Tag Archives: history

Making a Cross From Four Palm Fronds

Here in central Minnesota, palm fronds are part of our Palm Sunday Mass. We generally take them home, fold them into the shape of a cross while they’re still green and pliable, and put them somewhere in the home where … Continue reading

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Active Volcano on Venus: Before and After Images

Venus is dead as a doornail as far as life is concerned. Life as we know it, at any rate, and already I’m drifting off-topic. Geologically, though, we’ve known that there’s still metaphorical life in Venus. Or was, until very … Continue reading

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Snow Cruiser, Moon Buggies, Mars Tractors

I started writing about the Antarctic Snow Cruiser, “one of the colossal engineering flops of history”. Or, my opinion, a basically good design that was rushed into service. The Snow Cruiser and Little America III reminded me of imperial ambitions … Continue reading

Posted in Back to the Moon, Onward to Mars, Discursive Detours, Series | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Ancient Stone Tools: Hello, Fellow Humans?

“Ancient stone tools found in Kenya made by early humans“ BBC News (February 10, 2023) “Archaeologists in Kenya have dug up some of the oldest stone tools ever used by ancient humans, dating back around 2.9 million years. “It is … Continue reading

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Pax Romana, Caligula: Fiend, Monster, or Baddie?

Caligula is currently famous, or infamous, for being a stark-raving-mad monster with no redeeming qualities. Although scholars have been acknowledging that we don’t actually know much about him. I’m not about to try rehabilitating Caligula’s image. But I’ve got suspicions … Continue reading

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