As Thomas Pynchon said, if they can get you asking the wrong questions, they don’t have to worry about answers.
- The recently discovered Ukrainian Bronze Age pyramid, which predates Egyptian pyramids by at least 300 years, is a complex of temples and altars topping a sculpted hill with steps on its sides.
- Palaeontologists say humans tried to colonise Britain at least eight times over the past 700,000 years, but on each attempt except the last, the populations were wiped out when an ice age arrived.
- Study says rise of world’s earliest civilisations was a by-product of adaptation to adverse climate change.
- In a 1961 reactor accident that was kept secret for 30 years, the heroic efforts of the crew of a Russian submarine prevented a nuclear war – as well as a global ecological disaster. Each of the 48 surviving sailors has been nominated for a 2006 Nobel Peace Prize.
- The ancient Persian city of Ephesus.
- The Phrygian Liberty Cap and the Magic Mushroom.
- Say you sealed tons of radiactive waste half a mile below the New Mexico desert. Assuming the facility survives for 10,000 years, what sort of ‘danger’ sign would future humans heed? It boils down to stones, the only medium with an established track record of retaining messages for as long as 5,000 years.
- Holy grail of vulcanology discovered: the more water bubbles in the magma, the more violent the eruption.
- ‘Hot Jupiters’ could give rise to Earthlike worlds. In other words, Earthlike planets – covered with deep oceans that could harbor life – may be found in a third of solar systems discovered outside of our own.
- Mars rover nears crater thought to be scientific treasure trove.
- Melting permafrost spews out methane. The potent gas is being released at five times the rate originally measured.
- Over the coming century, global warming may lead to a return of temperatures last seen in the age of the dinosaur, which could lead to the extinction of up to half of all species.
- Probiotic bacteria given to autistic children improved their concentration and behaviour so much that the medical trial of the treatment collapsed.
- Astounded neuroscientists find they are able to communicate with patient in persistent vegetative state: brain scans showed woman was able to imagine playing tennis and walking round her flat.
- Illnesses caused by 9/11 clean-up more widespread and persistent than previously thought.
- Biologists find gene that switches off stem cells as a person ages.
- The Macbeth effect: research shows people really do wash away sins.
- Scientists identify brain’s ‘concept control’ area, where words are matched to everyday objects.
- Contrite British Petroleum bosses admit blame for Alaskan oil leaks.
- Biophilic design: Are ‘ancient genetic predilections’ behind the modern desire to bring nature indoors?
- Amazon.com launches TV, movie downloading service.
- Head of Europe’s human rights watchdog calls for clampdown on CIA agents operating in Britain and other European countries.
- More than a year before the invasion of Iraq, the CIA devised a plan to use Iraqi exile fighters to lead a revolt against Saddam Hussein in the hope that his response would create a pretext for war: a review of Hubris: The Inside Story of Spin, Scandal, and the Selling of the Iraq War by Michael Isikoff and David Corn. Amazon US & UK.
- 9/11 – Five years on: a mirror of The Independent‘s recent report.
- Who really blew up the twin towers? As the fifth anniversary of 9/11 nears, The Guardian‘s Christina Asquith finds academics querying the official version of events.
- The 9/11 Heroin Connection: In ‘the biggest censored story of the 21st century’, the author also gives his take on some high-profile members of the 9/11 Truth Movement, including David Griffin and Alex Jones.
- FBI looks at Pentagon worker in Israel spy probe. Israeli Spying: The Mother of all Scandals. Video (19 minutes) of Fox News’ Dec. 2001 4-part report on 9/11: The Israeli Connection.
- In Search of Accurate Vote Totals (the crux is in the third paragraph). The myth of fair elections in America. Computer programmer’s shocking election-theft testimony (including ‘must-see’ video).
- Owner of DataUSA, which conducted political polls for the campaigns of President Bush, Sen. Joe Lieberman and other candidates, pleads guilty to fraud for making up survey and poll results.
- In an unintentionally prescient 2002 interview, Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin said, ‘If I’m going to die, at least I want it filmed.’ An unprecedented show of grief continues for wildlife enthusiast Steve Irwin. One humorous last moment with Steve (29 second video).
- Pine Ridge Bigfoot update: Close encounters with South Dakota’s Sasquatch continue, with more confirming thermal imaging reports and law enforcement sightings.
- Saint Mungo may have given his name to the magical hospital in Harry Potter’s world, but the saint’s true origins are just as mysterious.
Thanks Brian and Isis.
Quote of the Day:
Why does the US need to keep people in secret prisons? I thought that was settled by Magna Carta. But King John is alive and well and running the USA.
Terry Davis, secretary general of the Council of Europe
