As soon as Moscow threatens to protect a minority affiliated to Russia somewhere in Europe, the world must be wary. The previous two times that the Russians successfully applied this doctrine, their country ended up in a world war. While it still officially maintains that it is not a party to the c
Doing good paid off in Roman antiquity. Those who were prepared to finance a theatre, bathhouse or banquet from their own resources could count on prestige and respect, which were essential for acquiring a political position. Since only men were eligible for such positions, it seems obvious that ben
He peacefully campaigned against the inequality between white and black in America and he has one of the most famous and inspiring speeches to his name:Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. Fifty years ago, on April 4, 1968, he was murdered. Martin Luther King was a seasoned speaker. But at the end of hi
Psychological research proves it time and again:most of us are afraid of being labeled stupid by the people around us. Yet ignorance can also have its advantages. And no, Im not just talking about smart blondes like Britt Dekkers who, thanks to their (apparent?) ignorance, can earn tons a year. Scie
During wars and uprisings it is often very unclear how many victims there are. The Human Rights Data Analysis Group deploys statistical techniques that are also used for counting shy species to drastically reduce the margins of uncertainty. That is important for political decisions, and for justice
In 2012, a team of scientists unearthed a skeleton under a parking lot in Leicester. Were they the remains of the legendary King Richard III, who was killed on the battlefield in 1485? It kept genetics Turi King busy for years, but shes out. In the fifth Hoboken lecture in the Natural History Museum
Burying someone isnt cheap. It wasnt like that in the nineteenth century. Those who could not afford a funeral received a very shabby funeral from the municipality. To avoid this disgrace, poor people took out insurance with a funeral fund. However, fraud was lurking. Funeral funds are a typical ph
Restoring paintings is more than applying a new coat of paint in the right place. Abbie Vandivere, Restorer of Paintings at the Mauritshuis in The Hague, tells us what it is all about. The Mauritshuis is a well-visited museum, located in a stately monument next to the Binnenhof in The Hague. The re
Five scientists made a whiptail from clay and sticks and glued it to a chickens butt. This chicken walked like a dinosaur and the researchers won an Ig Nobel Prize with it, the cheerful science prize for research that first makes you laugh and then think. It is difficult for researchers to determin
Many a US president in his second term falls prey to the lame duck syndrome, in which the leader of a nation only makes it to the finish line crippled and paralyzed. However, this law does not apply to President Obama:he is currently enjoying one success after another. How is that possible? Preside
It is raining hyperboles about refugees in the news:the numbers have never been higher, as well as the accompanying problems. Because where do we leave so many refugees? And what is their influence on our culture? Professor of Migration History Leo Lucassen (Leiden University) places the current mig
Our view usually does not extend beyond the earths surface:the buildings, the visible vegetation and the water surfaces. But hidden beneath the surface lies the soil, heavy or light, young or old, dead or fertile. With a little help, the stories are up for grabs, show two new books. All soil types
A character study of a man, perhaps a Rembrandt self-portrait. Scientists, including Joris Dik of TU Delft, uncovered this hidden painting thanks to new research. They managed to get behind the painting Old man in military uniform by Rembrandt van Rijn. For centuries sat behind Old man in military
Sarah Dresscher is one of three archaeologists who joined the polar expedition to the Norwegian island of Edgeøya on the eastern side of Spitsbergen. The team focused primarily on Dresschers research topic:the Pomors, an ethnic group of hunters that lived in Russias White Sea region. In the eighteen
While writing the history of Dutch cuisine, author Jacques Meerman made a special discovery. The traditional Dutch endive stew is less than a hundred years old. So what is typically Dutch in our kitchen? Jacques Meerman comes from a family of gourmets:both his father and grandfather were pastry che
The Battle of Waterloo took place exactly 200 years ago and is widely commemorated. Our king is also present:Dutch soldiers, led by Prince William, played an important role in defeating Napoleon. It just didnt end up in the foreign history books that way. A commemoration requires new publications.
The widely announced exhibition on the late Rembrandt in the Rijksmuseum has only just ended when the Mauritshuis also comes with a late Rembrandt exhibition. Their approach is only radically different. The Mauritshuis focuses on the scientific research behind a single painting, the Saul and David,
Twelve secondary school students with an excellent paper have been awarded the KNAW Education Prize. Each year, the jury selects these winners from the approximately 500 submitted papers, three winners per profile. Tim Povel of Hermann Wesselink College in Amstelveen was awarded with his paper The s
The Mauritshuis is presenting a unique exhibition in which the scientific research behind the restoration of the painting Saul and David is central. In the hall, scientists are in the spotlight next to Rembrandt. The museum takes the visitor on a journey of discovery of many years by restorers, art
An incurable disease is sweeping through museum glass collections:glass disease. The symptoms are a greasy appearance followed by a dull appearance. There is no cure yet, but the cause is known. The water in the air causes the glass to deteriorate slowly. Glassware in your kitchen, especially if it
They were brought from Siam to America to entertain people at their expense. However, they were able to turn their weakness into strength - thanks to their innate entrepreneurship, they gained not only freedom, but also a considerable fortune. How was the fate of the famous Bunker brothers? Ame
Khajuraho Temple Style Khajuraho located in Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh is world famous for ancient and medieval temples. It was called Khajurpura and Khajur Vahika in ancient times. There are a large number of ancient Hindu and Jain temples here. Khajuraho is famous for the temples built
Olympe de Gouges proclaimed that a woman is born and remains free and equal in rights to man, and Théroigne de Méricourt called for breaking the chains. The French Revolution gave a voice to women. The Enlightenment order was not favorable to the woman. Her most important role was marriage, even
Hermes with Dionysus of Praxiteles, one of the most beautiful statues of classical Greek art It is quite common to think of classical art as something in itself and not a style to be inspired by even today, as well as believing that classical art is simply to be admired for having laid the found