The Xoloitzcuintli, better known as a Xolo dog, is an ancient breed that has existed for over three thousand years. Still popular in modern Mexico, this hairless dog takes its name from the Aztec god Xolotl. Xolotl Xolotl was an important Aztec god who guided souls – and the sun – through the underworld. He […]
Ancient, Hairless Dog of the Gods: the Xolo Dog Read More »
Pradyumna Kumar Mahanandia is an artist best known for his epic love story. In 1977, he traveled over seven thousand miles from India to Sweden to reunite with his wife – and he covered most of that distance on a second-hand bicycle. “Everything you are looking for, really is inside you. Your inner vision has
Pradyumna Kumar Mahanandia: The man who cycled across the world for love Read More »
Morpheus is one of the lesser-known Greek gods. He was associated with sleep and dreams. Ovid The first surviving literary reference to Morpheus is found in Metamorphoses, the magnum opus of the Roman poet Ovid. The title translates to Transformations. Born Publius Ovidius Naso in the year 43 BC, Ovid dedicated decades of his life
Who was the Greek God Morpheus? Read More »
Ares is the Greek god of war. Battle personified, Ares represented many of the more gruesome aspects of warfare. Unlike his sister Athena, who was associated with calm strategy, Ares was all battle frenzy and violence. He wasn’t particularly popular with the Greeks, and even his family disliked him. He found much more success with
Who is the Greek God Ares? Read More »
Apollo was a god revered by both the Greeks and the Romans. He is the only one of the pantheon to be called by the same name in both cultures. He was seen as the perfect man: wise, powerful, and eternally young. Apollo was peaceful – at least, more so than most of the volatile
Who is the Greek God Apollo? Read More »
The Longyou Caves in Zhejiang, China are one of the little-known wonders of the world. This complex of ancient man-made caves was discovered over thirty years ago. It has since become a popular tourist attraction, but the original purpose of these massive caverns remains a mystery. Discovering the Longyou Caves For centuries, villagers living near
Longyou Caves: Another wonder of the world Read More »
The Schmidt pain index was created by entomologist Justin Schmidt to rank the degree of pain caused by the bites and stings of various insects. And how did he develop this scale? By subjecting himself to each and every bite and sting. And if that wasn’t enough, he wrote up delightfully descriptive summaries of each
The painful development of the Schmidt Sting Pain Index Read More »
Jeanne d’Arc – anglicized as Joan of Arc – is a famous French military leader born in 1412 and canonized by the Roman Catholic church in 1920. She is best known for rallying French troops and helping to turn the tide of the Hundred Years War. In doing so, she saved France from English rule.
The life and death of Joan of Arc Read More »
The four cardinal virtues are wisdom, courage, moderation, and justice. The word ‘cardinal’ comes from the Latin word cardo for ‘hinge’ or the word cardinalis meaning ‘essential’. It is often said that all human virtues hinge on these four. The Four Cardinal Virtues Throughout History The four cardinal virtues were originally conceptualized by Plato, expanded
What were the four cardinal virtues of philosophy? Read More »
The Beatles were active throughout the sixties before breaking up in 1970. They were just kids in Liverpool when they started playing together in the late fifties. Those Merseyside boys honed their craft in Hamburg, entertained tens of millions in the United States, and took the world by storm. Even though they broke up over
Why did the Beatles break up? Read More »
