Category archive for ‘History’ 
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The Rain Country
Kestur Vasuki writes about the slow transition that Belgaum has made into the modern world, keeping the lessons and memories of the past intact.
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Tormented Legacy of Jyoti Basu
Chandan Mitra says Jyoti Basu’s mystique overpowered his myriad failures.
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Woolly mammoths stayed on earth longer than thought
Woolly mammoths and prehistoric horses grazed on the North American plains several thousand years longer than hitherto presumed. This is shown by samples of ancient DNA, analysed by an international team of research scientists under the leadership of Eske Willerslev, professor at Copenhagen University. Analyses of ancient DNA once again upsets results of more common methods of dating, such as carbon 14 analysis of bone and tooth remains from extinct animals.
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Stress, an ancient problem
Recent studies show that stress is on the rise but then the problem is of much older vintage. New research from the University of Western Ontario (UWO) proves stress has plagued humans for hundreds, and perhaps thousands of years. The first study of its kind, detected the stress hormone cortisol in the hair of ancient Peruvians, who lived between 550 and 1532 AD.
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Egyptians suffered heart attacks 3,500 years ago
Ancient Egyptian mummies, some as old as 3,500 years, showed hardening of arteries, suggesting that heart attacks and stroke afflicted the ancients too. “Atherosclerosis, despite differences in ancient and modern lifestyles, was rather common in ancient Egyptians of high socio-economic status living,” says Gregory Thomas, clinical professor of cardiology at the University of California-Irvine (UCI).
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Vedic Origins of the Europeans: The Children of Danu
Many ancient European peoples, particularly the Celts and Germans, regarded themselves as children of Danu, with Danu meaning the Mother Goddess, who was also, like Sarasvati in the Rig Veda, a river Goddess. The Celts called themselves “Tuatha De Danaan”, while the Germans had a similar name. Ancient European river names like the Danube and various rivers called Don in Russia, Scotland, England and France reflect this. The Danube which flows to the Black Sea is their most important river and could reflect their eastern origins. David Frawley writes more.
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Hidden gems
Mehrauli holds treasures of Delhi’s history, from the Slave Dynasty to the Mughal empire. However, this treasure trove is slowly being forgotten by its own people. Sunil Thapliyal tells you more
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Nothing Vedic about ‘Vedic Mathematics’?
“India has made a significant contribution to mathematics including the place value system, and algebra and geometry. We should learn this history and not create myths like ‘Vedic Mathematics’.” Says distinguished historian, linguist and author Dr. N.S. Rajaram.
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The History of Jihadi Terror
“Concept of Jihad, carried forward by those Islamic terrorists, is an integral part of Islamic scripture.” says Dr. N S Rajaram while quoting from the very Islamic scriptures.
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From Ayodhya to Nazareth
In Nazareth, a church (basilica) marks the place where the angel announced to Mary that she was about to give birth to Jesus, God’s only-begotten son, the long-awaited messiah. This church is one of the foci of Christian life in Palestine. However, the Christian community in Palestine and the whole Middle East is dwindling, in percentage if not in absolute figures, due to their observing more modern birth rates than their Muslim countrymen, and due to the emigration of numerous young Christians who see no future for themselves in a Muslim-dominated part of the world. Even in Nazareth the Muslims are now in a majority, and with a Muslim-dominated “Palestinian Authority” now in power, the local Muslim community feels confident enough for a showdown. Koenraad Elst writes more.