Cornrows as Escape Maps: Benkos Bioho’s Ingenious Resistance in San Basilio de Palenque
In the 17th century, enslaved Africans in Colombia transformed a cultural practice into a tool of resistance, using cornrows to encode escape maps and messages …
Category: Ancient History
The Spanish Dancer: A Vibrant Sea Slug’s Flamenco in Coral Bay
In late 2024, a mesmerizing photograph of a Spanish dancer (Hexabranchus sanguineus), a vivid sea slug, captivated social media after being spotted in the shallow …
Grasshopper’s Dream: South Korea’s Whimsical Train Car Cafe
Nestled along the scenic Auraji rail bike route near Jeongseon, South Korea, Grasshopper’s Dream is a quirky cafe housed in two stacked green train cars, …
The Benben Pyramidion: Debunking the Myth of the Mysterious Black Meteorite Pyramid
The tale of the “Pyramid of Bin Bin,” a supposed ancient structure made from extraterrestrial black iron meteorite stone, has circulated online as a baffling …
The 1888 Clearwater Skeletons: Minnesota’s Mystery of the Giant Mound
In 1888, a startling discovery was made near Clearwater, Minnesota, when seven human skeletons were unearthed from a burial mound just outside the town. These …
The Danakil Depression’s Blue Flames: A Surreal Spectacle in Ethiopia’s Alien Landscape
Deep in northeastern Ethiopia, the Danakil Depression is one of Earth’s most extreme environments—a scorching, geologically volatile basin that feels like another planet. Amid its …
The Stairs of Death: The Incas’ Perilous Path to Huayna Picchu’s Summit
Carved into the vertiginous slopes of Huayna Picchu, the Stairs of Death are a heart-pounding testament to the ingenuity and audacity of the Inca Empire …
The Lurgan Canoe: Ireland’s Ancient Maritime Masterpiece
Dating to around 2000 BCE, the Lurgan Canoe is Ireland’s oldest known boat and one of Europe’s longest dugout canoes, measuring an impressive 15 meters …
Monkey Face Rock: The Primal Spire of Smith Rock State Park
Jutting 350 feet into the sky above Oregon’s high desert, Monkey Face Rock is the star of Smith Rock State Park near Redmond and Terrebonne. …
The Chastity Belt Myth: A Medieval Legend Debunked
The image of a medieval knight locking his wife in a chastity belt before riding off to battle is a vivid and enduring tale, steeped …