Trivia 10 Flashcards
What true story inspired Scott O’Dell’s novel, Island of the Blue Dolphins.
In 1853 otter hunters returned to Santa Barbara from the remote channel island, San Nicolas with a 50 year old woman who had been living there alone & spoke a language no one could understand.
O’Dell’s novel is a coming of age story about a Native American teenager named Karana who survives alone on the island
The romanticized myth about the lone woman from San Nicolas Island vs. the truth that was discovered.
The original story was that she was the last of her tribe, and lived alone on the island and that she spoke a language no one could understand.
She actually remained on the island with her son who died shortly before she went ashore. She was outlived my members of her tribe who went ashore in 1835. Her language was different from the native Americans who lived in Santa Barbara but she was able to speak to someone before she died 7 weeks after arriving in Santa Barbara.
Who was Tecumseh?
A Shawnee chief who devoted his life to fighting the white peoples incursion on his land. He united many tribes and formed the Northwest Indian Confederacy. Fought with the British in the War of 1812. Died during the Battle of the Thames.
Who was Tenskwatawa?
Tecumseh’s brother, known as “The Prophet” had an alcohol induced vision of a land ruled by Native Americans each following their own traditions. The brothers founded Prophetstown where the Wabash and Tippecanoe rivers come together.
What is the rainiest place on earth?
Mawsynram, a village in Northeastern India in the Khasi Hills receives 12,000 millimeters of rain per year. Meghalaya district. Also Cherrapunji in Meghalaya
Shillong is the capital of…
The Indian State of Meghalaya, also the largest town/city in the mostly rural province
What borders the Indian state of Meghalaya to the north and south?
Bangladesh to the South, Indian state of Assam to the north
Sam Walton’s claim to fame
Founder of Walmart and Sam’s Club
Sam Walton’s first job was at…
A JCPenney store in Des Moines Iowa in 1940
In the book of Job, what are Job’s final words to God?
My ears had heard you, but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.
How is Job 9:8 “He alone stretches out the heavens” significant to science?
Hebrew word “natah” “stretches out” implies ongoing continual expansion as we’ve discovered much later the universe is expanding
What was Sam Walton’s unique idea for his stores.
A large discount store where everything was discounted in rural areas.
First store Sam Walton ran and made successful by cutting prices ?
Ben Franklin circa 1950. Landlord wanted to buy store for his son. Walton wouldn’t sell, so LL refused to renew his lease.
Where & when was the first Walmart?
Rogers, Arkansas in 1962 near Bentonville.
Why did Walmart survive while Kmart and Woolco didn’t.
These stores were very successful at first, but in urban areas. Walmart was so far off the beaten path, they didn’t care about expanding into their area. Walmart was the only discount store option for people in rural areas.
Who were the Alan’s/Alani people
A nomadic, pastoral people of India-Iranian origin who occupied the northeast steppe near the Black Sea in early centuries AD. Warlike among the barbarians Rome dealt with. Many migrated and settled throughout Europe after Hun invasion but some descendants still live in area of North Caucasus mountains. Crimea north of Black Sea
The Alani/Alans originally occupied…?
The area North thé Black & Caspian seas.
The Hun incursion forced the Alani to migrate to…?
Spain, Catalonia province, Gaul, Northern Africa, Northern Italy, lower Danube River, by French/German border
What is the “train lady” tradition in Ukraine?
A cultural tradition of a job held by women who would signal the coming trains. They’d live in a small colorful house,, isolated, their lives revolving around the train schedule. In modern times, the job is more about keeping people off the tracks as the train approaches. Who knows now though with the war & all☹️
Who was Lewis Tappan?
White lifelong anti-slavery advocate (1788-1873
Lewis Tappan’s accomplishments?
Founder of the American Antislavery Society in 1833
He & his brother financed & backed Oberlin College a desegregated college
Took a leading role in the defense of the Africans In the Amistad.Trials
Aided in the formation of the American Missionary Society in 1846. This group helped freed slaves after the Civil War
Leadership role on establishing the American and Foreign AntiSlavery Society
Promoted desegregation in churches
The story behind the Amistad?
The Amistad was a ship carrying 53 slaves. The slaves revolted and took control of the ship. When US found them, slaves were imprisoned.
The slaves on the Amistad were originally from what part of Africa?
Mendeland, modern day Sierra Leone
On the Amistad, who was the man who freed himself from his chains and led the revolt?
Sengbe Pieh, Joseph Cinque
When did California become a State?
September 1850
Who were the Suebi? Where did they come from?
A Germanic people who lived around the Elbe River in Germany and Czech Republic. The Huns pushed them further into Europe and they settled in northwest Spain around 409 AD. Also Suevi
The Suebi were a conglomerate of what Germanic tribes?
Marcomanni, Quadi, & Lombards
Hermunduri, Alamanni, Semnones
Where does the Elbe River begin and end?
Begins in the mountains of northern Czech Republic , makes a half circle around Northern Czech Republic (Bohemia) and flows north through Germany into the North Sea and Cuxhaven
What North American animals thrive in burnt forests?
Black fire beetles lay their eggs in burnt trees. Black backed woodpeckers prefer burnt forests where they peck through trees and eat wood boring beetles
What physical characteristics does the black backed woodpecker have that enabled it to peck through the hardest wood thousands of times per day? 6 things
- Chisel-like beak covered in tough keratin
- Thick, spongy bone at the front of the skull acts as shock absorber
- Small smooth dense brain
- Nictitatuing membrane keeps out flying debris
- Long tongue and tongue bone for dislodging insects and decreasing vibrations
- Exceptionally fast contracting neck muscles
What is the world’s longest free flowing River?
Thé Amazon. It’s waters are not dammed or diverted anywhere
China’s Three Gorges Damn is between what two large cities in China on the Yangtze River?
Chongqing and Wuhan
Of China’s 10 largest cities, which ones are on the Yangtze River?
Shanghai, Nanjing, Wuhan, Chongqing
Why are the parts of the Mars rover built in a sterile room?
The equipment will me searching for microbes on Mars and can’t be contaminated with microbes from earth.
First spacecraft to send us pictures of Mars?
Mariner 4 in 1965
Mariner 9 was the first spacecraft to…?
Orbit another planet, Mars
What did we learn about Mars from Mariner 9’s photos?
That Mars once had running water as evidenced by River carved valleys, floodplains, channels and deltas
Giovanni Schiaparelli and Perceval Lowell…
Created and propagated the myth that Mars had active built canals and alien life. Schiaparelli’s map in 1877. Lowell had an observatory built in 1894. Even Tesla believed Mars had aliens
How long does it take Mars to go around the sun?
687 days
First spacecraft to land on Mars successfully?
Viking in 1976
What’s interesting about Lake Salda in Turkey?
Called the Turkish crater lake, this crater lake resembles a tropical island with white sand beaches. Mineral deposits make the shores white and the water is a beautiful turquoise when the sun is out.
A study published in 2017 reported that sperm counts in men …
Declined by 50% between 1973 & 2011
A more recent & global study found sperm counts in men…
Have declined by 63%
How does zinc help the immune system?
It’s important for the generation of T cells. Also plays a role in the function of cells that line the respiratory tract
How does vitamin C help the immune system?
Stimulâtes thé migrations of white blood cells (neutrophils)
Also support s macrophages
What religion were the Vandals in early centuries AD?
Arian Christians, that means they followed the beliefs of Arius of Alexandria who was denounced at the Council of Nicaea (325) Arianism states God created Jesus and therefore isn’t a trinity
After the Huns pushed them out of Germany/Poland where did the Vandals settle?
North Africa, Carthage, Algeria & Tunisia. There kingdom existed for a century before being taken over by the Byzantine Empire.
The Vandals had a reputation for destruction. When they sacked Rome,
They didn’t murder its inhabitants nor burn down the buildings
What are Visigoths and Ostrogoths?
Visigoths: means Western Goths, Alaric’s descendants who settled in Gaul and Iberia
Ostrogoths: Eastern Goths, settled in Italy
What we know about the Vandals and Goths is limited because
They kept no written record. What we know about them comes from Roman writings which are biased. Romans fought with them and described them as brutal, barbaric and subhuman
Who played Shuri in the Black Panther movies?
Letitia Wright
Who was Angela Bassett in the Black Panther movies?
Queen Ramonda
Who played Nakia in the Black Panther movies?
Lupita Nyong’o
Actor Winston Duke plays who in the Black Panther movies?
M’Baku
Name of Wakanda’s female warriors?
Dora Milaje (adored ones)
The mysterious dark matter in the universe is in one of which 3 categories?
- Ordinary matter, made of protons, neutrons and electrons. Does become radiant when exposed to light. Makes us 17.5% of universes total matter.
- Exotic dark matter 82.5 percent of universes total content
- Dark energy
Was the arrival of African captives to The Jamestown colony the beginning of slavery in America?
No. Christopher Columbus had Africans aboard his ship in the 1490s, possibly slaves.
Enslaved Africans were brought to the Spanish colony of St. Augustine in 1526.
Who was Juan Garrido?
A free African man who came to the Americas well before the 1619 slave ship to Jamestown. He was a conquistador
The beginning of African slavery in the English colonies?
A ship arrived in Jamestown, Virginia in 1619. «20 and odd negroes” famous journal entry by John Rolfe
First account of Europeans taking Africans as slaves?
1441, Portuguese captured 12 Africans from modern day Mauritania & brought them to Portugal as slaves.
What was the name of Pocahontas’ native tribe?
The Powhatan
Pocahontas didn’t marry John Smith. She married…
John Rolfe, though Smith was the one she saved. He was an adventurer and explorer. Rolfe arrived later. John Rolfe came later.
Pocahontas’s real name?
Matoaka, “Pocahontas “‘was a pet name meaning “playful one” or “favorite daughter”
How old was Pocahontas when she interceded for John Smith’s life?
13
Who was Wahunsenaca?
Known to English as Chief Powhatan, Pocahontas‘a dad, and chief of a coalition of 30 some tribes who dealt with the Jamestown colonists.
Who’s this dude?
Rob Ross who hosted an instructional painting show on PBS from 1983 to 1994
Who was Ahab’s father?
They were kings of…?
Omri
Isreal
Jezebel was the princess of…
Sidon
Omri, wicked king of Isreal ruled from… Then established a palace onna hill called…
Tirzah
Samaria
Four original members of the band, Queen
Freddie Mercury, Brian May, John Deacon, Roger Taylor
The Egyptian crocodile god…
Sobek
In ancient Egypt, the sphinx was viewed as…
A protector and benevolent guardian, often seen outside of tombs
Sphinx is a combination of what three animals?
Human head, lions body, falcon wings, but other variants and combinations have been seen such as a crocodile with a falcons head
What does the Greek sphinx look like?
It’s a woman rather than a man with a lion’s body and sometimes wings
How long did it take for The Dome of Florence to be built ? (Years of start to finish)
1420-1471
Who decorated the interior of the Dome of Florence?
The frescoes depicted The Last Judgement was begun by Giorgio Vasari and completed by Federico Zucarro after Vasari died.
Who was Queen Amanirenas?
Queen of Nubia (Kush/Sudan)
40-10 BC (25BC when her husband died ?) a great archeress, she fought off the Roman Empire. The war ended with a peace treaty favoring Nubia
Who ruled Egypt while Queen Amanirenas ruled Nubia.
Cleopatra & Marc Antony
Kandake is the word for…
A Nubian Queen
What language do they speak in the Black Panther film in Wakanda?
The real African language of Xhosa/isiXhosa spoken in South Africa & Zimbabwe
Actual all female army in Africa’s history ?
The Dahomey Mino re a Fon all-female military regiment of the Kingdom of Dahomey (in today’s Benin, West Africa) that existed from the 1600s until the late 1800s.
The Dahomey Mino we’re not like the Dor Milaje in that
Some were forced into service by husbands who complained about them. They mostly wore the same things as men rather than African ornate sexy costumes. They captured their enemy neighbors and sold them to the Europeans as slaves.
Queen Tassi Hangbe…
Was the queen of the Dahomey kingdom in the early 18th century. Her father was King Houegbadja, founder of the Dahomey kingdom. She was a fearless warrior and founder of the Dahomey Amazons. She urged women to hunt, farm and do all the things men did.
The Dahomey warriors were known to kill enemies by…
beheading them
How fast is the speed of light?
186, 282 miles per second
299, 792, 458 mètres per second
When did the Mayans on the Yucatán Peninsula thrive?
260-900 AD
Which Mayan leader helped Palenque become a major regional power?
Pakal the Great
A Mayan leader was called an…?
Ajaw
What did Europeans assume when they first saw the Mayan cities?
That Rome had conquered there & built the structures
What is the Temple of the Inscriptions ?
A temple in Palenque containing the second longest Mayan glyphic text ever found. It’s full of inscriptions giving archeologists tons of information about Mayan culture & history
What’s a bodhisattva ?
An enlightened being in Buddhism, other important figures in Buddhism. A bodhisattva will put of his own needs and search for enlightenment in order to ease the suffering of others. 5 specific bodhisattvas are venerated in Tibetan Buddhism
What are the Ajanta Caves
Located in Ajanta, central India in the cliffs above the Waghora river, are 30 caves full of awe inspiring ancient Buddhist art from the early centuries AD
What is the Iditarod?
The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race
Annual competitive dog sled race
Where does the Iditarod start & end?
Anchorage and goes north to Nome, Alaska
What is a sled dog driver called ?
A musher
Dorothy C. Page & Joe Redington, Sr. are known as…
The mother and father of the Iditarod, the race’s architects
Who was Herbert Nayokpuk
A very famous and well loved musher from Inupiaq tribe, was always in the top 10 finishers of the Iditarod. Known for his kindness as well as his skill.
Herbert Nayokpuk‘a nickname & how to pronounce his name?
The Shishmaref Cannonball
What does Y.M.C.A stand for?
Young Men’s Christian association
What was “The Great Race of Mercy” in American history?
Nome, Alaska had a diphtheria outbreak. Weather was very bad and airplanes couldn’t get the life saving serum there. . A relay race of sled dog teams made the dangerous journey and got it there.
Balto, Togo, Leonhard Seppala and Guunar Nelson in history?
Balto was a three year old inexperienced dog chosen by musher Guunar Kaasan and put in charge and led the last leg. They got there in amazing record time. Togo, who led Leonhard Seppala’s team went the longest and most perilous route.. Thirteen year old Togo did tte hardest work.
When was the Cuban Missile Crisis?
Thirteen day standoff is October 1962
What caused the Cuban Missile Crisis?
The Soviet Union planned to bring nuclear missiles to Cuba. Kennedy declared he’ll use military force to stop it. People thought we were on the brink of nuclear war. Upon noticing much movement of Soviet equipment & Personnel to Cuba, US started reconnaissance by plane and took photos of nuclear missiles being brought to Cuba.
Who was Russia’s leader during the Cuban Missile Crisis?
Nikita Khrushchev
What agreement did Kennedy & Khrushchev come to?
Russia would remove the missiles is US agreed not to invade Cuba. Kennedy also secretly removed missiles from Turkey.
2 sneaky things about Russia in Cuba we found out later
US thought Russia had 6-8 thousand troops in Russia, but that number was closer to 40,000. Troops wore checkered shirts to look like civilians and were issued Arctic equipment. They were hidden below decks in the ships.
2. Khrushchev left approximately 100 tactical nuclear weapons that US was unaware of, but removed them a couple months later in December bc Khrushchev didn’t trust Castro.
What first happened giving the Valley of Achor that name in the Bible?
It’s where Achan and his family were stoned to death for keeping the invaded gentiles sacred things for themselves. Joshua 7
What does Gloria in excelsis deo” mean?
Glory in the highest to God
What does excelsior mean?
“Ever Upward”
Why is Kobe beef so expensive?
Kobe beef comes from a specific breed of cattle called Wagyu. Wagyu are fed a special diet and massaged with sake. The marbled meat has a rich buttery flavor
Myalgic encephalommyelitas is the big word for…?
Chronic fatigue syndrome or CFS or ME
Define “myalgic “
Referring to muscle pain
Muscle pain = myalgia
What’s the Epstein Barr Virus?
A type of herpes virus 90-95% of us carry but won’t show symptoms unless our immune system is suppressed.
Long Covid describes symptoms that linger how long after negative test.
12 weeks, but see a doctor if the longer longer that 4 weeks.
Why won’t archeological evidence of Noah’s Ark ever be found?
Bible doesn’t say Mt. Ararat, but rather “mountains of Ararat.”
Ark was likely dismantled to build shelter. Not a lot of trees à after a huge flood
Wood is organic would’ve decayed by now
Anything found there’s no conclusive way to prove it was Noah’s Ark
What are archimimes?
The Latin name of funeral clowns. They would dress as the deceased and walk behind the coffin imitating them. Even wearing a mask to look like the deceased
Who was Joseph Grimaldi?
Considered the father of modern European clowning. Died in 1837
Where does the annual clown funeral honoring Joseph Grimaldi take place?
Usually Holy Trinity (The Clowns’ Church) in Hackney, north London.
Who wrote “The Three Musketeers “
Alexandre Dumas in 1844
Names of 3 musketeers characters
Athos, Porthos, Aramis
D’artagnan other character
What famous books did Alexandre Dumas write?
Three Musketeers, The Count of Monte Cristo and The Man in the Iron Mask
Natasha Rostova is a character in what novel?
Tolstoy’s War and Peace
What is Tolstoy’s novel War and Peace about?
A sprawling story of several families in the beginning of the 1800s during the time of Napoleon’s conquest. Stuff happens before the war and stuff happens during.
Who took Spain & Portugal from the Vandals & Suebi in the early 500s AD
The Visigoths
The Ostrogoths lived in…?
Near Black Sea, Romania, Ukraine, Russia
What is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia?
Tonlé Sap in Cambodia, part of the Mekong River System
What’s interesting about Chong Khneas in Cambodia?
It’s a floating village. It’s on freshwater lake, Tonlé Sap
In 1910 Owen P. Smith invented…?
Inanimate Hare Conveyer. The mechanical rabbit to replace live rabbits on dog racing tracks
At what age are greyhound’s usually retired from racing?
3-4 years
Derby Lane in St. Petersburg Florida’s historical significance
Was America’s oldest continuously operating greyhound racetrack until legislation forced it to close in December 2020. Opened in 1925
What is Knecht Ruprecht?
Also known as Krampus, part of German Christmas lore. He’s the dark companion of St. Nicholas who rewards good children with gifts.
Other names for Krampus
Knecht Ruprecht, Black Peter, Schmutzli,
When are St. Nicholas and Krampus celebrated in Germany, Austria & other parts of Europe?
St. Nicholas Day, when good children get gifts is December 6th. Then there’s Krampusnacht (December 5th) which is the night before St. Nicholas Day, (12/6)
What’s the difference between a chronograph and a watch?
A chronograph is a type of watch that also acts as a stopwatch
In places around the world where more people on average live to be 100, what does their diet tend to be like?
Mostly plant based with whole foods
Some examples of cuisine inspired by the Wampanoag diet?
Wampanoag = tribe at first thanksgiving feast.
Squash roasted over an open fire stuffed with hazelnuts, dried blueberries and maple syrup. Nasaump, a cornmeal soup, pumpkin slices poached in sassafras tea. Msíckquatash, stew of hominy, beans and squash may add Jerusalem artichokes, acorns, chestnuts and walnuts. Nuts sometimes powdered to give thickness
What is real Tex-Mex cuisine according to chef-historian Adán Medrano?
Ate primarily cactus, beans, corn, chilies, potatoes, onions, mushrooms, portulaca, amaranth, various veggies and occasional game. Enchiladas should be filled with carrots and potatoes not cheese
What the difference between a college and a university?
A university is a larger institution with both graduate and undergraduate programs.
College refers to community colleges, technical schools and liberal arts colleges
What is meant by environmental DNA?
Genetic material shed by living things
How can lobster, crab and shrimp shells left on a plate be reused .
Chitosan can be rendered from their shells. Chitosan is a biodegradable electrolyte that can be used in zinc batteries
Which mammal has the shortest lifespan and which mammal has the longest?
Weasels only live 1-2 years
Hedgehogs 2-3
Bowheaded whales live 200 years
Jeanne Calment…
Longest lived human in modern times from Arles France lived 122 years
Epigenome refers to…?
Compounds that latch onto the DNA & regulate the activity of genes
What are histones ?
Proteins that serve as spools that DNA wrap themselves around.
Genes are turned off and on by…?
Where methyl groups attach to DNA and histones
What are the names of DNA’s special end caps that act sort of like the plastic at the end of the shoelace ?
Telomeres keep DNA from unraveling
What is methyl ?
One carbon atom with 3 hydrogen atoms
What are and what’s the problem with senescent cells/zombie cells/rogue cells?
They are cells cells that don’t work but don’t die and secrete harmful unhelpful molecules
Visigoth king Cniva is famous for
Defeats Roman Emperor Decius at Battle of Abritus 251 AD. Decius & his son were killed. Modern day Bulgaria
Visigoth king Fritigern is famous for…?
Defeating Roman Emperor Valens at the Battle of Adrianople in 378 AD in present day Turkey. Valens vain and it got him killed
Where did the goths originate according to their own legend?
Scandinavia. King Berig crossed the Baltic Sea and defeated Vandals moved on all the way down to Black Sea. Gothic historian, Jordanes
Did the Goths have a written language?
Apparently they did but few relics survived, a series of runic inscriptions
What are time crystals?
A phase of matter observed only on a quantum scale where particles move in a repeating cycle without consuming energy indefinitely
The existence of time crystals were predicted as recently as…
2012 . Scientific proof came later
How do time crystals violate the second law of thermodynamics ?
Second law of thermodynamics is about how a system grows more disordered over time. Repeating oscillations continue in perpetuity. If a force is felt by one atom in a time crystal, it’ll affect only that atom, not the whole system. «many object localization «
What is the Heisenberg uncertainty principle ?
In quantum mechanics, any of a variety of mathematical uncertainties stating a limit to how much accuracy a pair of physical variables of a particle can be predicted
How do time crystals show a regular pattern in time?
Atoms? Particles ? Flip between two atomic states precisely on the clock/with precise regularity
What is “La Catrina”
Full name: La Calavera Catrina” , the elegant skull, image of an ornately dressed skeleton woman seen in Mexico’s Day of the Dead celebration
What are calaveras?
Cartoonish depictions of people as skeletons
Calaveras we’re created by…
Mexican artist Jose Guadalupe Posada late 1800s - early 1900s. His political cartoons depicted people with skull faces.
Posada’s calavera catrina was originally a statement against…?
A woman who renounces her Mexican culture and adopts a European aesthetic. La Calavera Garbancera
What artists used the Calavera in their murals?
Diego Rivera , in a mural in Mexico City and a mural by his wife, Frida Kahlo entitled “Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Central.”
What are the names of Jake Sully’s Naa’vi family
Neytiri = his wife
Neteyam = oldest son
Lo’ak = problem son
Tuk = little one
Implications of Posada’s depiction of people with skull faces?
Despite divisions all people are the same underneath and we’re all going to die.
When was prohibition of alcohol in the United States?
1920 - 1933
How many amendments are currently in the constitution?
27
What are amendments 18, 19, 20, and 21 of the US Constitution?
18 prohibition of liquor
19 women’s right to vote
20 terms of PODUS and VP shall end on noon January 20th & January 3 for Senators & representatives
21. Repeal of Prohibition
Quantum tunneling occurs when?
A particle passes through an energy barrier rather than going over it?
What is the state of matter known as a superfluid?
Atoms/molecules in the fluid flow without resistance. Hence liquid in a glass will flow up over the rim and the glass will empty itself. If you stir a superfluid, it’ll never stop turning.
How can scientists create a superfluid?
By cooling helium to an extreme temperature and having it liquify. Isotope helium 4
Define chiral
Kīruhl
Asymmetric in such a way that the structure and its mirror image are not super imposable
Where is the Thar Desert?
Rajasthan, north western India, also called the Great Indian Desert
What are the three cities in India’s desert triangle, that encircle the desert of Rajasthan ?
Jaisalmer, thé golden city, Jodphur and Bikaner
Difference between where Visigoths and vandals settled after the Huns.
Visigoths in Gaul and Iberia
Vandals, North Africa, capital in Carthage
Thé Visigoths are said to be descendants of…
Alaric
Genseric in history
Fierce Vandal warrior king who took North Africa from Rome and established a kingdom along the coast with its capital in Carthage.
Goths and Vandals…?
We’re two different Germanic barbarian groups. Both settled in Spain after Huns and fought each other.
Rome had relations with the Goths a couple centuries b4 the Vandals came to their area.
Rome sent Visigoths to conquer Vandals in Spain
Two different downfalls of the Goths and Vandals?
534 AD Byzantine Empire overthrows Vandal North African Kingdom
Visigoth kingdom in Spain fell to the Moors in 711 AD
The Little Russian town is where the characters of Fiddler of the Roof
Anatevka, a fictional place until a rabbi established a community in Ukraine named after it.
How old is the oldest mummy ever found and where was it found?
From 8000 years ago in Sado Valley Portugal From mesolithic era.
Before Sado Valley, oldest mummies were thought to be…?
The Chinchorro community in Chile from 7,000 years ago
How did researchers come to the conclusion that remains excavated from 1958 to 1964 were mummified?
They drew this conclusion from rolls of film containing pictures of what was found in Portugal. Because Europe is a wet climate, no soft tissue remained but the joints were hyper flexed beyond the normal range of motion, but not broken.
What is archeothanatology?
Study of spatial relationships of bones in a grave in relation to decomposition
Why had the hieroglyphic language of the ancient Egyptians been lost?
By 4th century AD with the rise of Christianity, hieroglyphics were in decline
When was the Rosetta Stone found and where?
1799
Al Rashid/Rosette, Egypt by French soldiers
What is the Rosetta Stone and what is its significance?
A fragment of stone containing hieroglyphs, Greek text and another language that all had the same message. It was the key to reading ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs
What other ancient Egyptian object helped scholars decipher Egyptian hieroglyphs?
The Philae Obelisk dating from 150 BC has inscriptions in both Greek and Arabic
Jean François Champollion is famous for..?
Figuring out how to read Egyptian hieroglyphs using the Rosetta Stone, Philae Obelisk and his extensive knowledge of Coptic in 1822
Why were Egyptian hieroglyphs so hard to figure out?
Because the symbols weren’t all purely phonetic or symbolic. Phonetic sounds could stand for up to three sounds and there were several different signs for some sounds.
Origins of the Coptic church?
John Mark, author of the gospel of Mark founded the Christian church in Egypt in 42. - 62 AD. Split from church in 451 AD at the Council of Chalcedon over Christs incarnation.
What does “Coptic” mean?
Essentially means “Egyptian “
Greek? Arabic word for Egyptian
From Greek word “Aigyptos” derived from “Hikapta” one of the words for Memphis.
Copts consider themselves to be descended from…?
The true ancient Egyptians and the pharaohs, not Arabs
What belief about Christ caused the Copts to be rejected at the Council of Chalcedon thus resulting in a schism?
Copts, believe in two natures “of Christ human” and “divine” that are united in one “without mingling, without confusion, and without alteration”
Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Protestants believe Christ is one person who shares two distinct natures.
Copts believe Christ is Christ is one nature from two natures.Christ is from not in 2 Natures
Origins of the Coptic language
Coptic replaced ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs and was a combination of Egyptian hieroglyphs and Greek. . Uses Greek letters
What is the legend about the Origin of the Jersey Devil ?
Mother Leeds was having difficult labor and cried out “let this one be a devil!” A normal baby was born but it sprouted wings and flew out the window. In 1735
Who was Daniel Leeds? Why is his name associated with the Jersey Devil’s origin?
An English Quaker colonist who moved to New Jersey in 1677. He wrote books on astrology which caused the Quakers to call him evil.
About Joseph Bonaparte.
He was thee Napoleon’s brother and was made king of Spain until his brother’s defeat. In 1815, he fled to the United States and later settled in Bordentown New Jersey. He claimed to have encountered the Jersey devil.
Napoleon was defeated at…
The Battle of Waterloo in 1815 in Belgium
Who defeated Napoleon in the Battle of Waterloo?
The British and Prussians led by the Duke of Wellington
Peter Stump’s place in European history?
Sometimes called Stubbe or Stumpf , this farmer confessed to making a deal with the devil thus allowing him to become a werewolf. His execution was one of the most brutal on record. He allegedly killed 16 people, 13 of which were children including his son. Confessed to cannibalism, having sex with his daughter and a succubus.
Where & when was Peter Stump executed?
1589 in the German city of Bedburg near Cologne.
How was Peter Stump executed?
He was tied to a wheel, skinned alive, his bones were broken, he was decapitated and burned at the stake.
Lycanthropy is a fancy word for…?
Being a werewolf
What parts of Europe had werewolf trials?
Areas that had wild wolves and munch livestock like France & Germany. None in England. No wolves after 16th century
Did Peter Stump become a werewolf during the full moon?
No. He made a deal with the devil & transformed when he put on a fur belt.
In the Odyssey, how does Odysseus’s wife, Penelope put off the many suitors who assume her husband is dead & want control of Ithaca?
By perpetually weaving a shroud for her father-in-law and unraveling it after each day.
What’s an epinetra?
A thigh guard women used to keep their clothing from staining while carding wool. Often given as a wedding present and decorated ornately
What does it mean to card wool?
To comb it, untangling it and making sure fibers face one direction. Use two giant brushes and brush wool on other brush.
What is a loutrophoros?
In Ancient Greece, an ornate vase used in marriage rituals such as the ceremonial bath.
What are these? Where are they found?
A giant groundsel found on Mt. Kilimanjaro. Dendrosenecio Kiliminjari . Giant groundsels are found in the mountains of east Africa
Giant groundsels can grow to be how tall?
30 feet! Towering above people
Giant groundsels are in the same plant family as which common plant.
The dandelion
About giant groundsels …
They’re from prehistoric times and well adapted for shifting mountain temperatures. Designed to hold water and dead leaf cover keeps interior from freezing
What is this a picture of? What are those weird plants?
Rwenzori Mountains National Park, SW Uganda, Giant Groundsels and Lobelias
What is a xerophyte ?
Any plant adapted to life in a dry area wether for lack of rainfall or chemically dry (salt marsh or acid bog)
Difference between succulents and bromeliads?
They both store water but the difference comes down to a question of where.
Succulents store water in their fleshy leaves, stems or roots. Bromeliads store water within the spaces of their leaves outside their skin, in their whorl, had nothing to do with roots. So bromeliads must collect a lot of rain.
What is the center of a plant around which leaves form semicircles or concentric circles called ?
A whorl
What is The Belgic Confession?
A Reformation creed made in 1561. Article 2 states that God reveals himself my two means: creation and scripture
What is Deism?
Belief that a supreme being exists, but does not interact nor intervene in humankind.
What are the three highest peaks/mountains in Africa?
- Mt. Kilimanjaro
- Mt. Kenya
- Mt. Margherita In Rwenzori range
Name the interesting plants of Rwenzori Mountains National Park?
- Giant groundsels
- Lobelia
- Giant Heather
Interesting facts about Rwenzori Mountains National Park?
- Located in Western Uganda
- Contains Africa’s 3rd highest peak
- Contains glaciers and snow capped mountains though just kilometers from the Equator
- Known for its unusual plants
- Contiguous with Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo
- One of the main water sources for Nile River
- Albertine Rift Valley
How did the Ark of the Covenant get to Aksum according to legend?
Written in “The Glory of Kings” the Queen of Sheba visited king Solomon to seek wisdom on being a better ruler. He had a child with her and Solomon sent Elders to Ethiopia with the prince. To counsel him. Afraid they would never see Jerusalem again, they brought the Ark with them. God was cool with it bc Isreal was idolatrous
What year did the first Avatar movie come out?
2009
What is the name of the legendary son of Solomon & the Queen of Sheba?
Menelik
What is the name of the church that allegedly has the original ark of the covenant?
Church of our lady of Zion in Aksum, Ethiopia
What was the kingdom of Saba?
Also “Sheba “
An ancient kingdom in southern Arabia in modern day Yemen. Some theorize those who founded Aksum Kingdom came from there. Existed from 1200 or 800 bc to 275 AD. Wealthy and successful in trade
Where is Aksum?
In northern Ethiopia by the border of Eritrea. In the highlands in the region of Tigray. Northern Ethiopia, Somalia, Eritrea and some of southern coastal Sudan
When did the Kingdom of Aksum peak?
Between the third and six centuries BC
Two kingdoms Aksum conquered
Yemen across the Red Sea and Meroe
Where did the people of ancient Aksum come from?
They were there since Neolithic days. The Gash-group, the D’MT kingdom of 9th century BC. A Nascent state that existed in the northern Horn of Africa moved its capital from Beta Giyorgid to Aksum in 1st century AD
Real world places that inspired Avatar‘s Pandora?
Zhangjiajie National Forest, Hunan Province of China & Raratonga, the biggest of the Cook Islands.
How did Samuel Morton justify racism in the early 19th century??
He filled skulls with stuff to measure capacity and decided there were five races that were created separately with whites being on top and negroes on the bottom. Eastern Asians were 2nd to whites. Then SE Asians then native Americans. Slave owners liked him. “Craniometry “
What shows that race doesn’t exist in our genome?
- Most genetically distinct groups are the Khoe-San and pygmies both African.
- There are no fixed traits associated with specific geographic locations,
- White skin gene arose in Middle East. They migrated and mixed with Europeans who had brown skin and often blue eyes
- All humans originated in Africa
- Genetic analysis tends to reveal presence of genes from races and ethnicities never expected
What effect have scientists found Covid has when it infects the brain?
Causes the microglia to overprune synapses
Name 7 herbs that can help with flu symptoms.
- Astragalus , preventative, interferons
- Echinacea, first sign of illness
- Elder, elderberries,, ripe berries only, reduces swelling sinuses
- Marshmallow, , roots & leaves soothes throat
- Mullein, leaves and stems, coats and expectorant. Seeds are toxic
- Pelargoniums/geraniums, use root for respiratory symptoms
- Thyme, antispasmodic and expectorant
Marshmallow: what we add to our cocoa vs. the plant.
Marshmallows used to be made with the plant root & honey. Today mallow root sap has been replaced with gelatin
Where in the brain do hot flashes start?
In the hypothalamus
During hot flashes does a woman run a fever?
No, body temperature doesn’t change, but body reacts as if it has
On average how long do women experience hot flashes?
Four years. 33% for a decade
Between 30 seconds to 5 minutes each time
Which groups of women are at greater risk for having hot flashes?
Women of color, Native American and obese women
What do we know about the neurons in the hypothalamus that activate hot flashes?
They have estrogen receptors . There are 3 signaling proteins produced by these neurons : kisspeptin, neurokinin B and dynorphin known collectively as KNDy neurons.
What is artist, Jeff de Boer’s specialty
He makes armor for cats and mice, very intricate, fancy armor
About Jeff de Boer’s cat & mouse armor.
The pieces are museum quality works of art
Animals don’t actually wear them
A mouse armor can have as many as 300 individual pieces
He makes his own tools for his tiny craft
He uses nickel, steal and/or brass. Sometimes gold or platinum
Define “reliquary “
A container for holy relics
Amazing discoveries of 2022
- Purple in rocks in Mars
- Silphion
- Deepest look at universe
- Reviving organs after dead an hour. OrganEx made from amino acids, vitamins, metabolites and 13 other, Nenad Sestan
- Tiny snail species
- Denisovans in Laos
- Big tech companies created AI that can 3D map the structures of 600 million previously unknown proteins from organisms
- Highly detailed fossils in Australia only rainforest from miocene epoch
- Perseverance Rover lands on Mars discovered purple coatings on some rocks that could’ve once been bacteria
- Bobcat eating invasive python eggs in Everglades
- We have micro plastics in our bodies
11.spiders can dream
First external account of Aksum?
Periplus of the Erythraean Sea written circa 40 AD by anonymous author. Describes metropolis ruled by King Zoscales, port city Adulis
Features of the ancient city of Aksum?
Paved roads
All political, religious and commercial structures built within a 1square kilometer area.
No fortified wall
Population of about 20,000
What is meant by Aksum’s trilingual inscription?
Important inscriptions in Aksum we’re in 3 languages: Ge’ez, pseudo-Sabaean and Greek. Alphabets used: Ge’ez, ASAM & Greek
Which Aksumite King brought Christianity to Aksum?
King Ezana 333 and 340 AD
Aksum’s significance as a trading power.
Situated between Africa, Arabia and Greco-Roman empires. Controlled the Red Sea and northeastern route to Europe & Asia
What’s a stela?
Plural: Stelae
n upright stone slab or column typically bearing a commemorative inscription or relief design, often serving as a gravestone.
Aksum’s ruins are interesting because…?
They contain many monoliths and stelae with intricate reliefs and inscriptions. (Very tall, Narrow Stone structures
What real life fungus is responsible for the fictional zombie apocalypse in The Last of Us?
Ophiocordyceps
What does Juneteenth celebrate?
The freeing of the slaves in June 19, 1865
What does Gregory Fahy take to reverse aging?
Recombinant human growth hormone and metaformin and DHEA or dehydroepiandrosterone
What was in Longo’s fasting diet?
Nut-based or chocolate crisp bars
Spearmint or hibiscus tea
Algal oil capsule
Vegetable soup
Multivitamin and mineral supplement
Almond & kale crackers
Olives
A glycerol drink
What and when was the infamous Dred Scott decision?
In 1857, the United States Supreme Court ruled that Scott and his family were still enslaved .
What reasons did Chief Justice, Roger Taney give for not freeing Scott & his family?
Since they were black, they were not citizens and had no right to Sue
Fifth amendment protected the rights of slave owners bc slaves were property
Also that the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional
What year was Dred Scott’s first trial? How many trials did he have. How long did it take for him to get freedom?
First trial: 1846
5 trials
Roughly a decade
How did Dred Scott eventually get freedom for him & his family?
Irene Emerson, the widow who wouldn’t free them remarried Calvin Chaffee, a congressman and abolitionist. His wife owning Scott didn’t look good, so he sold them to Taylor Blow, the son of tte original owner and Taylor freed them.
How long did Dred Scott enjoy his freedom.
Only about a year. Freed on May 1857. Died of tuberculosis September 1858.
Saga of the Dred Scott trials?
1846 Dred & Harriet filed separate lawsuits in St. Louis, MO circuit court based on 2 MO statutes: 1. Can sue for wrongful enslavement 2.once taken to a free territory, UR hence free. In 1847 court ruled against them on a technicality . Judge granted retrial
Win their freedom in 1850 retrial
Irene appealed Missouri Supreme Court in 1852 which reversed lower court decision and made them slaves again
1853 Dred files federal lawsuit with United States Circuit Court for MO district . Ruled against Scott
1854 appealed in Supreme Court, began 1856, Scott denied his freedom March 1857
May 1857 Taylor Blow frees them
Why is the infamous court case called Dred Scott v. Sandford when Irene Emerson was the owner.
She allegedly transferred ownership to her brother John Sandford . (Although later revealed she didn’t really)
What was Jesus’s first miracle?
Turning water into wine at the wedding. John 2:1-11
Called a “sign” = something that shows us a much deeper meaning
What are tau tangles?
Misfolded proteins in our brain that become sticky, clump together, and clog molecular systems. The hallmark of any degenerative brain disease
What’re the ancient origins of soccer?
China: 3rd century BC kicked balls into nets
Mesoamerican indigenous cultures played team sports with balls made from tree resin as much as 3000 years ago (Mayan, Aztec
What postgame activities did the Maya/Aztecs. Etc. Engage in?
Ritual human sacrifice. Of the losers? Some believe winners. Ball games were done in lieu of war sometimes
In 2006, Shinya Yamanaka came up with what?
A way to reprogram stem cells & turn them back into an embryonic-like state
In a blood test C-reactive protein is an indicator of ?
Inflammation
Manatees can’t survive in water colder than…?
68 degrees
What’s odd about manatees in the animal kingdom.
They are never predator nor pray. They are incapable of aggression.
In what decade were manatees endangered (under 1000)?
1960’s our conversation efforts have been successful.
During the winter, manatees can be seen as far north as…?
Mississippi and North Carolina
Manatees’s closest relative?
The elephant
How is Seagrass good for the environment beyond being manatee food?
Seagrass sequesters carbon 35 times as fast as rain forest.
Steller’s Sea Cow?
In the manatee/dugong family but was much larger and lived in cold Arctic waters. Went extinct just 30 years after Europeans discovered it.
How can you tell a manatee from a dugong?
Dugong’s have a forked tail while manatees a round tail.
Where in the world are manatees and dugongs found?
Manatees are found along coasts in the warm Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean and the Amazon River.
Dugong’s are I. The Indian & Pacific Oceans & the Red Sea
What do manatees prefer to eat? How are humans screwing that up?
Seagrass
Runnoff from human activities fuels algae growth which makes the water murky and blocks the sunlight from reaching Seagrass.
How often do manatees have to rise for air?
Every three to five minutes when active. 10 - 15 when they rest.
How are manatees’ anatomy equipped to stay submerged and upright?
- Long narrow lungs
- Heavy skin and solid bones provides counterweight. As opposed to, whale bones which’re very porous
Mishnah, Gemara & Talmud ?
Together the Mishnah and Gemara comprise the Talmud.
Mishnah is the early written compilation of the Jewish oral tradition & tte basis for the Talmud.
Difference between the Mishnah & Gemara?
Mishnah means «repeated study”
Gemara means “completion
Mishnah is the original written version of the oral law and Gemara is the rabbinic discussions/commentary on it
What was “Bloody Kansas”?
Between 1855 and 1859, there was a violent guérilla war in Kansas over slavery.
When was bloody Kansas or bleeding Kansas?
Roughly between 1855 & 1859
What set the stage for Bloody Kansas?
In 1854, congress passed the Kansas-Nebraska act which opened up the states to settlers. These settlers would be able to decide if the new states were slave or free states. Both sides were eager to stake their claim
During the Bleeding Kansas Period, what were the “border ruffians”?
Heavily armed people from Missouri crossing the border to push their pro slavery agenda. They held elections & stuffed the ballot boxes and ultimately pushed their way to Lawrence Kansas seat of the abolitionists and burned the press & sacked the city. No one was killed.
The most violent incident in “Bloody Kansas?”
Was perpetrated by abolitionists.
Fanatic John Brown & his sons forced five pro-slavery southerners from their homes and murdered them. Though pro-slavery, they did not own slaves.
Who was President during Bleeding Kansas? Who did he side with?
Franklin Pierce and he only recognized the pro-slavery legislature .
What was the abolitionists equivalent of the border ruffians?
The Emigrant
Aid Company sent anti-slavery settlers to Kansas
How many people were killed during Bleeding Kansas?
55?
A newspaper at the time said we’ll over 200. But press tended to exaggerate and hard to determine which deaths were a direct result of the conflict and not other crimes.
Who was Hyacinthus in Greek mythology?
An exceedingly handsome mortal man from Amyclae in Laconia. Though desired by others (all men) Hyacinthus loved the god Apollo. He died when a discus Apollo threw accidentally struck him in the head or perhaps the jealous Zephyrus/Boreas did it
