Miscellaneous 2024, November

10 historical cases where nature itself put an end to political conflict

10 historical cases where nature itself put an end to political conflict

Sometimes it seems that nature gets tired of endless wars and human conflicts and intervenes to end the bloodshed. Throughout history, armies and fleets have met in battle, but in the end they had to fight hurricanes and storms, rather than each other. Nature can "disperse" the opposing sides, forcing one of them or both to retreat, or even completely inflicts a crushing defeat on people

10 Little-Known Facts About Genghis Khan: What History Textbooks Are Silent About

10 Little-Known Facts About Genghis Khan: What History Textbooks Are Silent About

The name of Genghis Khan is known all over the world. His Mongol horde conquered half the world. Genghis Khan's empire stretched from the Caspian Sea to the Pacific Ocean, covering an unimaginable 23 million square kilometers - the largest empire in history. In 25 years of campaigns, Genghis Khan managed to conquer more lands than the entire Roman Empire in 400 years. His warriors were unprecedentedly fierce, and the soldiers of the defeated armies faced an unenviable fate - they were beheaded or forced to swallow molten meth

10 "impregnable" prisons, from which it was still possible to escape

10 "impregnable" prisons, from which it was still possible to escape

The prison is a place for criminals, and it is assumed that the prisoners have no way to escape. But the craving for freedom is such that from time to time even the most guarded prisons run away, showing miracles of ingenuity. Moreover, history knows very interesting cases when escapes were made from prisons, about which there was a glory of reliable and unapproachable

10 fabulous rich men who chose to become hermits

10 fabulous rich men who chose to become hermits

The idea of giving up wealth, fame and society for many seems, to put it mildly, wild. But for some people, life in the spotlight seems overwhelming. In fact, no one can tell why some people feel the need to distance themselves from society. Some are likely to be mentally ill, while others seem to enjoy staying at home for years, even if they have so much money to do whatever they want

13 films about real macho who have become classics of world cinema

13 films about real macho who have become classics of world cinema

The films that will be discussed in this review are watched and reviewed with pleasure by millions of people around the world, but if you think about it, then all these stories of love, friendship and everyday dramas are full of male chauvinism. In each of these films, the macho image is brought to the fore. However, it is possible that it is for this reason that all these films are so popular with women

The secret of the ancient chariot, which was buried with horses and a rider, is revealed

The secret of the ancient chariot, which was buried with horses and a rider, is revealed

The second Iron Age chariot in the past two years has been discovered in English Yorkshire. The find was made at a construction site in Pocklington, where a residential complex of 200 houses is being built. For about six months, archaeologists have been trying to completely excavate and extract the find, which promises to be a real sensation. After all, together with the chariot, they found the remains of a horse and a rider

10 common misconceptions about ancient Rome and its people that many believe

10 common misconceptions about ancient Rome and its people that many believe

The Romans are often portrayed today as a civilization of debauchery and decadence, a great empire that ruined itself by gluttony and debauchery. And all these outrages happened while watching bloody battles in the gladiatorial arena. In fact, Roman society was based on strict laws that took into account the rights of ordinary Roman citizens. Citizens were expected to live up to the mos maiorum moral code, which outlined the virtues expected of them, including

What was fantasy like before "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings": 10 stories that inspired Tolkien

What was fantasy like before "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings": 10 stories that inspired Tolkien

For many readers, the journey into the fantasy genre began with Professor John Ronald Ruel Tolkien. "The Hobbit", "The Lord of the Rings" or even the film adaptation of Peter Jackson … these stories "hooked" millions of people. Tolkien is known to have inspired some of the masters of modern fantasy, from George Martin to Terry Brooks. But the fantasy genre was not born the day Middle-earth was created

Why Japan is stuck in the past and other facts about the world that don't fit popular stereotypes

Why Japan is stuck in the past and other facts about the world that don't fit popular stereotypes

The society has developed stable ideas about this world. True, sometimes these ideas are based on scattered facts, or even outright disinformation. In this review, a story about stereotypes that most people believe in today, although all this is purely untrue

10 unsuccessful restorations that have become a real laughing stock on social media

10 unsuccessful restorations that have become a real laughing stock on social media

Recently, the world watched in horror as the cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris in Paris was engulfed in flames that caused enormous damage to the centuries-old building. The cathedral contained many artistic treasures and artifacts, some of which were severely damaged by fire. Restoration will be required. and we can only hope that these works of art will fall into the hands of real professionals, and not would-be restorers who had a hand in the artifacts that will be discussed in this review

10 ancient (and not so) prostheses that went down in the history of mankind

10 ancient (and not so) prostheses that went down in the history of mankind

Some animals, such as geckos and octopuses, are able to regrow lost limbs. People are not capable of this, so it is not surprising that prostheses have existed for thousands of years. Today, thanks to the irrepressible imagination of inventors, amputee patients have more options than ever before, but there are many interesting facts in the history of prosthetic technology

The Temple Underwater City of Heraklion: Is It Really The Same Atlantis

The Temple Underwater City of Heraklion: Is It Really The Same Atlantis

Our world is full of unsolved mysteries and amazing secrets / Every person at least once in his life has heard the legend of the lost mythical city - Atlantis. Few of us know that there are hundreds of such legends and lost cities in the world. Historians all over the world have been struggling to unravel these mystical secrets for years, but sometimes ancient documents and archaeological finds give more questions than answers. The history of the great temple city of Heraklion, opened in 2000 by Frank Goddio, transforms the whole

How Alexander II, after 14 years of a forbidden romance, decided to marry a favorite

How Alexander II, after 14 years of a forbidden romance, decided to marry a favorite

The son of Nicholas I was remembered by descendants as a liberal ruler, whose name was immortalized by the reform to abolish serfdom. But Alexander II was distinguished not only by active political activity - the personal life of the Russian monarch was no less intense. Charming and attractive in appearance, the king won the hearts of hundreds of beauties! However, he experienced true love only for two women: he made one of them a legal wife, with the second, Ekaterina Dolgorukova, he had an open love affair that ended with

Who taught the Russians how to make felt boots, and Why even maids of honor and emperors wore these shoes

Who taught the Russians how to make felt boots, and Why even maids of honor and emperors wore these shoes

In the established perception, felt boots are associated with Russian culture. But in fairness it is worth knowing that the prototype came to us with the Golden Horde. Felted footwear of those times did not resemble the felt boots known to us. Well, the recognizable one-piece felt boot spread in the Russian Empire only by the beginning of the 19th century. And this pleasure, I must say, was expensive. Not every peasant could afford to wear felt boots, and a groom with such a dowry aroused special interest in the circles of brides. Shaft

9 movie couples who brought their love from screens to real life

9 movie couples who brought their love from screens to real life

Sometimes movie fans dream that vivid novels from their favorite films come true. But sometimes it happens. If anything, the acting couples gathered in this review are proof that on-screen love can grow into an almost perfect real-life romance. It turns out that there are many movie couples who began to be played by couples in love, and as a result, they started real romances

10 touching stories of wedding rings that bring tears to your eyes

10 touching stories of wedding rings that bring tears to your eyes

A wedding is an event that every girl dreams of. Someone comes to this spontaneously, going to the registry office in casual clothes, and someone prepares for many months, carefully planning the ceremony and choosing an outfit. But be that as it may, and almost every pair approaches the choice of rings responsibly. And while some women chose jewelry with unique precious stones, others gave their preference to family heirlooms, while others did receive their rings after a few

Vivid photos of the Indian wedding that rocked the internet

Vivid photos of the Indian wedding that rocked the internet

A wedding is a significant day for every person, especially if it takes place between people who endlessly love each other. So it happened with this couple of men who played a traditional, Hindu wedding and, thanks to their amazing photos and their history, became popular on the Internet

Princess Diana's 10 favorite men and one night with John F. Kennedy Jr

Princess Diana's 10 favorite men and one night with John F. Kennedy Jr

She was married only once, but at the same time she wandered for many years in search of true and mutual love. That is why rumors of intrigues and whirlwind romances haunted Princess Diana all her life. The tabloids continually buzzed tirelessly with news of her latest lover, but only the royal herself could confirm what really happened behind closed doors

5 controversial romance novels that changed the course of history

5 controversial romance novels that changed the course of history

Extramarital affairs usually affect families, relationships, friendships, and sometimes even affect careers. But history … It didn’t happen often, but as these five examples show, adultery sometimes had such serious consequences that not only the fate of people changed, but also the course of history

Who became the prototype of Scrooge McDuck from the animated series "DuckTales"

Who became the prototype of Scrooge McDuck from the animated series "DuckTales"

Little viewers fell in love with the image of Uncle Scrooge even at the time of the publication of the comic strip Christmas on Bear Mountain in 1947. He later migrated to the animated series of the late 1980s. The creator of the image, illustrator Karl Barks, then, in 1947, was looking for inspiration in Christmas tales and found it in the story "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens. But Scrooge McDuck had both fictional and very real prototypes

Things that the fashionistas of the past chased after, and today it causes bewilderment

Things that the fashionistas of the past chased after, and today it causes bewilderment

When choosing clothes, we are always forced to find a compromise between convenience and beauty. However, in the old days for the people of the upper class, such a question did not exist - the wealth of the outfit was above all. Sometimes the bizarre paths of fashion trends reached the point of absurdity, but this also had a special meaning. Some elements in clothes were specially created uncomfortable so that others would understand: this person was not created for physical labor

What was the social advertising in tsarist Russia: charity, tobacco, baths, etc

What was the social advertising in tsarist Russia: charity, tobacco, baths, etc

Many things and phenomena around us, which sometimes seem to us to be signs of our time, were in fact invented for a very long time. For example, in pre-revolutionary Russia, more than a hundred years ago, social advertising was widespread. Some of the themes of this powerful social tool are still familiar to us today, but some will seem very strange

What ended the 5 most high-profile novels in history, which are still talked about

What ended the 5 most high-profile novels in history, which are still talked about

Love is one of the most beautiful feelings in the world, which inspires, gives strength and ability to create unimaginable things. And, of course, many historical figures have carried through the years of their lives that very, ardent and vivid feeling. To your attention - the five most famous couples, whose love was not as simple as it seems at first glance

How London was hit by a beer flood 200 years ago and destroyed the capital of Great Britain

How London was hit by a beer flood 200 years ago and destroyed the capital of Great Britain

In 1814, several districts of London were flooded with … tons of beer. It sounds very funny, like something anecdotal, but in fact it was not funny. At all. A four-meter beer tsunami swept through the city, turning it into ruins and taking the lives of eight people. How did it happen?

Died Russian actor Sergei Shekhovtsov, who played dozens of roles in popular TV series

Died Russian actor Sergei Shekhovtsov, who played dozens of roles in popular TV series

The audience remembered Sergei Shekhovtsov, first of all, from the TV series "Truckers" and "Turetsky's March". On July 29, it became known that the actor died suddenly from cardiac arrest

Why throughout history men eat women and how it threatens

Why throughout history men eat women and how it threatens

Many stereotypes are so deeply rooted in even the brightest minds that they seem to be an immutable truth. Moreover, they are multiplied and distributed as advice, both from loved ones and from TV screens. Even if you look back, the historical facts will confirm: women have always been limited in food. This continues to this day, but now the scheme works in a completely different way, the weaker sex, in pursuit of a ghostly ideal, independently refuses the most tidbits. Why is this happening

Why girls are dressed in pink and boys in blue: a history of gender stereotypes

Why girls are dressed in pink and boys in blue: a history of gender stereotypes

Many speculate that the original division into pink for girls and blue for boys was invented by cunning marketers. Say, this trick will help to get people to buy more clothes and accessories for children. Others are convinced that people of a certain gender gravitate towards certain shades. Why exactly these colors and what gender stereotypes have too far-fetched explanation?

5 true facts from the biography of the most brutal African emperor

5 true facts from the biography of the most brutal African emperor

Much is known about the African emperor Jean Bedel Bokassa. He became famous for his inhuman cruelty towards both his political opponents and the inhabitants of the Central African Republic, which he ruled. There are many speculations and legends about Bokassa's life, but this review contains only true facts from his biography

How was the fate of the American daughter of Vladimir Mayakovsky, who until 1991 kept the secret of her birth

How was the fate of the American daughter of Vladimir Mayakovsky, who until 1991 kept the secret of her birth

“My two darlings Ellie. I already miss you … I kiss you all eight paws, "- this is an excerpt from a letter from Vladimir Mayakovsky, addressed to his American love - Ellie Jones and their common daughter Helen Patricia Thompson. The fact that the revolutionary poet has a child overseas became known only in 1991. Until then, Helen kept a secret, fearing for her safety. When it became possible to speak openly about Mayakovsky, she visited Russia and devoted her further life to studying the biography of her father

How a legless pilot fought in the skies in World War I, and then fulfilled his "American dream"

How a legless pilot fought in the skies in World War I, and then fulfilled his "American dream"

In literature, the feat of the pilot who fought for the Motherland was captured by Boris Polevoy in The Tale of a Real Man. Historians call the prototype of the protagonist the Soviet pilot Alexei Maresyev. History knows a lot of pilots who performed a similar feat, continuing to serve the Motherland even after the amputation of their legs. During the First World War, Alexander Prokofiev-Seversky ascended into the sky with a wooden prosthesis. He became a real hero in Russia, and after that he fulfilled the American dream in exile

Feats of War: Two soldiers spent 13 days in a tank without food or medicine, firing back at the Nazis

Feats of War: Two soldiers spent 13 days in a tank without food or medicine, firing back at the Nazis

The feats of the war years today often seem incredible, because in confronting the enemy, Soviet soldiers often demonstrated amazing stamina and endurance. Among such cases, it is worth recalling one - the defense of a stalled tank near the village of Demeshkovo in the Pskov region. For 13 days, the shooter and the driver fought off the Germans surrounding them, fought to the last bullet, despite hunger and serious wounds, and … withstood until the arrival of their own

How was the fate of an Englishwoman who first married a black migrant 60 years ago

How was the fate of an Englishwoman who first married a black migrant 60 years ago

It is difficult to surprise anyone today with interethnic marriages, but 60 years ago in Great Britain it was unheard of for a white girl to marry a black man. But true love knows no boundaries and prohibitions, and such a marriage took place. Dominica immigrant Andrew and Englishwoman Doreen carried their feelings throughout their lives, despite universal condemnation

When a man turned out to be a woman and vice versa, or the loudest gender deceptions in history

When a man turned out to be a woman and vice versa, or the loudest gender deceptions in history

Various reasons push men and women to represent themselves in the image of a person of the opposite sex. Someone simply seeks to identify themselves in this way, because this is how they feel, others overcome the stereotypes that society imposes on people of a certain gender. In any case, sooner or later such deceptions are revealed and, depending on the circumstances, the public's reaction can range from censure to criminal punishment

9 real stories that happened during the filming of cult films

9 real stories that happened during the filming of cult films

When we watch a captivating film on the screen, we rarely think that there are dozens of interesting episodes behind the scenes in every story we shoot. Anecdotes from life and ridiculous incidents remain in the piggy bank of the actors' memories. Someone writes about this in their memoirs, someone is frank in an interview … This review contains 10 funny stories that happened during the filming of cult films

Belle Époque charm: Curious facts about the time of the late 19th and early 20th centuries

Belle Époque charm: Curious facts about the time of the late 19th and early 20th centuries

The end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries was called the Belle Epoque. Then Europe came to its senses after the Franco-Prussian war, and people were happy with the feeling of freedom after bloody battles. Belle É poque became a flourishing time of economy, science, art

Filmmakers like to shoot cats or dogs and how they prepare four-legged actors to enter the frame

Filmmakers like to shoot cats or dogs and how they prepare four-legged actors to enter the frame

Animals have long been a part of the movie world. They appear in extras or play the main roles, and films with the participation of four-legged actors are invariably popular with viewers. Currently, some of the scenes with animals are created using computer graphics, but many directors advocate realism in their paintings and are happy to invite unusual actors to their projects. Most often, cats and dogs are filmed in films. Who do they like to work with more on the site and how are they?

Art is a perpetual motion machine

Art is a perpetual motion machine

At heart, every person is a creative person. Unfortunately, people do not always show their talents. They are hampered by the fear of condemnation or ridicule in public, or simply shyness

Can chaos be streamlined?

Can chaos be streamlined?

Can! Especially when people from art, for whom there are no barriers to the physical description of the world, and who are not afraid to experiment at the intersection of art and technology, take on the solution of such a question. And the result? He is always original and amazes at the same time with the simplicity and unexpectedness of his solution. Julius Popp is one of such free (in every sense) artists solving the problem of art hybridization. His work at the recently concluded London Olympics became

ArtTube - a unique guide to the world of contemporary art

ArtTube - a unique guide to the world of contemporary art

The Arttube project is of considerable interest to everyone who is somehow interested in contemporary art and related events. An open information platform that has no analogues. Therefore, it is rapidly increasing the number of participants from various segments of the art space in Russia and the CIS countries. It is joined by both artists and cultural associations, communities, gallery owners, critics

Festival "Musical quarter" in Victory Park - May 9, 2012

Festival "Musical quarter" in Victory Park - May 9, 2012

May 9, 2012 on the territory of the memorial complex of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. the Musical Quarter festival will take place - a massive open-air festival of arts dedicated to Victory Day. The event was organized by the Musical Quarter Cultural Foundation with the support of the Moscow Government and the Moscow City Duma