If history matters, then getting right the history of the first encounters of the world’s two largest religions—Christianity and Islam—really matters. In this fascinating video, Prof. Michael Penn, the Teresa Hihn Moore Professor of Religious Studies at Stanford University, sheds light on the extremely important but little-known aspects of the early history of Christian-Muslim encounters.
Scariest & Creepiest Archaeological Discoveries
In the following video we will be exploring some of the scariest and creepiest archaeological discoveries ever. Watch the video to find out more!
Alexander the Great Brought to Life: Facial Reconstructions Revealed. Includes his story & legacy
Alexander the Great is famous for never losing a battle and being somewhat of a war and empire-building wunderkind. But what did Alexander look like? Did he have heterochromia? What images of Alexander the Great can we trust? Let's dive into his life, history, and of course the modern-day reconstruction reveal.
Largest Mammoth that Ever Lived: The Steppe Mammoth
Steppes are the cold grasslands in Asia and Europe. 1.8 million years ago there was a large mammoth called the Southern Mammoth that thrived in there. A group of the Southern mammoths were geographically isolated due to a mountain range or a river. This group turned larger than the ancestral species and were the Steppe mammoths. The steppe mammoths were the largest mammoth species that ever lived. Steppe mammoths were 17 feet tall and 14.3 metric tons in weight.
Mostly we find the teeth of Steppe Mammoths, full skeletons are rare.
Steppe mammoths gave rise to wooly Mammoths and Columbian mammoths. Steppe mammoths became extinct 200, 000 years ago. Their extinction is not fully clear. Probably the competition from more successful woolly mammoths and Columbian mammoth drove them to extinction.
Why Is This Remote Lake Full of Hundreds of Skeletons?
Could a remote lake be full of hundreds of skeletons? Watch the video below to find out more!
What's the Deepest Point on Earth?
Today we will be exploring the deepest places on Earth, and the very deepest point is not where you think. Watch the video below to find out more!
Here's What Nobody Told You About Noah's Ark
Noah’s Ark is one of the first stories kids learn in Sunday School. After all, it’s fairly kid-friendly to teach about the floating boat where all the animals were (as long as you downplay that destruction of humanity part), as opposed to the darker and more complicated Bible stories. For years, people have debated how historically accurate the account is, with some claiming they have found Noah’s Ark, with others pointing out the scientific fallacies of it all. From the other flood legends to the exhibits built to resemble it, let’s take a look at what nobody told you about Noah’s Ark.
12 Most Mysterious Archaeological Artifacts Scientists Still Can't Explain
When you go to look at a historical artifact in a museum, it will be accompanied by a plaque that tells you what it is and where it came from. In some museums, you might even get an audio recording or a guided tour to provide you with more detail. Not every discovery comes with an explanation, though! Even with all the information at our disposal in the modern age, there are some things that are best scientists and experts find it hard to explain. See if you can come up with explanations for the things you're about to see in this video!
Amazing Creatures on Earth before Dinosaurs
Dinosaurs have a special place among prehistoric animals. During the Mesozoic era, many species of dinosaurs dominated the Earth. Let us talk about their less known but very interesting ancestors and their fight for a place under the sun.
What was Found Under The Ice Antarctica?
53 million years ago, it was so warm here that the shores were filled with palm trees, and the air temperature rose above 20 degrees Celsius. And just recently, the temperature dropped to minus 89.2 degrees Celsius in this place. It is the fifth largest continent in the world. 99% of the mainland is covered with ice which is on average 3 km thick. It stores about 80% of all freshwater reserves on the planet. And you are not allowed to be here if you haven't removed your wisdom teeth or appendix.
This is Antarctica!
The surface of its mainland is well-studied. But, as always, the most interesting stuff is hidden deep inside. Well, it's time to find out what lies under those thick layers of ice. Is there life there and does it resemble ours?
12 Most Amazing Archaeological Discoveries
We all love a good archaeological discovery. Every time something significant is found in the ground, it tells us a little more about the places and people who existed before us, and laid the foundations of the lives we enjoy today. An archaeological discovery doesn’t have to be ancient in order for it to be amazing - it just has to make you sit back and say ‘wow.’ Every discovery you’re about to see in today’s list has the ‘wow’ factor, so enjoy this collection of spectacular archaeological finds from all over the world!
The Fall of Constantinople 1453
On Easter Monday in 1453, an Ottoman army led by the young and ambitious Sultan Mehmed II arrived at the gates of the Byzantine capital Constantinople. This marked the beginning of a siege characterized by the determination of leaders, a city with extraordinary fortifications, and the most extensive siege artillery the world had seen to this day. The fall of Constantinople was a true watershed in history. It cemented the position of the Ottoman empire as the major power in the Balkans and the eastern Mediterranean and it ended the long chapter of Roman history for good. The Roman Empire had in some ways outlasted the so-called fall of Rome in 476AD almost for a thousand years as it continued to exist as what we nowadays call the Byzantine Empire.
Up to this day thousands of pages have been written on the fall, or conquest, of Constantinople, and barely any other siege in history has received more attention by scholars and history buffs alike. In this video we tell the story of the staggering siege of Constantinople by weaving together the insights of the most recent scholarly literature. This required – given the many controversies about this siege - quite a lot of reading.
The continuing discoveries at Pompeii
Nearly 2,000 years ago, the erupting Mt. Vesuvius covered the bustling Roman metropolis of Pompeii in volcanic ash. Archaeologists are still uncovering buried portions of the city, piecing together a tantalizing puzzle about life before the disaster. Correspondent Seth Doane reports. Enjoy!
Hercules faces the Mighty Cretan Bull - The 12 Labors of Hercules
In today’s video we will be talking about the capture the Cretan Bull, one of the 12 labors of Hercules. Watch the video below to find out more!
San José galleon: Two new shipwrecks found off Colombian coast
Colombian naval officials monitoring a sunken Spanish ship laden with treasure have discovered two other historical shipwrecks nearby, President Iván Duque has announced.
The San José galleon was sunk by the British in 1708 near Colombia's Caribbean port of Cartagena.
The wreckage was located in 2015.
It has been described as the holy grail of shipwrecks, as the ship was carrying one of the largest amounts of valuables ever to have been lost at sea.
A remotely operated vehicle filming the wreckage has now discovered two other nearby wrecks - a colonial boat and a schooner thought to be from around the same period as Colombia's war for independence from Spain, some 200 years ago.
"We now have two other discoveries in the same area, that show other options for archaeological exploration," navy commander Admiral Gabriel Pérez said. "So the work is just beginning."
The new images offer the clearest view yet of the treasure aboard the San José - including gold ingots and coins, cannons made in Seville in 1655 and an intact Chinese dinner service.
Archaeologists are working to find out the origin of the plates based on inscriptions, officials said.
Ownership of the wreck has been the subject of a long-running legal row.
Spain says the ship and treasures are a "ship of state" as it belonged to the Spanish navy when it was sunk and is protected as such by United Nations regulations.
10 Terrifying Places Science Still Can't Explain
How to Learn More about the Earth. The scientific community has made great strides in discovering a lot about the planet we call home. Yet there’s still so much we don’t know! In this video, we’ll tell you about 10 of the most mysterious and bewildering places on Earth that even scientists can’t explain! Magnetic Hill, Skeleton Lake, Boiling River and a Dancing Forest. Plus, some mysterious waters where ships disappear.
Why Dodos Actually Went Extinct
Part one of three! Most people know only two things when it comes to the dodo: they were stupid, and now they are extinct. But this simplistic view leaves out the full picture. In this video, we're exploring the many reasons why dodos ended up extinct, as well as the larger evolutionary forces at play.
Inside The First Ever Pyramid of Egypt | The Nile: Egypt's Greatest River
Travel with us along the Nile to see The Great Pyramid of Giza which, is the only remaining of the Seven Ancient Wonders. Bettany Hughes gazes inside the first-ever pyramid as well as seeing the mummy of Tutankhamun's Grandmother! Watch on to see Bettany set sight on the Egyptian Pharaoh Tombs!
History's 10 Most Ruthless Queens and Brutal Rulers
When most people picture a dictator, the first thought that comes to mind is usually of a strongman in military regalia. Seldom does one picture a dictator as a woman, and for good reason. There really hasn't been a female dictator in the modern sense of the word, but that doesn't mean that powerful women throughout history have never ruled with an iron fist. In fact, some of the most famous queens and female rulers in history have committed cruelties on par with their male counterparts.
What Hygiene Was Like During the Black Plague
What was hygiene like during the Black Death? In the 14th century, the bubonic plague swept through Europe, wiping out as many as 50 million people - or more than half the continent. During this time, it was common for people to dump their chamber pots in the streets and sleep on dirty straw. These unsanitary practices attracted rodents and spread disease. Could better hygiene have prevented the black plague?
