Paleontologists Discover New Dinosaur in Africa!

Reconstruction of the new titanosaur and the landscape in which it lived, in what is now Tanzania.

Credit: Mark Witton, www.markwitton.com

Eureka! Paleontologists found a new dinosaur! Well, a new species of the already-known long-necked Titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur. They're calling it Shingopana songwensis. "Shingopana" is Swahili for "wide neck" and "Songwe" is the region it was unearthed from in Africa. 

Now, Titanosaur bones are mostly found in South America, but discovering this one in Africa's southwestern Tanzania is a rare find. 

Excavation of Shingopana songwensis showing ribs and other bones being prepared for plaster-jacketing.

Credit: Nancy Stevens

Actually, part of this new dinosaur fossil was excavated by the Rukwa Rift Basin Project in 2002, leaving the vertebrae, ribs, humerus, and lower jaw for later recovery. 

Scientific testing revealed the Singopana were genetically closer to South American titanosaurs than any other found around the world. 

"There are anatomical features present only in Shingopana and in several South American titanosaurs, but not in other African titanosaurs," said lead paper author Eric Gorscak, a paleontologist at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. "Shingopana had siblings in South America, whereas other African titanosaurs were only distant cousins."

During the earthquake-active Cretaceous Period, Madagascar broke off from southern Africa, with South America gradually splitting off from south to north over 95-105 million years. This divided the dinosaur populations into separate continents where they adapted to different environments. 

"This discovery suggests that the fauna of northern and southern Africa were very different in the Cretaceous Period," said Judy Skog, a program director in NSF's Division of Earth Sciences, which supported the research. "At that time, southern Africa dinosaurs were more closely related to those in South America, and were more widespread than we knew."

As an extra bonus, these Shingopana bones also had tiny tunnels bored through them from ancient insects, giving researchers another rare opportunity to reconstruct the time of death and insights into the ancient dinosaur food chain. 

The Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, funded by National Science Foundation, published this research in August 2017. 

The study was also funded by the National Geographic Society, Jurassic Foundation, Paleontological Society, Ohio University Student Enhancement Award, Ohio University Original Work Grant, Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio University Office of the Vice President for Research and Creative Activity, and James Cook University.

---

Sources:

https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=242862&org=NSF&from=news

10 Legendary and Mysterious Libraries of the Ancient World

It is often said that knowledge is wealth and in the ancient world it is something that is well guarded more than gold or jewels. The colossal libraries ancient civilizations like the Greeks and the Egyptians built are testaments to the fact that all the riches of the world will always pale in comparison with knowledge and learning.

These days, when information comes to us lightning-quick at the touch of a button, we tend to underestimate and undervalue the privilege we have of unfettered access to almost anything that we want to know and learn. It is a little bit tragic that the sense of appreciation that we have for information and learning is eclipsed by our continuously shortening attention spans because of all the media we consume on a daily basis.

In today’s list, we take a step back thousands of years to days when information and knowledge are stored and jealously guarded in giant libraries that are often the first monuments to be destroyed and sacked in times of war or invasion. Libraries that have shaped the world we now know of and the civilizations that have walked the earth, each contributing to humanity’s progress.

So here are 10 legendary and mysterious libraries of the ancient world!

Number Ten: The House of Wisdom

Called by historians as the Cradle of Civilization, ancient Mesopotamia – now modern day Iraq – was once one of the world’s centers for learning. Alongside Greece, Egypt, and Rome, Mesopotamia had one of the largest institutions of learning built in the 9 AD at the heart of the city of Baghdad.

Known as The House of Wisdom, it was built during the reign of the Abbasids. The House of Wisdom’s “collections” revolved around literature from Persia, Greece, and India. Also, among the library’s collection are manuscripts on mathematics, philosophy, science, medicine, and astronomy.

The books alone were enough to serve as lures to scholars from neighboring regions in the Middle East and among them are the mathematician and one of the fathers of Algebra, al-Khawarizmi; and the philosopher al-Kindi.

The House of Wisdom was the epicentre of Islamic intellectualism and academia for hundreds of years until it was sacked by the Mongols in 1258, tossing many of its extremely valuable manuscripts and books into the Tigris. Legend even has it that the famed river turned black due to ink dissolving into its waters.

Number Nine: The Twin Libraries at Trajan’s Forum

The ancient Romans are no strangers to accumulating codices and scrolls filled with anything from mathematics to philosophy. Knowledge and information are cornerstones of their empire that lasted centuries.

A Roman emperor’s love of monuments has helped erect one – or two – of the ancient world’s largest libraries.

Around 112 AD Emperor Trajan completed the construction of a wide, multi-use complex at the heart of Rome. Within the bounds of this Forum are plazas, markets, and temples. However, its crown jewel is one of the Roman Empire’s famous libraries.

Split in two, the twin structures housed numerous works and texts in Latin and Greek – separately housed – and were built on opposite sides of Trajan’s column, a massive monument to celebrate the emperor’s military victories.  Containing a collection of about 20,000 scrolls in rooms made of elegantly crafted marble and granite, historians are still debating when the twin libraries ceased to exist. With only texts referencing them until the fifth century AD, experts can only assume that it stood for at least three centuries.

Number Eight: Villa of the Papyri

One of the last ancient libraries to have survived well into the modern day, the Villa of the Papyri has withstood catastrophes including the devastating eruption of Mt Vesuvius in 79 AD.

Located in Herculaneum, Italy, the ruins of the Villa was buried deep in the ashes of Vesuvius that miraculously kept at least 1,785 of its scrolls preserved when the library was unearthed by archaeologists in 1752.

Technically the Villa was a house and not a library by any definition. Supposedly owned by Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesonius, Julius Caesar’s father-in-law, the massive home – aside from its impressive private library of texts on philosophy – boasted a collection of bronze sculptures and the most stylish and impressive architecture of that century.

Number Seven: The Library of Pergamum

Constructed by the Attalid Dynasty in the third century BC in what is now the country of Turkey, the Library of Pergamum was home to an impressive collection of 200,000 scrolls on varying subjects.

Located within a temple complex devoted to the Greek goddess Athena, the Library was considered to have become the “competition” of the Library of Alexandria according to the ancient chronicler, Pliny the Elder.

Apparently, both libraries sought to amass large collections of texts as well as establish rival schools of thought.

The rivalry between the two libraries allegedly reached fever pitch that Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt halted the exportation of papyrus to Pergamum hoping that it would cripple the library. Unfortunately, things did not go according to plan and only turned the city of Pergamum as one of the leading producers of parchment paper.

Number Six: Nalanda University

Moving further south of Asia, the Nalanda University in Bahir, India, is considered to be oldest university in the entire world as the first European university only popped up in 1088, a whole six centuries later.

What is even more exceptional about Nalanda is that the university provided education to thousands of students all across Asia.

Its nine-storey library was nicknamed “Dharmaganja” or Treasury of Truth and “Dharma Gunj” or Mountain of Truth because it was highly praised for the largest collection of Buddhist texts among other writings and literature. Helping spread philosophy and the Buddhist faith, Nalanda has nurtured thousands of followers until it was destroyed by Turk invaders in 1193. Due to the university’s immense size, legend tells that it took the Turks months before they could completely reduce its foundations to rubble.

Number Five: The Theological Library of Caesarea Maritima

Before it was destroyed around 638 AD by invading Arabs, the Theological Library of Caesarea Maritima or simply the Library of Caesarea, had the largest collection of ecclesiastical and theological texts of the Ancient Christian and Jewish world.

As the center of Christian education and scholarship, the library was also home to a large collection of literature from Greece and other neighboring regions. Mostly the texts are primarily historical and philosophical but nonetheless valuable as the place was frequently visited by important historical personalities such as Basil the Great and Gregory of Nazareth.

The church father Origen was mainly responsible for the library’s inventory of 30,000 manuscripts but during the purge initiated by Emperor Diocletian, the library and many of its contents were destroyed. Afterwards, it was rebuilt by the bishops of Caesarea only to be completely torn down, brick by brick, by Arab invaders.

Unfortunately, not a single manuscript from the library’s collection survived.

Number Four: The Library of Aristotle

Built in the first century BC, the library of Aristotle was part of a larger structure called the Lyceum where he was sought by many of his students and spent time learning from one of history’s most influential philosophers.

300 years after Aristotle’s death, a geographer named Strabo chronicled one of the most detailed accounts of the philosopher’s magnificent collection in his Geographia XIII, 1, 54-55, saying that Aristotle was “the first man, so far as I know, to have collected books and to have taught the kings in Egypt hwo to arrage a library.”

Upon Aristotle’s death, the Lyceum was bequeathed to Theoprastus. Even before his death, Aristotle heard of the jealousy of the Attalid empire of his library and desired to covet it for the Library of Pergamum. When Aristotle died and the Lyceum passed on to a new owner, it was then decided that the library’s entire collection be hidden and kept safe underground.

Unfortunately, despite this noble effort, many of the books were damaged by moisture and the remainder of the collection were sold to a man named Apellicon of Teos.

Number Three: The Imperial Library of Constantinople

Most of the history of the Imperial Library of Constantinople is shrouded in mystery. Many would point out that it was built out of necessity to preserve texts that were already in danger because of deterioration.

It was in 357 AD when Byzantine Emperor Constantius II decided to build the imperial library where many of the deteriorating Judeo-Christian scriptures could be copied onto vellum, a material that lasts longer than papyrus. Although Constantius II was only mostly interested in religious texts, the Imperial Library still managed to salvage many other books and scrolls that housed the knowledge of the Greeks and Romans.

In fact, many of the surviving texts from the ancient Grecian world that survives today were copies from the original manuscripts of the Imperial Library of Constantinople.

Number Two: The Library of Alexandria

Built by Ptolemy I in 295 BC, the Great Library of Alexandria holds a prestigious title in history as a “Universal” library where scholars from all over the world would visit, share ideas, and study from over thousands of texts that it offers.

It was, in fact, the intellectual crown jewel of the ancient world. Texts and scriptures on subjects like history, law, science, and mathematics can be browsed among its collection of 500,000 scrolls.

Many visiting scholars that decided to remain and live in the library complex received stipends from the Egyptian government just for conducting their studies and copying texts. Among its visitors were Euclid and Archimedes.

Its demise is still a question that seeks answers. Supposedly, the library burned down in 48 BC when Julius Caesar set fire to Alexandria’s harbor when he was at war with Ptolemy XIII. However, many historians believe that a blaze could not have easily destroyed the library and it may have still survived for a few more centuries. Some scholars, on the other hand, argue that the library met its end during the reign of Roman emperor Aurelian in 270 AD while other experts place its obliteration somewhere around the Fourth Century AD.

Whatever the case and however it fell, the Library of Alexandria remains to be one of history’s greatest achievements both architecturally and academically.

Number One: The Library of Ashurbanipal

Known as the world’s oldest library, it was built and founded for the “royal contemplation” of the Assyrian ruler Ashurbanipal in the 7th Century. Basically, it was one massive private study.

Constructed in Nineveh in modern-day Iraq, the library had a collection of around 30,000 stone tablets written in cuneiform. What’s even more impressive is that the tablets were organized according to subject matter. Most of them being archival documents of the royal court, the collection also included a number of literary works including the 4000-year old Epic of Gilgamesh.

Ashurbanipal was a known book-lover and obtained many of them through looting from conquered territories including Babylonia.

Today, most of the surviving tablets are housed and cared for in the British Museum in London.

While the Library of Ashurbanipal may not be as glamorous as the Library of Alexandria, it is most interesting to note that his collection helped pave the way to the history of the written word through cuneiform.

---

Sources:

http://www.history.com/news/history-lists/8-impressive-ancient-libraries
http://www.onlinecollege.org/2011/05/30/11-most-impressive-libraries-from-the-ancient-world/
http://www.messagetoeagle.com/10-magnificent-ancient-libraries-filled-with-knowledge/
http://listverse.com/2016/12/09/10-mysterious-libraries/

10 Warnings the World Ignored that Completely Changed the Course of History

There is a universal law that everyone agrees on: for whatever action, there is always an opposite reaction. This is most true in physics but certainly applies to our daily lives.

Imagine the Butterfly Effect where it is said that, in one part of the world, a butterfly would flap its wings and it would cause a devastating hurricane on the opposite side of the globe. Our actions and the actions of others always have consequences to it, good or bad. It can be Karmic or a kind of domino effect.

In this list, we examine the actions of people who, in recorded history, have completely changed or greatly affected it with the decisions – or indecisions – that they made.

Here are the 10 Warnings That the World ignored that completely changed the course of history!

Number Ten: The Great Depression

Who could ever forget that time when Stock Market crashed and sent the international economy spiraling out of control, leaving thousands of people unemployed and hungry?

Today’s economic recession is nothing compared to the financial meltdown of 1929. It may have been unthinkable back then because of the speed at which the United States economy was accelerating in terms of industry and its economy. However, on September 5th, 1929, one man saw this great crash coming.

Economist Roger Babson delivered a speech where he predicted that an impending economic crash was just around the corner. Unfortunately, the business community, as well as fellow economists, shrugged the warning off claiming it to be impossible. Two months later, over $5 billion was wiped out of the market – an amount, in today’s standards, is beyond calculating.

According to records, Babson had been warning everyone about the crash for years and what it may precipitate and when people started believing in him, it was already far too late.

Number Nine: The Sinking of the RMS Lusitania

In some sense, the sinking of the Lusitania was not unexpected. However, the events that led to this disaster are incredible enough that it lands number nine on this list.

It was at the height of the First World War when the Lusitania was given more than enough warning by the German army to stop anyone in their right mind from sailing straight to their doom. For several weeks, the German army published several advertisements in newspapers including the New York Times warning the entire world of the ship’s numbered days.

In a most brash attempt, the Lusitania set sail from New York to England. Incidentally, news of the ship’s departure sat side by side with the German ad in the New York Times.

As an exercise of caution and to avoid innocent people getting caught in the crossfire, the British government warned the captain of the Lusitania to avoid areas around the British shores where German U-boats have been known to actively patrol; and should the ship pass through those waters, the captain was strongly urged to zigzag his way through. Unfortunately for the passengers of the Lusitania, the captain ignored these warnings and advice from the British government. The RMS Lusitania was torpedoed by a German U-boat, taking with it the lives of 1,195 people.

Number Eight: Asbestos Warnings

It may seem trivial to talk about the dangers of asbestos in this list and it would also seem that it may not have had much of an impact around the world as the Great Depression, but this silent killer has slowly claimed hundreds, if not thousands, of lives since it was conceived in the 19th century.

Known for its strength and resistance to fire, asbestos manufacturers have made a fortune selling this product to the public with no regard to its dangerous implications to an individual’s health; and for nearly a century, asbestos has cropped up almost everywhere and has been used for almost anything.

However, people have been suspicious of the product since the early 1900s because of the high-rate of illnesses that were reported around towns where asbestos was mined and manufactured.

In 1938, due to public alarm, asbestos manufacturers commissioned a study that proved that death by the product was airborne. These same manufacturers at that time swept the undeniable link between asbestos and fatal illnesses under the rug. Saying that there was “no proof” that links asbestos to diseases such as lung cancer, many workers in their factories either suffered horribly from the chemicals or were let go of their companies leaving them impoverished.

Today, even as a great majority of the globe, has banned the use and manufacturing of asbestos, many companies still refuse to compensate their dying employees as they continue to keep a firm stand that there is nothing that connects asbestos to their employees’ illnesses.

Number Seven: The Rwandan Genocide

800,000 Tutsis and Moderate Hutus lost their lives during a bloody ethnic cleansing and massacre that was dubbed as the Rwandan Genocide.

Beginning in April 6th, 1994, the genocide was led by Hutu tribesmen with the objective to attack another local tribe called the Tutsis; however, not only did the Hutu plan to massacre the Tutsis, they also planned a purge of their own tribesmen who were protecting the Tutsis.

It was a Belgian ambassador to Rwanda who uncovered the plot and revealed that the plan had been started since at least two years before. Professor Filip Reyntjens, another Belgian, appeared before the Belgian senate and revealed that the Hutus were assembling and operating Death Squads to carry out the genocide and implicated a Rwandan Army Colonel named Theoneste Bagasora as one of its leaders. Later on, Bagasora was found to have indeed commanded the genocide.

In January 1994, four months before the catastrophic event, General Romeo Dellaire, commander of the UN troops at Rwanda, sent what is now known as the “Genocide Fax” to the United Nations, warning the organization that the Hutus, much like the revelations of the Belgian ambassador and Professor Reyntjens, were planning a large scale attack on the Tutsis as well as their own tribesmen. In the fax, General Dellaire requested for more troops to be sent to the region in order to attack a Hutu arms cache and prevent the massacre from happening. The UN, sadly, ignored the plea and told the general to inform the Rwandan government instead which was filled with the same people and officials planning the genocide.

The same month, General Dellaire was able to seize an arms cache that was placed in the custody of the UN and Rwandan Troops – the same Rwandan troops who were training the Death Squads and bands of rebels who directly took part in the genocide.

Number Six: Fukushima Meltdown

The 2011 earthquake that shook Japan left thousands homeless. The 9.0 magnitude earthquake not only rocked the country but it also brought a giant tsunami that devastated areas near its coastlines. It may seem like it was already the worst thing that could ever happen to Japan. What happened right after, however, was more sinister.

Following the earthquake and the tsunami was the worst nuclear accident in history since Chernobyl that no one ever expected to happen except for one Koji Minoura.

Like a scene from a movie, Minoura was investigating a reference in an ancient poem about a tsunami that happened just northeast of the country. Digging through records and historical texts, Minoura discovered an account about an earthquake and tsunami that killed thousands in 869 AD dubbes as the Jogan Event.

Investigating the region in the 1980s, Minoura found evidence that the area was “routinely” destroyed by tsunami every 1000 years and it was already due for another one.

Over the next 20 years, Minoura wrote reports and produced countless studies warning about the inevitable destruction of the Fukushima area. Published in journals and magazines, his articles and research were completely ignored by his peers and by the public.

To this day, the effects Fukushima’s nuclear power plant meltdown spreads and reports and studies have already confirmed that the waters near and surrounding the area have dangerously lethal amounts of radiation that is slowly spreading into the northern parts of the Pacific Ocean.

Number Five: The Kuwait Invasion

The early 1990s saw the rise of soaring oil prices because of unstable political situations in the Middle East and in the morning of August 2nd 1990, hundreds of thousands of Iraqi troops marched into the borders of neighboring Kuwait; an invasion that virtually took overnight with Kuwait not giving much of a fight after its head of state fled into the desert.

It was reported that the plan by Iraq to invade Kuwait had been in the works five years beforehand and was said to be just the first phase of Saddam Hussein’s plan – though futile -to secure Saudi Arabian oil wells in the region.

Ample warning to the US government was given by both the CIA and US Military Intelligence. Unfortunately, the government chose to look the other way and even granted Saddam a $1.2 billion loan days before the lightning invasion. The US government’s refusal to take a stand against Saddam’s plans only gave the dictator more fortitude to proceed with his plans, believing that he had the US on his side.

When the situation spun out of hand and gained the attention of the international community, the US government stepped in but was initially unprepared.

The Iraqi forces were ejected out of Kuwait only after the US-led United Nations contingent landed in Kuwait thus beginning the Gulf War.

Along with 248 UN troops and 25,000 Iragi soldiers, the largest fatality count fell on Iraqi civilians which numbered 100,000 after the war. In the following years after the conflict, a million more Iraqi civilians lost their lives due to sanctions that were placed on Iraq.

Number Four: Wilson’s War

US President Woodrow Wilson may very well have been the catalyst that brought about the devastations of First and Second World Wars, the Rise of Communism in Europe, as well as the Vietnam War.

The events of how the First World War began and how the US played a key part in it is numerous and is a complicated web of scenarios like a “Choose Your Own Adventure” book.

When trouble and conflict was already brewing in Europe due to discontent from  different countries and the incompetence of several generals and leaders, President Woodrow Wilson claimed the role of impartial arbiter in order to bring the war, which has already erupted by then, to its conclusion without having to directly send US troops into battle – but when Germany and its allies seem to be getting the upper hand, Wilson and his members of cabinet had to make a decision because they wanted victory to go to Great Britain and France.

After his presidential re-election in 1916, he ordered congress to declare war against Germany a year later despite the fact that Germany or its allied countries were threatening or attacking the United States as well as a large population of the US wanted their government to stay out of the war.

After Germany’s defeat, an armistice was created in 1918. Unfortunately for Wilson and his rhetoric, his idealism was buried by the territorial ambitions of Great Britain and France after decimating Germany and the former Austro-Hungarian and Russian empires; a devastation that drove many European countries into revolution and civil war.

Had Wilson not urged the US congress to declare war against Germany in 1917 and listened to reason, the US may not have assumed the mantle of being the Global Police throughout the remainder of the 20th Century and still continues on to this day. His decision therefore created a domino effect that would cost the lives of millions of people in the Second World War, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War; and not to mention 75-years of Soviet Communist rule over Russia and large parts of Eastern and Central Europe.

Number Three: The Rise of Adolf Hitler

After Germany’s defeat in the First World War, France decided to place a fine on Germany in 1919 that was unimaginably large that, had not the Second World War broken out, the country would be paying it until 2010.

John Maynard Keynes, a British economist, strongly believed that it was the most effective way to get disastrous results. By absolutely crippling the German economy with heavy sanctions, the Allied Nations would no doubt trigger economic collapse on a country that was still reeling from a war.

Keynes therefore lobbied governments and presented them with articles to convince them to rethink their move saying, in almost prophetic words, that if the Allies’ objective is to drive Central Europe into debilitating debt and poverty, then vengeance from the subjugated nations will be reaped through revolutions and conflict.

Believing that Keynes was out of his mind, his pleas and warnings were left in the dust. True to his prediction, the German economy practically evaporated and civil unrest spread like wildfire, opening the doors to extremism – and in a small beer hall, a rejected art student by the name of Adolf Hitler, decided to try his hand in politics; a decision that cost the lives of innocent millions.

Number Two: World War II

The Treaty of Versailles ended the First World War in 1919. Included in the Treaty was a hefty sum of money that the Allied nations imposed on Germany as restitution and, as an ulterior move in the part of the Allies, was a means to make sure that Germany would not have money to declare a war of retribution.

Soon enough, Germany’s economy collapsed and German society was destroyed by inflation and a wave of unemployment.

A handful of people could see how ineffective the conditions of the Treaty were. British economist, John Maynard Keynes, believed the Treaty held no water and was practically dead even before it was signed. Another was a French army commander, Field Marshal Ferdinand Foch.  “This is not peace,” Foch said. “It is an armistice for 20 years.”

Foch’s warning fell on deaf ears and 20 years later, Germany lit the fires that would start the Second World War. Now formidable, the German army – as part of their campaign – invaded Paris and staged attacks in England that would leave the country and most of Europe in ruins until 1945.

Number One: 9/11

In 2012, years after the tragic events of September 11th, the New York Times published the results of an investigation showing that the Bush administration, in 2001, had knowledge of an impending terror attack on American soil.

Far from being caught by surprise, the report states that the US government had known of the attack but chose to be tied up with bureaucracy instead of preventing it from happening.

As early as June 2001, there was already intelligence that Al-Qaeda strikes on the US were imminent. The intelligence was considered a certainty and known by the CIA.

However, politicians in the Pentagon refused to acknowledge the reports and dismissed it as a fabrication by Saddam Hussein, whom the US government were watching closely.

According to the New York Times’ report, the warnings by the CIA were allegedly downplayed and the agency was practically reduced to begging the President to take notice and take action. It was later on raised to extreme levels of urgency on June 29th, July 9th, July 24th, and August 6th.

With the government’s almost obsessive watch over Iraq and Saddam Hussein and its dismissal of the constant warnings, it therefore resulted in the worst and most deadly terrorist atrocity in the 21st Century committed on American soil only because it decided not to take its intelligence service seriously.

---

Sources:

http://listverse.com/2016/05/12/10-ignored-warnings-that-turned-deadly/
http://listverse.com/2013/10/08/10-deadly-warnings-the-world-ignored/
https://fee.org/articles/wilsons-war-how-woodrow-wilsons-great-blunder-led-to-hitler-lenin-stalin-and-world-war-ii/
http://onceuponafact.com/8-deadly-warnings-the-world-ignored/

12 Worst Jobs in History

History has an odd collection of professions that would get many employers in trouble today. And unlike today, workers relied heavily on the physical aspect of labor, compared to sitting 8 hours a day staring at a screen. Back then, jobs involved plenty of hazards, and forcing children to work was accepted. What we know about jobs during those early centuries seems by what we see on TV and movies that don't give even a vague picture of how people earned a living.

While there were occupations such as coach drivers, tax collectors, and government employees; the historical world is full of jobs involving getting dirty. If you think you are having it hard right now because your boss is making you work on a weekend, then you have no idea what people went through in historical times.

So, in today’s list, we are counting down to the 12 worst jobs in history that you could ever have!

#12 - Matchstick Maker

Matches were a complete household necessity before the dawn of electric power; so much so that an entire profession revolved around the creation and distribution of these phosphoric fire starters.

On the outside, making matches for a living may seem like an easy task. However, since the medical sciences have not yet been as advanced as it is today, people are unaware of the dangers of the chemicals they work with. On a daily basis, matchstick makers are exposed to massive amounts of the chemical phosphorus where they dip the tips of their matches. Over time, the chemical would enter the body through inhalation or skin contact and workers would contract a disease called “phossy jaw” where their mouths would develop abscesses that would eat away at their face. Unfortunately for them, the only treatment for the ailment is to surgically remove the infected jawbone leaving them disfigured for their entire lives.

#11 - Leech Collector

In the Middle Ages, the belief that using leeches to cure diseases was quite popular. In fact, there was a substantial demand for leeches that people would go out into the wild to collect and sell them to doctors, surgeons, and other “medical professionals.”

For anyone to become a leech collector is simple. He or she does not even need to apply for the position. All that they need to do is to walk in areas infested with the parasite like swamps and marshlands and catch them by exposing a few limbs for them to latch onto.

After that, they would see the nearest doctor and sell the creatures for a quick buck. The risk involved in this occupation is high because, with the way the leeches are collected, a potentially fatal amount of blood could be lost during the process of collection.

#10 - Rat Catcher

As far as we know, the profession of pest exterminator has existed since the 19th Century, but it was an entirely different practice.

Rat catchers were more prevalent than termite or cockroach exterminators. As the world slowly moved forward with industrialization, so too did the population of vermin multiplied. People moving from countryside to the big city, trains traveling from one border to the next, and ships docking from port to port have contributed greatly in vermin population.

To control the rat problem, rat catchers were called on by people. These “professionals” would then rub a mixture of different oils on their clothing and hands to lure rats that they would catch with their bare hands. Illnesses, sometimes fatal, from bites and scratches, were considered occupational hazards since the use of safety equipment was an alien concept in those days.

#9 - Fuller

Fulling is a process in which wool is cleaned and given its thick texture. It still exists in some countries today. However, during the time of the Roman Empire, the job was so horrendous that merchants would delegate this rather dirty task to slaves.

To get the right quality out of the wool, a slave would have to wade through a pool of urine to clean the wool. Urine, after all, contained ammonia that is used even today as ingredients in industrial cleaning agents.

Luckily, when the Middle Ages arrived, the Fuller’s job was made less grotesque when a cleaning mixture called “Fuller’s Earth” was introduced, making the use of urine obsolete.

#8 - Bone Grubber

The Victorian Age gave birth to plenty of professions that involved scavenging. One of them was called Bone Grubbing.

The occupation sounds as dastardly as you would think. Enterprising Bone Grubbers would scour the cities of rotting bones from butcher shops, trash heaps, and wherever else a dead animal or body could be found. These bones would then be sold to dealers and merchants to be made into everyday items such as toothbrush handles and teething toys for infants. Whatever could not be sold or used for merchandise would then be ground up and boiled to be made into either soap or plant fertilizer.

#7 - Mudlark

Another popular scavenging profession during the Victorian Age was the Mudlark. You could say that Mudlark’s were a scavenger’s scavenger since the job was mostly within the community of the extremely impoverished. Mudlarks are often seen scouring the riverbanks and trash heaps to find things that other scavengers may have overlooked such as bone, pieces of metal, and even fabric. Afterwards, these found items would then be sold to merchants or other scavengers for a little bit of money.

One of the many downsides of this job is occasionally having to wade through cesspits of human waste and bumping into the occasional corpse in the river.

#6 - Body Snatcher

Speaking of corpses, Body Snatching became a popular profession during the same century when medical study was at its most vigorous.

Since corpses for anatomical study can be hard to come by in the open market, Medical universities and institutions would pay top dollar to people who are willing to dig up fresh corpses from graveyards.

It goes without saying that Body Snatching is practically grave robbing. A crime, in those days, that could end you up in the gallows. However, in this profession, where extreme discretion is key, many people have found it to be lucrative that some Body Snatchers would haul multiple corpses for their patrons. However, due to Victorian science’s high demand for anatomical subjects, many Body Snatchers were not above committing murder.

#5 - Whipping Boy

Monarchs have an extremely high regard for themselves as well as their progeny. In fact, should a prince misbehaves, it is a crime to correct or reprimand the child unless you are the King or Queen.

To make sure that a young prince keeps to his best behavior, since Kings and Queens aren’t always around to tell their child off, the court would employ the prince’s closest friend – also of noble stock – to be the designated whipping boy.

Essentially, when the prince misbehaves or is caught in a situation that demands discipline, the punishment is carried out through the whipping boy; a punishment that usually involves whipping or beating. The logic behind it is that the punishment would be so severe that the prince, upon seeing his friend, would be guilted into behaving properly and according to his royal stock.

#4 - Sin Eater

If you think that to be a prince’s whipping boy is hard, try being someone’s Sin Eater.

To put it simply a Sin Eater is someone employed to take on the “excess sins” of a deceased person. The family of a dearly departed would have a Sin Eater present at the funeral, and before the body is lowered into the earth, a piece of bread is passed over the casket to the Sin Eater. He or she then eats the bread that has “soaked up” the remaining sins of the dead and passed on to him or her for his or her lifetime.

It may not sound bad, but in medieval society, Sin Eaters are social pariahs and are shunned and hated by every level of society because they believed that these individuals are extremely depraved and beyond salvation.

#3 - Vomit Collector

The Ancient Romans are known for their lavish parties that could stretch from dusk to dawn. Most especially when it involves the wealthy, these parties are filled to the brim with every kind of food and wine you can imagine.

What the Romans would do is to eat to their heart’s content. Once full, they would then move to a separate room where a bucket or basin waits for them. They would then induce themselves to vomit out all the food and drink they just consumed to “make room” for more merriment. It is the task of the vomit collector to periodically empty out and clean the buckets and basin that are filled with vomit and, in some cases, feces.

#2 - Gong Farmer

In the Middle Ages, sewage systems were as non-existent as indoor plumbing, so the amount of waste had to go somewhere. Industrious individuals would come up with a network of pipes that dumped their excrement onto the streets or cesspits, away from their homes.

But it’s not always “out of sight, out of mind” when it comes to dealing with piles of human waste. Somebody had to take on the job of actually hauling all of it and cart it away from city limits. This was the unfortunate occupation of a Gong Farmer.

While it sounds whimsical, a Gong Farmer’s job is just that: collect human waste from cesspits and streets; and he had to do his job under cover of night. He would then cart it out of town and dump it far from any populated area. Obviously, a Gong Farmer had to live as far away from other people as possible due to the smell. Not only that, this backbreaking work has been known to cause serious illnesses to the worker from the noxious fumes that he inhales.

#1 - The Groom of the Stool

Sometimes the worst job does not necessarily have to be done by someone from the lower levels of society. There are worse jobs exclusively appointed to noblemen and aristocrats – one was becoming a monarch’s Groom of the Stool.

Believed to be a prestigious position and service to the day’s reigning monarch, it was no less humiliating. The Groom’s job was to fetch a monarch’s toilet chair when His Highness needed to go; and, since monarchs claim to have some kind Divine Right of the Gods on earth, it is also the Groom’s job to wipe the King’s Benevolent Bottom.

On top of that, it was also the Groom’s job to collect a sample of the King’s Divine Doodie and examine it for any signs of illness.

Finally, as if the job was not prestigious enough, the Groom of the Stool is given the highest honor of administering an enema if the King finds his Rite of Passage blocked.

___

So there you have it, 12 worst jobs in history! Let us know what you think in the comments section below!

Sources:

http://www.jobsite.co.uk/worklife/10-worst-jobs-history-11553/

https://blogs.ancestry.com/cm/10-of-the-most-disgusting-jobs-in-history/

http://www.lifedeathprizes.com/lists/worst-jobs-in-history-30531

5 Decisive Battles in History Won by Divine Intervention

Throughout history, battles and wars were fought for various reasons. Whether defending one's own territory or invading another's, our history books have no shortage of epic fights from the Crusades to the Second World War.

Of course, it's no surprise victories are won with amazing planning and great leaders. However, there are battles that almost turned sour — despite having legions of soldiers under a general’s command — and could have dramatically changed the course of human history. Fortunately for such battles, their fates were decided when the heavens intervened and drastically tip the balance to one side.

Whether it was coincidence or just pure luck, many countries throughout history attribute most of their victories to divine intervention, fuelling their belief that the gods are on their side.

#5 — The Battle of the Bulge

One of the bloodiest battles during World War II happened in the Belgian town of Bastogne in 1944 where the German army cornered American soldiers in a surprise attack.

12,000 American soldiers were encircled and trapped by the Germans, and it was up to US Third Army Gen George Patton to break the siege and rescue the 12,000 soldiers in Bastogne, promising that he would grease up his tanks with the guts of the Nazi soldiers.

A plan was already in place but, unfortunately for Patton, the weather had been relentlessly unforgiving. For an entire month, torrential rains pounded Belgium, and the chances of Patton’s troops marching into Bastogne were slowly being swept away by the waters. All Patton needed to be was 24 hours to send the Third Army to storm the town, rescue the 12,000 soldiers, and tear down the Nazi defenses.

Since no amount of screaming and cursing at the sky could stop the rains, Patton had to resort to an unconventional approach by commissioning Third Army chaplain Col James O’Neill to draft a prayer for him which he then distributed to his troops on wallet-sized cards. For the next few days, Patton ordered his troops to recite the prayer as they waited for the rains to let up.

Whether or not Patton’s unorthodox approach worked and summoned the rain gods to stop, the weather cleared, and his troops were given just enough time to break through the Nazi encirclement, save the trapped American troops, and reclaim Bastogne for the Allied forces.

No matter what the opinion is about the events surrounding the Battle of the Bulge, it was undoubtedly one of George Patton’s finest hours in the Second World War.

#4 — The War of 1812

When the fledgling United States declared war against the British in 1812, things could not get any worse, especially after the Americans burned down what is present-day Toronto in Canada as a sign of retribution against the Red Coats.

However, overwhelmed by British forces, the tide seemed to be against the United States when, on August 24th, 1814, the British closed in on Washington DC after breaking through the Americans’ last defense at Bladensburg.

With the state of Maryland set ablaze by the British, then President Madison had to flee for safety with the American Constitution and the Declaration of Independence in tow just before British forces stormed the White House, the Capitol, and the Library of Congress, sacking and burning everything in sight.

But, in a sudden twist of fate, the weather began to turn, and one of America’s most destructive tornadoes in history touched down in the middle of the battle, wiping out soldiers, civilians, and artillery in its wake.

Upon the sight of the destructive storm, the British had no other choice but to retreat and leave the nation’s capital.

The tornado storm scared of the Red Coats, saved America in its most decisive battle, yet left hundreds of Americans either dead or homeless due to its sheer destructive power.

#3 — The Failed Persian Siege

Greece is no stranger to the occasional invading army and bloody war against neighboring countries. With its trove of knowledge and wealth, the Ancient Greeks have always been one of history’s prime targets. Greece’s most formidable foe were the Persians.

In 492 BC, Greece came dangerously close to crumbling under the forces of the Persian army. Led by the Persian General Mardonius, Persia’s naval fleet was able to sail close to the island of Athos. Fortunately for the people of Athos, Poseidon was on their side. As if on cue, a wild hurricane swept the sea and in the blink of an eye, capsized and destroyed the Persian fleet killing 20,000 soldiers! It was believed Persia's hubris brought this catastrophic end to their fleet. As the weather was already proving fickle when they reached Athos, the rains turned into a full-fledged storm.

While there have been many attempts by the Persians to set foot on Greece by way of the sea, this particular one may have succeeded if not for the winds blowing in favor of the Ancient Greeks.

#2 — The Protestant Wind

The political relations between Protestant England and Catholic Spain were already turning sour, and if not for the urging of Church leaders during the 16th Century, Spain may have saved herself from utter humiliation.

In one desperate attempt to subjugate Elizabeth I and England, King Philip II of Spain ordered the Spanish Armada to set sail to dethrone Elizabeth and claim the country in the name of the Catholic Church and the Spanish crown.

Despite the fact that Spain was no match for the English naval fleet, they continued to press on, and by the time they reached the English Channel, a storm that seemed to come out of nowhere battered the Spanish Armada, sinking ships and driving the survivors off.

Many from both sides who witnessed the event took the storms as a sign of intervention from God as Spain was pushed back and humiliated by what history dubs as “The Protestant Wind,” a sign that Providence greatly favored England and its Virgin Queen.

#1 — The Divine Wind

If it weren’t for a helping hand from the heavens, Japanese culture would never have existed.

In 1247, the Mongol Empire had already conquered one-third of the globe and had cemented their power with one of the most formidable armies the world has ever seen.

As the Mongol army advanced further east unopposed, their next target was bringing down the Japanese Empire and annexing it to their strongholds in China. With inferior weapons and significantly fewer troops, Japan did not stand a chance against Kublai Khan’s fierce warriors and their allies.

As the Mongols sailed towards the shores of Japan with Korean allies, Japan sent as many forces as it can muster to defend its seawall. With what seems to be a losing battle, fortune turned its head towards Japan as the Mongol fleet sensed a storm brewing fast.

True enough, two typhoons came to the rescue of the Japanese Empire and decimated Kublai Khan’s rapidly advancing fleet.

The violent tempest, dubbed the Kamikaze or Divine Wind by the Japanese, left 13,000 soldiers dead and the remaining Mongol ships were sent fleeing back to Chinese shores.

Talk about having the Wrath of God rain down upon you, right? But whether or not these events had the heavens directly involved in their historic outcomes, the one most certain thing is that the world could have been a far different place if fate had turned the other way.

---

Sources:

http://www.cracked.com/article_18894_6-real-historic-battles-decided-by-divine-intervention.html

http://conservativerefocus.com/blogs/blog5.php/2010/12/15/six-historic-battles-decided-by-divine-intervention-from-the-irreverent-cracked

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/1917022-when-freak-storms-win-battles-divine-intervention-or-just-coincidence/

5 Most Powerful Women Who Secretly Ruled the World

Behind every powerful man is a woman; and behind every great empire in history, a powerful woman commanded legions.

History has no shortage of kings, emperors, and generals lording over vast countries and leading large armies but the question remains: Are they really the ones pulling the strings?

Just studying the royal Egyptian bloodline, you would discover many of their great pharaohs were women. The Empresses of China also has impressive records of leadership. But as the saying goes, “History is written by the victors,” so most of these women are overshadowed by the accomplishments of their husbands, leaving their contributions and exceptional personalities almost forgotten.

That is why, for this list, we are counting down the 5 Most Powerful Women Who Secretly Ruled the World.

#5 — Toregene

There is no argument that one of the greatest empires in history, conquering a third of the world, belonged to the Mongols.

Intelligent, fierce, and extremely organized, the Mongol horde rode and invaded large parts of Asia and have stretched their domain to portions of Europe.

After Genghis Khan died, his power passed on to his third son, Ogedei. However, Ogedei had a little problem controlling his drinking and left much of his leadership to his wife, Toregene. As historical records would later show, Toregene was, in fact, responsible for many proclamations during her husband’s reign.

When Ogedei finally drank himself to the grave, Toregene became his immediate successor until a new Khan could be elected. With her cunning, she was able to delay the election for five years, and under her leadership, the Mongol empire flourished from the China to the far reaches of Russia. With a reputation for her leadership, prominent monarchs paid homage to her like the Seljuk Sultan and the Grand Prince Yaroslav – who, incidentally, died mysteriously after sharing a feast with her.

To secure power for her bloodline, Toregene campaigned for her son, Guyuk, to be elected the new Khan. Unfortunately for Guyuk, he was not completely trusted, and everyone hated him but Toregene, in another display of extraordinary political acumen, bribed many in the empire which was funded by a massive and aggressive form of tax on agriculture.

Even though she was relentless, she finally died in 1246, a year after successfully securing Guyuk’s place as the new Khan of the Mongol empire.

#4 — Kosem Sultan

One of the most powerful women of the 17th Century has a very interesting story. She was of Greek descent and came to Istanbul. She was sold into Sultan Ahmed I's harem and named Kosem after becoming his wife.

After Ahmed’s death, she made a move to secure her place in the Imperial court by positioning Mustafa, Ahmed’s mentally ill brother, as the new Sultan and she succeeded with little protest from the people around her.

However, due to his mental state, Mustafa’s nephew Osman easily took back the throne, forcing Kosem to leave Istanbul in hiding for fear of retribution from Osman. But in 1623, Kosem triumphantly returned to Istanbul after Osman's own Janissary soldiers murdered him and Kosem's 11-year old son, Murad IV, became sultan.

During the reign of Murad IV, Kosem became regent for much of his childhood, ruling the Ottoman Empire from behind the throne for well over a decade.

Murad died in 1640 and power passed on to his mentally-ill brother, Ibrahim. Unfortunately, Kosem found Ibrahim difficult to control and, in 1648, organized his murder.

Her young son, Mehmed IV, ascended the throne afterward and Kosem’s power as regent of the Ottoman Empire became firmly cemented.

#3 — Boudicca

She is one of Britain’s most iconic heroes and a Queen whose story has sadly been swept under the rug.

Boudicca is the Queen of the Iceni, a tribe in East England that existed during the first century AD.

Leading one of the greatest battles against the Roman Empire around 60 – 61 AD, Boudicca was victorious in uniting British tribes to defeat the Romans encroaching on British soil.

In more ways than one, she can be described as a warrior Queen and her rallying cry was recorded by the historian Tacitus:

“We British are used to women commanders in war; I am descended from mighty men! But I am not fighting for my kingdom and wealth now. I am fighting as an ordinary person for my lost freedom, my bruised body, and my outraged daughters… That is what I, a woman, plan to do!”

With this battle cry, Boudicca’s victory was secured. However, this victory would not last long as they had hoped. The Romans began to rally their troops and crushed the revolt in one swift wave of attack. The Iceni were slain and executed to the point of extinction, and those that managed to survive were enslaved.

Even though Boudicca’s victory was short-lived, she is remembered through history as one of the most courageous warrior queens who fought for freedom from oppression, for herself and all the Celtic tribes of the British Isles.

#2 — Edith Bolling Galt Wilson

Woodrow Wilson led America’s entrance and victory in World War I, shaped the League of Nations, and – perhaps his most important contribution to history – granted women the right to vote.

However, despite his successes and hallmark contributions to the United States and the free world, he is only human. In 1919, President Wilson suffered a stroke that paralyzed the entire left side of his body, preventing him to “run at full capacity.”

It was due to this unfortunate incident that Edith Bolling Galt Wilson, first lady of the United States, was placed in a unique position of power even before women were allowed to vote. As the so-called Keeper of the Presidency, Edith kept her husband’s weakened condition from his staff for six weeks; an act that, presumably, involved mannequins dressed as the president with cleverly hidden recordings of President Wilson’s voice.

In her memoirs, Edith claims that she only decided on which matters to bring to the president and which ones could be decided on without him. Though she never had the authority to sign official documents on her husband’s behalf, the position of deciding on what the president should and should not see was still an utterly significant amount of power.

At one point, Edith fought against having the Vice President take her husband’s office. She was the first female president of the United States as many people would refer to her. Whether they were serious or not is a matter of conjecture.

Her role during her husband’s presidency is not as grandiose or as violent as the other women on this list, having the power to decide on behalf of the most powerful man in the free world deserves merit.

#1 — Olympias

Alexander the Great ruled an empire that stretched across Europe, into Asia, and North Africa. The “Great” appended to his name was well-earned through blood and sweat. A fierce general and a fearsome leader, Alexander ruled his empire atop a mighty throne; but while he enjoyed the comfort of his seat, the real strings were pulled from behind the throne.

Olympias, the mother of Alexander, was beautiful and powerful in the cult of the god Dionysus. Perhaps, she was history’s original femme fatale with her cunning and remarkable intelligence. She put to shame anyone who tried to pry power from the hands of her son.

In one story, when Alexander’s claim to power was threatened by revolt, coups, and discontented politicians, Olympias spread rumors that her son was born out of an affair she supposedly had with the god Zeus thus making Alexander a demi-god. Spreading like wildfire, the rumor turned to truth, and Olympias effectively secured an entire lifetime for Alexander to sit on his throne. As was custom and as Olympias’ power play worked out, Alexander cannot be denied his right to rule because of his status as a son of Zeus.

She is also one scornful lover. In another historical account, when her husband divorced her and married another woman, Olympias ordered her husband’s assassination; and in a move to maintain Alexander’s place in power, she also had her ex-husband’s children killed to stamp out any competing claim to the throne.

In Alexander’s absence, his regent Antipater was to rule in his stead. However, Olympias was able to subvert Antipater’s authority and quashed every ruling he would decree.

Even after Alexander’s death, Olympias continued to wage war and ordered Alexander’s armies to march into countries and regions that have not yet been invaded. Despite the presence of a reagent to conduct all affairs of state until a new leader is installed, Olympias continued to exhibit an extraordinary amount of power and ran an empire on a scale that is yet to be rivaled by anyone.

In his dying breath, Antipater’s dying words were a warning that women should never be allowed to lead: quite possibly referring to what a taste of power has done to Olympias.

---

Sources:

http://listverse.com/2017/03/31/10-forgotten-women-who-secretly-ruled-the-world/

http://www.mamamia.com.au/powerful-women/

http://www.ancient-origins.net/history-famous-people/ten-powerful-and-fearsome-women-ancient-world-002947

https://www.thoughtco.com/ancient-women-rulers-3528391

10 Nightmarish Diseases in History We Have Forgotten

Throughout human history, we have battled over a myriad of diseases that has threatened to wipe us off the face of the planet more than once.

In the days before modern science and medicine, diseases have been treated haphazardly that usually end up with disastrous results such as death or a pandemic.

Thankfully, as our understanding of the human body and medicine grew so too did our understanding of diseases that we were able to eliminate them to the point that many of history’s deadliest pandemics are now just a footnote in everyone’s memories.

However, that does not discount the fact that many of these historical pathogens are extinct. Many of them are lying dormant, patiently waiting for the right conditions to resurface. It also does not help that there is still a vast majority of regions around the world that does not have access to proper healthcare and medical assistance due to a variety of reasons that include poverty and conflict.

In this list, we are revisiting the 10 historical diseases that were the stuff of nightmares. Diseases that we have forgotten but may potentially return with a score to settle with humanity.

#10 — Smallpox

Making a debut to the world stage in the 16th Century, smallpox was an international epidemic that almost had the same scale as the Black Plague that preceded it.

A product of the variola virus, smallpox claimed the lives of more than 90 million Native Americans when the Europeans came to the shores of the Americas. It spread like wildfire in Europe, killing at least 400,000 people by the end of the 18th Century. Though a vaccine was finally formulated in 1796, the disease still spread and was only eliminated in the early years between the 19th and 20th Centuries.

However, while it may seem that smallpox is finally extinct, there have been recorded cases as recent as the 1960s when an outbreak swept the world, killing millions. The disease can easily be spotted by hallmark symptoms of body aches, high fever, and fluid-filled bumps that appear on the skin.

#9 — Polio

It was the disease that crippled Franklin D Roosevelt and placed him in a wheelchair throughout the Second World War until his death in 1945.

Polio was a disease that persists today in many countries, but it hit fever pitch in 1952 when it infected and paralyzed more than 57,000 people in the United States alone though the disease may have existed a thousand years beforehand.

Characterized by paralysis and the crippling of the lower extremities, polio is a disease targeting the human nervous system, and infection is by way of consuming contaminated food and water. Though a vaccine was developed in the 1950s, there is no cure for it. However, since polio only affects human beings, widespread vaccinations since the 50s has almost driven the disease to the point of extinction despite the fact that poverty-stricken countries are still plagued by it.

#8 — Cholera

Cholera was a disease that hovered over India for hundreds of years until it was introduced to the entire world in the 19th Century by way of European ships traveling to the country and back home. Mainly, infection is passed in through contaminated water and food. It exhibits flu-like symptoms that are accompanied by diarrhea and vomiting. Ultimately, a cholera patient dies due to severe dehydration.

Though diligent steps have been taken over the centuries to stop the disease from spreading, many countries still suffer from it to this day with the last recorded outbreak happening in Haiti after a deadly earthquake struck in 2010.

It has yet to be eliminated, and many health experts caution people on consuming food and water from unfamiliar places.

#7 — Leprosy

One of the oldest diseases, it has been referenced multiple times in history and the Bible as a punishment from the heavens.

This was a disease that attacks the skin and eats its way into a patient’s nerve cells. Caused by bacteria similar to that of tuberculosis, it is a disease that persists to this day across the globe. The United States, for one, has not been able to completely eradicate leprosy and many people struck by it usually get infected through armadillos – animals known to be infected with the disease – whether through eating it or keeping them on a farm where they are in constant contact.

The problem with eliminating the disease is that people most often get treatment during its later stages when it is much more difficult to manage. Though treatments are widely available, chances are, the extinction of leprosy is still too far off.

#6 — Typhus or Camp Fever

Practically non-existent today, Typhus or Camp Fever became an epidemic in the 17th Century and took the lives of 10 million soldiers during Europe’s Thirty Years War. Not only did it infect and kill many soldiers, but Typhus also spread in cramp and poverty-stricken areas in the continent.

The infection is caused by microbes and bacteria carried by lice thus making camps and overcrowded housings ground zero for the disease. Symptoms may be similar to the flu with fever and nausea at the top of the list. However, if left untreated, the disease can cause heat exhaustion in patients and, ultimately, complications that trigger organ failure.

The disease died out later on but saw a resurgence during the First World War causing millions of deaths in countries like Romania, Poland, and Russia.

#5 — Chlorosis

In the 18th Century, physicians and doctors were notorious for not being able to properly identify a disease which led to mistreatment and even the death of patients.

Such is the case with a bizarre disease called “chlorosis,” a sickness that targets women and affects their menstrual cycles, leaving them looking haggard and exhausted. Since doctors have little experience in treating women at that time, the 18th Century Medical Community was left baffled and at a loss for words.

Chlorosis persisted for two centuries until it died out. What is interesting to note about the disease, however, was that it was only an affliction that women in high society seemed to contract; no record of blue-collar women could be found infected with the mysterious illness.

Apart from exhaustion, patients would also fall into melancholy and their periods would completely stop. On top of that, the disease was easily detectable because it turned women, literally, a shade of green.

#4 — Spanish Flu

Also known as the Great Flu Epidemic of 1918, the Spanish Flu was short-lived, but in the year that it spread, it was able to claim the lives of about 100 million people worldwide.

This strain of the flu virus was brought home by troops at the end of the First World War, and it quickly became a global epidemic.

With symptoms similar to the common flu, it was the build-up of excessive amounts of fluid in the lungs that brought people to their deaths due to untreated complications.

#3 — Phossy Jaw

The Industrial Revolution of the 19th Century brought marvels to the civilized world as well as a collection of strange diseases.

One of them was a condition called Phossy Jaw; a condition that is caused by a specific line of profession.

Sufferers of the disease are mainly workers who spend long hours in a matchstick factory. Back then, matches were dipped in white phosphorus which allowed them to burn longer than their modern-day counterparts. The problem with white phosphorus is that it produces extremely toxic fumes.

Workers exposed to the chemical complained about chronic toothaches that eventually became infected and develop abscess.

In non-terminal cases, patients would just simply have the infected jaw amputated and allow the area to heal naturally. Unfortunately for people in the 19th Century, they would continue to work in the factories and repeatedly acquire the disease that potentially killed many of them in the end.
The condition was first identified in 1858, but despite this, the use of white phosphorus was not banned until 1906, about 50 years after hundreds of people have lost parts of their faces or their lives to the effects of the toxic chemical.

#2 — The Black Plague

Call it what you want: the Bubonic Plague, Black Death, or Black Plague. It is one of the most devastating epidemics the world has ever seen and has earned its chapter in many history books.

Known as the first true pandemic on earth, the Black Plague cleaned out half of the world’s population across Europe and Asia in the 14th Century.

While many point to the poor living conditions and rising pest population in Europe as the main cause of the disease, the strain of the plague is still being researched by experts today. However, thanks to developments and strides in modern medicine, what happened in the 14th Century is unlikely to happen again since treatments are readily available.

#1 — Plague of Athens

If we are to be worried about the next deadly pandemic, chances are it is going to be the Zika virus. However, the virus only equates to the common cold compared to the mysterious plague that decimated Athens, Greece during the early centuries of its civilization.

The unknown pestilence hit Athens in the early years of the first Olympic Games and reduced a great number of its population into a messy puddle of sweat, poop, and blood. A historian called Thucydides courageously described the victims of the plague as they suffered from inflammation in the eyes, convulsions, diarrhea, and the vomiting of blood. It was a terrible scene to behold and to imagine. The plague was so terrible that, during the Spartans’ siege of Athens, their armies turned and fled at the sight of the diseased citizens.

---

Sources:
http://www.cracked.com/article_24245_exploding-teeth-6-scary-diseases-that-were-lost-to-history.html
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/SwineFluNews/story?id=8321392&page=1
http://www.healthcarebusinesstech.com/the-10-deadliest-epidemics-in-history/

8 Legendary Shipwrecks Still Waiting to Be Discovered

When the remains of the RMS Titanic were discovered in 1985, it marked a milestone in underwater archaeology that ended years of the famous hunt for the sunken ship.
However, in the history of seafaring and oceanic travels, there are hundreds if not thousands of ships that have been lost or claimed by the sometimes treacherous waters of the ocean. From the expeditions of Christopher Columbus and Ferdinand Magellan to the ships that sailed to defend freedom during World War II, these giant vessels may have been built to outlast long journeys or heavy bombardment. Yet, as many of them have been witness to, none of them have ever won a fight against crashing waves and, well, sinking.

While we do mark the Titanic as one of history’s greatest underwater finds since its sinking, in today’s list, we are counting down to other notable ships that have also gone the way of the Titanic. Whether by bad luck or by enemy fire, here are 8 Legendary Shipwrecks that are still waiting to be discovered!

#8 — The Flor De la Mar

Translated as “Flower of the Sea,” this 400-ton Portuguese carrack was built in 1502. It was one of the ships that were instrumental in aiding Portugal to capture the island of Malacca in the Battle of Diu. 

What makes the Flor De la Mar one of the most sought-after shipwrecks in history is its rumored cargo of precious gems and gold, rare artifacts, metals, and much more treasure than a normal ship could carry. The treasure was intended for Queen Dona Maria and King Manuel I of Portugal. 

The story was that after the successful invasion and capture of Malacca, the ship’s crew loaded the Flor with whatever precious treasure they can get their hands on and fit on the ship as gifts to the King and Queen. 

In 1511, on its way back to Lisbon from Malacca, a violent storm smashed into the Flor head on and shipwrecked it somewhere off the coast of Sumatra. The storm was said to have been so strong that the ship was split in two, spilling its priceless cargo into the sea before it completely sank. To this very day, the exact whereabouts of the Flor de la Mar remains a mystery. Even renowned American diver, Robert Marx, reportedly shelled out millions of dollars to find the Flor and its sunken treasure calling it, “The Richest Vessel ever Lost at Sea!”

#7 — Las Cinque Chagas

Sailing from Goa, India to Lisbon, Portugal with a cargo of 3.5 million Portuguese Cruzados and 22 chests filled with diamonds, rubies, and pearls (worth over $1 billion in today’s standards) the 1,200-ton Las Cinque Chagas sank into the sea while it was nearing its final stretch home.

Measuring about 150 feet long and 45 feet wide, the Chagas, along with its rich cargo, carried with it more than 1,000 people, 400 of whom were reported to be slaves. The long voyage of the ship was almost completed, according to accounts, when, near the coastlines of Portugal, the Chagas was intercepted and attacked by three British privateer ships: The Mayflower, The Royal Exchange, and The Sampson. These privateer ships were captained by pirate entrepreneurs who modified and old warships or merchant ships to suit their needs.

The skirmish that followed their meeting lasted two days of nonstop bombardment from both sides. Unfortunately for the Chagas, despite its monolithic size, the battle fell in favor of the privateers. The Chagas caught fire after trying to defend itself, and on July 13, 1594, it sank off the coast of Portugal’s Azores, never making it to safety.

Just like the Flor de la Mar, the Chagas is sought-after by divers and modern-day treasure hunters for its promising haul. However, expert salvage operators believe that the remains of the ship, as well as its treasure, could be in waters as deep as 2500 feet.

#6 — Shackleton’s Endurance

Ernest Shackleton was an Irish-born explorer who hoped to successfully make an overland crossing of Antarctica, making it his first Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition to the South Pole.

However, the expedition met an abrupt end when his ship, the Endurance, was trapped in the Weddell Sea because of heavily packed ice, preventing the ship from even making it to the continent.

Like a defiant behemoth, the Endurance managed to survive 10 whole months in the ice before heavy amounts of pressure pressing down on its hull finally cracked it and sent the ship tumbling down the ice and into the cold waters below.

Shackleton and his crew managed to survive and made a perilous, yet almost legendary, 800-mile voyage back to England in a lifeboat.

Today, the Endurance remains lost deep in icy waters. Experts believe that the ship is now sitting at a depth of 10,000 feet, but before anyone could get to it, there is still the matter of breaking through a 5-foot layer of solid ice. One salvage expert named David Mearns and the man who discovered the Titanic, Robert Ballard, have expressed their interest in diving for the remains of the Endurance. Unfortunately, though, a team is yet to be assembled as well as raising enough money to fund the expedition.

#5 — SS Baychimo

Like a page out of a ghost story, the fate of the SS Baychimo is of particular interest. Constructed in Sweden in 1914 and owned by a German shipping company until the beginning of the First World War, the SS Baychimo is a 1322 ton steam-powered sea vessel.

After it was purchased by The Hudson’s Bay Company, the Baychimo went full-steam ahead as it made voyages across the North Atlantic from Scotland. It also made frequent visits in and around the areas of Alaska and British Columbia.

Unfortunately, the gigantic Baychimo went on its last voyage in 1931. While on its way to Vancouver, it fought against the harsh waters of the North Pacific, battling the wind and giant waves that knocked it from side to side. Fearing for their lives, the crew of the Baychimo chose to abandon ship and evacuated on lifeboats.

According to stories and legends surrounding the ship, the Baychimo did not exactly sink, and there were no eyewitnesses to confirm that the North Pacific devoured it. Thus, over 38 years since its mysterious disappearance, alleged sightings of the ship were reported by various captains, fishers, and Inuits; many of whom say that the ship was plodding along fine even without a crew. Other stories also include sailors failing in their attempts to board the ship. Later on, the sightings stopped and, after more than 20 years without even a whisper of the Baychimo, people have concluded that the abandoned ship had finally sunk. The last known sighting was in 1969 and efforts are being revived to find the so-called ghost ship as of 2006.

#4 — USS Indianapolis

After successfully delivering components of the first atomic bomb to an American base in Tinian on July 30, 1945, the USS Indianapolis met its demise a few days later after being torn apart by torpedoes from a patrolling Japanese submarine called I-58.

The cruiser seemingly disappeared instantaneously after the attack. It plummeted in the waters of the Philippine Sea, taking with it about 300 of its crew.

The survivors, some 900 of them, were left helpless in the shark infested waters of the region and by the time they were spotted and rescued by a Navy plane days after the attack, only 317 of them were left after the rest died from exposure and attacks from prowling sharks.

It was called the worst American Naval Disaster of World War II, and despite efforts to salvage what’s left of the Indianapolis, the wreckage cannot yet be found by sonar or underwater vehicles. The problem is that the cruiser may be resting in a depth of over 12,000 underwater.

#3 — Bonhomme Richard

Donated by France to the Patriot Cause, the Bonhomme Richard was one of the few Continental Navy ships that had a distinguished and remarkable combat record in the late 18th Century.

Captained by John Paul Jones, the Bonhomme was able to capture 16 British vessels in a matter of weeks when it was first acquired.

However, it was on September 23rd when the Bonhomme and its captain bit off a little more than they could chew. Locked in a battle with the HMS Serapis and another ship from the Royal Navy, Jones brushed off calls to surrender and relentlessly bombarded the two Royal Navy ships with as much firepower as the Bonhomme can. Several hours later, Jones was able to capture the Serapis, but unfortunately for the Bonhomme, the ship sustained a considerable amount of damage in the skirmish and suffered several shots below its waterline. Unable to keep the now burning ship afloat, the captain and his crew had no choice but to abandon ship and let it sink in the merciless waters of the North Sea.

Centuries later, salvage expeditions were launched to find the wreckage of the Bonhomme. A few salvage teams have identified wrecks matching the Bonhomme’s description, but none of these discovered wrecks are yet to be confirmed as the fabled ship itself.

#2 — HMS Endeavour

It is a ship that is as famous as the captain who commanded it. The HMS Endeavour was the first European vessel in history to sail to the east coast of Australia and circumnavigate New Zealand successfully under the captainship of James Cook.

Sadly for the Endeavour, it was sold years later to a private buyer and was tragically renamed The Lord Sandwich. Later on, the British Royal Navy chartered the ship to ferry troops to New England at the height of the American Revolution. One night, while it was moored in Rhode Island’s Newport Harbor in 1778, it was intentionally sunk along with 13 other sea vessels as part of a blockade against an incoming French fleet.

Today, the Endeavour is one of the many ships that are part of ongoing research by the Rhode Island Marine Archaeology Project and the Australian National Maritime Museum. Taking several years to map and explore the silt-heavy waters of Newport, the combined team has discovered the remains of the sunken ships but, sadly, the Endeavour remains to be elusive even after its demise.

#1 — The Santa Maria

No ship is more legendary than those that sailed with Christopher Columbus into the New World. Sailing from Spain, Columbus took with him three ships: the Niña, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. The three successfully arrived in the Americas, but during the journey back, only two were able to return to Spain.

The story goes that on Christmas Eve 1492, the sailor that was charged to steer the Santa Maria ordered an inexperienced cabin boy to do the job for him. Almost immediately, the cabin boy ran onto a coral reef in what is now modern-day Haiti and gave the ship some serious damage.

Fortunately for the crew, they were able to empty the ship of its cargo with the help of the natives. However, the ship sank into the sea the next day and, over the years, may have been buried deep in sediment.

In 2014, underwater explorer, Barry Clifford made the news when he claimed that he had found the wreckage of the Santa Maria with the help of Columbus’ journals. It may have cause to celebrate, but after a closer examination of the alleged wreckage by UNESCO, it was found out that the remains discovered belonged to a ship from the 17th or 18th centuries. To this very day, the precise location of the flagship Santa Maria remains lost to history.

---

Sources: 
http://www.history.com/news/history-lists/6-famous-shipwrecks-still-waiting-to-be-discovered
https://www.thevintagenews.com/2016/06/29/top-six-ships-searched-today/
http://www.thedailybeast.com/the-greatest-shipwrecks-still-out-there
http://asiasociety.org/blog/asia/lost-sea-four-famous-shipwrecks-waiting-be-discovered

5 Legendary & Mysterious Armors in History

History’s most amazing artifacts are the armors ancient warriors wore to battle. Not having the kind of technology we have today, it is amazing to see such intricate and outstanding work that survives to this day despite being battle-worn and suffering many blows in its days.
The skillful hands of a blacksmith are what warriors and knights have to be thankful for. Without them, they would be riding to certain death.

However, our concept and idea of what a battle armor in the ancient days are confined to the clunky, modern-day interpretation of Medieval European armor; those things that you see standing in dark hallways in horror movies or some creepy old guy’s dusty library.

But the ancient world has a multitude of peoples in different countries and each country has a unique culture that is magnified by the clothes they wear, the food they eat, up to the garments they put on during war time.

#5 — The Bronze Helmet (Greece)

The Ancient Greeks are a talented civilization that has given us many things from astronomy to democracy. However, despite our understanding of them being scholars and politicians, the Greeks are also fierce warriors that have one of the most organized armies in the ancient world.
The closest kind of armor that we are familiar with are those that we have seen in movies like Jason and the Argonauts and Clash of the Titans. While there may be similarities between those and their historical inspirations, we are only scratching the surface of what we know about Grecian battle armor.

In 2007, a particular piece of armor was dredged up from Haifa Bay in Israel. It was a Greek helmet made of bronze and ornamented with gold leaves; images of snakes, lions, and a peacock’s palmette also add to the design of the interesting find.

How it ended up in the bottom of the bay is still a mystery to researchers. However, it was not discounted that warriors who travel do lose some of their things such as weaponry, trinkets, and pieces of their garments for whatever reason. 

Archaeologists do believe that the helmet belonged to a wealthy Greek mercenary who might have taken part in a series of wars that ravaged the area which dates the helmet as far back as 2600 years old. Also, experts hypothesize that the unknown mercenary who owned the helmet might have fought for an Egyptian Pharaoh named Necho II.

Further research on the helmet also revealed that it had similarities with another helmet found in the 1950s near the island of Giglio, Italy.

“The gilding and figural ornaments make this one of the most ornate pieces of Greek armor discovered,” described Jacob Sharvit, director of the Marine Archaeology Unit of the Israel Antiquities Authority.

#4 — Plant Armor (Oceania and Micronesia)

When we speak of armor, we think about heavy, shiny metal that is double – or triple – the weight of the average warrior. We imagine insanely hot smithies where blacksmiths hammer away at pieces of plate and sheet metal.

However, in the far, coastal regions of Micronesia and Oceania, locals have found an unlikely yet very effective material to make their armor with plants.

While the Greeks are also known to make their protective armors out of plant-based material, it is the warriors from the Kiribati Islands that have perfected the making of it. For the locals of this region of the Pacific, the armor and weapons that they produce were products of readily available material that they could forage such as palm fronds, tree bark, and even animal parts. Combining different materials from land and sea proved to be life-saving implements when battles began to arise.

An example of this kind of armor is constructed using coir, a particularly strong fiber material harvested from coconut trees. Woven together and tightly, it forms an impenetrable layer that protects the body of the person wearing it. Also, like any battle armor, the plant armor comes in several parts that protect almost every part of the warrior’s body – it would even sometimes appear that a Kiribati warrior is more protected than his enemies.

Covered from head to toe, a typical suit of armor from the Pacific and Oceania are a thick woven coat and trousers made of coir, a thicker woven vest, a woven back plate, and a helmet that is usually made out of dried carcasses of porcupine fish.

It is said that the entire suit of armor can withstand projectile weaponry like arrows and spears as well as be able to parry bladed weapons in close quarter combat.

#3 — Skin and Bone (Siberia)

In September 2014, a team of archaeologists from Russia unearthed one of the world’s most mysterious pieces of armor. Made entirely out of bone, archaeologists believe that it belonged to a Siberian knight from 4000 years ago.

What was even more stunning about the discovery was how they discovered it in near-perfect condition. 

Buried in the area of Omsk, Siberia, the armor was said to have consisted of several plates of varying sizes to match the wearer’s anatomy all made of bone that was woven together. Suspecting that the bones were from large animals like deer or horse, tests are still being made to find the exact age of the bone armor although, as researchers believe, it is most likely from the Bronze Age.

However, what was quite puzzling about the remarkable find was that it was found to be buried on its own and not alongside a body. Because armor itself had great value during the Bronze Age, it took great lengths to keep it in great condition, and plenty of care and maintenance were required to keep it from deteriorating. The bone armor excavated in Omsk, therefore, suggests that it was buried as a form of offering.

According to Yury Gerasimov, a researcher at the Institute of Archeology and Ethnography in Omsk, the bone armor would most likely have belonged to an elite soldier or warrior. It would have given him “good protection from weapons that were used at the time – bone and stone arrowheads, bronze knives, spears tipped with bronze, and bronze axes.”

Another inconsistency found about the bone armor was that it was far from the style of battle garments worn in that region of Siberia. Experts claim that its design had a much closer resemblance to the cultures of a tribe that originated in the Altai Mountains, a region that is about 1000 km away from where the bone armor was found. This, therefore, led the research team to hypothesize that the bone armor may also be a war trophy or a gift from one culture to another.

#2 — Tatami Gusoku (Japan)

Metal is one of the most common and practical materials used in making suits of armor. Its hardness is highly valued regarding protecting the body of the wearer from attacks.
However, despite skillful design, some suits of armor can still be clunky and difficult to transport when battles are done abroad. However, in ancient Japan, armor was made with the same discipline as they make their legendary swords.

We know the Japanese to be a disciplined race who aim for beauty and perfection in everything they do from pouring tea to clipping branches. The same discipline to perfection is also applied to their one of a kind armor.

Called Tatami Gusoku, it roughly translates as “to fold armor” or “folded armor.” The reason being is that these unique pieces are made in such a way that they can fit into a small box which makes it easy for individual soldiers to transport them.

The armor consists mainly of an armored jacket, a foldable cuirass, as well as a helmet and hood to protect their heads. It had parts that corresponded to a traditional Japanese full suit of armor, the ones we are more familiar with in movies and pop culture.

The Tatami Gusoku is constructed by binding each protective plate with chain mail that links together to form a shirt-like garment. Sensitive parts of the body, such as the chest, had larger plates of metal bound by these chains. Also, the unique construction and material of this suit of armor makes it considerably lighter than its contemporaries and allowed warriors an even wider range of movement since they are not particularly hindered by large and heavy pieces of metal in places where they need to be nimble.

#1 — The Horned Helmet (England)

Designed and made by Austrian goldsmith, Konrad Seusenhofer, the Horned Helmet was originally part of an entire suit of armor gifted by the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I to Henry VIII in the 16th Century.

The horned helmet is nothing new in the world of battle armor. Technically, it was not a helmet but an “armet”; a headpiece worn by soldiers that protect his head as well as his entire face during combat. First introduced in the 15th Century, armets were more popular and extensively used in areas of Italy, England, France, and parts of Spain. But for this list, let’s just stick to calling it a helmet.

This particular helmet jumps to the top of our list for its, well… “unique”… looks. Designed to completely cover the wearer’s face, the Horned Helmet resembles the face of a smiling demon with sharp teeth. On its head was a pair of metal horns that twisted outwards. Another peculiar feature of the helmet was a pair of metal glasses that sit on its pointed nose.

Rumor has it that these glasses served a functional purpose because Henry VIII was allegedly near sighted and had a collection of spectacles that was discovered after his death.
It was also rumored that the helmet belonged to Henry’s court jester, Will Somers, when it was first discovered centuries later.

The whereabouts of the rest of the armor are no longer to be found and are assumed to have been destroyed or discarded as scrap metal over the years. Thankfully, due to its grotesque appearance, the helmet was saved from destroyed and is now preserved in the collection of the Royal Armouries in Leeds.

While many suits of armor and helmets were used in battle, this helmet and its now destroyed suit were mainly used by Henry VIII in ceremonies and parades.

---

Sources:
http://www.ancient-origins.net/artifacts-other-artifacts/more-metal-amazing-historical-suits-armor-007837?nopaging=1
https://www.thevintagenews.com/2016/10/21/japanese-armor-worn-by-all-samurai-classes-the-tatami-gusoku/
http://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/archaeologists-unearth-4000-year-old-siberian-knight-armour-102090
http://www.livescience.com/18700-ancient-helmet-greek-warrior.html
http://warfarehistorian.blogspot.com/2013/03/odd-fighting-units-of-world-history.html
https://www.thevintagenews.com/2017/01/01/henry-viiis-bizarre-looking-horned-helmet-was-designed-for-use-in-parades-rather-than-for-combat/

5 Ancient Technologies Way Ahead of Their Time

The ancient world is full of wonders that the modern age cannot compete with. The great civilizations, the larger than life monuments, and the fascinating stories told about an age gone by has been the subject of many movies, documentaries, and studies. Who could argue against the revolutionary system of the aqueducts that the Romans introduced that was the precursor to modern-day irrigation? Who could introduce something much better than the discoveries and theories posed by Aristotle that became the cornerstone of what we know today as the study of Physics?

While the modern age does have technology that brings information to us faster than lightning, we should not fail to remember that it was the ancient world that opened the doors to the advancements we have today.

Doors that, in some ways, are considered too advanced for a civilization that we believed to be quite Paleolithic compared to our century. Who would think that people in the ancient world would be able to invent an early concept of an aircraft thousands of years before the first Wright Brothers prototype left land?

#5 — The Baghdad Battery

Let’s start off with one of the most famous archeological finds on the subject. Discovered in the 1930s in a region called Khujut Rubu’a just outside Baghdad, the so-called “Baghdad Battery” was a wonder to behold considering that electricity and its uses would not have been discovered 2000 years after these batteries came into existence.

The batteries discovered consisted of a clay jar with an asphalt stopper. Through the center of the stopper ran an iron rod that was surrounded by a copper cylinder inside the jar. It is believed that if the jar was filled with an electrolytic solution like vinegar or lemon juice, the battery would be able to produce at least 1.1 volts of electricity.

A volt may not be enough to power a home or a machine that relied on electricity, but archeologists and historians believe that it may have been used for purposes of electroplating since artifacts with very thin layers of gold and silver have also been unearthed in digs; artifacts that may reinforce the notion that the batteries were ancient power tools.

On the other side of the spectrum, some experts disagree that the Baghdad Batteries are, in fact, “batteries” since they found no conclusive evidence as to where they might be used or what they might be used for.

Some scholars claim that the jars were more likely to be a sophisticated means of keeping scrolls and papyri and that the acidic residue found at the bottom of the clay jars were nothing more than decomposed scrolls and papyri. Whatever the claim, the Baghdad Batteries still confound and astound historians and archeologists to this very day.

#4 — Central Heating

The Greeks were pioneers on almost anything you can conceive of that helped build Western Civilization and among those was the technology for central heating. It may sound trivial and inconsequential when compared to the Grecian contributions in mathematics, science, and philosophy but the idea of such a technology is quite remarkable given that even the concept of it is something unheard of at that time.

Called by the ancient Greeks as hypocaust or “under burnt,” the technology was first employed in the Temple of Ephesus in 350 BC. Later on, the trend caught on, and it was the Romans who managed to apply it on a larger scale from their temples to the homes of the wealthy, to the public baths, and to government buildings.

The hypocaust was created by making a structure just beneath the floor of a building. This structure would consist of pillars that would raise the structure's floor. On top of these pillars would be tiles that are covered in a layer of concrete; above it is the floor of the building itself. A furnace would then be lit, and the combination of hot air and smoke would rise and be trapped in the space between the floors. To heat multiple levels of a building, the smoke would find its way through a series of clay flues that act as pipes. What’s even more ingenious about how the Romans used the hypocaust is they built bronze ventilators that could be used to regulate temperatures.

If this system sounds too labor intensive and expensive, it’s because it is. Slave laborers would have to constantly maintain the fire at just the right temperature and the right level of comfort for people in the building or home.

#3 — Antikythera Mechanism

Recovered in a shipwreck in 1901, the Antikythera Mechanism was among several other, heavily crusted artifacts salvaged from the sea. The Mechanism is of particular interest because of its more than complicated construction. 

Taking years of research by experts and studies about Babylonian records on eclipses, it was later confirmed that the Antikythera Mechanism was the world’s first computer.

The Mechanism features a fixed ring dial on its front face that is called the ecliptic or the twelve zodiac signs that are equally marked off on 30-degree sectors. This construction closely resembles the Babylonian method of assigning 1/12 of the elliptic to each sign despite the fact that constellation boundaries were quite variable.

Outside of the ring dial, the device uniquely features a rotating ring that marks the days and months of the Egyptian calendar.

The Antikythera Mechanism closely resembles a modern-day clock with a large circular front face and a knob on its side which manipulates winding parts. When the knob is turned, at least seven different clock hands – one for the moon, one for the sun, and five for the five planets that the Greeks were able to see - would move and display the celestial time. Not only did the device show which stars rose and set on a given date but also the phases of the moon.

It was an extremely complicated device, and even though its pieces have given clues and ideas of how it worked, experts can only guess how it was put together with its highly intricate system of gears inside.

#2 — Ancient Seismoscope

Earthquakes are one of nature’s most unpredictable forces, and scientists have been trying to crack the mystery of foreseeing an oncoming tremor with little results for nearly 2000 years. However, the answer to their quandary may well be in a device used by a man named Zhang Heng in 132 AD.

This ancient seismoscope was able to detect earthquakes from long distances, and it was also able to predict, with an almost pinpoint accuracy, which direction the tremors are. Even more remarkable is the fact that the device was able to detect earthquakes in areas even when no tremors are felt.

The construction of the device looked fairly simple and can be mistaken for a large vase or urn. It was made of bronze and was six feet in diameter. Around the body of the device were eight dragon heads, each marking the main directions of a compass; each dragon had a small ball clamped in its mouth. Sitting directly beneath the dragons were eight toads with their mouths open towards the dragons.

When a tremor happened, one dragon would drop its ball into the gaping toad indicating where the earthquake was. In one story in 138 AD, the seismoscope detected tremors west of Luoyang, but no one sensed the slightest movement there. A few days later, a messenger from the region brought news of an earthquake which proved the device’s accuracy to the people of the time.

To this day, there is no clear understanding of how Zhang Heng’s device worked. In 2005, a group of scientists recreated the device with supporting theories and discovered that it worked as well as modern seismometers; something that, no doubt, surprised them.

#1 — Ancient Flying Machines of Egypt and South America

There are two separate stories that suggest a mind-blowing conclusion: the ancient Egyptians and the early civilization of South America had flight technology that predates the machines of Leonardo Da Vinci and the Wright Brothers.

If we are going to talk about technology that is way ahead of its time, then planes and flying machines take the top spot on this list. For thousands of years, mankind has pondered on the idea of flying and how he may be able to do it one day. From Greek philosophers to stories like the tale of Daedalus and Icarus, the flight has been one of the things man has been obsessed with before the invention of the first aircraft. 

In South America, the idea that they may have had an early concept of a flying machine came in the form of the jewelry produced by the Chimu culture, now Colombia, 2000 years ago. In one design, a pendant was crafted in the shape of, what looks like, a modern-day aircraft with a cockpit, delta wings, and tail fins. However, considering that the Chimu took their design inspiration from birds, it is highly unlikely that they have created a machine but having such a design that echoes a modern-day aircraft does command a little bit of merit.

In Egypt, there is also a similar case. A wooden falcon was discovered after it was unearthed in Saqqara by an Egyptian doctor name Khalil Messiha. He claimed that the device had exceptional flight properties and characteristics. Unfortunately, Messiah's claims were exaggerated and over-inflated until the wooden toy was held as an example. As experts dug a little deeper, the wooden carving was discovered to resemble wind vanes used on masts of Egyptian riverboats. 

Though there still needs more light to be shed on this and whether or not these so-called machines are real or just the product of creativity, what is fascinating is that given some ancient technologies that have been unearthed over the years from ancient batteries to seismoscopes, a flying machine is not that far-fetched.

---

Sources:
http://historycollection.co/ancient-technology-centuries-time/
http://www.messagetoeagle.com/10-remarkable-advanced-ancient-technologies-ahead-of-their-times/
http://io9.gizmodo.com/5554053/five-ancient-technologies-that-were-ahead-of-their-times