Historical
Julian, a 4th century Roman Emperor
Julian was born in Constantinople in the year 331, being the son of Julius Constantius and a nephew of Emperor Constantine the Great. On the death in May 337 of Constantine, who had begun to convert the Empire to Christianity, his sons, Julian’s cousins, divided the Empire between them, although the youngest, Constans, was still a minor.
By John Welford5 years ago in FYI
The Renaissance Man- Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519 CE) was surely one of the most intellectual and influential figures of Europe in particular and the World in general. He was a genius scientist, an expert anatomist, a perfectionist military engineer, a keen painter, and a philosopher. However, he is mainly popular because of his paintings.
By Natasha Matloob5 years ago in FYI
Women in the Forbidden City
The Forbidden City is one of the most popular tourist attractions we have on earth today. It always fascinates me that at one time in history, this “City” was home to thousands of people. So, what was life like for the “Women” who lived in The forbidden City?
By Ruth Elizabeth Stiff5 years ago in FYI
The History of the Oreo
In 1882, entrepreneur Jacob Loose bought a company that would eventually be known as Sunshine Biscuits. The company specialized in biscuits and candies and in 1908, it released a biscuit sandwich called Hydrox. The name was intended to remind consumers of hydrogen and oxygen and to be reminiscent of the sunlight of its company’s name. While the floral design of the cookie was revolutionary for its time, the name, unfortunately, reminded people of hydrogen peroxide instead of hydrogen and oxygen. It didn’t help that the coincidentally-named Hydrox Chemical Company, which sold hydrogen peroxide, was caught in a lawsuit because the term “hydrox” was used for coolers, sodas, and even ice cream brands. Meanwhile, in 1898, several baking companies merged to form the National Biscuit Company, which would later come to be known as simply Nabisco. In 1912, four years after the original Hydrox was released, Nabisco debuted their version of the Hydrox, which they named the Oreo. Food scientist Sam Porcello, an employee at Nabisco, developed the chocolate-covered and the white-chocolate covered Oreo, along with inventing the “stuf” in the Double-Stuf Oreo. In fact, he held five patents related to Oreos before his death in 2012 at the age of 76 and was so involved in the development of the cookie that people gave him the moniker “Mr. Oreo”. Around this time, Nabisco also debuted two other biscuits, the Goose and the Veronese, both of which have been lost to history.
By Jamie Lammers5 years ago in FYI
The U.S. President's Unexpected Legacy Thomas Jefferson: Paleontology
A wunderkind of the American Renaissance, Jefferson had his own academic pursuits. Known for such things as writing the Declaration of Independence; lesser known is that he used his collection of more than 6,400 books to help rebuild the previously burned Library of Congress. But his most unexpected hobby was collecting bones.
By Case_Cartercx5 years ago in FYI
Sherlock Holmes and the Cottingley Fairies. Top Story - May 2021.
Over a hundred years ago, in the small village of Cottingley, England, two young girls embarked on a silly prank that led thousands to believe in magic. It would not be fully debunked for over sixty years.
By Shell St. James5 years ago in FYI
The Lost City OF Pompeii
Whether from MountVesuvius or director Paul W.S. Anderson, most of us associate the name Pompeii with disaster. But while the deadly explosion of 79 a.d. was the most memorable of these destructive civilizations, it was at one time in the history of this Italian city.
By prashant sapkota5 years ago in FYI
The Battle of Zenta, 1697
Of course, the date of 11th September has a significance that will never be lost to anyone who was alive and aware on that date in 2001, but this article concerns an event that took place centuries earlier, namely in 1697. This was the Battle of Zenta, fought between the army of the Austrian Empire and the Ottoman Turks who were making inroads far into central Europe.
By John Welford5 years ago in FYI
William Tyndale: translator of the Bible
On 6th October 1536 William Tyndale was executed in what is now Belgium but at the time was part of the Spanish Netherlands. William Tyndale is renowned for being an early translator of the Bible into English, and for making a substantial contribution to the richness of the English language.
By John Welford5 years ago in FYI
Why Are Toilets Separated by Sex?
Public toilets are mandated to be segregated based on biological sex all around the world: one for men, another for women. However, the practice of separating public toilets wasn't prominent until quite recently. For instance, in the United States (US), laws mandating this separation were enacted only in the late 19th century.
By Wei Xiang Ang5 years ago in FYI
