Ancient Astronomical Calculator

In 1901, sponge divers salvaged a corroded artifact from an ancient Roman shipwreck off the Greek island of Antikýthēra. The item has now been identified as an amazingly sophisticated, second-century-B.C.E. astronomical calculator.

Scientists who recently studied the “Antikythera Mechanism” using high-resolution X-ray tomography found that it was composed of at least 30 bronze gear wheels, originally housed in a wooden case. The device could accurately track the positions of the sun and the moon and predict lunar and solar eclipses. According to Nature magazine, the mechanism is “technically more complex than any known device for at least a millennium afterwards.”

Two Shots That Changed the World

@ Mary Evans Picture Library

By 1914, long-standing rivalries among European powers had stretched nerves taut and produced two opposing alliances: the Triple Alliance of Austria-Hungary, Italy, and Germany and the Triple Entente of Britain, France, and Russia. Moreover, those nations had political and economic ties with a number of other countries, including those in the Balkans.

At the time, the area called the Balkans was a politically volatile region chafing under the sovereignty of the bigger powers, and it was rife with secret societies scheming for independence. There, a small group of young people plotted to assassinate Austrian Archduke Francis Ferdinand during his visit to Sarajevo, capital of Bosnia, on June 28. A small police presence made their task easier. The would-be assassins, however, had minimal training. One youth threw a small bomb but missed his target, and others failed to act when the time came. Gavrilo Princip was the one conspirator who succeeded—and only by sheer accident. How so?

When Princip saw the archduke drive by still unharmed by the bomb, he tried to get to the car but in vain. Dispirited, he walked across the road to a café. Meanwhile, the archduke, angry about the attempted bombing, decided to change his route. However, his driver, unaware of the change in plans, set off in the wrong direction and had to turn the car around. At that very moment, Princip came out of the café and was literally presented with a sitting target—the archduke in his open car less than ten feet [3 m] away. Princip approached the car and fired two shots, killing the archduke and his wife. A naive Serb nationalist, Princip likely had no idea of the avalanche he had just triggered. Yet, he could not take sole blame for the horrors to come.

Crops Helps Postoperative Recovery

It has long been suspected that the contact with nature can reduce stress, generate positive feelings, and reduce the suffering of the sick. Results of recent research confirms these beliefs. "The patients were randomly placed in various rooms in the hospital with or without plants during their postoperative recovery" dsdaily scieance review.

The patients whose room contains plants experience less pain, required less medication, have a pulse and good blood press, and reported more satisfaction with their rooms than patients who did not have plants in their rooms.

Approximately 93% that have the plants in their room, consider the plant as the most positive aspects of their rooms.

Shetland Pony

In accordance with its name, Shetland ponies, came from the Shetland Islands, northeast side of Scotland. even, the archaeologist who conducted excavations there have discovered the bones of small ponies that age thousands of years.

Young Shetland pony identified from short legs, long mane and tail, and thick fur, which protects from bad weather in his native habitat. High ponies are usually 70 to 107 centimeters and usually black or dark brown.

Despite small stature, Shetland pony has a strong power. In fact, judging from their size is the most powerful race horse. That is why these ponies were used to transport peat, plowing the fields, and worked at a coal mine, the tunnel can only be passed by this little star. In fact, a lot of bangs that his life was in mine, never saw sunlight.

If viewed correctly, Shetland ponies are gentle and docile animals, making it ideal to accompany the children. Maybe because a good temperament, there are positive results are achieved when the Shetland pony is used in therapy programs for people with disabilities.

Given the attractive nature and its ability to adapt to very different environment, Shetland ponies have been exported to many clubs around the world and was established as well as the letter was made for her pedigree. However, this star's name is still associated with his native island, where the extraordinary race Shetland is still developing in a healthy and genetically pure.

Dangers of Early Childbirth.

In the United States, more and more babies are born prematurely by Caesarean surgical stimulation or for comfort. However, "the last weeks of pregnancy is more important than ever presumed" said The Wall Street Journal.

A study of approximately 15 000 newborns showed that for every week a baby still in utero between weeks 32 and 39, there is a decrease in seizures, jaundice, difficulty breathing, and bleeding in the brain as much as 23% .

whereas babies born at week 32 to week 36 is more risk of experiencing a mild problem behavior and intelligence.

So, the American College of obstetricians and Gynecologists suggested that the baby was not born before 39 weeks unless there are medical reasons for doing so.