The Story of Homo Sapiens: Part III

By Nick Hainsworth Language is another way we can trace the origin of our species. Think about the word “dog” for a minute. Why is it that when English speakers say the sounds in the word “dog,” a picture of a dog comes into our mind? There isn’t anything about the sounds themselves that hasContinue reading “The Story of Homo Sapiens: Part III”

Isolated Peoples

Members of an isolated tribe living in the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil. Photograph by Gleilson Miranda, distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 Brazil license. By Nick Hainsworth Since the dawn of human civilization, people have been in contact with their neighbors. Human communities have almost never lived in true isolation. In our increasingly global world, humanity hasContinue reading “Isolated Peoples”

Ramadan in Time and Place

By Nick Hainsworth | April 26, 2022 The holy month of Ramadan began for Muslims all over the world a few weeks ago. From sunrise to sunset, Muslims do not eat food or drink water. In Islam, this practice is called sawm, or fasting. During the month, Muslims will read the Qur’an (their holy book), celebrateContinue reading “Ramadan in Time and Place”

Why Do Old Maps Have Sea Monsters?

By Hyrum Higgins | January 29, 2022 The ocean is filled with fantastical beasts in Olaus Magnus’ 16th-century map of Scandinavia. A sea pig basks off the coast of the mythical island of Thule. A sea serpent crushes a carrack between its coils. Today, it may strike us as strange to see mythical creatures coveringContinue reading “Why Do Old Maps Have Sea Monsters?”