It appears the Easter Island statues did walk the eleven miles from the quarry where they were carved.
It appears the Easter Island statues did walk the eleven miles from the quarry where they were carved — as believed by natives. With video.
Tag: history
Charting the relative economic strength of the world’s most powerful countries over the past 2000 years.
Charting the relative economic strength of the world’s most powerful countries over the past 2000 years.
The article cites 1800 and the beginning of the Industrial Revolution as a key moment in this history. I would also note that 1800 is about the time that freedom and Adam Smith’s ideas of economic liberty took hold in both North American and Europe.
Glass jewellery believed to have been made by Roman craftsmen has been found in an ancient tomb in Japan.
Glass jewellery believed to have been made by Roman craftsmen has been found in an ancient tomb in Japan.
The mystery for archeologists and historians now is this: How did this Roman jewelry get there?
A walk across the Brooklyn Bridge
An evening pause: This is something every visitor to New York should try to do. The first time I did it was back in the mid-1970s during my college days. It was around 2 am in the morning when we started from Brooklyn. We crossed to Manhattan, had a meal at a 24 hour Chinese restaurant in Chinatown, then walked back, watching the sunrise over Brooklyn.
Congress has pulled all funding for the Eisenhower memorial, the design of which is strongly opposed by the Eisenhower family.
Congress has pulled all funding for the Eisenhower memorial, the design of which is strongly opposed by the Eisenhower family.
Shuttle prototype Enterprise was damaged on Sunday while being transported by barge to its New York City museum home.
The shuttle prototype Enterprise was damaged on Sunday while being transported by barge to its New York City museum home.
A fascinating look at the space race and what the future held, written in 1959.
A fascinating look at the space race and what the future held, written in 1959.
The article, reprinted by Forbes, is amazingly detailed, optimistic, yet also cool-headed about the future. For example, consider this quote about the future of manned spaceflight:
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Something caused the Earth to bombarded with cosmic rays in 775 AD but scientists have no idea what.
Something caused the Earth to bombarded with cosmic rays in 775 AD but scientists have no idea what.
Roman Architecture
An evening pause: How the Romans did it.
Amelia Earhart found?
Amelia Earhart found?
Environmental activists have launched a petition drive to stop SpaceX from building a commercial spaceport in Brownsville, Texas.
The wrong side of history: Environmental activists have launched a petition drive to stop SpaceX from building a commercial spaceport near Brownsville, Texas.
“I love the space program as much, if not more, than anyone,” said Environment Texas Director Luke Metzger. “But launching big, loud, smelly rockets from the middle of a wildlife refuge will scare the heck out of every creature within miles and sprays noxious chemicals all over the place. It’s a terrible idea and SpaceX needs to find another place for their spaceport.”
This guy obviously doesn’t know that almost all of the Kennedy Space Center is a wildlife refuge, and a successful one at that. But then, what do facts have to do with most environmental causes?
What is the current state of the six American flags planted on the Moon by Apollo astronauts? One NASA engineer takes a look.
What is the current state of the six American flags planted on the Moon by Apollo astronauts? One NASA engineer takes a look.
James Fincannon has been an important contributor here at Behind the Black, sending me some interesting tips from time to time that have resulted in some good posts, such as this one about caves on the Moon.
A failed public works project — from the year 1350 AD
Yesterday my wife Diane and I took my 94-year-old mother on a sightseeing trip to see the Casa Grande ruins southeast of Phoenix, “the largest known structure left of the Ancestral People of the Sonoran Desert.”
This four story high structure was built around 1350 AD from bricks made of concrete-like caliche mud, with the floors and roofs supported by beams of pine, fir, and juniper brought from as far away as fifty miles. (The rooflike structure above the ruins was built by the National Park Service in order to protect it from rain.)
Though impressive, I must admit I’ve seen far more impressive American Indian ruins elsewhere. Casa Grande, which means “Great House” in Spanish, suffered as a tourist attraction from two faults:
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A summary of all the lives lost climbing Mount Everest.
Graph of the day: A summary of all the lives lost climbing Mount Everest.
Six fires that changed the world
Six fires that changed the world.
“A Dragon by the tail.”
The berthing of the privately-built Dragon capsule with the International Space Station on May 25 requires a bit of perspective to make clear the importance of this achievement.
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The television as envisioned by dreamers — before it existed.
The television as envisioned by dreamers — before it existed.
The conflict between exploration and history
The Google X Prize has agreed to recognize the guidelines created by NASA for protecting the historic first landing sites on the Moon.
In glancing at the guidelines, I found it fascinating that it only mentions the Soviet lunar rover sites as an aside, noting their value but stating that
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“The Eagle has crashed.”
What might have been: “The Eagle has crashed.”
How the predictions for the year 2000 changed throughout the 20th century.
How the predictions for the year 2000 changed throughout the 20th century.
Not surprisingly, Arthur Clarke’s predictions were generally the best.