The Shroud of Turin is a four-meter piece of linen fabric on which the imprint of the human body is visible. Presumably, this shroud is the burial shroud of Jesus Christ. For some, this is a real shroud, for others it is something akin to a religious icon, which does not have to be a real shroud. In any case, this thing reflects part of the history of the Messiah. Leaving the scientific controversy about the authenticity of this thing to the experts, we better explore the more curious aspects of the history of the shroud from Turin
Glasses have come a long way before getting their modern look. The first devices for improving human vision - bone plates with narrow slits or a curved piece of rock crystal - and glasses, you can't call it, but still they became a good help for a person of the past, allowing you to see more and more clearly. And the glasses themselves owe their birth primarily to the Catholic Church
The smallest state in the world keeps the largest collection of human knowledge - in the Vatican Apostolic Library today there are about 1,600,000 printed books, 150,000 manuscripts, as well as engravings, geographical maps, coins - all of this is of great, invaluable importance for world culture. Some part of the collection is hidden from anyone's eyes and kept out of reach. What do the Vatican archives hide?
There are many ways to fight for peace - one of them was proposed back in the 19th century by the Belgians Paul Atlet and Henri Lafontaine. Information and its availability for everyone - that is what, in their opinion, should have led humanity away from military conflicts to the idea of unification for the sake of knowledge, for the sake of a common movement towards progress and enlightenment. Otlet and La Fontaine came up with an amazing project that really united many and many, but, alas, destroyed by the war
The name Jim Carrey makes the viewer smile and anticipation of another funny story. For more than a decade, he has been giving a good mood with his funny antics. But the path to fame of the famous comedian was difficult and thorny. At the beginning of his stage career, failure and ridicule were his natural companions. Who knows, maybe thanks to this, Kerry took place as the best comedian?
General (or captain?) Grant, XIX century, New Zealand and a journey across the seas, a shipwreck, the search for a sunken ship - these are not only sketches for the well-known novel. One could assume that Jules Verne was prompted to write the book by the story of the ship "General Grant", which happened not far from New Zealand, but no - rather, the universe itself, inspired by the composition of the Frenchman, decided on such a plot
Science fiction films have long and firmly taken one of the leading places in popularity with viewers. But lately, people appreciate much more pure fantasies of creators “clever fiction”, with a well-thought-out plot without particularly gross violations of the well-known laws of physics. In our today's review, we invite you to find out how scientists relate to science fiction films, and which representatives of the genre deserve the closest attention
In the Soviet Union, the writer Ray Bradbury was recognized back in 1964 - as the author of science fiction works. And his "Dandelion Wine" is now recognized as one of those books, without which it is impossible to imagine the literary development of a teenager. Reading books - both strangers and your own - shaped the writer himself, who became one of the most famous authors of the 20th century
The most important and amazing archaeological find of the last hundred years is without a doubt the Dead Sea Scrolls. These ancient mysterious manuscripts were found in the caves of Qumran, just twenty kilometers from Jerusalem in Israel. The value and importance of this extraordinary library of Jewish documents cannot be overstated. But what about the fact that experts have recently released information that all, without exception, the Dead Sea Scrolls stored in the Bible Museum
If they want to find dirt on a man-politician, then they say that he went to selling women. If a woman of any profession, then they say that she was the one to whom they went. But, judging by historical examples, the former inhabitants of brothels make public figures much better than those who buy a living person for an hour or two
Probably, it is rather difficult to make a rating of fantastic works, but the editors of the World of Fantasy included in their list 100 books and series of works that have had a significant impact on science fiction. It includes works of various orientations, from books that preceded the appearance of science fiction, to works for children. Our roundup today features 12 of the best science fiction samples from this ranking
Today it is fashionable to become parents in adulthood. Someone takes such a risky step on their own, someone is looking for a surrogate mother, and someone goes to an orphanage. A family for foster children is a gesture of kindness for some, others are desperate to have their own children, and some like the idea of large families. And there are those who are caught trying to promote themselves. But be that as it may, they all have one thing in common: a great desire to make happy children who are lucky to the best of their life
A woman in the era of the Middle Ages was doomed to seclusion within the walls of a house or monastery, and the fair sex did not even dream of realizing her talents and capabilities in several areas of activity at once. The biography of Hildegarda Bingen, whose name has been preserved in the history of world culture for almost a thousand years now seems to be all the more striking and outstanding
Writers and poets are waiting for inspiration to create their works. Very often real-life people “live” in novels and poems, who pushed the author to creativity. So the images and characters that have become known to many generations of readers can have their own prototype in life. From whom were famous images in literature and poetry written?
It is unlikely that anyone would argue that people of different ages have different life values and priority guidelines. The notorious conflict of "fathers and children", and in the broadest sense of this concept, turns out to be very logically justified if viewed through the prism of the theory of generations. Why did it arise, what is it, and how generations differ from each other? And most importantly, what is the threat to us generation Z, preparing to enter adulthood?
In Russia, mirrors were treated with caution, considering them to be magical objects, which are often used by sorcerers and fortune-tellers. During pagan times, in some regions it was not even allowed to have a mirror in the house, it was left outside. There were other prohibitions: for example, pregnant women were not supposed to admire themselves in the mirror. A baby who sees his reflection, according to the people, will cry for a long time, fall asleep badly. Read why the mirror could not be hung in the bedroom, who are mirrored
In our age of abundance and diversity, you can easily buy any item you like - appliances, interior items, cars and even housing. For those who have difficulties with large sums of money, a variety of loans, loans and installments come to the rescue. And in the USSR it was very difficult to find scarce things, and they had to save up for them, saving part of the money from each salary. One thing is good - prices then changed extremely rarely, so it was possible to collect savings for a long time, without worrying about the cost
"White General", "Equal to Suvorov" - at the end of the 19th century, the name of Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev was known to any schoolchild, his portraits hung in almost every peasant hut, next to the icons, squares and cities were named after him, and they wrote about his exploits and campaigns songs. In Bulgaria, the Russian general is still considered a national hero, but in Russia he was consigned to oblivion for a century
At the end of the 19th and first half of the 20th century, children's charities were very popular in Great Britain. Kind-hearted English ladies and gentlemen, worried about the poor children, helped them find new families. Homeless and poor children were promised a new happy life among farmers. True, this "earthly paradise" was located far away - in Australia, New Zealand and other countries of the British Commonwealth
The magnificent poet Andrei Voznesensky wrote that the Russian soul "has the shape of a samovar." Yes, it seems that tea drinking, fragrant smoke on cups, puffing samovar - this is all originally Russian, traditional, originated in Russia. But in fact, everything is not quite so, and when tea appeared in Russia, it was not initially accepted and appreciated. Today the Russian samovar is a kind of symbol of Russia. When did the Russian people begin to drink tea, what kind of samovars were there, where should the tea lo
Many strange traditions of different peoples appeared in ancient times. Some of them may seem surprising, unreasonable, illogical, and sometimes frightening to a Russian person. But other people consider their rites to be more than normal. They carry some kind of hidden meaning that they understand. But for us, these traditions may seem like real madness
On January 12, 1943, Soviet troops launched the unblocking operation "Iskra" in Leningrad. After powerful artillery fire, the shock detachments of the Volkhov and Leningrad fronts, the 2nd and 67th armies, went on the attack. By January 18, the blockade of Leningrad was broken, which was a turning point in the big battle for the city. But today the opinion is increasingly heard that the price of this victory turned out to be too high
Soviet toys were not the same as modern ones. They will probably seem primitive to the current generation. All these babies and bears, little trains and cars are simplicity and limitation in comparison with modern "fancy" toys. But that doesn't make them worse. Soviet toys changed along with the country, reflecting the changes taking place in society. Read what were the children's favorite things in different years of Soviet power, and what events influenced them
If you are not an artist, then you have every right to think that there are only seven colors in the world and not to distinguish "sandy" from "terracotta". However, it is believed that the human eye is able to distinguish at least about 150 color shades, and professionals can distinguish up to 15 thousand colors. In the 18th century, people liked to give color shades intricate and highly original names. Let's learn to distinguish some of them, especially since they are often found in the literature
Roulette is considered a product of the forces of evil - not only the church, which has been fighting this game for centuries, but also the players themselves. The signs are obvious - the "number of the beast", and the long list of human destinies mutilated by the roulette wheel, and the very uncertainty of the origin of this game. However, for some, roulette has become a ticket to a better life - and it's not just about money
Thanks to the classic film adaptations, the plot of the Gothic novel "Dracula" is remembered even by those who did not know (that is, did not read the book). But many of the details are in fact mercifully out of the mind of the reader. At the same time, it was they who, perhaps, made the book so bright
For a very long time, this museum piece from Egypt was in the British Maidstone Museum, signed as "Mummy of a falcon, the era of the Ptolemies (IV-I centuries BC)." Only in 2016, with the help of X-rays, it was found out that in fact this mummy is not hiding a bird, but a tiny human child. And this year, the research continued and found out even more sentimental details of this mummy
The Chernobyl accident was at one time widely discussed in the press. While about the Kyshtym disaster, the consequences of which are comparable to a full-scale nuclear explosion, relatively few have heard. The tragedy took place in September 1957. Officially, the authorities recognized her only 30 years later - in 1989
The past year has changed the plans of many people around the world. Filmmakers, who were forced to postpone premieres or even stop filming due to the coronavirus pandemic, were no exception. Nevertheless, 2021 promises to be quite interesting for all movie lovers. Film studios are preparing many projects, and viewers have yet to get acquainted with both the favorites of last year's festivals and the novelties of the season
Long before the Somali pirates who became famous in the 2000s, Russian ships were repeatedly boarded. One of the most egregious cases of the Soviet era has remained in history as the "Ghanaian Incident". In 1966, captured citizens of the USSR spent a difficult six months in a Ghanaian prison. Attempts by the Soviet government to come to an agreement in an amicable way did not lead to any results. Then came the turn of decisive action, and a naval armada, armed to the teeth, set out to save the prisoners
In 2021, readers will be able to see and read a variety of book novelties. Unfortunately, some of them could have seen the light much earlier, but due to the pandemic, the publication of many publications was postponed. But during the lockdown the writers worked tirelessly. Therefore, one should hope that new works of favorite authors, both domestic and foreign, will appear on the shelves of bookstores very soon. Publishers are already compiling calendars of "premieres", and readers are eagerly awaiting the possibility
Long before George Lucas became famous for his stories of the Force and the Death Star, he literally existed with only one thought and passion that occupied all of his time and energy, namely cars. However, it was the car that became the reason why the life of the young guy changed dramatically, and thanks to which he became a popular director who shot more than one cult film
Women have been out to sea since boats and rafts have existed. Women have been passengers-travelers, cooks, sailors and captains even in those days when sailing was considered only a man's occupation, and the saying that a woman on a ship was unfortunately not a joke at all. But the official history of the ladies in the navy does not begin so long ago
In early February 1582, the Polish army of King Batory forcibly and ingloriously completed the Pskov siege. Russian stubbornness broke the enemy's pressure. The stubborn 5-month resistance of the Pskovites forced the enemy to retreat. After the conclusion of peace, the Russian lands captured earlier by the Poles returned and the invasion of the invaders into the heart of the Moscow state was stopped. Then Pskov did not yet know that soon he would again have to save all of Russia at that time
Far and deep in the tropical African forest lies a dilapidated city. More than two hundred thousand people live in the city. This would not be unusual, but half a century ago it was a miserable village that was not even on the map. Then a big city, a dream city, a fairytale city, a real "Versailles" - Gbadolite, which was visited by the top officials of the most influential states of the world, grew up here. Now these are ruins conquered by the jungle and only a pitiful dull echoes of the past
Wedding ceremonies in Russia took pride of place. Centuries have passed, and today people are shouting "Bitter!" As newlyweds, stealing the bride, throwing grain at the young. No less popular is the so-called ransom of the bride, when the groom must pay for the right to possess his beloved. Read what men paid for in the old days to marry a lady of their heart, what abuse is and why it has nothing to do with abuse, how suitors sawed a goat and what difficulties lay in wait for them on the way to their chosen one
For nearly 400 years, the Ottoman Empire ruled over what is now Turkey, southeastern Europe and the Middle East. Today, interest in the history of this empire is great as never before, but at the same time, few people know that the Osta had many "dark" secrets that were hidden from prying eyes
This ancient castle on a desert island in Scotland has survived many fierce battles. The final battle of this mesmerizing fortress is still ahead. Even without the clash of swords and bloodshed, but still … Now Thioram is slowly turning into ruins due to a shameful legal dispute. Who and why is hindering the restoration, preferring to sell the ancient historical monument for a pittance?
Delivery of a prisoner to the place of punishment, or, more simply, transferring, has always been a difficult task both for the state and for the prisoners themselves. This was an additional test for those who were ahead of them to spend several years in prison, since few people worried about their comfort, quite the contrary. Staging as a separate phenomenon has become firmly established not only in prison folklore, but also familiar to ordinary people. How the principle of delivery of prisoners to the place of stay has changed
Matchmakers in Russia very often engaged in the "attachment" of brides who found it difficult to find a mate. It is clear that it was much easier for a beautiful woman with a rich dowry to arrange her personal life. And what to do, for example, for an ugly womanless woman? So matchmakers went to the most different, sometimes not very honest tricks to help the girl become a married woman. Read how in Russia they deceived gullible suitors, using substitution, makeup and a variety of tricks that Copperfield himself would envy