Latest news with #MondadoriPortfolio
National Geographic
27-06-2025
- Health
- National Geographic
Was Alexander the Great really poisoned? Science sheds new light on an age-old question.
The sick Alexander (Alessandro infermo), by Domenico Induno, 19th Century, oil on canvas. Alexander drinks from a cup to show his trust in the doctor who gave it to him and condemns Parmenione who told him he would be poisoned. This event was said to take place in 333 B.C., 10 years prior to Alexander's death. Photograph by Sergio Anelli / Mondadori Portfolio, Getty Images The young conqueror fell suddenly and fatally ill at an all-night feast. Now, a Stanford historian has found a potential culprit. In June 323 BCE, in the palace of King Nebuchadnezzar II in Babylon, the most powerful man in the world died. Just 13 days earlier, Alexander the Great—the greatest conqueror the world had seen—had been drinking at one of his many all-night banquets when he suddenly cried out in pain. He was sent to bed suffering from abdominal pain and a fever, and over the following days his condition deteriorated. He suffered from weakness, thirst, possible convulsion, pain, partial paralysis and dozed in and out of consciousness. Towards the end he slipped into a death-like state and was unable to speak or move. For six days after his death, the body of Alexander the Great showed no signs of decomposition. To the ancient Greeks it was a sign that Alexander was more god than man. To everyone else, for more than 2,000 years, the cause of his death and his body's preservation has been a mystery. Despite numerous theories, and a great deal of speculation, the death of the 32-year-old Alexander has been one of history's greatest cold cases. Fragment from the "Alexander Mosaic" showing Alexander the Great in battle against Persian King Darius III. (From a Roman copy of a Hellenistic painting.) Photograph by Universal History Archive, Getty Images Even in antiquity people debated the cause of Alexander's death. Some thought it was caused by illness or infection, but throughout the ages, many historians from Pliny to Voltaire suspected foul play. The conspiracy to murder Alexander, wrote Diodorus, 'was suppressed by the power of Alexander's successors.' Those who suspected poisoning even claimed to know the toxin at work: Roman intellectual Pausanias (2nd century CE) wrote of the 'lethal power' of the River Styx and added that he had heard it said that water from the Styx 'was the poison that killed Alexander.' Others, including Plutarch a biographer of Alexander, even claimed that it was Alexander's former teacher, the philosopher Aristotle, who provided the fatal dose. Apparently, Aristotle feared the man that Alexander had become. (Whatever else happened Aristotle is undeniably innocent—he was in Athens at the time of Alexander's death). (How suspicion and intrigue eroded Alexander the Great's empire) It is here that history appears to bleed into mythology. To moderns, the River Styx is best known from legends about the underworld. According to numerous ancient myths, the souls (or shades) of the deceased have to cross the River Styx on their way to Hades. But the Styx was not only a portal to the underworld, it was also a real place. Based on ancient accounts and modern investigation, the Styx has been securely identified as the Mavroneri (Black Water), a tributary of the Karathis River that empties into the Corinthian Gulf. Why would people think that the waters of the Styx were poisonous and that this poison was used to assassinate Alexander the Great? In a new article, published in Geoheritage, Adrienne Mayor, a renowned research scholar in Classics and History of Science at Stanford, decided to investigate. Bulgaria's cultural capital Many people in antiquity recognized the noxious properties of the River Styx. Plato refers to the 'fearful powers' of the Styx, the geographer Strabo described it as 'deadly water,' and the natural historian Pliny said that 'drinking [the water] causes immediate death.' The waters of the Styx were even thought to corrode metals and ceramic containers. As late as the 1860, when famed German naturalist Alexander von Humboldt commented on the Styx, he remarked that the stream has an 'evil reputation' among the 'present inhabitants' of the region. Even in the twentieth century locals avoided drinking from the stream and complained that it corrupted clay vessels. Poisonous waters were well known in antiquity—one mentioned in the Bible was used as part of a truth trial for potentially adulterous women—but this fact alone does not explain the Styx's dark and persistent reputation. (Were Alexander the Great and Hephaestion more than friends?) Mayor, a historian of ancient science, wanted to understand how the mythology of the Styx's waters had developed. She told National Geographic that the project was years in the making. As someone who has specialized in unearthing the genuine natural knowledge embedded in ancient legends, the project was something of a natural fit. Fifteen years ago, in 2010, Antoinette Hayes, a pharmaceutical toxicologist, told Mayor about the possibility of a toxic crust that forms on limestone, and a recent report on the mass death of an elk herd after eating toxic lichen that piqued Mayor's imagination. Together with the assistance of geologists, chemists, toxicologists and other scientists, Mayor began to investigate the possibility that in antiquity the Styx harbored naturally occurring toxins. In the resulting article and her forthcoming book Mythopedia: A Brief Compendium of Natural History Lore, Mayor argues that the limestone-lined pools of the Styx are 'ideal for harboring two extremely lethal natural substances, both only recently discovered by science: calicheamicin and toxic lichen.' (Alexander the Great's warrior mother wielded unprecedented power) Calicheamicin from limestone Calicheamicin is a crusty deposit that precipitates out of limestone, particularly in places where water drips, pools, and evaporates. As Mayor notes in her article, 'These are the conditions described by ancient observers of the rock-ringed pool by the Styx/Mavroneri waterfall. The water that flows through limestone is charged with calcium carbonate, which deposits hardened caliche crusts on rock surfaces, moss, and lichen' It can also form crusts on metal or clay (which might explain the myths about corroding vessels). A number of organisms are known to colonize the surface of caliche. Some, like algae, are comparatively harmless. Others, like cyanobacteria, are 'neurotoxic, hepatotoxic, cytotoxic, and endotoxic at levels very dangerous to humans and animals.' In the 1980s a toxicologist collected a sample of caliche in Texas that led to the discovery of calicheamicin, a toxic substance that has been used to develop potent antibody-targeted chemotherapy but in its original form has a 'cellular lethality greater than that of ricin.' We cannot say for certain if it was present in antiquity at the limestone rimmed pool of the Styx. A great deal depends on the presence—in antiquity—of the proper nutrients and soil conditions for its growth. Depending on the dose, mortality from a substance like this would 'probably take days or weeks due to the toxic mechanisms of DNA destruction.' This process would ultimately have led to multiple organ failure. Because it dissolves in alcohol it would have been the perfect poison to slip into Alexander's drinking vessel at a banquet. (Alexander the Great had daddy issues) Oxalic acid from lichen Mayor also posits a second soil-based toxin that may have been collected from the limestone rock ledges and pools of the Styx. Many fungi, molds and lichens produce toxic mycotoxin. While the harmful effects of certain species of mushrooms have been well known for centuries, until relatively recently lichen were thought to be benign. A recent study noted by Mayor discovered that 'one in eight species of lichens contain…poisons [microcystins] that cause liver damage.' Because ancient people did not recognize lichen as distinct from host trees and rocks, they were not identifiable as a source of poisoning. If goats died at the River Styx, as the ancient geographer Pausanias says that they did, 'water,' writes Mayor, 'might be logically identified as the culprit, rather than the rocks on the banks.' The most common lichen forming fungi on limestone in this region, Mayor writes, are 'black meristematic aureobasidium-like and Penicillium-like species, which can be highly toxic when ingested by animals and humans.' The fact that lichenizing fungi produce a black patina on rocks recalls the use of the adjective 'black' in description of the Styx. These fungi also excrete toxic oxalic acid, which is highly corrosive. This, too, might explain the rumors that the waters of the Styx destroyed metal. Today, oxalic acid used to dissolve rust. The roots of a legend 'The results of ingesting [either of these] these substances,' Mayor says, 'would have been observed and remembered over generations.' Even if only a few animals and people died, the memory of the events would have added to the ancient lore surrounding a river already saturated with myths about the underworld. In the aftermath of Alexander the Great's death, says Mayor, 'I think it was reasonable for Alexander's companions to believe that he had been poisoned—many in his circle had motives and opportunities. And his detailed symptoms match those long associated with Styx water.' Mayor stressed that her study does not solve the debate over the death of Alexander the Great. For that, she noted, we need a time machine and a toxicological autopsy. The problem is ultimately unsolvable. Scientists could test the waters of the Styx/Mavroneri today for calicheamicin and lichen but their findings—whether positive or negative—would not tell us if these poisons were present in the stream in antiquity. What Mayor's study does explain is why people thought Alexander had ingested the waters of the Styx. Once members of his circle decided that Alexander had been poisoned, they identified the poison with the River Styx because, like Alexander, the River Styx was the stuff of legend. After the association was made, people began to narrate his death with this idea in mind.
Perth Now
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
‘Trying to kill us': Ruby Rose makes troubling claims
Australian actor Ruby Rose has sparked concern among fans after claiming people are 'trying to kill' her and making a chilling comparison to Jeffrey Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre. The 39-year-old made the troubling claims on Monday while responding to an innocuous question on Threads. An American radio host posted a question on his own account, asking: 'Who is a celebrity that gave it all up at the height of fame to go live a 'normal' life?' Ruby re-posted the question, writing, 'We just leave when people try to kill us. When we are illegally debanked and (redacted). Hope that helps'. She continued: 'I don't want to be labelled 'crazy' and I don't want to pretend to know how Virginia Giuffre died — but DOZENS of people including a school bus, have tried to run me off the road in the last few years. The posts Ruby Rose made on Threads. Credit: Threads 'I have been followed almost every time I leave my home, since the day I broke my neck back and ribs on Batwoman. Since then I have doubled down on (redacted) and Epstein. 'This has resulted in some seriously wild attempts on my life. Believe it or don't. But I might as well update you.' Virginia Giuffre was a high-profile victim of billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein who died on her farm in Neergabby, about 80km north of Perth, in April in circumstances that were not deemed suspicious. Just weeks before Giuffre's death, she claimed she had just days to live after being involved in a crash with a school bus. However, police later confirmed the collision was minor and no major injuries were reported after the crash. Australian actress and television presenter Ruby Rose in 2023. Credit: Mondadori Portfolio / Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Im Ruby further claimed she was being forced to 'move house every few weeks, and countries every few months' in a desperate attempt to 'stay alive'. Fans took to the comments section to express their concern over Ruby's safety. One person said: 'If you're truly being followed and targeted, staying put is dangerous. You need to move ideally to another country , where you can be safe and off the radar. Trust no one unless you're absolutely sure of them. Change your routine completely. This isn't about fear, it's about survival. Your safety comes first act now !!!' 'I really hope that from now on that you have are able to stay safe and live a happy life,' another said. PerthNow has reached out to Ruby for comment. If you need help in a crisis, call on 13 11 14. For further information about depression, call beyondblue on 1300 224 636 or talk to your GP, local health professional or someone you trust.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The History Behind Pope Leo XIV's Name
Pope Leo XIV addresses the crowd from the main balcony of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore after a prayer service in Rome, Italy, May 25th, 2025 Credit - Rocco Spaziani/Mondadori Portfolio—Getty Images Since the College of Cardinals selected Robert Prevost to become Pope Leo XIV on May 8, the first American Pope has generated much attention, with numerous publications attempting to peel back the curtain on the true identity of the new pontiff. Yet, the Pope himself may have told the world something significant about his vision and philosophy for the papacy through the simple act of choosing a name. The choice of Leo XIV makes Prevost the first pope to take this name since Leo XIII, who led the Church from 1878 to 1903, a critical time at the turn of the 20th century when the world was heading into an industrial and increasingly globalizing era that would soon lead to the First World War. Based on the tenure of Leo XIII, this choice may indicate that Prevost places substantial emphasis on the Church's responsibility to care for the poor, as well as the protection of workers' rights in an era of growing economic inequality. Yet, it also may signal that the new pope aims to chart a middle course in an era of extremes and won't look kindly on those challenging doctrine or the Church's hierarchy. If so, such a vision will be deeply rooted in a specific tradition of American Catholicism that emerged thanks to Leo XIII's teachings. Pope Leo XIII, born Gioacchino Pecci, ascended to the papacy in an era characterized by the spread of factories and wage labor, the rise of massive fortunes and the growth of worker discontent and organizing, and existential battles between the forces of capitalism and socialism. He responded by launching a transformative intellectual tradition known as Catholic social teaching. Pope Leo's Style of American Leadership Is a Hopeful Opportunity This body of thought, which had its most notable appearance in his 1891 encyclical, Rerum Novarum, introduced the world to a new approach to the social, economic, and political challenges of the day. Rerum upheld labor unions as a proper exercise of workers' natural rights to dignity and authentic freedom—and emphasized the obligation of the state to protect their rights and interests. Leo XIII also called for a 'remedy…for the misery and wretchedness pressing so unjustly on the majority of the working class.' He underscored the Catholic Church's care for the poor and its concern for the common good as well. Yet, Catholic social teaching wasn't a one-sided doctrine. In Rerum, Pope Leo XIII reflected on 'the spirit of revolutionary change' that had 'long been disturbing the nations of the world.' Instead of a revolution, this new approach contemplated a middle way between capitalism and socialism, one premised on a cooperative relationship between workers and management. Another key document written by Leo XIII further emphasized that the Pope was not quite a radical. In 1899, he wrote a papal letter, Testem Benevolentiae Nostrae, which was directed at American Catholics and condemned what he termed the heresy of 'Americanism.' The decision to write the letter may have stemmed from confusion and misperceptions about what liberal prelates and theologians in the U.S, were preaching. Liberal priests, most prominently Isaac Hecker, extolled the virtues of freedom and liberty as it related to the Church in the U.S. In his 1876 book, The Faith of Our Fathers, for example, Baltimore's James Cardinal Gibbons wrote of his country, '[T]here is no nation on the face of the earth where the Church is less trammeled, and where she has more liberty to carry out her sublime destiny, than in these Untied States.' Twelve years later, St. Paul's Archbishop John Ireland, proclaimed, 'In America, the Church is free—as the bird is free in the air to spread out its pinions and fly whithersoever it wills.' Conservative critics, both in the U.S., and in the Vatican, viewed these liberal prelates with suspicion because of their openness to engage in inter-religious encounters. Testum indicates that Leo XIII wanted to make clear that the Catholic Church in the U.S. wasn't spiritually distinct from the global church, and couldn't go its own way. It showed that, while sympathetic to workers and inequality, he wasn't prepared to see Church doctrine or the power of the Vatican challenged. Leo XIII's legacy, then, was one characterized by deep concern for the plight of workers and the poor, but also one that reflected concern over maintaining hierarchical discipline within the Church. He also wanted to moderate any spiritual experimentation, however illusory in the case of Americanism, that may have suggested the potential for Catholics to stray too far from Church teachings. What the History of Saint Augustine Can Teach us About Pope Leo XIV Despite setting limits on the autonomy of the American Church, the social teachings of Leo XIII had enormous influence on Catholicism in the U.S., especially after the horrors of World War I. The National Catholic Welfare Council (now the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, or the USCCB) gave its full support to the philosophy laid down by Pope Leo XIII in Rerum. In 1919, the Council adopted a Program of Social Reconstruction, which supported the institution of living wages, public pensions, and a variety of other government-provided aids for working men and women. In the following decades, numerous labor priests, such as John A. Ryan, George G. Higgins, Philip A. Carey, Joseph F. Donnelly, and Charles Owen Rice, led the way in advocating for workers. They instructed workers about Catholic social teaching, and operated labor schools to educate them on their rights and on the Catholic Church's positions on the important economic and social issues presented by the Great Depression and World War II. The Catholic Worker movement, led by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin, was but one prominent example of the impact and the implementation of Catholic social teaching outside of theology courses and on American city streets. It provided charitable relief and practiced communal labor through its houses of hospitality, which Day envisioned would bring "workers and scholars together' in a place where they could 'discuss Christian principles of organization as set forth in the encyclicals.' Over time, American Catholicism has become fractured between theological conservatives and liberals. Today, the divides increasingly intersect with broader partisan battles outside the Church. In this landscape, Catholic social teaching and debates over the compatibility of Catholicism and Americanism are not mere historical relics of a previous century. They are vital issues that played formative roles in shaping the contemporary Catholic Church that Leo XIV now leads. Whether the new Pope chose the name Leo XIV to signal his affinity for Leo XIII is probably something only he knows. Yet, in so much as it does, it may indicate both that the new Pontiff is interested in economic matters, especially the struggles of working men and women to scrape by, and the ever-present debates over freedom versus order and the meaning of liberty in a hierarchical institution like the Church. The choice of his name may suggest that while Leo XIV will thrill liberal Catholics on social justice issues, he may lean more toward the Church's conservative wing when it comes to maintaining doctrinal boundaries. William S. Cossen is a historian of American religion and nationalism, and the author of Making Catholic America: Religious Nationalism in the Gilded Age and Progressive Era . Made by History takes readers beyond the headlines with articles written and edited by professional historians. Learn more about Made by History at TIME here. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of TIME editors. Write to Made by History at madebyhistory@
Black America Web
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Black America Web
Spike Lee Takes Assumed Shot At President Donald Trump At Cannes
Source: Mondadori Portfolio / Getty Spike Lee is preparing to deliver his latest body of work to the big screen and was present at the Cannes Film Festival this week, discussing his upcoming film, Highest 2 Lowest . During a press conference in support of the film, Spike Lee was asked a question, and he answered with an assumed swipe at President Donald Trump. Spike Lee was flanked on the podium by Highest 2 Lowest co-stars, Jeffrey Wright and Ilfenesh Hadera. Lee, Wright, and Hadera largely spoke about their roles in the film, with Hadera reminding the media that, for as much as Highest 2 Lowest is another collaboration with Lee and leading man Denzel Washington, she has worked with Lee several times as well. Wright, a fan of Lee's work, remarked that this is the first time he's worked with the famed director. Around the 22:37 mark, a reporter stood and asked if social media has compromised American values after noting that his film speaks a lot about integrity. Lee, freewheeling as ever, answered as only the Brooklyn native could. 'Well, I mean, I don't know how much we can talk about American values considering who's the president of the,' before trailing over to cover his mouth, but it was clear he was saying 'the United States' to conclude his covered-mouth statement. He added with exuberance, 'My wife said: 'Spike, be very careful what you say!'' Lee, turning serious, continued by saying, 'But here's the thing, I don't think that we can condemn social media. You can say the same thing about film, movies or whatever. So I'm not going to demonize the form.' Wright answered as well, and shared his thoughts, adding that some developers of these massive social media platforms won't allow their children to use those spaces. A$AP Rocky and Ice Spice, along with Wright's son, Elijah Wright, making his big screen debut, are part of the cast. Spike Lee's full conference for Highest 2 Lowest from Cannes can be viewed below. — Photo: SEE ALSO Spike Lee Takes Assumed Shot At President Donald Trump At Cannes was originally published on Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE
New York Post
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Why Cannes banning nudity from the red carpet is hilariously hypocritical
Like the gun-toting 'Les Miserables' students storming the barricade, Cannes has taken a stand — against, of all things, obscenity. C'est rich! The hon! hon! hon! film festival on France's Cote d'Azur put in place a restrictive — well, as far as Bianca Censori is concerned — new rule Monday at the start of their movie marathon. Advertisement 5 Bella Hadid has often worn revealing outfits at the Cannes Film Festival. Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images 'For decency reasons, nudity is prohibited on the red carpet, as well as in any other area of the festival,' le statement declared. Liberté, egalité, no nudité! Advertisement At pretty much any nearby beach, however, the waist-up dress code remains au naturale. No doubt about it, smutty step-and-repeats are a growing concern at glitzy soirees around the world. The Post's photo editors spend so many hours pixelating famous women's exposed areas, there's barely time for lunch. At the Grammys, Kanye West's girlfriend Censori wore, I dunno, a body-sized nylon sock before being escorted out. Bella Hadid has controversially donned sheer dresses at Cannes before. So has Kendall Jenner. I know — such shocking behavior from these classy, classy names. Advertisement 5 Kendall Jenner might struggle with the new nudity rules on the red carpet. KCS Presse / MEGA A week ago, Halle Berry left little to the imagination at the Met Gala. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Cannes has also canned 'voluminous' outfits with long trains and other excesses — a k a the fun ones. The huge dresses, not European sluggishness, hold up other entrants. Amusingly, that's Berry's problem in France: Her frock has too much fabric. She's gone from sheer to shears. Advertisement 5 Halle Berry wore revealing sheer at the Met Gala this year. Getty Images Bravely, I am pro-clothes-in-public. But the hand-wringing from the Pierres and Claudettes is hilarious. For one, this isn't Kalamazoo — it's France, the country of Manet, Matisse and Courbet. And, specific to Cannes, after these newly layered-up monks and nuns somberly march into the Grand Théâtre Lumière, bared flesh is all over the screen. The French Riviera transforms into Times Square circa 1972. No less than 17 films in the fest's 78 year history have featured graphic, un-simulated sex scenes. Some call it art, some call it porn. You say potato, I say pomme de terre. 5 Cannes have premiered films like 'Love,' which featured un-simulated hardcore sex. Courtesy Everett Collection One, director Gaspar Noe's 'Love' in 2015, featured beaucoup hardcore hanky panky. A carnal MadLibs, the movie had threesomes, orgies, beds, bathrooms, basements and dingy hallways in ample combinations. Plus, like 'Avatar: The Way of Water,' 'Love' was shot in 3-D. Advertisement You can only imagine. Vincent Gallo's 2003 flick 'Brown Bunny,' in which the writer/actor/director was actually pleasured by star Chloe Sevigny, was called the worst Cannes movie ever by Roger Ebert. 5 In Vincent Gallo's 'Brown Bunny,' the director had steamy relations with star Chloe Sevigny. Lest we forget, last year's Palme d'Or winner 'Anora' begins with a series of topless lap dances. Advertisement And my word count isn't long enough — nor my stomach strong enough — to take you through the raunchy resume of Lars von Trier. All this to say, the festival is rather in-Cannes-sistent. I'm in the market for some mischief. Maybe some rebellious attendees will give us a French revolution, arrive in the buff and get carted away. Advertisement Did you know Cannes also requires 'elegant' footwear? They've kicked filmmakers off the carpet for simply wearing moccasins. They'd 'Mon Dieu!' my Sundance sweatpants. If a starlet were forcibly removed for immodesty, that would make a killer story. It would be even better than last year's festival's unfortunate headline grabbers: 'Megalopolis' and 'Horizon: An American Saga.' Talk about obscene. Sacré bleu!
