History Hound Travels

Did you guys see this? After the recent issues NASA has had, I consider this safe landing to be a historical event.

Did you catch that little bit about 195 days in space? That’s just amazing from a sheer logistical perspective. The man had to eat. If he ate, he had to go, if he went, he had to wipe. 195 days. And I think I am doing well to plan a couple days ahead.

H/T: Jules

Category selectable site from the British Museum: cities, religion, technology, trade, writing, buildings, which you can select after a very short flash animation. Ancient Civilizations is a great site for a history lover, and the whole thing is driven by the interactive map. You’ll learn bunches here, and it’s too fun to keep to myself. Enjoy

Haha, made ya look! In all seriousness, I watched a cool show on the History Channel, which I think may be called History International now. It was called The Naked Archaeologist. Tonight’s episodes concerned the Temple Mount/Dome of the Rock. You can find out more by visiting The Naked Archeologist.

Technorati Tags: History Channel, The Naked Archaeologist

I wanted to share this news clip about a new museum in Kentucky. Scientists are outraged over it, and it’s evidently causing quite a stir.

I think it’s no shock to any of you who’ve read this blog for any length of time that I believe in Creationism. But that doesn’t make me less scientific than other people. In fact, my premise is that neither evolution nor creation can be proven, and that both therefore remain theories. All comments to the contrary are simply rhetoric. I learned in school how to apply the “scientific method” to questions. In order for a hypothesis to be scientifically provable, it must be repeatable and observable. Well, we can’t cause evolution OR creation to happen. We can’t “do it again” in the lab. Therefore, both are theories.

I guess I got off on a little tangent there, didn’t I? Still it’s good to know the mind set I’m coming from as a historian, isn’t it? I believe in creation, because I believe in creation, not because I can prove it. People who believe in evolution are the same, whether or not they will admit it. And the belief you have there, totally affects how you view early history.

Did you know that…..

• Diamonds were probably first discovered in India, around 800 BC?
• The first known engagement ring was given by Archduke Maximilian of Austria in 1477?
• South Africa’s diamond deposits were discovered in 1866?
• There are diamonds in Western Canada?
• The largest rough diamond was discovered in 1905 and weighed 3,106 carats?
• carats are named from the seeds of the carob tree, used to balance the scales in ancient Oriental bazaars?