In 2004 ABC launched an American version of a popular British series: Wife Swap. The premise of the series was that two families would swap wives/mothers for two weeks, usually from families with different lifestyles or socioeconomic statuses. In the first week the women would have to operate under the family’s usual rules, while in […]
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In the final scene of the final episode of the 1979–80 season of the phenomenally popular TV show Dallas, arch-villain J.R. Ewing (Larry Hagman) hears a noise outside his office. He walks out to the hall to investigate. He is then shot twice by an unseen assailant–and collapses to the floor. This episode was broadcast
The Making of a Superstar: The Life and Time of Larry Hagman Read More »
The Achaemenid Empire, also known as the First Persian Empire, was founded by Cyrus the Great in 550 BC. It endured for over two hundred years and was eventually conquered by Alexander the Great in 330 BC. During the reign of Darius the Great (522–486 BC), this empire became the largest that the world had
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Some parts of the world have constantly been embroiled in conflict, and wars have been going on for millennia. You would think that people would have learned from the casualties and economic losses of all these wars–but no. As long as there is power to grab, territories to conquer, and resources to control, the world
Punic Wars: The Fall of the Carthaginian Superpower Read More »
In 1891 it was announced that Chicago, Illinois, had been chosen to host the World’s Columbian Exposition. This was a cultural and social event celebrating the 400th anniversary of Columbus’ discovery of America. It would take place from May to October of 1893, and likely attract millions of people from all around the world. As
The Dark and Disturbing Life of H.H. Holmes: America’s First Documented Serial Killer Read More »
Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen was the first person to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics. He discovered the radiation wavelength range known in English as X-rays. In many languages, these wavelengths are still called Röntgen radiation. Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen Röntgen was the child of a German cloth merchant. He was born in 1845 in the
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Ancient Rome was celebrated for its significant contributions to architecture, literature, and politics. It was also a society where certain aspects of sexual expression and relationships exhibited a degree of openness and complexity that still shocks people today. During the reign of Emperor Nero, homosexuality, though not openly discussed or embraced, could still be found
Sporus and Nero: The Controversial Union in Ancient Rome Read More »
Tales of life on the high seas have encapsulated people’s imaginations for centuries: overcoming massive storms, narrowly escaping pirate attacks, and discovering uncharted territories. But sometimes, the reality is even more intriguing than the stories. This is the case with the story of Mary Ann Brown, the 19-year-old ship captain who merely fell into the
How Mary Ann Brown Patten Saved Neptune’s Car From Disaster Read More »
In the world of academia, there is a principle called “Occam’s Razor” (also referred to as the “Principle/Law of Parsimony”). It is the philosophy that when presented with competing hypotheses about the same prediction, one should always choose the one that requires the fewest assumptions. (This is not meant to be a method of choosing
The Man Behind Occam’s Razor: William of Ockham Read More »
‘Ain Ghazal houses the remains of an ancient culture that thrived there for thousands of years. It is one of the largest Neolithic settlements ever found. The site is in modern-day Jordan and is best known for the ʿAin Ghazal statues that were discovered there in the 1980s. Some of the archeological remains found at
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