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Category: Religion & belief

By The Generalist Posted on October 12, 2021January 25, 2023

The linguistics of speaking in tongues

Glossolalia, or speaking in tongues, occurs sometimes in Pentecostal and Charismatic Christian gatherings. It is supposed to be the language of God – but what does it say?

Categories: Language, Religion & belief
By The Generalist Posted on September 28, 2021September 27, 2021

Long Hindu time

One of the longest measurements of time appears in ancient Hindu scriptures: the mahā-kalpa, equal to 311.04 trillion years.

Categories: Religion & belief, South Asia, Weights & measures
By The Generalist Posted on September 17, 2021September 16, 2021

Sheep fruit

Behold the fabulous creatures of myth and legend! The dragon, the phoenix, the basilisk, the roc, the unicorn… and the Vegetable Lamb of Tartary?

Categories: Animals, Early modern history, Medieval history, North & Central Asia, Religion & belief
By The Generalist Posted on August 31, 2021August 31, 2021

Unseen regalia

The Imperial Regalia of Japan consists of a legendary sword, mirror, and jewel. They are brought out at every imperial enthronement, but only a few priests and the emperor himself are ever allowed to see them.

Categories: Ancient history, East Asia, Religion & belief
By The Generalist Posted on August 12, 2021January 25, 2023

Goddess of the sewers

The Cloaca Maxima in Rome is one of the world’s first sewer systems. It still works today, and with good reason: it has its own goddess.

Categories: Ancient history, Architecture, Europe, Religion & belief
By The Generalist Posted on August 11, 2021August 11, 2021

Schools vs. Satan

Some of the first public schools in North America were founded explicitly to counteract “that old deluder, Satan.”

Categories: Early modern history, Education & philosophy, North & Central America, Religion & belief
By The Generalist Posted on July 21, 2021July 16, 2021

Islamic banking

By most modern interpretations, Islamic law forbids charging interest. So some modern banks have found ways to profitably lend money without it.

Categories: Economics & business, Religion & belief
By The Generalist Posted on July 12, 2021January 25, 2023

The sound of hell

An urban legend from the late 1980s claimed that Soviet scientists had drilled so far down they hit hell – and brought back an audio recording of the suffering souls. But it was actually Baron Blood.

Categories: 20th century history, Earth science, Europe, North & Central America, Religion & belief
By The Generalist Posted on June 24, 2021June 24, 2021

Best beer

Some of the best beers in the world (according to aficionados) are also among the rarest beers in the world.

Categories: Europe, Food & agriculture, North & Central America, Religion & belief
By The Generalist Posted on June 14, 2021January 25, 2023

Holy robbery

In 9th century CE France, a monk went undercover in a rival monastery for ten years to steal a holy relic.

Categories: Europe, Medieval history, Religion & belief
By The Generalist Posted on May 13, 2021May 12, 2021

The Church of One Tree

The Church of One Tree in Santa Rosa, California, was built in 1873 out of a single giant redwood tree.

Categories: 19th century history, 20th century history, Architecture, North & Central America, Plants, Religion & belief
By The Generalist Posted on May 5, 2021May 5, 2021

Religion at the poles

According to Jewish law, Shabbat begins at sundown. During Ramadan, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. But what do you do if the sun does not set?

Categories: Astronomy, Religion & belief, The poles
By The Generalist Posted on April 22, 2021April 28, 2021

The doubters and the oracle bones

The Doubting Antiquity School were sceptics of ancient Chinese texts’ historical veracity… until the oracle bones were deciphered.

Categories: 20th century history, Ancient history, East Asia, Language, Literature, Religion & belief
By The Generalist Posted on April 21, 2021January 25, 2023

The lost bell of Shwedagon Pagoda

A Portuguese mercenary stole the largest working bell in history from Shwedagon Pagoda, and then lost it in the waters of the Yangon River.

Categories: Early modern history, Fashion & design, Medieval history, Military, Politics & law, Religion & belief, Southeast Asia
By The Generalist Posted on April 16, 2021June 18, 2021

Transylvanian school of witchcraft and wizardry

The 19th century Scottish author Emily Gerard collected local legends about a school of black magic high in the mountains of Transylvania.

Categories: Arts & recreation, Education & philosophy, Europe, Literature, Places, Religion & belief
By The Generalist Posted on April 15, 2021January 25, 2023

Grace from slavery

John Newton was a press-ganged sailor, a slave, a slave-ship captain, an Anglican priest, an abolitionist, and the author of the hymn “Amazing Grace.”

Categories: Africa, Arts & recreation, Early modern history, Europe, History, Music, Places, Religion & belief

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