Altar-ed
Theories abound as to who built Stonehenge, why they built it, and, perhaps most puzzlingly, how they built it! We can probably discount the aliens-did-it theory, which only makes the fact that these stones – some of which weigh several tonnes – were moved hundreds of kilometres, before the invention of the wheel, even more remarkable. For more than 100 years; it’s been known that many of the bluestone blocks had been brought from relatively near Wales, around 300km away, but a ‘revolutionary’ study published in Nature in August argued that the largest block – the Altar Stone, which weighs six tonnes – had come from the northern reaches of Scotland some 700km away. However, this theory was disproven before the ink barely had chance to dry only a month later by findings in the Journal of Archaeological Science. “This research is radically changing our thinking about the origins of the Altar Stone,” says lead study author Richard Bevins of Aberystwyth University. “It’s thrilling to know that our chemical analysis and dating work is slowly unlocking this great mystery.”
Worth its Weight in Amber
Several decades ago, a local woman took what she thought to be a large, handsome rock home from the banks of the River Buzau near the village of Colti in Romania to be used as a doorstop. Following her death in 1991, a relative inherited her house and continued to use said rock to prop open the doors. However, it turns out that the 3.5kg amber rock is not just a nugget of rumanite – a type of fossilised resin – but the largest nugget of rumanite ever discovered, possibly as old as 70 million years, and worth around $1.8 million! It’s not the first time that a humble doorstop has been worth its weight in gold, a Michigan man was delighted to learn that his was in actual fact a small meteorite worth around $200,000.
Commuting Currents
Sick of sitting in traffic on State Highway 1 on your way from the office? Then consider moving to the Swiss city of Basel where locals use the River Rhine as their method of commute – floating not aboard a boat, but on their backs! So common is this unusual current-powered mode of transport that there are dressing room cabins and showers dotted all along the route, and thanks in part to the power of social media it has become a tourist must-do too. But be warned, the activity is for confident swimmers only as the currents can be quite strong, and the stretch of water is shared with boats and the occasional ferry. Just don’t forget to take your dry bag – the locals generally use fish-shaped ones called wicklefisch.
Nuts Not To
Allergies are on the rise to such an extent that the World Health Organisation considers it a global health issue. They estimate that by next year, half of the entire EU population will be affected by chronic allergic diseases, and that 400 million people will have asthma. Allergies affect around 30-40% of Kiwis, with the most common caused by airborne allergens like pollen and dust mites. But food allergies are on the rise too, and as many as one in 10 kids under age five suffer from them. Research recently published in the journal NEJM Evidence found that babies regularly given smooth peanut butter until the age of five were 71% less likely to develop a peanut allergy than those who were not fed it. (Under-fives should not be given whole or chopped peanuts due to their choking potential.)
Rich Lister
It was recently announced that Elon Musk will likely become the world’s first trillionaire by 2027, however, for now, he’s not the richest man in history. Musk’s current net worth of $400 billion is dwarfed by the estimated $490 billion of Mansa Musa, the 14th-century ruler of the African kingdom of Mali which at the time incorporated the modern-day countries of Mali, Senegal, the Gambia, Guinea, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Mauritania, and Burkina Faso. Musa came to power after his brother, Abu Bakr II was lost at sea; the kingdom was already among the continent’s wealthiest thanks to it having around half of the gold of the Old World. Musa added to its riches through developing trade, building mosques and public buildings, and developing Timbuktu in particular into a major Islamic educational centre.
Stress Breath
Dogs’ sense of smell is the stuff of legend. Thousands of times more powerful than that of humans, their nasal design allows them to breath in and out at the same time and even smell in 3D. While most probably know that some dogs have been trained to sniff out illnesses and diseases like Covid and cancer, you might be surprised to know that they can even smell stress in our breath and sweat – and it even makes them stressed! “Dog owners know how attuned their pets are to their emotions,” says study lead author Dr Nicola Rooney of the University of Bristol, “but here we show that even the odour of a stressed, unfamiliar human affects a dog’s emotional state, perception of rewards, and ability to learn.” Other researchers, this time in Canada, are currently examining ways of harnessing this stress-smelling ability to detect PTSD and warn of an impending flashback.
