Daylight savings time in Greece will begin on Sunday. Credit: TooFarNorth. CC BY 2.0/flickr
The daylight savings time will begin in Greece and the rest of the European Union tomorrow.
At 03:00 Greeks will set their clocks to 04:00 as daylight saving time always goes into effect on the last Sunday of March.
Often referred to as simply ‘Daylight Savings’ or ‘summer time’, the change means that Greeks will lose an hour of sleep on Sunday but they will make better use of the daylight available.
Between March and October, an hour of daylight is borrowed from the morning and added to the end of the day. In modern society, this means saving a fraction on energy bills, and in Greece, the producer price is the highest in the EU, almost twice the EU average, according to the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy.
First suggested by Benjamin Franklin back in 1784
Daylight saving time was introduced relatively recently, although it was first suggested by Benjamin Franklin back in 1784. He suggested that if we started our days earlier, when it’s lighter, then it would save on candles.
Fast forward to 1907, the great-great-grandfather of Coldplay’s lead singer, Chris Martin, published a leaflet entitled The Waste Of Daylight. As a keen golfer and horse rider, William Willett was eager to make the most of the daylight hours and campaigned for the rest of his life. Although his proposal was not a straightforward one; it involved moving the clocks forward by 80 minutes, in four separate increments of 20 minutes each Sunday at 2am.
It was Canada that became the first country to implement Daylight Saving Time, in 1908. The US followed suit in 1918. Only around 70 countries (of 195) worldwide use it. Japan, India and China, as well as most countries near the equator, do not.
US Senate votes to make daylight saving time permanent
In 2022, the United States Senate passed the Sunshine Protection Act to make daylight saving time permanent; the bill failed in the House and expired at the end of the year. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has opposed the Sunshine Protection Act and called instead for permanent standard time, a position supported by the American College of Chest Physicians and the World Sleep Society, among others.
In March last year, the Sunshine Protection Act was reintroduced, but as of January this year, there has been no appreciable progress of the bill.
Arizona, Hawaii, and U.S. territories already following permanent standard time would be exempt from the law. These states and territories would continue using their current system of permanent standard time. Any other state that adopted permanent standard time before the Sunshine Protection Act became law would also be exempt.
Historians are still in debate over whether Alexander the Great ever knew about the Aral Sea, located between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Credit: by Gary Lee Todd, Ph.D. CC BY 1.0/flickr
Alexander the Great’s empire spanned an enormous land mass, encompassing much of the Mediterranean and parts of the subcontinent, but there still exists a mystery around the Aral Sea, a now-dried up inland sea which historians are uncertain whether Alexander came across or not.
The primary source from which it could be deduced that Alexander the Great did come across the Aral Sea – located in Central Asia between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan – comes from Strabo, the ancient Greek geographer, philosopher and historian.
The ancient Greek geographer’s writings suggest that Alexander knew about a large body of water to the northeast of the Caspian, which some scholars believe is a reference to the Aral Sea. But the description and the geographical detail provided by Strabo are far from conclusive, which has led to lots of uncertainties among historians.
Some historians claim that Strabo’s description may refer to different bodies of water, or even hyperbolised accounts of small lakes. One historian, J.R. Hamilton, wrote a journal article titled ‘Alexander and the Aral’ in which he expounds upon the debate over whether Alexander the Great was aware of the existence of the Aral Sea.
Statue of Strabo in Amasia. Credit: Erturac. CC BY 3.0/Wikimedia Commons/Erturac
In his paper, the historian attempts to piece together the evidence and reach a conclusion, however it seems that the subject remains one of historical interpretation, and it is not conclusively understood whether Alexander knew of the Aral Sea’s existence.
Strabo’s writings relied on earlier sources, which are no longer extant, making interpretation of his work very challenging. He writes about a larger body of water near the caspian, but his descriptions are ambiguous. The Aral Sea and the Caspian Sea are separate bodies of water, with the former lying to the northeast of the latter.
The ancient geographers did not possess the same level of cartographic precision that we have today, and so potential inaccuracies or over-generalization are to be expected in their accounts.
Hamilton’s examination of the subject takes into account not only Strabo’s work but also other records and the logistical and strategic movements of Alexander the Great throughout his campaigns. If the great military tactician knew about the Aral Sea, it would likely have played a role in his military plans.
The nature of Alexander’s missions in Central Asia, especially the movements and aims of his armies, are deeply examined by Hamilton to find clues about his geographic knowledge.
However, despite the historian’s efforts, the article fails to reach a definitive answer. Rather, it sheds light on the complexities of historical interpretation and the difficulties of drawing conclusions from fragmented and often contradictory sources.
Strabo as a Source for Whether Alexander the Great Knew of the Aral Sea
In his article, Hamilton makes mention of Sir William Tarn, who, basing his case mainly on Aristotle, Meteorologica, and Strabo, argued that Alexander knew of the existence of the Aral Sea.
According to Hamilton, “Tarn’s conclusion was soon challenged by Professor Lionel Pearson, who disagreed in particular with Tarn’s interpretation of the passage in Strabo. But, although he undoubtedly succeeds in showing that some of Tarn’s arguments are no valid, Pearson fails, as it seems to me, to disprove his main contention.”
Hamilton goes on to write that Pearson misunderstand the line of Strabo’s argument and is led to propose an unnecessary emendation of the text.
Hamilton writes, “First then, the Strabo passage. On his expedition, Alexander had not advanced beyond the river Jaxartes (Syr Darya – in Asia), except for a brief foray across the river. He had left unconquered, as Strabo says, a large part of Asia between the Caspian Sea and the river Tanais (Don), the established boundary between Europe and Asia.”
He continues, “But, according to Strabo, some of the historians of Alexander devised a stratagem which enabled them to claim that the king had conquered the whole of Asia. They combined Lake Maeotis (Sea of Azov), which receives the Tanais, with the Caspian, which they also called a lake, saying that the two were connected and that each formed part of the other.
“We may note at this point that Strabo believed that the Jaxartes flowed into the Caspian. In fact, it has always flowed into the Aral. Strabo then goes on to relate the part played in the stratagem by Polycleitus, a minor historian and geographer who accompanied Alexander’s expedition.”
This is where the debate has come to at present, still yielding diminishing returns. However, we do know that Alexander the Great’s empire never extended to the Central Asian region, where the Aral Sea is located.
What Happened to the Aral Sea
The Aral Sea was an endorheic lake which lay between Kazakhstan to the north and Uzbekistan to the south, which began to shrink in the 1960s and had mostly dried up by the 2010s.
Diminishing Aral Sea. Credit: NASA Goddard Photo and Video. CC BY 2.0/flickr
It is considered an example of ecosystem collapse, with the ecosystems of the Aral Sea and the river deltas feeding into it having been nearly destroyed, mostly because of the salinity being much higher than ocean water.
The dying sea has left in its place enormous plains covered with salt and toxic chemicals from weapons testing, industrial projects, and runoff of pesticides and fertilizer. Because of the shrinking water source and worsening water and soil quality, pesticides were increasingly used from the 1960s to raise cotton yield, which further polluted the water with toxins (e.g. HCH, TCCD, DDT). Industrial pollution also resulted in PCB and heavy-metal contamination.
Due to the lack of water left in the Aral Sea, concentrations of these pollutants increased dramatically both in the remaining water and in the dry beds. This resulted in wind-borne toxic dust that spread quite widely.
People inhabiting the lower regions of the river basins and former shore zones ingested pollutants through drinking local water and inhaling contaminated dust.
The ancient Greek world was a complex network of localities. Credit: Megistias, pploaded by Jan van der Crabben, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED
Many people know the rich and legendary history of Greece. However, who knew that the ancient Greeks originated from numerous tribes?
In the beautiful landscapes of the Mediterranean, where the blue sea meets the sunny skies, lies the birthplace of Western civilization. It is a place that has profoundly shaped our modern world. The ancient Greeks, the people that showed the world their profound wisdom and boundless mythology, laid down the foundations of democracy, philosophy, and the arts, among so many other things.
However, before these achievements, there existed a complex web of ancient Greek tribes, each carrying the seeds of Greece’s future.
The diverse tribal roots of ancient Greece
The story of Greece begins not with a single people. The nation of what we now know as Greece had a diverse past of tribes whose origins trace back to the dark ages of prehistory.
From the Proto-Indo-Europeans to the enigmatic Pelasgians,, the ancestry of the Greeks is a canvas of complex relations of groups and tribes that were once not the same nation.
On the one hand, the Proto-Indo-European migrations and mass movements brought a large number of people to the region we now call Greece. They filled the Aegean basin with new linguistic and cultural strands. The Pelasgians, on the other hand, were described by many ancient historians as the region’s original inhabitants.
This complex and long-lasting story of creation highlights the diversity of the Greek identity, challenging the idea of a monolithic origin for the people of Greece.
The Greek identity emerges
Over time, the diverse tribes across Greece’s mainland and its thousands of islands merged into one culture and language, the one we learn about when we talk about ancient Greece.
This change, however, didn’t happen overnight or uniformly. It was driven by countless migrations and cultural exchanges from the wider region. These exchanges included those of the Aeolians, Dorians, and Ionians, the three main ethnic groups of the Greeks.
This new reality created a score of new traditions, changing the definition of what it means to be a Greek. They built a common identity that came to define the entirety of the Greek spirit. The rise of this common Greek identity shows the strength of cultural mixing and the importance of migration flows in human history. Ancient tribes, once separate, combined their stories, myths, and traditions into what turned out to be one of the richest civilizations in human history.
By looking into the origins of ancient Greece, we can uncover the intricate roots of the common Greek heritage.
Fifth century BC hoplite, or “heavy-armed soldier,” possibly Spartan King Leonidas, a Dorian, who died holding the pass at the Battle of Thermopylae. Credit: de Benutzer Ticinese, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
The Dorians
The Dorians were a key ethnic group when it came to shaping the common identity of ancient Greece. They managed to shape its culture, language, and society alongside the Aeolians, Achaeans, and Ionians.
Known from early texts like the Odyssey of Homer, they inhabited places from the north to the south, including Crete. They influenced places such as Corinth, forming the foundations of this bustling trade hub to Sparta’s unique military isolationism.
Their dialect, social customs, and traditions distinguished them within the ancient Greek world. Theories on Dorian origins suggest they moved south from regions of the north, most probably Macedonia. This movement of people dramatically influenced Greek dialects and traditions. The Dorians settled and expanded in many places from the Peloponnese to Sicily and Asia Minor, establishing and maintaining strong traditions.
The first ancient theater of Larissa. It was constructed inside the ancient city’s center during the reign of Antigonus II Gonatas towards the end of the third century BC. Larissa and Thessaly as a whole were the motherland of the Aeolians. Credit: Dimitris Plastiras, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
The Aeolians
The Aeolians were another one of ancient Greece’s major tribes. Originating in the geographical area of Eastern Greece, notably Thessaly and Boeotia, they began settling on Anatolia’s west coast—now Turkey’s western coast—around 1100 BC. A second wave of settlements followed in the 7th century.
They spoke a dialect called Aeolic Greek, which was immortalized by poets such as Sappho from Lesbos and Alcaeus. The Aeolians trace their name to Aeolus. Aeolus was a mythical figure for the Greeks that symbolized their windy nature.
Ionian soldier (Old Persian Yaunā) of the Achaemenid army, circa 480 BCE. Xerxes I tomb relief. Credit: A Davey, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY SA 2.0.
The Ionians
The Ionians were distinguished from the rest of the Greek tribes by their unique dialect, setting them apart from the Dorians and Aeolians.
This tribe’s identity was geographically varied—from the specific inhabitants of Ionia in Asia Minor to a broader group speaking the Ionic dialect across regions of mainland Greece. The Ionians included Euboea and the Cycladic archipelago.
Their name traces back to a myth involving Ion. Ion was a figure who led to their migration to Attica after being displaced by the conquering Dorians. Unlike them, however, who were known for their strict and militaristic ways, the Ionians celebrated philosophy, art, democracy, and the pursuit of pleasure.
Athens, an Ionian city, became a cultural beacon, embodying these values and becoming what we know now as Classical Athens. The Ionian philosophers, starting from Miletus in Asia Minor, were pioneers. They attempted to find natural explanations for the world around them and laid the groundwork for Western scientific and rational thought, as we know it today.
Divisions and mythical origins of the Greek tribes
Ancient Greek society had a profound and fundamental connection with its divine beliefs about how the world worked. The Aeolians, Dorians, and Ionians, among other tribes, not only profusely contributed to the mythological heritage. Each tribe had its own pantheon of gods and heroes with myths that explained everything, from natural phenomena and historical events to social boundaries and orders.
For instance, the Dorian invasion has been linked to epic tales of conquest and settlement. At the same time, Ionian myths often reflect themes of exploration and trade, describing their outgoing and adventurous nature. These stories, deeply connected with the supernatural and divine, provided a useful framework for future experts to understanding these ancient Greek tribes and their place within the broader Greek region.
Understanding ancient Greek tribal divisions
As we have seen, myths and migrations played a crucial role in shaping ancient Greek society. They were more than stories of old adventures. In fact, they were a guide, explaining the beginnings of peoples and cities across the nation.
They also supported the established social structure and community orders and united the Greeks with a common past and future. Tales such as the Heraclidae’s return—the Dorian invasion of the Peloponnese—explained why people moved. They also provided divine reasons for claiming lands, justifying wars that otherwise would be unjustifiable to the common mind.
These stories, full of deeper meanings and symbols of divinity, directed the moral and ethical values of the Greeks.
How legends of Greek tribes shaped ancient Greek society
Along these stories of conquest and movement, Greek mythology, with its pantheon of gods, epic heroes, and extraordinary tales, served as a tool for interpreting human existence and the world around it.
These magnificent stories were passed down through generations, making their way all the way to our modern world. They articulated the understanding of the nature of the divine, giving a clearer picture of this common Greek identity.
Such stories also aimed to explain the unexplainable, from the changing of seasons during the year to the laws of fortune. This revealed a worldview whereby humans and gods interacted with each other in a shared universe. Moreover, this became one of the cornerstones of what it meant to be Greek in ancient times. Such a mythological set of beliefs played an essential role in shaping the values and ethics of the ancient Greek civilization.
The endless influence of Greek tribes today
The legacy of the ancient Greek tribes is not confined to ancient history. It continues to inspire and challenge our perspectives of what ancient Greek identity and culture mean.
The ancient Greeks, through the myths and historical adventures of their founding tribes, offered us a rich heritage of knowledge, beauty, and wisdom. They reminded us of the importance of moves and migrations in shaping a common national identity and encouraged us to explore the depths of our own cultures and traditions.
Beaded molecules, researchers have created the coldest large molecule on record. Credit: fdecomite / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
In a new discovery, scientists have developed a unique four-atom molecule, colder than any seen before.
This strange molecule, formed from sodium-potassium in an unusual arrangement, boasts an exceptionally lengthy chemical bond. It was produced at a temperature of 134 nanokelvin, which is a mere 134 billionths of a degree above absolute zero. The research detailing this ultracold substance was published on January 31 in the journal Nature.
Understanding quantum behavior is vital, especially in ultracold systems. Quantum mechanics, the laws that govern tiny particles, become prominent at low temperatures.
These setups allow scientists to finely tune particle energies to create quantum simulations. These simulations mimic other complex quantum systems, helping in our comprehension of physics beyond our current grasp, as reported by Live Science.
For example, looking into the quantum characteristics of ultracold molecules might eventually help scientists pinpoint the specific material properties crucial for developing high-temperature superconductors.
Balancing simplicity and complexity in ultracold systems
A challenge arises when balancing simplicity and complexity in ultracold systems. If a system is too basic, it might not accurately represent the full spectrum of behavior seen in intricate quantum systems. However, introducing more complexity makes designing effective experiments more difficult.
Roman Bause, a quantum optics researcher at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, explained this challenge.
He mentioned, “Usually people use atoms or ions and what makes them somewhat controllable is the fact that you have a relatively limited number of quantum states.”
“But if I draw all the quantum states of a molecule, it will fill quite a thick book. It’s a factor of a million or so more states,” Bause further added.
The abundance of additional quantum states presents intriguing questions in the world of quantum mechanics. However, it also complicates the process of cooling the molecules.
Record-breaking coldest molecules
In a recent study, Tao Shi, a physicist from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, along with international colleagues, devised a solution. They used a multi-step cooling process, starting with laser cooling to produce the record-breaking molecules.
This cooling technique involves directing laser beams from various directions toward a moving atom. The atom absorbs the light, becoming excited in a quantum state, and then promptly releases energy to revert to its original state.
Due to the atom’s movement in relation to the laser beams, known as the Doppler effect, it releases slightly more energy than it absorbs, resulting in self-cooling, as reported by Live Science.
“The problem with using this technique for molecules is that there’s not just one ground state. You would potentially need thousands of laser beams and it’s just too much technical effort,” Bause said.
Philhellens join Armatomenoi Moraites Staikos – Staikopoulos Nafplio 1822 in Greek Independence Day march in Nafplio for the first time. Credit: fanistsiros.gr
This year, for the first time, a small group representing the Philhellenes, people who are great admirers of Greece and Greek culture, proudly marched together with the Armatomenoi Moraites (Αρματωμένοι Mωραΐτες) Staikos – Staikopoulos in Nafplio’s Greek Independence Day parade of March 25th.
The association Armed Moraites – Staikos – Staikopoulos was founded in 2020 with headquarters in the Municipality of Nafplio, with the aim of reviving the historical events of the Greek revolution of 1821.
Philhellenes join Armatomenoi Moraites Staikos – Staikopoulos Nafplio 1822 in Greek Independence Day march in Nafplio for first time. Credit: fanistsiros.gr
Participation in the Independence Day parade is always accompanied by emotion and pride for the Armored Moraites since it is a symbol of honor and glory. The Philhellenes flew the commemorative flag of Theodoros Kolokotronis, adorned with the blue cross of Saint Andrew, as a tribute to their compatriots who joined the Greeks in their struggle for freedom after centuries of Ottoman rule.
The flag was used in battles during the Greek Revolution and prominent military leaders, including Kolokotronis and Andreas Miaoulis, made their solemn vows to fight for liberation under it.
Through bravery and unwavering resolve, Greece eventually achieved independence from the Ottomans. A significant factor in their success was the intervention of the allied forces from Britain, France, and Russia in the critical naval battle of Navarino in 1827.
Armatomenoi Moraites Staikos – Staikopoulos Nafplio 1822 in Greek Independence Day march in Nafplio. Credit: fanistsiros.gr
The participation of the Philhellenes in the Independence Day parade pays tribute to the courageous individuals who fought selflessly and laid down their lives to help secure Greece’s independence.
One of the most beautiful towns in the area of Argolis, in the eastern Peloponnese, Nafplio was the first capital of the newly-founded Greek state between 1823 and 1834. According to mythology, the town was founded by Nafplios, the son of the god Poseidon and the daughter of Danaus Amymone.
The town’s history runs back to the prehistoric era when soldiers there took part in the Argonautic expedition and the Trojan War. The town declined during Roman times and flourished again during the Byzantine era. Frankish, Venetian, and Turkish conquerors left their mark on the town and influenced its culture and architecture throughout the centuries.
Philhellenes who advocated for Greek independence
Philhellenism, the collective term for Philhellenes, was an intellectual movement which reached its height at the turn of the nineteenth century. It gave fuel to the sentiments that led Europeans such as Lord Byron, Charles Nicolas Fabvier, and Richard Church to advocate for Greek independence from the Ottoman Empire.
Well-known Philhellenes of history include Lord Byron, Victor Hugo, and Friedrich Nietzsche, the latter of which was one of the most staunch Philhellenes. Nietzsche wrote that “the Greek is the man who has achieved the most,” and “the Greek people are the only people of genius in the history of the world.” Lastly, according to Nietzsche, “the Greeks have never been overestimated.”
On Wednesday, Amazon announced it is investing an additional $2.75 billion in Anthropic, bringing its total investment in the artificial intelligence startup to a jaw-dropping $4 billion.
Anthropic is a leading AI company that has been focused for years on developing safe and responsible generative AI models. The substantial investment on behalf of Amazon to Anthropic deepens the strategic collaboration between Jeff Bezos’ company and Anthropic as they continue to work together to push the boundaries of what’s possible with AI.
Purpose of Amazon investment
Through this new mega-deal, Amazon gains a minority ownership stake in Anthropic. This stake of Amazon is now valued at $18.4 billion.
As part of this major collaboration, Anthropic will be allowed to use Amazon Web Services (AWS) as its primary cloud provider for mission-critical workloads. This will include safety research and the development of future foundation models.
Foundation models are large-scale, general-purpose artificial intelligence models trained on a wide range of data using self-supervised learning. After their initial training, foundation models can be adapted (e.g. fine-tuned) accordingly to perform a large variety of tasks across different topics.
The cutting-edge AI models developed by Anthropic, such as the ChatGPT rival Claude, will also be made accessible to AWS customers via Amazon Bedrock. Bedrock is a fully managed service that provides secure and easy access to a wide range of high-performing AI models.
The integration will enable organizations, regardless of their size, to rapidly test, build, and deploy generative AI applications to drive innovation even further.
This massive investment on Anthropic by Amazon is also aimed at accelerating the adoption of advanced generative AI technologies for Amazon’s vast customer base. Amazon is one of the largest businesses in the world after all.
Impact on AI Research by Amazon’s decision
Anthropic might be less known to the wider public, but it has emerged as a pioneer in the field of generative AI. Anthropic is known to the AI world for focusing on developing safe and controllable AI systems. Its flagship chatbot named Claude is seen by experts and users alike as a major rival to the wildly popular ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI.
Earlier in March, Anthropic introduced Claude 3, its most advanced version of AI models to date. According to the company, the top-of-the-line Claude 3 Opus model outperforms OpenAI’s GPT-4 and Google’s Gemini Ultra in numerous key areas such as reasoning, mathematics, and coding, among others.
The strategic collaboration between Amazon and Anthropic paves the way for building even more powerful, safe, and reliable AI models. By combining Anthropic’s cutting-edge research with Amazon’s unmatched scale and AI/ML capabilities, the two companies aim to not just advance the field of AI, but do so in a responsible manner.
The new deal that was finalized and made public on Wednesday now positions Amazon firmly as a central player in the rapidly evolving AI arms race, alongside OpenAI, Google, and Elon Musk’s xAI. With Microsoft going all-in on OpenAI and Google placing its own big bets in their own Gemini project, Amazon made clear to the world that it wants to be placed at the forefront of the generative AI revolution through its partnership with Anthropic.
Technological advancements
As part of this collaboration, Anthropic will most definitely leverage the custom-designed AI chips available by AWS. This includes Trainium and Inferentia to build and deploy its advanced AI models. These extremely specialized processors provide high performance and cost efficiency for compute-intensive AI workloads. They are needed by Anthropic to develop its projects.
Trainium, in particular, is optimized for training large AI models. It offers the highest performance at the lowest cost in the cloud. It is a combination that is very attractive nowadays. Inferentia, on the other hand, is built from the ground up for high-performance, deep-learning inference. By being able to use AWS’s purpose-built AI hardware and software solutions, Anthropic will now be able to train and run its models with better speed and much-needed efficiency.
The tight integration with AWS will definitely also enable Anthropic to scale its models and make them widely accessible to businesses and developers worldwide in a much easier manner. According to Amazon, with just a few lines of code, organizations and businesses alike will tap into the powerful AI capabilities through Amazon Bedrock and build new, innovative applications faster, making Amazon and Anthropic more competitive in the already tough terrain of AI competition.
Partnerships and collaborations
To help businesses adopt new AI technologies responsibly, Amazon and Anthropic have said they are working closely with the leading professional services firm Accenture. As part of this collaboration, over 1,400 Accenture engineers will soon be trained on how to effectively use the models developed by Anthropic on AWS to solve real-world business problems.
Over 1,400 Accenture engineers will be trained as specialists in using Anthropic’s models on AWS, allowing them to provide customers with end-to-end support that speeds up time from concept to production.
This collaboration between Anthropic and Amazon, however, is not new. Several high-profile organizations and businesses are already taking advantage of Anthropic’s AI technology through Amazon Bedrock. These companies leverage the new possibilities offered by AI to transform their operations and become more effective.
US-based Delta Air Lines, for example, is using it to enhance customer service, Germany-based Siemens is applying it for industrial automation that reduces time and costs, and pharmaceutical giant Pfizer is employing it to accelerate drug discovery and innovate in the health sector.
Apart from the many commercial applications, Amazon and Anthropic have also declared they want to advance responsible AI development through engagement with key stakeholders and policymakers around the world. As it is known, there are a number of dangers in the uncontrollable development of artificial intelligence. Hence, ethical and controlled development is key to humanity’s well-being and safety. The two companies are actively collaborating with groups like the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and others to help shape best practices and standards for safe and ethical AI.
As the age of artificial intelligence swiftly unfolds before our eyes, collaborations like the one between Amazon and Anthropic will play a crucial and fundamental role in unlocking the immense potential of AI. This, nonetheless, will have to be done whilst ensuring it benefits humanity as a whole rather than the selected few. With their combined expertise and resources, the two companies are now well-positioned not only to push the boundaries of what’s possible with AI but also to set the standard for responsible innovation in this transformative field. Only time will tell if they will be able to achieve that.
Thousands of Catholics attend a Holy Friday Mass during Easter in Valledupar, Colombia. Credit: AP / Greek Reporter
Now that Good Friday is upon us, it is useful to understand what this day and the rest of the Easter holiday means to Catholics, who see the day as a time for fasting and mourning.
Good Friday and Easter Sunday reminds people of Jesus’ journey to the cross, and ultimately, his death, burial, and the perils of evil defeating good. It is also emblematic of good triumphing once again with the resurrection of Christ.
The twelve gospels are read on Holy Thursday evening while five are read on Good Friday morning. These narrate the tragic events from the Evangelists’ point of view.
Good Friday is a reminder for the faithful of Christ’s betrayal and subsequent arrest, his interrogation and humiliation, his death sentence ordered by the high priests and Pilate, and Peter’s denial and repentance. It also recounts Christ’s road to calvary, as well as his crucifixion, death, burial, and the closing of his tomb.
Jesus was crucified at nine o’clock in the morning, and his unfathomable pain allegedly lasted for six hours until three in the afternoon, when he died, saying: “It is finished.” At sunset, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, two of Christ’s secret disciples, removed his body from the cross and buried him in a rock-covered tomb.
The Vatican on Good Friday and Easter Weekend
Pope Francis presided over the liturgy of the Passion and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ in St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican on Good Friday afternoon. Good Friday is the only day of the year on which there is no Holy Mass.
The Church celebrates the Solemn Liturgy of the Passion of the Lord, consisting of three parts. These include the Liturgy of the Word, culminating in the chanting of the Passion according to St. John; the Adoration of the Cross; and reception of Holy Communion.
📹HIGHLIGHTS | On Good Friday, Pope Francis presided over the Celebration of the Lord's Passion in St. Peter's Basilica, one of the most beautiful liturgical traditions of the Catholic Church #HolyWeek2024pic.twitter.com/LxX4XYZjoR
After the proclamation of the Passion, Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa, the Preacher of the Pontifical Household, delivered the homily, taking as his starting point the passage: “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I Am” (Jn 8:28).
Another part of Easter Weekend at the Vatican is the Urbi et orbi blessing, which is a cherished tradition in the city, where the Pope delivers his blessing to the city of Rome and the entire world, from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica.
This blessing is said to symbolize the universal reach of the Catholic Church and the message of hope and peace during Easter.
An Easter Vigil is also held at the Vatican on Saturday evening. This includes lighting the Paschal candle, readings from scripture, and the celebration of the Eucharist. This ceremony marks the anticipation of Easter Sunday and the resurrection of Christ.
Vatican Easter Mass usually takes place on the morning of Easter Sunday, and this year it will begin at 9:30 AM.
Alongside these activities, during Easter week, more generally, the Pope holds special papal audiences in the Vatican. Pilgrims and visitors gather in St. Peter’s Square to receive blessings and teachings from the Pope.
Catholic Good Friday in Jerusalem
Even amid the tumult of the current war in Gaza, the timeless tradition of the humble observance of Good Friday by Christian Catholic pilgrims and clergy members unfolds in Jerusalem’s Old City.
Thousands solemnly cross the Via Dolorosa and head towards the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, some carrying wooden crosses, while echoing chants and hymns reverberate in the background. This commemorates the sufferings of Christ in a ritual aligned with the Catholic calendar.
The Via Dolorosa, a religious route within Jerusalem’s Old City, is said to mark Jesus’ journey to the cross after judgement by Pontius Pilate. While the accuracy or authenticity of its historical location is debated, it remains extremely significant as an ancient tradition.
Christians marked this year’s Good Friday in the Old City of Jerusalem, where they followed the path which they believe was walked by Jesus Christ as he carried his cross, known as the Via Crucis. pic.twitter.com/dWBCwSZGAX
According to the Catholic calendar, Holy Week began this year on Palm Sunday, March 24th and will run until Easter Sunday, March 31st, with Good Friday being celebrated today. The Orthodox Church, which utilizes the old Julian calendar, observes Holy Friday (Good Friday) on May 3rd with Easter falling on Sunday, May 5th.
Philippines: Catholic devotees nailed to crosses to re-enact crucifixion
In the Philippines, Catholic devotees were nailed to crosses amidst sweltering heat north of the capital, Manila, on Good Friday, in a re-enactment of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion. Approximately 20,000 Filipino and foreign tourists gathered in San Pedro Cutud village in Pampanga province to witness this annual display of devotion, which the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines disapproves of.
Actors, dressed as Roman soldiers, whipped devotees who carried crosses and hammered three-inch nails through the hands and feet of three individuals. These crucifixions represented the most extreme displays of faith in the Philippines, a country where about 80% of its more than 110 million people identify as Roman Catholics.
Konstantinos Karamanlis proposed Latinizing the Greek alphabet: Wikipedia CC0
In the mid 1970s when Prime Minister Konstantinos Karamanlis proposed changing the Greek alphabet to Latin and making the Greek language phonetic, the minister of culture and a Parliament member threatened to resign.
The unusual idea of the conservative PM came as a shock to those who learned of his proposal. It was quite unexpected coming from him.
Konstantinos Karamanlis returned triumphantly to Greece on July 24, 1974 following the fall of the seven-year military dictatorship. Upon becoming Greece’s PM, his vision was to introduce crucial reforms to make Greece a true, modern European country. The same day, he was sworn in as Prime Minister of Greece and the most suitable person to unite Greece after a tumultuous seven-year period.
When Karamanlis landed in Athens, Giscard D’Estaing was the President of France after the May 1974 French presidential election. In fact, the plane the Greek politician flew on was courtesy of the French President.
The friendship with Giscard D’Estaing helped Karamanlis materialize one of his bigger plans: to have Greece become a member of the European Economic Community (EEC), which was incorporated into the European Union (EU) in 1993.
On January 1st, 1981, Karamanlis’ vision materialized, and Greece became the tenth member of the EEC. It was a crucial step for Greece’s economic stability in the following years.
Konstantinos Karamanlis’ proposal to Latinize Greek letters
Once established in government, the Greek Prime Minister proceeded with the reforms he had envisioned. He abolished monarchy with a referendum, thus establishing the third Hellenic Republic. He televised the trial of the junta culprits and legalized the Greek Communist Party (KKE) to heal the leftist wounds of the Greek Civil War, and he also ushered Greece into the EEC.
In regards to foreign policy, for the first time since World War II, Greece followed a multi-polar approach between the US, the Soviet Union, and the Third World.
Towards the end of the 1970s, the Greek politician flirted with the idea of furthering Greece’s progress and European identity by introducing the Latin alphabet to the Greek language and making the writing phonetic.
On July 25, 1999, in an article by renowned journalist and newspaper editor of To Vima, Stavros Psycharis reported that the Greek Prime Minister had proposed the establishment of the Latin alphabet and phonetic writing. He described the proposal as a “crisis.”
Psycharis recounted a meeting in which Karamanlis met with Culture Minister Konstantinos Tsatsos and prominent educator and MP Evangelos Papanoutsos to discuss education issues:
“The first time the crisis broke out was in a meeting between Karamanlis and Konstantinos Tsatsos, before becoming President of the Republic, when he was minister of culture, and the late Evangelos Papanoutsos. The prime minister had invited them to his office to discuss Education issues. At one point Karamanlis told them that they should consider the possibility of combining the Greek alphabet with the Latin one, even considering the issue of phonetic writing.”
“Karamanlis’ interlocutors jumped up like springs. ‘I couldn’t believe my ears!’ Konstantinos Tsatsos would say several years later. In any case, the two interlocutors of the then prime minister declared that they would resign, and Karamanlis withdrew the proposal.”
A conservative with progressive ideas
The reason that Karamanlis shocked the two politicians was that he was not known for his involvement in language issues, and such an initiative surprised his party colleagues.
The unexpected proposal to radically change the writing of a language with a tradition of thousands of years of uninterrupted continuity, in which great works were written, would result in damaging Greece’s identity and legacy.
It was no surprise that the issue was not discussed further. Rather, it became an anecdote that very few would even consider repeating.
As for the two Konstantinos Karamanlis interlocutors, Konstantinos Tsatsos (July 1, 1899 – October 8, 1987) was a Greek diplomat, professor of law, scholar, and politician. He served as the second President of the Third Hellenic Republic from 1975 to 1980.
Evangelos Papanoutsos (July 27, 1900 – May 2, 1982) was an important Greek educator, philosopher, theologian, and essay-writer of the twentieth century who served in Parliament during the first Karamanlis term (1974-1977).His contribution to the rehaul of the Greek educational system is widely known.The main reforms attributed to Papanoutsos were, among others, the establishment of primary education and the separation of secondary education into middle school and high school.
Papanoutsos’ educational work was strongly criticized by coup plotters of the colonels’ dictatorship and was almost completely vilified in the 1967 to 1974 period.However, with the restoration of democracy, the Georgios Rallis’ educational reforms of 1976 were essentially based on Papanoutsos’ own philosophies of education.
Being bilingual or multilingual has many positive effects on the human brain, researchers have found. Credit: Beatrice Murch/Wikimedia Commons/ CC BY-SA 3.0
Being bilingual or multilingual has been proven to have countless beneficial impacts on the brains of those who speak more than one language.
According to recent data, most of the world’s population, or 43 percent, are bilingual, 40 percent are monolingual, and the rest are multilingual.
Studies have shown that being bilingual comes with many more advantages other than simply having the ability to communicate in multiple languages.
In fact, bilingual children are better at multitasking and can focus more easily than their monolingual counterparts.
While it is clear that those who speak multiple languages have certain linguistic advantages over those who do not, research has shown that they may have other cognitive advantages, as well.
Speaking more than one language helps memory, attention
Psychologist and professor Ellen Bialystock of York University, who focuses on bilingualism and language acquisition, conducted studies which indicate that those who are bilingual successfully completed cognitive and psychological tasks more quickly than monolingual participants.
The tasks were constructed to test their attention span, memory, and ability to shift between one task and another successfully.
There also seems to be an advantage to maintaining a high level in both languages rather than having a preference for one, as it forces the brain to remain active during communication in both languages as they “compete” for dominance with each other in the mind.
Seamlessly switching from one language to another, called “code switching,” may also help bilingual people juggle multiple complex tasks at once and keep their brains active.
It can also help them express things in one language that may be absent in the other. Many bilingual people have likely told others about a word in one language that simply cannot be translated into another. Bilinguals, when talking to other people who speak the same languages, often speak in a mix of both tongues to better express themselves.
Being bilingual helps maintain brain structure, prevents cognitive decline
Studies have shown that speaking more than one language may actually slow cognitive decline as bilingual and multilingual people grow older.
As people age, the amount of white matter in the brain naturally begins to decline. However, scientists have shown through diffusion tensor imaging, which shows the quality and location of white matter in the brain, that older bilingual people had more and higher quality white matter than monolingual people of the same age.
This shows that speaking more than one language may inhibit cognitive decline and help preserve the brain’s white matter. Studies have shown that bilingualism may also reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Dr. Nina Kraus, Professor at Northwestern University, analyzed the brain activity of bilingual people to study the areas of their brains that process complex sounds.
Dr. Kraus found that, much like accomplished musicians, bilinguals were able to pick out and focus on an isolated sound after it was first played to them by itself and then when it was played along with distracting background noise while monolingual people were not.
Furthermore, bilingual people were shown to have a greater ability to “pick out” important sounds when tasked with clicking a mouse every time they heard a specific word during a jumbled recording than those who speak only one language.
This indicates that those who speak multiple languages can pay attention to selected, relevant sounds while disregarding others, filtering out what is necessary.
With Greek Orthodox Easter on May 5, Greeks and tourists alike are planning to rush out of urban centers to enjoy the unique holiday customs found in destinations across the country.
While there are some shared Easter traditions throughout the country, there are many distinct customs that are unique to specific locations. Many of these traditions are incredibly moving, spiritual, and visually striking.
For Greeks, Easter is not merely the most important Orthodox holiday but also a time to reconnect with the country’s deep traditions.
Corfu, one of the most popular Easter destinations in Greece
After the First Resurrection, which takes place in the island’s metropolitan church, the bells of all churches begin to toll and people begin throwing thousands of botides filled with water and laurel from their windows.
The botides crash on the road and make a terrible racket, which in combination with the water and laurel is supposed to chase “evil” away.
Easter Sunday is filled with music from the island’s numerous bands which march around the city center playing songs. This joyous and beautiful event alone attracts thousands of Greek tourists each year.
Other Greek islands with unique Easter traditions have become popular destinations. Hydra is a popular choice due to its proximity to Athens and its tradition of blessing an Epitaph from the region of Kamini and then placing it in the sea, following a long procession throughout the island.
Many travellers are also rushing to the island of Chios, which is famed for its unique and spectacular Easter tradition of launching rockets.
The rocket war, one of the most beautiful, spectacular and yet dangerous Easter spectacles in the country, is thought to date back to the days of the Ottoman occupation of Greece.
The custom traditionally involves two opposing parishes of the village spending the evening just before Orthodox Easter Sunday firing thousands of homemade rockets at each other’s church, while the more pious among them attend a service inside.
The two rival parishes are Saint Mark and Panagia Erythiani (which means ”Red Madonna” in English).
These two beautiful churches stand on two hilltops about 400 meters from each other.
Traditionally, the objective is to hit the bell tower of the church on the other side. The rockets are wooden sticks loaded with an explosive mixture containing gunpowder and launched from grooved platforms.
Areas of religious significance also popular
Many destinations that are known internationally for their religious significance are also popular choices for Easter. The most notable and popular are the Greek islands of Patmos and Tinos.
Patmos, also known as the “Island of the Apocalypse,” is best known as the location where the Apostle John, who found refuge on the island in the 1st century AD, saw the visions found in the Book of Revelation in the New Testament, and where the book itself was written.
The Book of Revelation was written in 95 AD in the Holy Cave of the Apocalypse, where Saint John heard the voice of God.
The cave was later turned into a place of worship, and it is still open to travelers who are often Christians going on pilgrimage.
Each Easter, believers on the Greek island reenact two important scenes from the New Testament, namely the Last Supper and the Washing of the Feet, in the island’s central square.
Tinos is a holy island both for Greek Orthodox believers and for Catholics, as the island is home to a significant population of Greek Catholics who coexist peacefully with their Orthodox neighbors. The two groups often combine their holiday celebrations, showing their unity, even though the dates of Catholic and Orthodox Easter don’t often coincide.
On Good Friday, single women on the island bless the Epitaph of Agios Nikolaos which is then led to the sea in a procession. The Epitaph blazes with fire from burning torches that are used during the tradition.
Of course, Tinos is also known for the famous church called Our Lady of Tinos (Greek: Παναγία Ευαγγελίστρια της Τήνου), which is home to an Icon of the Virgin Mary that is said to be miraculous.
Meteora, which is known internationally for its impressive, moon-like landscapes and historic monasteries, is a popular destination for Easter time, as the faithful can visit the holy places and admire the stunning scenery.
Now home to one of the largest—and certainly the most precipitously built—complexes of Eastern Orthodox monasteries, Meteora is second in importance only to Mount Athos in religious centers of Orthodox monasticism.
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