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All the planets in the solar system rotate anticlockwise, except Venus. It is the only planet that rotates clockwise. |
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The Curse of the Crying Boy
Reads: 277 |
Posted by Thoth on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 (CDT)
 Ancient curses invoked by tomb-raiders have remained a popular theme in fiction and folklore for centuries. However, belief in cursed objects is not confined to legends surrounding Egyptian relics, or to the stories of MR James. In the modern world, there are many who believe they have personally experienced uncanny phenomena as a result of contact with a cursed artefact.
Portraits or human likenesses, whether carved or painted, are frequently the focus of this type of legend. In recent years, stories of bad luck and misfortune have grown up around certain artefacts that are presumed to have had ritual or magical functions, some of which are apparently quite recent in origin.
In folk belief, the notion that a picture falling from a wall is an omen of impending death – particularly if it is a portrait – remains one of the most widespread modern superstitions. Similarly, eerie portraits whose eyes “seem to follow you wherever you go” have become a staple scene-setter in numerous horror flicks. Folklore is not static, but active and dynamic – especially when it invokes latent beliefs rooted in older superstitions.
(Read More... Legends & Myths | Word Count: 4563 | comments? | Score: 5) |
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Russian scientists head for Death Valley
Reads: 525 |
Posted by Isis on Thursday, May 29, 2008 (CDT)
 Russian scientists are to head for diamonds to Death Valley, situated in Yakutia, Siberia. Newspaper Izvestia says that scientists want to prove right or wrong the myth about the ‘cursed valley’ along the river Olguydakh.
The expedition is to consist of archeological institute specialists as well of scientists from Geochemistry and crystallography Institute and Physics of the Earth Institute. They say, that the ‘cursed valley’ has underground ‘craters’ with up to 33-feet diameter, where it’s very warm all year round.
The legend says that anyone, who spends the night in this valley, dies in the morning. Perhaps, the legend protects from urban world some ancient civilization that can be compared with the civilization of Greek Troy. Archeologists say that the valley contains unique sorts of diamonds.
(Read More... Legends & Myths | Word Count: 243 | comments? | Score: 5) |
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Mythic Creatures: Dragons, Unicorns, Mermaids
Reads: 355 |
Posted by Thoth on Tuesday, March 18, 2008 (CDT)
 The new eye-popping Field Museum exhibition Mythic Creatures: Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaids uses paintings, life-size models, and cultural objects from around the world to shed light on the ways people have been inspired by nature to depict strange and wonderful creatures. From Pliny the Elder who, in 77 C.E., asserted that mermaids were "no fabulous tale," to today's sightings of Scotland's famous yet unsubstantiated Loch Ness Monster, mythic creatures delight and mystify us all.
Mythic Creatures features fossils of prehistoric animals and preserved specimens to investigate and illustrate how they could have—through imagination, speculation and even fear—inspired the development of some legendary creatures. For instance, Scythian nomads of southeastern Europe may have mistaken dinosaur fossils for the remains of griffins and narwhal tusks from the North Sea likely offered credibility to the belief in the unicorn.
Throughout the exhibition, models of mythical creatures astound and delight. Come face-to-face with a 17-foot-long dragon with a wingspan of over 19 feet; a 10-foot-long unicorn; an 11-foot-long Roc with a wingspan of nearly 20 feet and huge talons sweeping overhead; and a kraken, whose 12-foot-long tentacles appear to rise out of the floor of the exhibition as if surfacing from the sea.
(Read More... Legends & Myths | Word Count: 305 | comments? | Score: 0) |
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The Devil's Bible returns to Prague
Reads: 731 |
Posted by Thoth on Saturday, September 29, 2007 (CDT)
 A monumental Bible rumoured to have been written with the help of the Devil has been returned to Prague for the first time in 350 years. The 13th century Codex Gigas, which is 3ft long and weighs 165lb, is thought to be the biggest book in the world and is known as The Devil's Bible due to a supposed satanic bargain made by its author.
It was looted by Swedish soldiers from Prague castle at the end of the Thirty Years War in 1648 and taken to Stockholm, where it is the prize exhibit at the Royal Library. But until now Swedish authorities have refused to lend it to the Czech Republic, which regards the Bible as stolen property, for fear they would not get it back.
The priceless manuscript is housed in a vault-like room behind bullet-proof glass. One of the two pages on show features a drawing of the Devil. According to legend, the drawing is the scribe's tribute to the role Satan played in the Bible's creation.
(Read More... Legends & Myths | Word Count: 488 | comments? | Score: 4) |
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Mysterious Fuxian Lake's secrets told
Reads: 838 |
Posted by Isis on Friday, August 24, 2007 (CDT)
 Fuxian Lake stretches out through Chengjiang County, Jiangchuan County
and Huaning County in Yunnan Province, about 60 kilometers to Kunming
City, spanning an area of 212 square kilometers.
The lake is ranked third largest in Yunnan, right after the Dianchi
Lake and the Erhai Lake. Also the deepest lake in Yunnan, it is 155
meters deep at its greatest depth. One day, Geng Wei, a specialized
diver, found a strange phenomenon under the lake. He discovered many
stone materials, including flagstones and stone strips with thick moss
above them, could be seen.
Geng Wei believed the stones might be from a remote time. However, why
were they underwater? Where did they come from? With these questions,
Geng remember a mystical legend about the lake . Local people often
said residents could see a city-like silhouette under the lake from the
nearby mountains on a fine, calm day. Was it the ancient city mentioned in the legend?
(Read More... Legends & Myths | Word Count: 956 | comments? | Score: 4.6) |
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