Henrik Leandro Laukholm Solli
Bio
Free thinker, traveler and humanist <3
Stories (110/0)
The Whimsical Journey of Popcorn: From Teosinte to Movie Theater Snack
Soft percussion and a toasty scent mark the violent transformation of tough seeds into cloud-like puffs. This is the almost magical process of popcorn-making. But how did we actually end up with this whimsical food? All the corn eaten today is derived from a tall grass called teosinte, which Indigenous people in what is now southern Mexico began selectively breeding about 9,000 years ago. An ear of teosinte originally yielded somewhere between 5 and 12 small kernels, each with a hard shell called a pericarp.
By Henrik Leandro Laukholm Solli11 months ago in History
The Complex Tale of the Takhi Horse: Zoos, Conservation, and the Wild
For centuries, native Takhi horses freely roamed the vast steppes of Central Asia, embodying the region's untamed beauty. However, by the late 1960s, these majestic creatures had vanished from the wild. The last surviving herds struggled to survive in meager habitats, contending with hunters and competition from local livestock. Although small groups of Takhi managed to survive in European zoos, their ultimate extinction seemed inevitable. To avert this tragic fate, a coalition of scientists and zoos united to initiate an international Takhi breeding program. In the 1990s, this collaboration between Europe and the US led to the release of new generations of Asia's ancient wild horses back into their native habitat. While celebrated as a remarkable conservation triumph, the complete narrative reveals profound complexities that question the role of zoos and the true essence of conservation.
By Henrik Leandro Laukholm Solli11 months ago in Earth
Unveiling Operation Legacy: Rewriting Kenya's Hidden History
In 2009, a group of five Kenyan individuals embarked on a petition to the British Prime Minister's office, seeking reparation for human rights abuses endured during the 1950s, when Kenya was under British colonial rule. Despite their vivid accounts and physical scars, their testimonies were initially undermined due to the lack of documentary evidence. However, the subsequent discovery of thousands of secret files shed light on a widespread colonial British policy known as Operation Legacy. This policy involved the destruction or removal of incriminating documentation by British colonial officers in the years leading up to former colonies' independence.
By Henrik Leandro Laukholm Solli11 months ago in History
The Evolution of Dental Crookedness
The intriguing discovery within the fossil record has unveiled a remarkable fact: our ancestors possessed perfectly aligned teeth, including wisdom teeth, without ever undergoing orthodontic treatment. This revelation raises the question of why modern humans commonly experience dental issues that necessitate the use of braces and wisdom tooth extraction, which seem to be recent phenomena in comparison.
By Henrik Leandro Laukholm Solli11 months ago in Earth
The Rise and Fall of the Mughal Empire: From Conquests to Colonial Rule
In 1526, Northern India witnessed a historic clash between Sultan Ibrahim Lodhi and the Central Asian prince, Zahiruddin Muhammad Babur. As the battle ensued, the Sultan deployed war elephants to quash the threat, but the startling explosions of Babur's cannons and muskets frightened the elephants, leading to the trampling of the Sultan's own army. This pivotal event marked the beginning of Babur's journey to establish the Mughal Empire—a prosperous and influential state that would shape the early modern world and house a significant portion of the global population.
By Henrik Leandro Laukholm Solli11 months ago in History
The Great Schism: The Papal Predicament and the Struggle for Supremacy
For nearly two thousand years, the Pope has held a position of paramount spiritual authority for Catholics worldwide. However, in the late 14th century, Catholics found themselves confronted with an unprecedented situation: the presence of not one, not two, but three popes. The origins of this perplexing predicament can be traced back to 1296 when King Philip IV of France decided to impose taxes on the Church, which greatly offended Pope Boniface VIII. In response, Boniface penned the "Unam Sanctam," a radical decree asserting the Pope's complete supremacy over secular rulers.
By Henrik Leandro Laukholm Solli11 months ago in History
Unleashing the Power of Genetic Diversity
Medical science faces a significant challenge—it lacks something crucial. This absence hinders the discovery of disease causes and effective treatments, resulting in the oversight of certain illnesses. Surprisingly, what it lacks could be you, but I'll elaborate on that shortly. Let's begin with a story—eight billion stories, to be precise.
By Henrik Leandro Laukholm Solli11 months ago in Earth
What about Faulkner
You find yourself halfway through what is said to be one of the greatest novels of the 20th century, yet nothing quite adds up. The characters narrating the story offer conflicting versions of events, often appearing uncertain about who, what, or when they are referring to. Seemingly insignificant details evoke intense emotional reactions that leave you perplexed. Furthermore, the prose is filled with complex sentences and extravagant imagery. Confusion sets in, but fear not, for you are on the right track. William Faulkner is renowned as one of America's most remarkable and enigmatic writers. However, he did not play with his audience for mere amusement. Faulkner deliberately employed confusion as a tool to explore the enigmatic aspects of the human mind and delve into pressing issues of personal, racial, and regional identity. The outcome is a body of work that is shocking, innovative, and often humorous, but above all, it presents a challenge.
By Henrik Leandro Laukholm Solli11 months ago in Fiction
Epidemics
Ebola stands as one of the most deadly viruses known to humanity. If left untreated, it claims the lives of approximately half of those infected. Its transmission occurs through various bodily fluids, including blood and sweat. Even the deceased can spread the disease, often during their own funerals.
By Henrik Leandro Laukholm Solli11 months ago in History
1816
It is the 10th of April, 1815, and within moments, the sun is about to vanish. On an island located in present-day Indonesia, Mount Tambora erupts with a tremendous boom that can be heard over a distance of 2,000 kilometers. Massive plumes of sulfurous steam and ash shoot thousands of meters into the sky, forming ominous storm clouds infused with soot and lightning. This eruption would later be recognized as the largest in recorded history, but its impact is only just beginning. Ascending to great heights in the atmosphere, Tambora's emissions spread across the globe, obscuring the sun for nearly an entire year. The resulting hazy skies and cold weather of 1816 wreak havoc on agriculture, leading to widespread famines throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Nations struggle with epidemics, and artists create somber tributes to these seemingly apocalyptic times. This becomes known as the "year without summer," representing one of the darkest periods in human history.
By Henrik Leandro Laukholm Solli11 months ago in Earth
Duell with Fate
According to legend, several centuries ago, a distant ancestor of yours committed a daring act by stealing a mystical tarot deck from Fate herself. As a result, your family became renowned worldwide as the greatest fortune tellers. However, this fortune came at a tremendous price. Every 23 years, a mysterious door materializes within your home, and one member of your family must confront Fate in a duel governed by arcane rules known only to your opponent.
By Henrik Leandro Laukholm Solli11 months ago in Fiction
Talking to yourself
As your morning alarm blares, you grumble, questioning why you set it so early. While brushing your teeth, the thought of needing a haircut crosses your mind, sparking a brief contemplation. Hurriedly leaving the house, you instinctively reach for your keys, only to realize they are nowhere to be found. Frustration takes hold, and you exclaim in frustration, feeling incapable of doing anything right, only to notice your neighbor's presence at that very moment. Being caught talking to oneself can lead to embarrassment, and some individuals even stigmatize it as a sign of mental instability.
By Henrik Leandro Laukholm Solli11 months ago in Humans