Curio Cabinet
- By Date
- By Type
April 2, 2023
-
FREEMind + Body PP&T CurioFree1 CQ
If you used Google earlier this week, odds are that you saw a Google Doodle featuring Justine Siegemund, a woman who changed the medical world forever. Believe it or not, women were largely excluded from obstetrics (the branch of medicine concerned with childbirth and maternal health) for centuries throughout much of Europe, until Siegemund changed things. In 1690, she became the first person to publish a medical text about obstetrics from a woman’s perspective, and the first woman to ever publish a German medical text.
Not much is known about Siegemund’s early life, but she was still a young woman in 17th-century Germany when she began suffering from a prolapsed uterus. A uterus becomes prolapsed when the ligaments and muscles that hold the organ in place are weakened, causing tissue to bulge out of the vagina. At the time, the condition wasn’t well understood, so Siegemund had difficulty finding adequate help from doctors and midwives. Since women could be midwives but not doctors, Siegemund was forced to seek help mostly from men, who not only didn’t understand her condition but often misdiagnosed her as being pregnant. Frustrated by the poor quality of healthcare available to her, Siegemund decided to educate herself on obstetrics.
She quickly encountered two new obstacles: doctors weren’t eager to help a woman learn about the medical sciences, and midwives were secretive about their trade. Moreover, nearly everything to do with childbirth was spread by word of mouth, meaning that there was no formal or academic resource that Siegemund could consult. Nevertheless, she started practicing as a midwife with what she could learn. She began by delivering children among the poor, eventually earning a reputation as a reliable midwife. As her reputation grew, nobles and even royalty became her patrons, and she eventually became the official court midwife in Berlin.
Unlike most of her peers, who relied on drugs and surgical instruments to assist in childbirth, Siegemund found innovative ways to safely deliver babies, even in cases where her peers might have given up. For example, when a baby began to emerge shoulders-first, she developed a way to safely rotate it in the birth canal before pulling it out. Before then, babies born in such a position often died. She also found a way to more safely perform breech deliveries, which were particularly dangerous for birthing mothers.
But her greatest contribution to obstetrics and midwifery was that she was willing to openly share what she had learned through study and experience. Oddly enough, her innovations gained her many critics from the traditional practitioners who believed her methods were dangerous and ineffective. This didn’t deter Siegemund, and she became so renowned in her field that she was encouraged by Queen Mary II of England to write down all she knew. This led her to publish The Court Midwife, which not only included text descriptions but detailed illustrations. In fact, the Google Doodle that paid homage to her referenced some of these illustrations by drawing the first “O” in the form of a pair of hands reaching toward a baby in-utero. March 28, when the Doodle was shown, was the anniversary of the day that her book was certified by the European University Viadrina Frankfurt as a medical textbook. In its time, the book was an instant success. Though it was originally published in German, it was soon translated to other languages, becoming the authoritative text on matters of midwifery throughout Europe. Quite a few family trees today likely owe many of their branches to her pioneering endeavors. Due to her medical issues, Siegemund was never able to have children of her own. Yet, through her tenacity, brilliance, and generosity, she personally delivered around 6,200 babies, and her written guidance led to the safe delivery of many more. No wonder she’s remembered as a mother of modern obstetrics.
[Image description: A black-and-white copper engraving of Justine Siegemund wearing a head covering, her body surrounded by an ovular frame.] Credit & copyright: Rodak, 1690, Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain, Image cropped for size.If you used Google earlier this week, odds are that you saw a Google Doodle featuring Justine Siegemund, a woman who changed the medical world forever. Believe it or not, women were largely excluded from obstetrics (the branch of medicine concerned with childbirth and maternal health) for centuries throughout much of Europe, until Siegemund changed things. In 1690, she became the first person to publish a medical text about obstetrics from a woman’s perspective, and the first woman to ever publish a German medical text.
Not much is known about Siegemund’s early life, but she was still a young woman in 17th-century Germany when she began suffering from a prolapsed uterus. A uterus becomes prolapsed when the ligaments and muscles that hold the organ in place are weakened, causing tissue to bulge out of the vagina. At the time, the condition wasn’t well understood, so Siegemund had difficulty finding adequate help from doctors and midwives. Since women could be midwives but not doctors, Siegemund was forced to seek help mostly from men, who not only didn’t understand her condition but often misdiagnosed her as being pregnant. Frustrated by the poor quality of healthcare available to her, Siegemund decided to educate herself on obstetrics.
She quickly encountered two new obstacles: doctors weren’t eager to help a woman learn about the medical sciences, and midwives were secretive about their trade. Moreover, nearly everything to do with childbirth was spread by word of mouth, meaning that there was no formal or academic resource that Siegemund could consult. Nevertheless, she started practicing as a midwife with what she could learn. She began by delivering children among the poor, eventually earning a reputation as a reliable midwife. As her reputation grew, nobles and even royalty became her patrons, and she eventually became the official court midwife in Berlin.
Unlike most of her peers, who relied on drugs and surgical instruments to assist in childbirth, Siegemund found innovative ways to safely deliver babies, even in cases where her peers might have given up. For example, when a baby began to emerge shoulders-first, she developed a way to safely rotate it in the birth canal before pulling it out. Before then, babies born in such a position often died. She also found a way to more safely perform breech deliveries, which were particularly dangerous for birthing mothers.
But her greatest contribution to obstetrics and midwifery was that she was willing to openly share what she had learned through study and experience. Oddly enough, her innovations gained her many critics from the traditional practitioners who believed her methods were dangerous and ineffective. This didn’t deter Siegemund, and she became so renowned in her field that she was encouraged by Queen Mary II of England to write down all she knew. This led her to publish The Court Midwife, which not only included text descriptions but detailed illustrations. In fact, the Google Doodle that paid homage to her referenced some of these illustrations by drawing the first “O” in the form of a pair of hands reaching toward a baby in-utero. March 28, when the Doodle was shown, was the anniversary of the day that her book was certified by the European University Viadrina Frankfurt as a medical textbook. In its time, the book was an instant success. Though it was originally published in German, it was soon translated to other languages, becoming the authoritative text on matters of midwifery throughout Europe. Quite a few family trees today likely owe many of their branches to her pioneering endeavors. Due to her medical issues, Siegemund was never able to have children of her own. Yet, through her tenacity, brilliance, and generosity, she personally delivered around 6,200 babies, and her written guidance led to the safe delivery of many more. No wonder she’s remembered as a mother of modern obstetrics.
[Image description: A black-and-white copper engraving of Justine Siegemund wearing a head covering, her body surrounded by an ovular frame.] Credit & copyright: Rodak, 1690, Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain, Image cropped for size. -
7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
From the BBC World Service: Japan is planning to impose export restrictions on equipment used to manufacture semiconductors. The trade controls align with an...
From the BBC World Service: Japan is planning to impose export restrictions on equipment used to manufacture semiconductors. The trade controls align with an...
April 1, 2023
-
8 minFREEWork Business CurioFree5 CQ
The Inflation Reduction Act has set out a slew of funding opportunities for government agencies and private companies looking to usher in the green transitio...
The Inflation Reduction Act has set out a slew of funding opportunities for government agencies and private companies looking to usher in the green transitio...
-
FREEStrength Training Daily CurioFree1 CQ
Here’s a man who lifted weights to new heights. This week in 1891, Edward Levy of Birmingham, England, became the first champion of the first ever international weightlifting competition. Strongmen who performed feats of unbelievable strength were popular performers in early circuses, but weightlifting as a sport was in its infancy in the 1800s. Before 1891, there had been several competitions, but there were no governing bodies for the sport and it was largely unregulated and unstandardized. Even when Levy competed at the first World Championships, there were far fewer rules than there are today. For example, competitors weren’t divided by weight classes, making it a lifting free-for-all. By today’s standards, the weights might seem underwhelming too. Levy was only pressing weights up to 86 pounds per hand, and only three competitors that year managed to lift 180 pounds on a single barbell over their heads. Compare that to modern athletes who routinely press over twice that. But that’s not to say that Levy and his contemporaries weren’t impressive in their time. Back then, few people could dedicate to full-time training, nor did they have the advanced understanding of nutrition and human physiology that modern athletes enjoy today. Though it was considered more of a hobby than a career, Levy worked as an athletic teacher when he wasn’t competing. Clearly he liked to break a mental sweat too!
[Image description: An out-of-focus person lifts a dumbell] Credit & copyright: jarmoluk, Pixabay
Here’s a man who lifted weights to new heights. This week in 1891, Edward Levy of Birmingham, England, became the first champion of the first ever international weightlifting competition. Strongmen who performed feats of unbelievable strength were popular performers in early circuses, but weightlifting as a sport was in its infancy in the 1800s. Before 1891, there had been several competitions, but there were no governing bodies for the sport and it was largely unregulated and unstandardized. Even when Levy competed at the first World Championships, there were far fewer rules than there are today. For example, competitors weren’t divided by weight classes, making it a lifting free-for-all. By today’s standards, the weights might seem underwhelming too. Levy was only pressing weights up to 86 pounds per hand, and only three competitors that year managed to lift 180 pounds on a single barbell over their heads. Compare that to modern athletes who routinely press over twice that. But that’s not to say that Levy and his contemporaries weren’t impressive in their time. Back then, few people could dedicate to full-time training, nor did they have the advanced understanding of nutrition and human physiology that modern athletes enjoy today. Though it was considered more of a hobby than a career, Levy worked as an athletic teacher when he wasn’t competing. Clearly he liked to break a mental sweat too!
[Image description: An out-of-focus person lifts a dumbell] Credit & copyright: jarmoluk, Pixabay
March 31, 2023
-
FREEBaking Daily CurioFree1 CQ
You won’t win any brownie points for confusing this sweet treat with brownies! While Texas sheet cake may look similar to brownies, it is bigger, fluffier, and has a strange history that centers around—of all things—funerals. In fact, in some parts of the U.S., it is still referred to as “funeral cake.”
Texas sheet cake is, quite simply, a thin layer of chocolate cake made in a shallow pan and topped with poured chocolate icing and sometimes pecans. Unlike brownies, which are made without leavening agents (which gives them a chewy, cookie-like texture) Texas sheet cake is a true cake, with a light, fluffy texture. Although former first lady Claudia “Lady Bird” Johnson is sometimes credited as the cake’s inventor, the truth is that no one actually knows who baked the first Texas sheet cake. Even its name points to its mysterious origins, as it’s believed that the “sheet” in “sheet cake” may have evolved from the word “sheath”, since pouring frosting over a cake is sometimes referred to as “sheathing” the cake. The “Texas” part of the cake’s name is equally puzzling, since chocolate sheet cakes had been popular in the U.S., especially in the south, for at least a decade by the time Texas sheet cake got its name. Some believe that the large, flat pan the cake is baked in has something to do with the name, since “everything’s bigger in Texas.” However, it’s likely that the name came about because one of the first official recipes for sheet cake was printed in a Texas newspaper.
Before then, the cake had gone by many names, including “buttermilk brownies”, since early recipes usually called for buttermilk. But its most common nickname was “funeral cake.” Because sheet cake is so easy to make on short notice and can serve many people at once, it was a natural fit for funeral receptions and gained a reputation as the go-to dish to feed mourners. Some also called it by the more cheerful nickname of “church lady cake.” Whatever you call it, there’s no doubt that Texas sheet cake is as easy to eat as it is to make.
[Image description: Square pieces of Texas sheet cake stacked on a plate.] Credit & copyright: RitaE, PixabayYou won’t win any brownie points for confusing this sweet treat with brownies! While Texas sheet cake may look similar to brownies, it is bigger, fluffier, and has a strange history that centers around—of all things—funerals. In fact, in some parts of the U.S., it is still referred to as “funeral cake.”
Texas sheet cake is, quite simply, a thin layer of chocolate cake made in a shallow pan and topped with poured chocolate icing and sometimes pecans. Unlike brownies, which are made without leavening agents (which gives them a chewy, cookie-like texture) Texas sheet cake is a true cake, with a light, fluffy texture. Although former first lady Claudia “Lady Bird” Johnson is sometimes credited as the cake’s inventor, the truth is that no one actually knows who baked the first Texas sheet cake. Even its name points to its mysterious origins, as it’s believed that the “sheet” in “sheet cake” may have evolved from the word “sheath”, since pouring frosting over a cake is sometimes referred to as “sheathing” the cake. The “Texas” part of the cake’s name is equally puzzling, since chocolate sheet cakes had been popular in the U.S., especially in the south, for at least a decade by the time Texas sheet cake got its name. Some believe that the large, flat pan the cake is baked in has something to do with the name, since “everything’s bigger in Texas.” However, it’s likely that the name came about because one of the first official recipes for sheet cake was printed in a Texas newspaper.
Before then, the cake had gone by many names, including “buttermilk brownies”, since early recipes usually called for buttermilk. But its most common nickname was “funeral cake.” Because sheet cake is so easy to make on short notice and can serve many people at once, it was a natural fit for funeral receptions and gained a reputation as the go-to dish to feed mourners. Some also called it by the more cheerful nickname of “church lady cake.” Whatever you call it, there’s no doubt that Texas sheet cake is as easy to eat as it is to make.
[Image description: Square pieces of Texas sheet cake stacked on a plate.] Credit & copyright: RitaE, Pixabay
March 30, 2023
-
7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
From the BBC World Service: When President Biden unveiled the Inflation Reduction Act last summer, the subsidies on offer turned heads around the world. Toda...
From the BBC World Service: When President Biden unveiled the Inflation Reduction Act last summer, the subsidies on offer turned heads around the world. Toda...
-
2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: March 30, 2023\GOH-lum\ noun
What It Means
Golem refers in Jewish folklore to an artificial humanoid being endowed with lif...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: March 30, 2023\GOH-lum\ noun
What It Means
Golem refers in Jewish folklore to an artificial humanoid being endowed with lif...
-
FREEScience Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
We might want to come up with a less dramatic name for this. In a paper published in The Astrophysical Journal, researchers from the University of California in Irvine, U.S., argue that there may be conditions hospitable to life in the terminator of tidally-locked planets. The terminator is the line dividing night and day on a planet. On Earth, it makes its way around once a day as the planet rotates, but on tidally-locked planets, the same side of the planet always faces its sun. This means that the star-facing side of the planet gets extremely hot, while the other side gets extremely cold. But in the terminator zone there is perpetual twilight, and perhaps a stable enough environment to host life. Researchers determined this by modeling the climate on a tidally-locked planet. They found that the terminator can sustain a stable, life-friendly temperature, but there are other factors to consider. For example, a planet that has too much water might be perpetually covered in clouds that engulf the entire surface, blocking light. Life is unlikely to develop or flourish under those conditions, but with enough land, there could be what the researchers call “terminator habitability.” If life could exist in the terminator zone, it would vastly increase the number of planets that could potentially contain life, since around 70 percent of stars are M-dwarf stars which are often orbited by tidally-locked planets. Terminators? More like incubators.
[Image description: A digital illustration of a distant planet’s surface beneath a nebula and a rising sun.] Credit & copyright: Luminas_Art, Pixabay
We might want to come up with a less dramatic name for this. In a paper published in The Astrophysical Journal, researchers from the University of California in Irvine, U.S., argue that there may be conditions hospitable to life in the terminator of tidally-locked planets. The terminator is the line dividing night and day on a planet. On Earth, it makes its way around once a day as the planet rotates, but on tidally-locked planets, the same side of the planet always faces its sun. This means that the star-facing side of the planet gets extremely hot, while the other side gets extremely cold. But in the terminator zone there is perpetual twilight, and perhaps a stable enough environment to host life. Researchers determined this by modeling the climate on a tidally-locked planet. They found that the terminator can sustain a stable, life-friendly temperature, but there are other factors to consider. For example, a planet that has too much water might be perpetually covered in clouds that engulf the entire surface, blocking light. Life is unlikely to develop or flourish under those conditions, but with enough land, there could be what the researchers call “terminator habitability.” If life could exist in the terminator zone, it would vastly increase the number of planets that could potentially contain life, since around 70 percent of stars are M-dwarf stars which are often orbited by tidally-locked planets. Terminators? More like incubators.
[Image description: A digital illustration of a distant planet’s surface beneath a nebula and a rising sun.] Credit & copyright: Luminas_Art, Pixabay
-
FREEBiology Daily Curio #2628Free1 CQ
Take a shot at botany. After a recent study revealed that there are thousands of unphotographed native plants in Australia, scientists are urging anyone with a camera to snap pictures of them before they go extinct. The study’s lead author, Thomas Mesaglio at the UNSW Sydney and the Australian Institute of Botanical Science, stated in a UNSW press release that many of the plant species in the country only have illustrations or line drawings as visual documentations. Worse yet, many don’t have any visual media to document their appearance. That’s a tragedy, considering that Australia is home to an incredibly diverse array of flora, many of which are unique to the continent. The co-author of the study, Dr. Hervé Sauquet from the Australian Institute of Botanical Science, emphasized the urgent need to fill in the gaps in photographic records. He stated, “All species of plants ultimately rely on specimens in herbarium collections for their identification. Yet, even in this digital age where most herbarium specimens have been scanned and are accessible on the web, photos of live plants in the wild remain in critical need.” Why are so many plant species missing from the record in the first place? The simple answer is that they just didn’t have the right appeal. Mesaglio explained that most of the plants that remain unphotographed are just visually uninteresting. Meanwhile, trees and other flowering plants or species that have interesting foliage are photographed frequently. For instance, wildflowers in the genus Banksia, which are known for their beautiful displays, are one of only two genera to have a complete photographic record. But there is hope for the more modest plants that have yet to be recorded. With cameras so ubiquitous now, scientists’ call to action has been fairly effective. In the past year alone, around 10 percent of the missing plants have been photographed by citizens doing their part through apps and social media. Mesaglio and others have also recommended the creation of a standardized system for uploading photos to make it even easier and more consistent. Time to go snap some branches.
[Image description: An Australian billabong, or swamp.] Credit & copyright: Clovis3, PixabayTake a shot at botany. After a recent study revealed that there are thousands of unphotographed native plants in Australia, scientists are urging anyone with a camera to snap pictures of them before they go extinct. The study’s lead author, Thomas Mesaglio at the UNSW Sydney and the Australian Institute of Botanical Science, stated in a UNSW press release that many of the plant species in the country only have illustrations or line drawings as visual documentations. Worse yet, many don’t have any visual media to document their appearance. That’s a tragedy, considering that Australia is home to an incredibly diverse array of flora, many of which are unique to the continent. The co-author of the study, Dr. Hervé Sauquet from the Australian Institute of Botanical Science, emphasized the urgent need to fill in the gaps in photographic records. He stated, “All species of plants ultimately rely on specimens in herbarium collections for their identification. Yet, even in this digital age where most herbarium specimens have been scanned and are accessible on the web, photos of live plants in the wild remain in critical need.” Why are so many plant species missing from the record in the first place? The simple answer is that they just didn’t have the right appeal. Mesaglio explained that most of the plants that remain unphotographed are just visually uninteresting. Meanwhile, trees and other flowering plants or species that have interesting foliage are photographed frequently. For instance, wildflowers in the genus Banksia, which are known for their beautiful displays, are one of only two genera to have a complete photographic record. But there is hope for the more modest plants that have yet to be recorded. With cameras so ubiquitous now, scientists’ call to action has been fairly effective. In the past year alone, around 10 percent of the missing plants have been photographed by citizens doing their part through apps and social media. Mesaglio and others have also recommended the creation of a standardized system for uploading photos to make it even easier and more consistent. Time to go snap some branches.
[Image description: An Australian billabong, or swamp.] Credit & copyright: Clovis3, Pixabay
March 29, 2023
-
7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
From the BBC World Service: The European Union has approved a landmark law that ends the sale of carbon-emitting cars by 2035. The new law was expected to ma...
From the BBC World Service: The European Union has approved a landmark law that ends the sale of carbon-emitting cars by 2035. The new law was expected to ma...
-
2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: March 29, 2023\ih-MAK-yuh-lut\ adjective
What It Means
Immaculate means "spotlessly clean" or "without flaw or error." In b...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: March 29, 2023\ih-MAK-yuh-lut\ adjective
What It Means
Immaculate means "spotlessly clean" or "without flaw or error." In b...
-
FREEWork Nerdy CurioFree1 CQ
Sometimes a business may fail…but when that business is a bank, it can cause a lot of trouble. The business world has been abuzz following the recent failure of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), the biggest bank failure since the 2008 financial crisis. Problems at SVB were likely the result of several factors. One is the 2018 rollback of some federal banking regulations. Before 2018, banks with at least $50 billion in assets had to be looked over by the government each year and meet certain requirements to go on operating, including maintaining certain levels of capital—resources to absorb losses. SVB’s own CEO, Greg Becker, spoke out against these regulations in 2015. Once they were rolled back, SVB was able to engage in riskier banking behavior, which was another factor in the bank’s failure. For example, SVB Financial Group allowed customers, many of whom were companies in the tech industry, to make deposits of more than $250,000 at a time. Such large deposits are not insured. In other words, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) won’t cover deposits over that amount, should the bank fail. Eventually, things came to a head when government hikes on interest rates caused SVB Financial Group to lose value, which spooked depositors and caused a large number of them to withdraw their funds at once. The ensuing bank failure led to a brief panic, but on March 26, the FDIC announced that they would be extending deposit insurance to almost all of SVB’s customers, even those who wouldn’t normally qualify for it. The FDIC then placed all of SVB’s remaining assets into a bridge bank—a regulated organization that will operate the insolvent bank until a buyer is found. And it seems that a buyer is already working to take over what remains of SVB. First Citizens BancShares, a longtime rival of SVB, may soon take ownership. Here’s hoping things run more smoothly this time around.
[Image description: A screen showing numbers from the stock market] Credit & copyright: AhmadArdity, PixabaySometimes a business may fail…but when that business is a bank, it can cause a lot of trouble. The business world has been abuzz following the recent failure of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), the biggest bank failure since the 2008 financial crisis. Problems at SVB were likely the result of several factors. One is the 2018 rollback of some federal banking regulations. Before 2018, banks with at least $50 billion in assets had to be looked over by the government each year and meet certain requirements to go on operating, including maintaining certain levels of capital—resources to absorb losses. SVB’s own CEO, Greg Becker, spoke out against these regulations in 2015. Once they were rolled back, SVB was able to engage in riskier banking behavior, which was another factor in the bank’s failure. For example, SVB Financial Group allowed customers, many of whom were companies in the tech industry, to make deposits of more than $250,000 at a time. Such large deposits are not insured. In other words, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) won’t cover deposits over that amount, should the bank fail. Eventually, things came to a head when government hikes on interest rates caused SVB Financial Group to lose value, which spooked depositors and caused a large number of them to withdraw their funds at once. The ensuing bank failure led to a brief panic, but on March 26, the FDIC announced that they would be extending deposit insurance to almost all of SVB’s customers, even those who wouldn’t normally qualify for it. The FDIC then placed all of SVB’s remaining assets into a bridge bank—a regulated organization that will operate the insolvent bank until a buyer is found. And it seems that a buyer is already working to take over what remains of SVB. First Citizens BancShares, a longtime rival of SVB, may soon take ownership. Here’s hoping things run more smoothly this time around.
[Image description: A screen showing numbers from the stock market] Credit & copyright: AhmadArdity, Pixabay -
FREEHumanities Daily Curio #2627Free1 CQ
They might be terra-cotta, but don’t accuse them of having feet of clay—they’ve been loyally guarding their Emperor for over two thousand years. On this day in 1974, Chineses farmers in the Shaanxi province in northwest China discovered the long lost tomb of Qin Shi Huangdi, the self-proclaimed first emperor of China. It’s one of the most significant archaeological finds in modern history, and it was completely by accident. The farmers only happened upon it while desperately digging a well during a drought. Emperor Qin probably didn’t want his tomb to be found, and who can blame him? He was buried alongside hoards of treasure in a vast underground complex guarded by his faithful army of clay soldiers. The most famous artifacts within the tomb were the terra-cotta warriors. This army of eight thousand soldiers is sculpted in lifelike detail. No two are completely alike, and each is adorned in a wide array of hairstyles and facial features. They were once painted in vibrant colors, though the pigments broke down long ago. Each soldier is so intricately sculpted that it’s possible to deduce each man’s rank by their uniform. The soldiers are also accompanied by horses, just in case they get tired of marching. This army has spent a lot of time on the move, recently. Since their discovery, they’ve been displayed in museums around the world (not all at once, of course), and even after nearly five decades, there are still unexplored sections of the vast tomb they emerged from. Archaeologists have excavated around 600 pits in the tomb, but much of the 22-square-mile complex remains untouched. There may be hidden dangers that lie in wait for them, should they dig too much. Legends about the emperor that rose after his death state that his tomb is filled with rivers of mercury to mimic the Yellow and Yangtze rivers, and soil analysis has revealed that there is a dangerously high level of the heavy metal. Something else that has archaeologists hesitating is that after two millennia underground, suddenly exposing the buried artifacts to light and air will damage them. Progress on the site remains slow, but hey, it’s not like the army’s going to march off.
[Image description: A close-up photo of rows of terracotta warriors.] Credit & copyright: Gary Todd from Xinzheng, China, Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.They might be terra-cotta, but don’t accuse them of having feet of clay—they’ve been loyally guarding their Emperor for over two thousand years. On this day in 1974, Chineses farmers in the Shaanxi province in northwest China discovered the long lost tomb of Qin Shi Huangdi, the self-proclaimed first emperor of China. It’s one of the most significant archaeological finds in modern history, and it was completely by accident. The farmers only happened upon it while desperately digging a well during a drought. Emperor Qin probably didn’t want his tomb to be found, and who can blame him? He was buried alongside hoards of treasure in a vast underground complex guarded by his faithful army of clay soldiers. The most famous artifacts within the tomb were the terra-cotta warriors. This army of eight thousand soldiers is sculpted in lifelike detail. No two are completely alike, and each is adorned in a wide array of hairstyles and facial features. They were once painted in vibrant colors, though the pigments broke down long ago. Each soldier is so intricately sculpted that it’s possible to deduce each man’s rank by their uniform. The soldiers are also accompanied by horses, just in case they get tired of marching. This army has spent a lot of time on the move, recently. Since their discovery, they’ve been displayed in museums around the world (not all at once, of course), and even after nearly five decades, there are still unexplored sections of the vast tomb they emerged from. Archaeologists have excavated around 600 pits in the tomb, but much of the 22-square-mile complex remains untouched. There may be hidden dangers that lie in wait for them, should they dig too much. Legends about the emperor that rose after his death state that his tomb is filled with rivers of mercury to mimic the Yellow and Yangtze rivers, and soil analysis has revealed that there is a dangerously high level of the heavy metal. Something else that has archaeologists hesitating is that after two millennia underground, suddenly exposing the buried artifacts to light and air will damage them. Progress on the site remains slow, but hey, it’s not like the army’s going to march off.
[Image description: A close-up photo of rows of terracotta warriors.] Credit & copyright: Gary Todd from Xinzheng, China, Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.
March 28, 2023
-
7 minFREEWork Business CurioFree4 CQ
From the BBC World Service: Vice President Kamala Harris has announced a $100 million conflict prevention package for West Africa at the start of a week-long...
From the BBC World Service: Vice President Kamala Harris has announced a $100 million conflict prevention package for West Africa at the start of a week-long...
-
2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: March 28, 2023\BIL-doonks-roh-mahn\ noun
What It Means
A bildungsroman is a novel about the moral and psychological growth ...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: March 28, 2023\BIL-doonks-roh-mahn\ noun
What It Means
A bildungsroman is a novel about the moral and psychological growth ...
-
FREEMusic Appreciation Song CurioFree2 CQ
Here’s an ambitious number. New wave/pop band Blondie was at the forefront of many trends in its heyday, most famously the new wave craze of the 70s and 80s. One song in particular, though, broke even fresher new ground. On this day in 1980, Blondie’s Rapture became the first pop song featuring a rap section to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The tune begins in typical Blondie fashion, with lead singer Debbie Harry slowly crooning over a synth-heavy groove. But then, the beat quickens and steadies as Harry launches into a rap. About what, you may ask? An alien who eats people and cars, of course. It may not have made much sense, but Rapture’s oddness clearly struck the right chord with listeners, as it stayed at number one for two weeks. Although rap songs had charted long before Rapture, the song’s popularity helped convince some in the music industry that rap wasn’t just a new, fleeting genre, but something that had mainstream appeal. Imagine if the doubters of the 1980s could see the charts today!
[Image description: A microphone lays on a table.] Credit & copyright: Jordy, Pixabay
Here’s an ambitious number. New wave/pop band Blondie was at the forefront of many trends in its heyday, most famously the new wave craze of the 70s and 80s. One song in particular, though, broke even fresher new ground. On this day in 1980, Blondie’s Rapture became the first pop song featuring a rap section to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The tune begins in typical Blondie fashion, with lead singer Debbie Harry slowly crooning over a synth-heavy groove. But then, the beat quickens and steadies as Harry launches into a rap. About what, you may ask? An alien who eats people and cars, of course. It may not have made much sense, but Rapture’s oddness clearly struck the right chord with listeners, as it stayed at number one for two weeks. Although rap songs had charted long before Rapture, the song’s popularity helped convince some in the music industry that rap wasn’t just a new, fleeting genre, but something that had mainstream appeal. Imagine if the doubters of the 1980s could see the charts today!
[Image description: A microphone lays on a table.] Credit & copyright: Jordy, Pixabay
-
FREEMind + Body Daily Curio #2626Free1 CQ
When you think of drinks made with yeast, you might think wine, beer or whiskey. Now, you can add milk to the list. Commercial enterprises based around producing milk proteins with yeast may soon be bringing their products to a store near you. While yeast-made dairy has been in the works for years, a California-based company named Perfect Day is now courting large food manufacturers like General Mills. And it’s not just liquid milk they’re bringing to the table, but milk products like cheese, yogurt, and ice cream. Other companies are planning to release similar products, signaling that there may be a creamy gold rush for the technology.
Why would anyone choose milk made from yeast over good-old-fashioned cow milk? There are a lot of reasons. Environmentalists and animal rights groups have long criticized the conventional dairy industry for its greenhouse gas emissions and its treatment of dairy cows. Because this new technology uses single-celled fungi to produce milk proteins, cows are completely taken out of the equation. Those who have sensitive dietary needs regarding milk can look forward to milk that is lactose and cholesterol-free, and therefore easier to digest. The process for making the milk is fairly simple too. In fact, it’s similar to how many alcoholic beverages are made. The process is called precision fermentation. A specific yeast that has been made to create dairy proteins is first fed sugar in a warm, wet environment that is computer-monitored. The yeast ferments in sugar, then the dairy proteins it produces are separated and washed. Precision fermentation is also used to produce insulin and rennet, so it’s been around for quite a while. The result is identical to what is found in cow’s milk but without the aforementioned downsides, and it’s a much more convincing replacement than plant-based milk substitutes. Dairy we say more?
[Image description: A decanter and glass of milk against a black background] Credit & copyright: congerdesign, Pixabay, image not associated with Perfect Day or any other company.When you think of drinks made with yeast, you might think wine, beer or whiskey. Now, you can add milk to the list. Commercial enterprises based around producing milk proteins with yeast may soon be bringing their products to a store near you. While yeast-made dairy has been in the works for years, a California-based company named Perfect Day is now courting large food manufacturers like General Mills. And it’s not just liquid milk they’re bringing to the table, but milk products like cheese, yogurt, and ice cream. Other companies are planning to release similar products, signaling that there may be a creamy gold rush for the technology.
Why would anyone choose milk made from yeast over good-old-fashioned cow milk? There are a lot of reasons. Environmentalists and animal rights groups have long criticized the conventional dairy industry for its greenhouse gas emissions and its treatment of dairy cows. Because this new technology uses single-celled fungi to produce milk proteins, cows are completely taken out of the equation. Those who have sensitive dietary needs regarding milk can look forward to milk that is lactose and cholesterol-free, and therefore easier to digest. The process for making the milk is fairly simple too. In fact, it’s similar to how many alcoholic beverages are made. The process is called precision fermentation. A specific yeast that has been made to create dairy proteins is first fed sugar in a warm, wet environment that is computer-monitored. The yeast ferments in sugar, then the dairy proteins it produces are separated and washed. Precision fermentation is also used to produce insulin and rennet, so it’s been around for quite a while. The result is identical to what is found in cow’s milk but without the aforementioned downsides, and it’s a much more convincing replacement than plant-based milk substitutes. Dairy we say more?
[Image description: A decanter and glass of milk against a black background] Credit & copyright: congerdesign, Pixabay, image not associated with Perfect Day or any other company.
March 27, 2023
-
2 minFREEHumanities Word CurioFree2 CQ
Word of the Day
: March 27, 2023\DISS-puh-rut\ adjective
What It Means
Disparate things are noticeably distinct in quality or character. Disp...
with Merriam-WebsterWord of the Day
: March 27, 2023\DISS-puh-rut\ adjective
What It Means
Disparate things are noticeably distinct in quality or character. Disp...
-
10 minFREEWork Business CurioFree6 CQ
In the wake of turmoil in the banking system, some in Congress argue the solution is more regulation. Republican Sen. Rick Scott and Democratic Sen. Elizabet...
In the wake of turmoil in the banking system, some in Congress argue the solution is more regulation. Republican Sen. Rick Scott and Democratic Sen. Elizabet...
-
FREEArt Appreciation Art CurioFree1 CQ
If only the weather would catch up to the season. We’re one week into spring, but it’s still freezing cold in much of the U.S. Someone ought to have a word with whoever’s in charge—perhaps the subject of this statue. The piece above, Spring in the guise of Flora, depicts the Roman goddess Flora in marble. She is wearing a crown of flowers and is holding a large bouquet as she looks to her right with her head slightly tilted. Her torso rises from the statue’s pedestal, while her feet are visible at the base. The statue is one in a set of two by Italian sculptor Pietro Bernini. The other is meant to embody Priapus, a god of animal and vegetable fertility. Bernini was the father of another renowned sculptor, Lorenzo Bernini, who assisted him in making this sculpture. Artists who followed the Mannerist style, like Bernini, indulged in technical difficulty for its own sake more than their classical predecessors did. It’s no wonder, then, that they would go on to influence Baroque artists like Bernini’s own son. The artfully sculpted apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
Title, Pietro Bernini (1562-1629), 1616-17, Marble, 89.125 x 34.375 x 27.5 in. (226.4 x 87.3 x 69.9 cm) Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, New York
[Image credit & copyright: Pietro Bernini, Purchase, The Annenberg Foundation Gift, 1990, Metropolitan Museum of Art Open Access, Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain DedicationIf only the weather would catch up to the season. We’re one week into spring, but it’s still freezing cold in much of the U.S. Someone ought to have a word with whoever’s in charge—perhaps the subject of this statue. The piece above, Spring in the guise of Flora, depicts the Roman goddess Flora in marble. She is wearing a crown of flowers and is holding a large bouquet as she looks to her right with her head slightly tilted. Her torso rises from the statue’s pedestal, while her feet are visible at the base. The statue is one in a set of two by Italian sculptor Pietro Bernini. The other is meant to embody Priapus, a god of animal and vegetable fertility. Bernini was the father of another renowned sculptor, Lorenzo Bernini, who assisted him in making this sculpture. Artists who followed the Mannerist style, like Bernini, indulged in technical difficulty for its own sake more than their classical predecessors did. It’s no wonder, then, that they would go on to influence Baroque artists like Bernini’s own son. The artfully sculpted apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
Title, Pietro Bernini (1562-1629), 1616-17, Marble, 89.125 x 34.375 x 27.5 in. (226.4 x 87.3 x 69.9 cm) Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, New York
[Image credit & copyright: Pietro Bernini, Purchase, The Annenberg Foundation Gift, 1990, Metropolitan Museum of Art Open Access, Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication -
FREEMind + Body Daily Curio #2625Free1 CQ
Bears, oh my! A pair of college wrestlers made the news recently for their harrowing encounter with a grizzly bear. They were able to fend off the creature thanks to their quick thinking, but what is the average person supposed to do in a similar situation when they don’t have the benefit of collegiate athleticism? The National Park Service (NPS) in the U.S. actually offers pretty detailed advice on what unlucky hikers should do if they encounter one of these apex predators.
One of the main things to keep in mind is that hikers should avoid triggering a bear’s chase instinct. When threatened, some bears will perform a bluff charge. As the name implies, a bear charging at a person isn’t necessarily committing to attacking them. When a bear appears to be preparing to charge, the best thing to do is start talking to the bear in a calm voice while backing away. If the bear does a bluff charge anyway, it’s best to stand one’s ground. Running will often cause a bear to chase, making the situation much more dangerous.
If a bear charges and commits to the attack, advice changes depending on the type of bear. With black bears—which are smaller and less aggressive—the NPS recommends, “FIGHT BACK WITH EVERYTHING YOU HAVE! Do not play dead.” If it’s a brown bear or a grizzly, it’s best to play dead. That’s exactly what Brady Lowry did when he and his friend, Kendell Cummings, ran across a female grizzly. Lowry didn’t have time to run before being struck by the bear, while Cummings got about 30 yards away before turning back to help his friend. But even two college wrestlers in peak condition are no match for an angry grizzly, and the two barely escaped with their lives. Cummings’s decision to help his friend diverted the bear’s attention, but left him with ghastly injuries along his skull, face, arms and legs. Based on his account, it appears that the bear lost interest after he was too wounded and exhausted to run or fight back. His actions may well have saved his friend’s life. Maybe the best defense in a bear attack is a friend who has your back.
[Image description: A grizzly bear walking in the woods.] Credit & copyright: ArthurTopham, PixabayBears, oh my! A pair of college wrestlers made the news recently for their harrowing encounter with a grizzly bear. They were able to fend off the creature thanks to their quick thinking, but what is the average person supposed to do in a similar situation when they don’t have the benefit of collegiate athleticism? The National Park Service (NPS) in the U.S. actually offers pretty detailed advice on what unlucky hikers should do if they encounter one of these apex predators.
One of the main things to keep in mind is that hikers should avoid triggering a bear’s chase instinct. When threatened, some bears will perform a bluff charge. As the name implies, a bear charging at a person isn’t necessarily committing to attacking them. When a bear appears to be preparing to charge, the best thing to do is start talking to the bear in a calm voice while backing away. If the bear does a bluff charge anyway, it’s best to stand one’s ground. Running will often cause a bear to chase, making the situation much more dangerous.
If a bear charges and commits to the attack, advice changes depending on the type of bear. With black bears—which are smaller and less aggressive—the NPS recommends, “FIGHT BACK WITH EVERYTHING YOU HAVE! Do not play dead.” If it’s a brown bear or a grizzly, it’s best to play dead. That’s exactly what Brady Lowry did when he and his friend, Kendell Cummings, ran across a female grizzly. Lowry didn’t have time to run before being struck by the bear, while Cummings got about 30 yards away before turning back to help his friend. But even two college wrestlers in peak condition are no match for an angry grizzly, and the two barely escaped with their lives. Cummings’s decision to help his friend diverted the bear’s attention, but left him with ghastly injuries along his skull, face, arms and legs. Based on his account, it appears that the bear lost interest after he was too wounded and exhausted to run or fight back. His actions may well have saved his friend’s life. Maybe the best defense in a bear attack is a friend who has your back.
[Image description: A grizzly bear walking in the woods.] Credit & copyright: ArthurTopham, Pixabay