The Weight of the Heart

The ancient Egyptians thought highly of the heart – so much so that it was the only organ spared during the mummification process. It was considered as the single most important organ – the seat of emotions, wisdom and memory. The heart was also important for the afterlife. Otherwise, what answer can the person give during the judgement of the dead, when God Anubis would weigh the heart against the feather of Ma’at! If the heart was lighter or equal to the feather, the deceased was deemed worthy for the afterlife. If it was heavier, the person faced an oblivion of chaos. Dying with a heavy heart back then was never a good idea.

Get the digital edition of the September 2024 issue to read the full article.

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A picture is worth 1000 words…and the wait!

Did you know that a patent for the first photo booth dates back to 1888? The next year, the photo booth was exhibited at the Paris World Fair. Though it was unreliable and couldn’t be operated without manual intervention, the photo booth created a sensation! It was coin-operated and it took about 5 minutes for the photo to develop. In 1925, a photo booth, closely similar to modern-day ones, came into existence in New York thanks to the efforts of inventor Anatol Josepho. Each photo cost 25 cents and produced 8 photos in 8 minutes. Photo booths were extremely popular until the 1960s when Polaroid cameras grabbed people’s attention and threw down the shutter on photo booths.

Get the digital edition of the August 2024 issue to read the full article.

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A laughing epidemic attacks schoolchildren

It started harmlessly enough in 1962 in Tanganyika in Tanzania — three girls giggling helplessly in class (who doesn’t do that?), but soon, nearly 95 of the 159 pupils in the school began to laugh uncontrollably, and this laughing epidemic forced the school to be closed in March. Alas, when it reopened in May, there was a second outbreak affecting 57 students. The symptoms of uncontrollable laughter ranged from a few hours to a scary 16 days in some cases! Soon, many other schools in the 100-mile radius were also affected. While the schools probably considered it a big ‘student’ conspiracy to miss classes, doctors, however, considered it as a stress-induced response in the young population.

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Grooving with green friends

Gardening gloves? Ready. Watering can? Ready. What about your device with some peppy music loaded in it? Adding a musical touch to your gardening hobby can make plants thrive. Before you set up a DJ party in the garden, let’s take a look at what makes plants rock in rhythm.

Turns out, it’s not just any old tunes that make plants thrive; it’s the sound waves themselves! Frequencies like 125 Hz and 250 Hz have been found to help with photosynthesis, the process by which plants convert light into energy. And more energy means more growth — a fascinating link between music and magical growth!

But here’s where it gets really interesting. It’s not just the frequencies themselves that matter; it is also the type of music. Soothing sounds like rainfall and birdsong or classical melodies don’t just make humans happy — they delight plants, too! They’ve been shown to promote seed sprouting, stress relief, and even bumper crop yields. Don’t be surprised the next time you find your plants shaking and grooving when there’s music playing!

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Waldi: The furry pioneer of Olympic mascots

Our adventure begins with a nod to Waldi, the beloved dachshund who stole the hearts of millions and was the proud first official Olympic mascot. Sporting vibrant colours inspired by the Olympic rings, Waldi made his debut at the 1972 Munich Games, symbolizing the playful spirit and camaraderie of the Olympic movement. With his wagging tail and boundless energy, Waldi set the bar high for generations of mascots to come, proving that even our furry friends have a place in Olympic history.

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The mystery-solving dog

Ruh-roh! With his insatiable appetite and knack for stumbling into spooky mysteries, Scooby-Doo is a pet anyone would love having around. Alongside his human companions in the Mystery Inc. gang, Scooby-Doo embarks on thrilling adventures filled with laughs, scares, and obviously plenty of Scooby Snacks. Despite his tendency to be easily frightened, Scooby-Doo’s loyalty to his friends and his unshakeable courage in the face of danger make him a true hero of the canine world. Like Cringer, he may shake and shiver at first, but he’s never one to say no to busting a ghost imitator!

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McWhirtle

Very similar to a double dactyl, a McWhirtle follows the form of two stanzas, but does not require you to add nonsensical words in the first line. Since it does not have any rigid rules for formation, it is easier to pen McWhirtles. Here’s one about an unfortunate trapeze artist named Fernando the Fearless.
We’re truly in awe of
Fernando the Fearless
who needed no net
for the flying trapeze.

Alas, what a shame
It’s surprisingly difficult
catching a bar
in the midst of a sneeze.

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But candy is always better…

Sure, roses are romantic, but what’s better? Candy, of course! The sales figures speak the truth. According to studies on Valentine’s Day preferences, both men and women clearly called out: we prefer candy! They also make up a major portion of the Valentine’s sales. Chocolate boxes have been around for a hundred years, delighting lovers. Among the favourite candy types are caramel, chocolate-covered nuts and cream-filled chocolates.

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Kites and military strategies

Who would have thought that the lovely, colourful kites were once flown, not for pleasure, but for planning a defence strategy against the enemies! Around 200 BC, General Han Xin of the Han Dynasty was desperate to find out how far his army had to tunnel underground in order to breach the defences of the city that he was planning to attack. The kite gave him a pretty good idea. So he flew a kite over the walls of the city to measure the distance!

Admiral Yi of the Joseon Dynasty in Korea used kites in a different way. During an invasion, he commanded his navy to use kites, each with specific markings, to direct the fleet to perform different orders. Now, how cool is that!

In the 19th century, Russians used kites to accurately tow torpedoes.

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The 43 quintillion puzzle: the amazing Rubik’s cube

For years since its invention, the Rubik’s cube was one of the most coveted toys not just among kids, but adults, too. Apart from entertainment, it also offered bragging rights! With six sides of different colours, 21 total pieces and 54 surfaces on the outside, the standard Rubik’s cube can be solved in 43 quintillion ways (43 followed by 8 zeroes — that’s more than the number of grains on the Earth’s surface and possibly more than the number of stars in our observable universe). Yet, this ingenious puzzle that relies on permutations and combinations can be solved in 20 movements! The World Cube Association and speed-cubing bring together fans from around the world who think this puzzle toy is just too ‘cubetiful’!

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