano (seen above) in the northwest Pacific Ocean is one of the most active volcanoes in the world and has erupted eight times since 1946. In the 2009 eruption, shock waves opened a hole in the clouds above the blast, allowing astronauts to get an amazingly clear photo of the phenomenon. Some of the other most active volcanoes on the planet are Mount Stromboli in Italy, Mount Etna in Italy, and Mount Yasur in Vanuatu, all three of which have been continuously erupting for hundreds, even thousands of years.

A SECRET OF AMAZON

The Amazon’s Secret River


Amazon canopy

Everybody knows the Amazon River, and we’ve already established that it dwarfs pretty much every other river on the planet. It is such an impressive triumph of nature that it’s easy to understand why few people heard about the discovery of another river in the Amazon as recently as 2011. You might be thinking that, even though the Amazon is a pretty big place, and often covered by a thick canopy, it must be a pretty small river to have evaded being seen all this time. As it turns out, the Hamza River, as it has come to be known, is roughly the same length as the Amazon River, which is 6,000 kilometers (3,728 mi). It also ranges from about 200–400 kilometers (124–248 mi) wide, which is wider than the mouth of the Amazon River itself. As many of you may have guessed by now, the Rio Hamza is an underground river. Its discovery was made using old oil wells and computer simulations to reveal its presence 4 kilometers (2.5 mi) deep underground. Of course, despite being considerably wider than the Amazon River, the Hamza isn’t a river as we traditionally imagine them. It is more like an extremely wide trickle of water as opposed to the sweeping waters of the Amazon above. However, while its flow is only about 3 percent that of the Amazon, it still discharges 46 times the Thames.

GOOD NEWS FOR THE AQUARIUM LOVERS !

GloFish

The GloFish was the first genetically modified animal to become available as a pet. It is a natural Zebrafish which has had genetic information from bioluminescent jellyfish added to its DNA. It was originally produced to provide a warning system for pollution but with the addition of further colors its viability for the pet market became clear. It was introduced to the US market in December 2003 by Yorktown Technologies of Austin, Texas.

AMAZING CREATION !!!

Dolion

This is probably the most remarkable example of how far science is able to go with modern DNA and cross fertilization techniques; the dolion is a cross between a lion and a dog. In order to produce this incredible rare animal (only 3 dolions exist in laboratories – the photo above is of Rex, the first ever produced), individual strands of DNA from each creature must be combined and re-inserted in to a host egg. This is similar to the liger (lion/tiger crossbreed) with the exception that the liger is able to be produced without prior manipulation of the DNA of either breed of animal.

THE REASON WHY DO WE CLINK WINE GLASS !!

The Reason We Clink Wine Glasses

Clinking wine glasses is one of those time-honored traditions we perform without even thinking. Some claim it was originally meant to drive away demons. Others believe the idea was to slosh a little bit of wine into your drinking partner’s glass—that way, he couldn’t poison you without risking dying himself.As exciting as those theories are, they’re just not true. The real reasons we touch our glasses are much simpler. Back before clinking was invented, a toast involved four senses: touch, taste, sight, and smell. The ears were left out of the equation. But as the manufacturing of wine glasses transformed into an art, people began appreciating the fine sounds of struck stemware, and voila, the clink was incorporated into the toasting routine. Clinking also produces a sense of community. Back in olden days, partygoers would pass around a single bowl of wine, and everyone shared from this single vessel. (After the bowl worked its way around the circle, the host would eat a piece of cooked bread, a literal toast.) Today, we’re a bit too worried about germs to try that, so instead of drinking after our neighbors, we tap our glasses. It’s a way of saying, “Hey, I’m part of the group and sharing in the good feeling.” 

NATURE'S WINE MAKER

Thank Wasps For Wine

No one likes wasps. They’re hypodermic needles with wings and an attitude. But despite their habit of stinging you for absolutely no reason, we all owe the wonders of wine to these bad-tempered bugs.During the summer, the fungus Saccharomyces cerevisiae grows on vineyard grapes, and this particular yeast is key in making wine, beer, and bread. Sure, winemakers add even more yeast later, but if S. cerevisiae isn’t present on the grapes from the start, the wine just won’t have the same taste. However, there’s one little problem. S. cerevisiae only grows during the summer. The winter chill should kill all the fungi off. That’s where the wasps come in. Wasps love grapes. When the fruits ripen in the summer, the bugs chow down and fly back to their nests, where they give the masticated mush to their larvae. When they eat the fruit, the insects ingest the yeast, and their stomachs provide the perfect environment for it to survive the frosty months. More importantly, when wasps feed their young, they pass the fungus to their babies. That way, when the larvae mature, they reintroduce S. cerevisiae to the vineyards and start the process all over again.

2000 THOUSAND YEARS OLD SHOES HAVE BEEN FOUND IN A TEMPLE OF EGYPT

Hidden Shoes In Egyptian Templeshoes

Archaeologists discovered an unusual “treasure” during an expedition in Egypt in 2004. In a jar, placed in the middle of two other jars and set into a small open space between two mud-brick walls, were seven shoes. Two of the pairs were children’s shoes, and the remaining shoes belonged to an adult that possibly had a limp. Archaeologist Angelo Sesana stated that this “shoe jar” had been hidden deliberately more than 2,000 years ago.Andre Veldmeijer, an expert in ancient footwear, has called the discovery of the shoes “extraordinary” because of the excellent condition they were found in. He analyzed the shoes and theorized that they were quite expensive and meant for status. He added that there’s mystery surrounding the hiding of the shoes and how the owners never retrieved them. Veldmeijer speculated that there may have been some form of unrest in the area, causing someone to hide their shoes for reasons unknown and flee the scene.

THE LARGEST CRATER IN THE WORLD

Largest Impact

Craterutopia-planitiaCurrently, there are actually three candidates that could claim the title of largest impact crater, which goes to show how quickly our perception of the universe can change and evolve as our knowledge increases.Interestingly, all three of these craters are on Mars. The first one is called Hellas Planitia. With a diameter of 2,300 kilometers (1,400 mi), this is the smallest crater out of all the candidates. However, it is also the only one which we know for sure was actually formed as the result of an impact. Even so, evidence from Utopia Planitia has all but confirmed it being an impact crater as well. With a diameter of 3,300 kilometers (2,050 mi), it is significantly larger than Hellas Planitia.And it is possible that both of them are tiny compared to the actual largest crater in the solar system. Called the Borealis Basin (pictured above), it has a massive diameter of 8,500 kilometers (5,300 mi), almost three times as large as Utopia Planitia. However, it has not yet been confirmed as an impact crater. If it is, it would have to be the result of an enormous impact, and its formation could give us valuable insight into the creation of Mars as a planet.

VOICE OF A MUMMY !!

Screaming Mummy

Discovered in 1886, a mummy with an agonized expression on his face has long since been the object of speculation. This mummy has all his organs intact, which is not customary with mummification. Many interesting theories have arisen, though none have been proven right or wrong.Bob Brier, a University of Long Island archaeologist, speculated that two parties were responsible for the mummy’s agonized expression. One was the murderer, while the other ensured full preservation of the body (possibly due to a personal relationship with the victim). Other researchers and archaeologists have come up with theories ranging from cold-blooded murder to poisoning to being buried alive. A 2008 National Geographic documentary special investigated the possibility that the mummy could be Prince Pentewere (son of Pharaoh Ramses III), who was suspected of planning his father’s murder. Ancient documents from the 12th century claimed one of Pharaoh Ramses III’s wives was tried for conspiring to kill him, due to her desire for Pentewere to take over the throne. It is thought that when this plan was discovered, she poisoned Pentewere as punishment and rolled him up in sheepskin after being mummified. If that was the case, the “scream” could have been due to the pain from the poison ingested. However, only a CT scan had been done of the screaming mummy, and it remains pure speculation whether the mummy was in fact Prince Pentewere.Less sensational theories suggest that the mummy’s jaw is open simply because his head most likely rolled back after death occurred. But even that bit of realism is as good a guess as anybody else’s.

A MYSTERIOUS STRUCTURE UNDER SEA !!

Ancient Structure Underneath Sea Of Galilee

In 2003, scientists accidentally discovered a circular structure underneath the Sea of Galilee. Publishing the findings almost 10 years later, geophysicist Shmuel Marco told CNN that they were very surprised to see what looked like a Bronze Age statue on the ocean floor. Marco speculated that the ancient structure may have been a marine nursery. Most archaeologists, however, believe it was situated on land and became submerged by the water over time.The structure is made up of basalt and shaped like a cone. Measuring 70 meters (230 ft) at the bottom, the structure is 10 meters (33 ft) tall, and is estimated to weigh 54.5 million kilograms (60,000 tons). It can be compared to the size of two Stonehenges. Its age is estimated to be between 2,000-12,000 years old, a range determined by calculating the amount of sand that accumulated over the base of the structure, as well as comparing it to similar structures.Archaeologist Dani Nadel has interestingly noted that the structure has similar features to that of other ancient burial sites in the area. Calling it a truly unusual find, Nadel theorized that the structure could have been used for ceremonial purposes. He also pointed out how the structure being built using large stones weighing almost 100 kilograms (220 lb) each was a very impressive feat. He stressed, however, that the true purpose and age of the structure will likely remain unknown.

MYSTERIOUS PYRAMID

The Pyramid Of Hellinikon

It seems strange to think that there are pyramids in Europe, but there are quite a few of them. In Greece alone there are 16 pyramids, of which the most well-known is the Hellinikon pyramid in Argos. First mention of the pyramid was made in the writings of ancient Greek geographer Pausanias. In Description of Greece, he describes the structure as “a building made very like a pyramid, and on it in relief are wrought shields of the Argive shape.” He then mentions a battle that took place at the pyramid and the reconciliation that took place afterward. A “common tomb” was built here for those that fell during the battle. Not much is known known about the pyramid other than its estimated date of construction, which was first thought to be 3000 B.C., but was changed in the ’90s to 2720 B.C. (with an error margin of 720 years). If this date is correct, then the Hellinikon pyramid might well be older than even the oldest Egyptian pyramid.But the greatest mystery about this pyramid isn’t its age—it’s that no one knows who built it or what it was actually used for. The biggest mystery seems to be that all excavation efforts have been abandoned, despite the significance that the structure may hold in understanding ancient history.

A FACT BEHIND THE FAME OF THE BIBLE

The Bible

The Bible comes in many variations with some books omitted or added. But, in general, the versions tell the same tale. In the past, however, a large number of books were excluded that would have completely altered its meaning. These were the Gnostic Gospels, and they turned out to be excluded for pretty damn good reasons.Take the Gospel of Mary. It calls women to a more active role in the Church and is the only book to call Mary Magdelene a prostitute—truly. The Gospel of Thomas bad mouths Saint Peter and says Saint Thomas was Jesus’ go-to guy.Other deleted gospels go on to dispel pretty much all beliefs of christianity. The early Church, at the Council of Nicaea in A.D. 325, took one look at these and said a resounding “no!” and tossed them. Since the bible has influenced pretty much everything, it can be safely said that these books would have changed history as we know it.

AN AMAZING FACT ABOUT SHAKESPEARE

William Shakespeare

According to your old English teacher, Shakespeare is the greatest writer of all time. His plays have ruminated on life, love, and death, and his sonnets are crystalline structures of dense words and denser feeling.When it comes to Shakespeare’s sex life, much of what we know is more likely rumor than fact. One of the juicier morsels comes from something written by John Manningham, a student of law who claimed that Shakespeare once overheard a prostitute making an arrangement for some later action with Richard Burbage. Sensing an opportunity, the Bard went immediately to the woman and made his own arrangement for right then and there. With the bad timing of one of his own tragedies, though, Shakespeare was allegedly in the middle of the act when Richard came back.Furthermore, many have suggested that the “dark lady” about whom Shakespeare had written several sonnets may have represented a mistress, while others contend that some of those same sonnets (and the plethora of plays about cross-dressing) are evidence that he was at least bisexual, if not completely gay. As he lived apart from his wife and children for over two decades, it’s entirely possible that he spent his time making these alleged midsummer nights’ dreams a reality.

A REAL GHOST AMONG THE HUMANS !!

Eleanore Zugun
the Ghost Girl—1925

At the age of twelve, frightening events began to occur to Eleanore Zugun. When she visited her grandmother’s cottage in Romania, stones smashed against the structure. Pins and needles flew across the room to scratch her and bury themselves in her arms. Broken dishes added to the ordeal. A witness reported seeing a water jug float through the air and land several feet away. Her grandmother believed Eleanore was possessed by an evil spirit.Months later, Eleanore was sent to a monastery where she was given an exorcism with no effect. The priests sent her to a lunatic asylum. By that time, newspapers had reported her story, which came to the attention of Fritz Grunweld, a respected researcher. His observations of Eleanore concluded the supernatural phenomena was genuine. Next, she was invited to live with Countess Zoë Wassiliko-Serecki in Vienna. The countess became her protector and had thirteen year old Eleanore trained as a hairdresser. The strange events continued, including objects appearing out of nowhere or disappearing into thin air. The attacks on Eleanore escalated. She was knocked to the ground, slapped, bitten, had her hair pulled, and things thrown at her. On a couple of occasions, the countess observed an inexplicable moving shadow in Eleanore’s vicinity shortly before phenomena occurred.Eleanore was taken to London for more testing by the National Laboratory of Psychical Research, and also to Munich, where she was caught cheating. On her return, the activities began to fade gradually, although the attacks against her continued. By the time she turned fourteen, all phenomena ended and her life returned to normal.

ASCENDING TOWARDS A DEADLY CRISIS

A Global Recession

World War I and World War II were very different from each other, but they had one striking similarity. Prior to each war, economic recessions hit several of the countries involved. World War II famously brought most of the world’s economies back from the Great Depression, and World War I helped the US recover from a two-year recession that had already slowed trade by 20 percent. Correlation doesn’t imply causation, but it’s worth noting which economies recovered earlier than others, which may have had a huge impact on the way things turned out.By 1933, Japan had taken moves to devalue its currency, which led to increased exports and a resulting growth in their economy. They pumped the extra money into weapons and munitions, which gave them a decided military advantage in the years leading up to the war. Germany, on the other hand, entirely crashed, which made the Nazi and Communist parties take similar steps and earn overwhelming support among the populace. We’re seeing some similarities today. While analysts are predicting yet another economic meltdown for Western countries, countries like Iran and Russia are looking to band together to boost their economies. Among other effects, that could lead to a second unit on Iran’s nuclear plant; Germany’s massive internal spending in the 1930s pulled it out of the Depression faster than America or the rest of Europe. And the global recession hit Russia less than much of the rest of the world, due in part to its exports of a quarter of the natural gas used by the entire European continent And then there’s China. The US government is close to $17 trillion in debt, and China owns seven percent of that, or about $1.19 trillion. China recently flew past Japan to become the world’s second largest economy, and if it keeps growing at this rate, its GDP is going to match America’s in about eight years. The risk is if China decides to dump the US debt. China would take a financial loss, but it could be a crippling blow to the US economy—and much of the world, since the US dollar is held in reserve by most foreign governments. If China and the US do come to blows over the South China Sea, the US could eradicate the debt and pump the extra revenue into military spending—the exact same monetary flow that happened in World War II, only this time the guns are bigger. But don’t worry, it won’t happen. Probably.

THE SCIENCE OF THE ANCIENT INDIA

Iron Pillar of Delhi

Iron, the king of metal, is used for just about everything from the skeleton of your house to the chains on your bike. Unfortunately, iron can never escape its destiny to slowly transform into rust – with the exception of this phenomenal structure: meet the Iron Pillar of Delhi! Standing in at 7 meters tall and weighing more than six tons, this iron giant has managed to defeat corrosion for over 1600 years! But how can something that is 98 percent iron withstand decaying for over a millennia? Scientists have found the answer to that question, but how ancient ironsmiths discovered the fact so long before us still amazes archeologists today.

OH JESUS !

Jesus was a different species
Rosslyn Chapel

This theory is a lot of fun. It has been alleged that the U. S. and Israeli governments led archaeological digs in the past, which discovered the True Cross, on which Jesus Himself was crucified (along with many others, as crosses were reused). The theories disagree on the location, most claiming Jerusalem, many claiming Rosslyn Chapel in Scotland, or various places in England. Minute traces of blood were discovered on the cross and analyzed. The DNA was of several strains, and one was encoded not on a double helix, but on a triple helix! Is this good stuff or what?! The DNA is unlike any other known, and was labeled as a new species, Homo superioris. The theory continues that there are other people of this species currently living underground in various places around the world, including most of the major cities, and they have been around as long or longer than Homo sapiens. Jesus made the unprecedented decision to come up to the surface and live among us, and try to teach us to be good, and kind and peaceful.His species possesses phenomenal supernatural abilities, including telekinesis, levitation (walking on water), telepathy (knowing people’s thoughts), healing, etc. They are also very difficult to kill, and when no one was looking, presumably during the freak storm and earthquake, Jesus got down off the cross and disappeared, having done his job. This ties in with the Jesus bloodline theory

WHAT A MISINTERPRETATION OF HISTORY !

Let them eat Cake”

Marie Antoinette:

According to popular myth, Queen Marie Antoinette was heard to say: “S’ils n’ont plus de pain, qu’ils mangent de la brioche.” (“If they have no bread, l

et them eat brioche”) – referring to the poor. First of all, even if Queen Marie had made this comment, it would have not had the same meaning as it does today. Laws at the time of her reign meant that bakers who ran out of cheap bread, had to sell their finer bread (such as brioche) at the lower price, in order to protect people from ruthless bakers who would make insufficient quantities of inexpensive bread in order to make a bigger profit. That aside, the Queen did not say these words at all, they were actually written by Jean-Jacques Rousseau in his book “Confessions” – written a number of years before Marie Antoinette became Queen. His exact words:

“I recalled the make-shift of a great princess who was told that the peasants had no bread and who replied: ‘Let them eat brioche’. “The misattribution and perpetuation of this myth is most likely a result of anti-Royal propaganda following the revolution in which she and her husband were murdered.

CONTRIBUTION OF A QUEEN TO SAVE HER SUBJECTS FROM HER HUSBAND'S DESPOTISM

 Lady Godiva Rode Naked

Lady Godiva: By John CollierLady Godiva was an Anglo-Saxon noble woman who is supposed to have ridden through the streets of Coventry naked in order to force her husband – Leofric (968–1057) – to remove an unfair tax on his tenants. Both she and her husband were very generous to the poor and religious institutions in their time. In 1043 Leofric founded and endowed a Benedictine monastery at Coventry and it is believed that his wife, Godiva, was the primary instigator of this. It is very possible that the legend has sprung from this particular event. But there is no doubt that her husband was a very generous man with little need for coercion. Interestingly, the legend of the Peeping Tom also arises from this myth as later versions of it describe a man, Tom, who peeped at Lady Godiva whilst she rode naked, and was struck blind.

AN AMAZING THEFT !!

Edison Invented the Lightbulb

Edison Bulb: In fact, Thomas Edison not only did not invent the lightbulb, he did not invent many 
of the things attributed to him. His shrewd business skills enabled him to steal, improve, and patent many ideas before their original inventors were able to. He was, in addition, a ruthless man who attempted to discredit other inventors in order to gain popularity for his own. Prior to Edison’s patent for the electric lightbulb in 1880, electric lights had already been invented. In 1840, British Astronomer and Chemist, Warren de la Rue, enclosed a platinum coil in a vacuum tube and passed an electric current through it, thus creating the world’s first light bulb – a full 40 years before Edison.

ANCIENT EGYPTIANS

In the early ’90s, scientists became puzzled by several Egyptian mummies, including pharaoh Ramesses II, that were found with trace amounts of nicotine and cocaine, which are native to the New World. This was likely a case of contamination, but it could also mean that the Egyptians got around more than we realized. After all, the similarities between Egyptian and Mesoamerican culture have long been noted.However, despite these links, there’s been little to no archaeological evidence connecting the Egyptians and Mesoamericans. The pyramids and mummies of the Egyptians and Mesoamericans are separated by thousands of years, and while Egyptian pyramids were mainly used as tombs, Mesoamerican pyramids were primarily places of worship. In August 1914, a few Egyptian statuettes were uncovered among Mayan ruins, but since they were not widely documented, it’s difficult to confirm their legitimacy.

BE AWARE OF ROOM 428, OHIO UNIVERSITY

Room 428

CollegeThis room, located at Ohio University, is unavailable to students. It has been boarded up and closed off because of various paranormal reports regarding the room. Poltergeist activity has been felt: objects flying across the room, doors that open and shut by themselves, and dark shadows appearing and disappearing without explanation. The creepiest thing about this room is the demon-like face that appears in the wood grain of the door. The door has been replaced multiple times only to have the face appear again. The apparition is known to be playful, and is said to be the spirit of a student that committed suicide in the room. If being a freshman at a college university wasn’t stressful enough, imagine having to share your dorm with a ghost!

MYSTERIOUS FACES ON THE WALLS AND FLOOR

The Belmez Facesbelmez

In 1979, the Pereira family began to encounter strange human-like faces that appeared and disappeared in their home without explanation. Both the locations and times that the faces appear have been irregular. According to the story, one day in August, Maria Gomez told her husband a face had appeared on the concrete floor in the kitchen. Her husband immediately destroyed the image with a pickaxe—only to have it appear again later. The mayor forbade them from destroying the new face and had it cut out for testing. The faces persisted for the next 30 years, appearing as both males and females with an array of expressions on their faces. As with many other paranormal occurrences, it was found that the house was built on a graveyard and bodies were found under the house. Despite having the floor replaced multiple times and cleaning the faces with detergent, they continued to appear without explanation. Skeptics claim the faces are a hoax, created with the use of an oxidizing agent.

A BREATHTAKING NEWS !!

Mass Graves In Poland

Radoslaw Gajc is a construction worker from the quiet Polish town of Malbork. In 2009, he and his coworkers were getting ready to start building a new hotel in the area. Then they discovered something that put the project on hold. Human remains—children’s remains—in a mass grave.After the children’s bones, the workers began digging up adult skeletons. At least 1,800 different sets of remains had been found by the end of the year. All of the victims were dumped naked into the grave at some point toward the end of World War II. Their cause of death? Unclear. It has been suggested that they may have died immediately after the war, during an outbreak of typhus, and were simply dumped in the mass grave because there was no other way to dispose of the bodies. However, bullet holes were found in some of the skulls. Malbork was known to have been the site of terrible violence at the end of the war, as the town’s German population fled the advancing Red Army. By the end of the war, the German population had vanished. Previously, in 1996, the remains of 178 people were found on the Malbork Castle premises. In 2005, 123 more bodies were found in what used to be a war trench.

THE CANNIBAL CHIEFS

Ratu Udre Udre

Fiji

Cannibal Chiefs Chair 2During the 19th century, the Fijian people were known around the world for ritualistic cannibalism. Udre Udre was a Fijian commoner. He holds the Guinness World Record for “most prolific cannibal.” Udre Udre reportedly ate between 872 and 999 people. He kept a stone for each body and the stones were placed alongside his tomb in Rakiraki, in northern Viti Levu after his death. According to Udre Udre’s son, the chiefs of Rakiraki would go to the battlefield along with Udre Udre and they would each give him every body part of their victims, especially the head. Udre Udre preserved the human remains and ate them. He believed that after he consumed the 1000th body, he would become immortal.

CANNIBAL LORD

James Douglas


3rd Marquess of Queensberry, Scotland

James Douglas, 3rd Marquess of Queensberry, was a Scottish nobleman. He was the eldest son of James Douglas, 2nd Duke of Queensberry, who was created Duke of Dover, Marquess of Beverley, and Earl of Ripon in 1708. In 1709, the elder Douglas was made Secretary of State for Scotland. The younger James Douglas was born in 1697. Stories describe him as an “imbecile,” and violently insane. Douglas was kept under lock and key from childhood at Queensberry House in Edinburgh, which is now part of the Scottish Parliament complex. In 1706, the elder James Douglas attempted to have his son removed from the succession. It is reported that when the Act of Union was signed in 1707, which placed the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland under the same monarch, the disruption allowed the 10-year-old James Douglas to escape. He then entered the kitchen of Queensberry House and slaughtered a young servant. The report says that Douglas roasted the boy alive on a revolving spit. He then ate sections of the boy before being apprehended. After the event, Douglas was known as “The Cannibalistic Idiot,” and the oven he used to kill the boy can still be seen in the Parliament’s Allowances Office. James Douglas died in 1715 and was buried in Calverley churchyard. His brother Charles Douglas, 3rd Duke of Queensberry succeeded him. The Queensberry House kitchen is still said to be haunted to this day.

THE JAPANESE MASTERMIND

Shirō Ishii

Shiro Ishii 1Ishii was a microbiologist and the lieutenant general of Unit 731, a biological warfare unit of the Imperial Japanese Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War. He was born in the former Shibayama Village of Sanbu District in Chiba Prefecture, and studied medicine at Kyoto Imperial University. In 1932, he began his preliminary experiments in biological warfare as a secret project for the Japanese military. In 1936, Unit 731 was formed. Ishii built a huge compound — more than 150 buildings over six square kilometers — outside the city of Harbin, China.Some of the numerous atrocities committed by Ishii, and others under his command in Unit 731, include: vivisection of living people (including pregnant women who were impregnated by the doctors), prisoners had limbs amputated and reattached to other parts of their body, some prisoners had parts of their bodies frozen and thawed to study the resulting untreated gangrene. Humans were also used as living test cases for grenades and flame throwers. Prisoners were injected with inoculations of disease, disguised as vaccinations, to study their effects. To study the effects of untreated venereal diseases, male and female prisoners were deliberately infected with syphilis and gonorrhea via rape, then studied. A complete list of these horrors can be found here.Having been granted immunity by the American Occupation Authorities at the end of the war, Ishii never spent any time in jail for his crimes and died at the age of 67, of throat cancer.

Delphine LaLaurie

Delphine-Lalaurie-PaintingLaLaurie was a sadistic socialite who lived in New Orleans. Her home was a chamber of horrors. On April 10, 1834, a fire broke out in the mansion’s kitchen, and firefighters found two slaves chained to the stove. They appeared to have started the fire themselves, in order to attract attention. The firefighters were lead by other slaves to the attic, where the real surprise was. Over a dozen disfigured and maimed slaves were manacled to the walls or floors. Several had been the subjects of gruesome medical experiments. One man appeared to be part of some bizarre sex change, a woman was trapped in a small cage with her limbs broken and reset to look like a crab, and another woman with arms and legs removed, and patches of her flesh sliced off in a circular motion to resemble a caterpillar. Some had had their mouths sewn shut, and had subsequently starved to death, whilst others had their hands sewn to different parts of their bodies. Most were found dead, but some were alive and begging to be killed, to release them from the pain. LaLaurie fled before she could be bought to justice – she was never caught.

THE ARCHITECT OF THE HOLOCAUST

Heinrich Himmler

Heinrich-HimmlerHeinrich Himmler, the architect of the holocaust and considered to be the biggest mass murderer ever, by some (although it’s really Josef Stalin). The holocaust would not have happened if not for this man. He tried to breed a master race of Nordic appearance, the Aryan race. His plans for racial purity were ended by Hitler’s vanity in making rash military decisions rather than letting his generals make them, thus ending the war prematurely. Himmler was captured after the war. He unsuccessfully tried to negotiate with the west, and was genuinely shocked to be treated as a criminal upon capture. He committed suicide by swallowing a cyanide capsule he had bit upon.

CHEERLEADERS INSPIRED HITLER

Hitler Was Inspired By Cheerleaderschherlead

Whack a pair of pom-poms on any man and he’ll be rendered harmless—even Hitler. But Hitler’s association with pom-poms goes well beyond that of a cheap joke. The infamous “Nazi salute,” a stiff-armed gesture, accompanied by the phrase “Heil Hitler” or “Sieg Heil,” was made mandatory for all civilians in 1933. The gesture was adapted from an Ancient Roman salute, but the “Sieg Heil,” translated as “Hail Victory,” came from somewhere far less martial.According to documents created by the Office of Strategic Services (a wartime CIA) Hitler was besotted with American Football cheerleaders and marching bands. The documents include the observations of Hitler’s close friend Ernst Hanfstaengl, known to Hitler as “Putzi.” Putzi states that in the year of 1923, Hitler was a massive fan of football college games and their accompanying marches, and the “Sieg Heil!” shout was based on the cheerleaders’ techniques.
He also deployed college-style music to inject some excitement into his political rallies. Give us an H! Give us an I! Actually, on that topic . . . 

THE LAST MUGHAL.

Bahadur Shah II

1775 – 1862

Bahadur Shah Zafar.JpgBahadur Shah II was the last of the Mughal emperors that ruled over India for over 300 years. After the death of his father in 1837 Bahadur Shah II was placed on the throne when he was a little over 60 years of age. Like his father he was a weak ruler due to the British domination over India at the time. During the War of Independence in 1857 the freedom fighters nominated Bahadur Shah as their Commander-in-Chief but eventually the strong and organized British forces defeated them and Bahadur Shah was overthrown. He was arrested from Humayun’s tomb, in Delhi, where he was hiding and numerous male members of his family were killed and imprisoned by the British. In 1858 Bahadur Shah Zafar was tried for treachery and was exiled to Rangoon. He lived his last five years there and died in 1862 at the age of 87. The only known photograph was taken in 1858 just after his trial in Delhi and before his departure for exile in Rangoon.Interesting Fact:: Bahadur Shah is known to have had four wives and numerous concubines. He had 22 sons and at least 32 daughters. In 1959, the All India Bahadur Shah Zafar Academy was founded expressly to spread awareness about his contribution to the first national freedom movement of India.

RAREST SYNDROME CALLED CYCLOPIA

Cyclopia

Cyclopia is a rare birth defect in which the body is unable to properly separate the two eye sockets so they remain merged as one. The majority of babies suffering this disease are stillborn but if they survive it is not usually for more than a few hours.

AMAZING NAIL FACTS !!

Chinese Fingernails

As a symbol of high social standing, high members of the Chinese aristocracy would often grow their fingernails to an excessive length. This was perhaps (like foot binding) a sign that they need not have functional use of their hands for work.

KETHUP, THE ANTI-CANCEROUS AGENT

Ketchup Helps Prevent Cancer

Despite using questionable science, Bennett and Smith were right: Ketchup does indeed possess health benefits. It’s good for the heart and helps reduce the risk of certain types of cancer. These benefits occur because ketchup is an excellent source of the chemical lycopene, which gives tomatoes its red color. Lycopene is an antioxidant, inhibiting inflammation and cell damage caused by free radicals. Uncooked tomato products such as juice are not as useful as ketchup because the body absorbs cooked tomato products better. Cooked products also have higher lycopene levels.For prostate cancer, research shows that lycopene reduces the growth of cancerous cells and also affects the way these cells communicate. It chokes the way blood flows to these cells by inhibiting the growth of blood vessels that feed tumors. Some studies indicate that lycopene also helps with liver, skin, breast, and lung cancer, but the results are inconclusive. Interestingly enough, the chemical appears naturally in the human lungs, skin, liver, blood, prostate, adrenal glands, and colon. It is the most dominant color component in those organs and is also thought to have a natural role in guarding against cancerous cells.Lycopene supplements, also called “essence of tomatoes” and “tomato pills,” are sold worldwide. Daily dosages of these “wonder pills” are claimed to save lives, increase life spans, cut cholesterol, reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes, beat arthritis, help with diabetes, and keep the skin wrinkle-free. Bennett’s concept of tomato pills has come full circle

TOMATOLESS KETCHAP !!!

Early Versions Did Not Use Tomato

Though ketchup today uses tomato as a base, early versions did not. They were made from anchovies, shallots, oysters, lemons, or walnuts. Perhaps you find walnut ketchup a tough nut to swallow or find shallots and oysters too fishy. Other people from long ago shared similar thoughts, so back then, mushrooms were the most popular type. A typical mushroom-based recipe is found in Beeton’s Book of Household Management, first published in 1861. Beeton’s mushroom ketchup calls for a peck of mushrooms, salt, pepper, mace, allspice, and a few drops of brandy. Don’t want to coat your meals with a condiment made from fungi? Try the Philippines version; it uses bananas, so this ketchup tastes sweeter. If you find the thought of brown or yellow ketchup too strange to stomach, don’t worry. Out of deference to tradition, most products on the market are dyed red. If ketchup made from bananas doesn’t give you a warm and fuzzy feeling either, there are other fruit or vegetable versions. Try plum, pear, sweet mustard, cranberry, carrot, mango, apple, or horseradish ketchup, for starter

GLAUCUS, A VICTIM OF SAVAGE HORSE !!

Glaucus

Greece- glaucus

Glaucus was a great king in Greek mythology, a man descended straight from the Titans. Being a descendant of the gods as well as a king, it’s not surprising that he was more than a little eccentric. See, Glaucus really liked to ride horses and participate in chariot races. This in itself was a pretty normal hobby for the time, but Glaucus took things to the next level. For some reason, he decided that his horses should be fed nothing but human flesh. While the tales don’t say where he got the flesh, it’s not hard to imagine that some despicable things must have happened.Unfortunately for Glaucus, he may have gone a little too far—before long, his horses had developed an inescapable fondness for human flesh. One day, Glaucus was in a chariot race when the horses pulled apart and ate their own master.