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Distinbuished by its size and rising succession of domes, the Hagia Sophia is the supreme masterpiece of Byzantine architecture. First a church, later a mosque, and now a museum, it was designed under Justinian I by Anthemius of Tralles and Isidorus of Miletus and completed in less than six years. Its combination of a longitudinal basilica with a main building was wholly original in the sixth century, as was its use of pendentives. The Hagia Sophia stands on the site of what earlier structure? More...
Historic Trivia pick - All Ball
THE CAT WHO PLAYED WITH A GORILLA
Scientists once believed that the ability to make and use tools was a skill reserved only for humans. Now they've realised that creatures from chimps to certain kinds of birds can master this trick. So are there any behaviours that set us apart from the "lower" animals? Perhaps our inclination to keep other species as pets makes us unique.
Or perhaps not.
If the behaviour of Koko the Gorilla is any guide, other creatures crave this sort of companionship, too. The Woodside, California, resident, born in 1976, is world famous for her "speaking" ability. The scientists who care for her assert that she's learned more than 1,000 American Sign Language symbols and uses them to communicate everything from her physical needs to her moods.
In 1984, Koko reportedly told her keepers that she'd like to have a pet cat for her birthday present. Shortly thereafter, a litter of abandoned kittens was brought in for her to inspect. After carefully examining each one, she chose a tailless gray male who she named All Ball. Though Koko was of course far larger and much stronger than her fragile new charge, she treated him with great gentleness.
All Ball was cuddled, kissed, and allowed to ride around on Koko's back like a baby gorilla. Sadly, All Ball escaped from the compound in December 1984 and was killed by a car. Koko was inconsolable. She cried for days and tried to express her loss to her keepers through sign language. When someone asked what happened to her pet, Koko responded by signing "Sleep cat". And when she was shown a picture of a kitten that looked like All Ball, she signed, "Cry, sad, frown".
Can a gorilla really communicate using sign language? Maybe, or maybe not. Some scientists wonder if Koko truly comprehends what she's doing, or if, perhaps, the worlds she uses are merely wishful thinking on the part of the handlers who interpret for her. But what's harder to dispute is the depth of the gorilla's reaction to her small friend's death. Koko may or may not be able to sign the world for grief, but she certainly seems to feel it.
The Hagia Sophia is Completed
Distinbuished by its size and rising succession of domes, the Hagia Sophia is the supreme masterpiece of Byzantine architecture. First a church, later a mosque, and now a museum, it was designed under Justinian I by Anthemius of Tralles and Isidorus of Miletus and completed in less than six years. Its combination of a longitudinal basilica with a main building was wholly original in the sixth century, as was its use of pendentives. The Hagia Sophia stands on the site of what earlier structure? More...
- 2007 - Benazir Bhutto assassinated
The former Prime Minister of Pakistan was killed after a shooting and the detonation of a suicide bomb while campaigning for the upcoming elections in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. - 1949 - Indonesian Independence
The Southeast Asian country's independence came after 4 years of revolution and struggle. In August 1945, Sukarno signed the Proclamation of Indonesian Independence, which was formally accepted and recognized by the Dutch in 1949. - 1918 - Greater Poland Uprising of 1918–1919 begins
The revolt against the Germans began in Poznań after a speech by the Polish Prime Minster, Ignacy Paderewski. The uprising led to newer territory being added to Poland in the Treaty of Versailles. - 1845 - Anesthesia used for the first time for childbirth
Dr. Crawford W. Long, an American physician, gave ether to his wife during the birth of their second child. The event revolutionalized the use of anesthesia in medicine and surgery. - 1831 - Charles Darwin begins his journey on the HMS Beagle
It was during this 5-year long voyage that the English naturalist worked on his Theory of Evolution. He published the evidence supporting it in his 1859 book, On the Origin of Species.
Historic Trivia pick - All BallTHE CAT WHO PLAYED WITH A GORILLA
Scientists once believed that the ability to make and use tools was a skill reserved only for humans. Now they've realised that creatures from chimps to certain kinds of birds can master this trick. So are there any behaviours that set us apart from the "lower" animals? Perhaps our inclination to keep other species as pets makes us unique.
Or perhaps not.
If the behaviour of Koko the Gorilla is any guide, other creatures crave this sort of companionship, too. The Woodside, California, resident, born in 1976, is world famous for her "speaking" ability. The scientists who care for her assert that she's learned more than 1,000 American Sign Language symbols and uses them to communicate everything from her physical needs to her moods.
In 1984, Koko reportedly told her keepers that she'd like to have a pet cat for her birthday present. Shortly thereafter, a litter of abandoned kittens was brought in for her to inspect. After carefully examining each one, she chose a tailless gray male who she named All Ball. Though Koko was of course far larger and much stronger than her fragile new charge, she treated him with great gentleness.
All Ball was cuddled, kissed, and allowed to ride around on Koko's back like a baby gorilla. Sadly, All Ball escaped from the compound in December 1984 and was killed by a car. Koko was inconsolable. She cried for days and tried to express her loss to her keepers through sign language. When someone asked what happened to her pet, Koko responded by signing "Sleep cat". And when she was shown a picture of a kitten that looked like All Ball, she signed, "Cry, sad, frown".
Can a gorilla really communicate using sign language? Maybe, or maybe not. Some scientists wonder if Koko truly comprehends what she's doing, or if, perhaps, the worlds she uses are merely wishful thinking on the part of the handlers who interpret for her. But what's harder to dispute is the depth of the gorilla's reaction to her small friend's death. Koko may or may not be able to sign the world for grief, but she certainly seems to feel it.
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61-BLUES
