Greek singer Vicky Leandros. Credit: Stefan Brending Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0 de
World famous Greek singer Vicky Leandros tripped and fell off the stage during a concert in Hanover, Germany on Friday night.
According to German newspaper Bild, the Greek singer suddenly fell off the stage while singing one of her biggest hits, “I Love Life.” The stage was one meter (3.3 feet) high.
Security and people in the front row rushed to help Leandros get on her feet in that awkward moment. Luckily, the Greek singer was not injured or hurt and returned to the stage to resume her show.
“I stumbled onto the stage. Fortunately, I fell on my side,” she said speaking to Bild, and added: “I must have had a lot of guardian angels with me because I could have fallen on my head or broken anything. But I don’t even have a bruise or feel any pain.”
“This is the first time this has happened to me in my entire career. Falling off the stage is every singer’s nightmare,” Vicky Leandros said.
A pan-European star
Greek Singer Vicky Leandros was born Vassiliki Papathanasiou in Palaiokastritsa on the Greek island of Corfu on August 23, 1952. Her father, Leandros Papathanasiou, was a composer, and she started singing professionally early in life.
When her family moved to Germany in the late 1950s, she became singular Vicky. She was thirteen when she released her first single, “Messer, Gabel, Schere, Licht,” as Vicky in 1965. The song became a hit around Europe, and she was invited to represent Luxembourg at the 1967 Eurovision Song Contest.
She chose to sing “L’Amour Est Bleu,” a vocal version of the famed instrumental “Love Is Blue.” She finished fourth in the contest, but that was enough for the song to become a major hit across Europe. From then on, she had a career, with her father acting as her manager and often writing songs for her.
To maximize her appeal, she recorded songs in up to eight different languages in order to win as many fans as possible. She was offered a German television series Ich Bien that was broadcast in thirteen countries and won third place at the annual Montreux Television Awards in 1971.
After becoming a European superstar, she spread her wings to Japan, South Africa, the Middle East, and Canada. In Japan, she was a mega-star with hits like “Watashi No Sukina Chocolate” (“I Like Chocolate”) and covers of pop hits.
In 1972, she returned to the Eurovision Song Contest for Luxembourg, and this time, she clinched first place with the song “Apres Toi.” As a result, she managed to capture the difficult English audience with an English version of the Eurovision song “Come What May,” which attained second place in UK charts.
As if that wasn’t enough, she managed to get her own show, the BBC television series Music My Way. After conquering England, the Greek singer attempted to break into the US market with a country-rock album, Across the Water, but did not get very far with it.
Still going srong
In the late 1970s, Leandros’ impeccable sheen began to fade. She continued to release records and sing duets with famous male singers such as Demis Roussos and Johnny Hallyday. In 1986, Leandros announced her intention to take some time off to concentrate on her family.
She returned to action three years later with the Greek album Piretos Tou Erota, and over the next few years, she worked hard to reestablish herself. She had a few hits in the 1990s, including the German-language version of “My Heart Will Go On” from the movie Titanic.
The Greek singer remained successful throughout the 2000s. She also returned to Eurovision, performing her latest hit, “Don’t Break My Heart,” at the 2006 national finals. However, the song was not ultimately selected to go on to the international event. Nevertheless, she continues to perform and draw loyal audiences.
Statue of Athena Promachos by Leonidas Drosis (1836-1882) at the Academy of Athens on Panepistimiou Street. Athens, Greece. Credit: Wikipedia/George E. Koronaios/CC BY-SA 4.0
Ancient Greek history is full of glorious men who have left an indelible mark through their military genius, courage, artistic greatness, political savviness, and exceptional statesmanship.
Their statues grace monuments, city squares, and government buildings. In their portraits, they gaze magisterially from history books, as if expecting future generations to appreciate and laud their feats.
However, some of these men we now revere as heroes did not have an end that was befitting for their importance. Their lives ended in poverty or disgrace and in undignified death.
Ancient Greece, often referred to as the cradle of Western civilization, was a thriving hub of intellectual and philosophical activity. Socrates Address, Louis Joseph Lebrun, 1867. Credit: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Socrates drank the conium
Socrates (c. 470-399 BC) is the father of Western philosophy. This is a most appropriate title for one of the most influential philosophers in history. As a sculptor who was told by the Oracle of Delphi that he was the wisest man in the world, he confirmed that by declaring that he knows nothing of importance.
What we have learned about Socrates is through Plato, his most loyal student. There are no texts written by himself, but his philosophy is communicated through Plato’s writings, the famous Plato’s dialogues that have survived. The Socratic method of questioning is dialogues in the form of short questions and answers. The philosophy of Socrates has also been communicated via philosopher and historian Xenophon.
In 399 BC, the ancient Greek philosopher was formally accused of impiety to the gods of Athens and of corrupting youth. The accusations were initiated by a poet named Meletus who asked for the death penalty. Socrates was tried by a jury of hundreds and found guilty.
Although he was given the chance to propose an alternative punishment for himself after being found guilty, he did not choose to do so. He could have requested permission to flee Athens and live in exile, but he decided otherwise.
According to Plato, he proposed receiving free meals from the city on a daily basis in recognition of his contribution to Athens or receive a fine. Yet, the jurors insisted on the death penalty by making him drink a cup of hemlock poison. On his last day in prison, friends visited him and offered to help him escape, but he rejected their help.
The helmet of Miltiades, ancient Greek general.Credit: Ken Russell Salvador – Flickr, CC BY 2.0
Miltiades: From the marathon victory to the Paros failure
To a large extent, the Battle of Marathon victory belongs to Miltiades (c. 550-489 BC), the Athenian general and politician who led the outnumbered Greeks to defeat the Persians in their first invasion of Greece in 490 BC.
Following this great achievement, he was highly honored by his fellow citizens, and having the consent of the demos in the spring of 489 BC, he headed the campaign to clear the Cycladic islands of the remaining Persian garrisons so as to punish those islands that had allied with the Persians.
Ancient Greek historians such as Herodotus and Plutarch, as well as later historians, do not seem to agree with each other. There is also a version of the event that Miltiades asked the Athenians for seventy ships and an army without telling them against whom he would campaign. He simply promised them that if they followed him, they would be rewarded with riches.
The Athenians thus followed him blindly, enthusiastic after the triumph at Marathon. It seems, however, that after the Athenians landed on several Cycladic islands and drove out the Persian garrisons, they sailed to Paros under the pretense that the islanders helped the Persians at Marathon by giving them a trireme.
The Athenians laid siege to the island, and Miltiades asked the Parians for a hundred talents to break the siege. The islanders declined and resisted bravely for twenty-six days. During the siege, Miltiades was wounded in the knee and was forced to retreat. He returned to Athens without bringing the riches he had promised. This displeased the Athenians.
His opponents, the Alcmaeonidae aristocratic dynasty led by Xanthippos, father of Pericles, found an opportunity to accuse him of lifting the siege of Paros because he was bribed by the Persians.
In the trial that followed, Miltiades was unable to defend himself and was bedridden. His friends who undertook to defend him mentioned both the battle of Marathon and the capture of Lemnos by Athenian troops, led by Miltiades.
The great general escaped the death penalty, but was fined fifty talents. That seems to have been the expenses of the campaign. Miltiades soon died of gangrene. According to Herodotus, it was Kimon’s son who paid the fine. Other sources state it was paid by Kallias, a rich Athenian who married Miltiades’ daughter and Kimon’s sister, Elpiniki. Despite his indictment, Miltiades was honored by the Athenians and buried on the battlefield of Marathon in a separate tomb.
Pausanias: The victorious general of Plataea who was starved to death
The Battle of Plataea in 479 BC was the battle that sealed the end of the Persian Wars and and Persian presence on Greek soil. It was when an allied army of city-states, led by general Pausanias, literally kicked the Asian invaders out of ancient Greece.
Pausanias was born in Sparta between 515 and 510 BC. After the victory at Plataea, he led the Greek fleet first to Cyprus, of which he captured a large part, and then to Byzantium, a rich, heavily-fortified supply base of the Persians. Pausanias brought back to Sparta treasures and several captured prominent Persians.
However, his success made him arrogant and overly ambitious. He chose to live as a Persian magnate. Pausanias surrounded himself with Egyptian and Persian bodyguards, wore lavish Persian clothes, and lived in luxury. Once, he sent a letter to Xerxes, which was preserved by Thucydides, asking him to marry his daughter. He also promised him that he would turn Sparta and the rest of Greece into a Persian province.
Xerxes readily accepted Pausanias’ proposal. This move greatly disturbed the Greek allies and the Spartans acquitted him. At the same time, the Ionians of Asia Minor abandoned Sparta and offered the leadership of their united forces to Athens. This was the beginning of the subsequent naval Athenian hegemony.
In his homeland, the ancient Greek general was accused of being a traitor. He was found guilty of several minor misdemeanors but was acquitted of treason either because he bribed the magistrates with gold or because his arguments that his relations with Xerxes was a stratagem of war were believed
Pausanias continued negotiations with Xerxes. The ephors had strong suspicions of his actions but no proof. He was also accused of trying to incite a revolution among the helots to whom he promised freedom and political rights. The testimony of a helot at the expense of a distinguished Spartan was not well accepted.
Pausanias would have been acquitted again if a servant of his, acting as a messenger in his contacts with Artavazos, did not present a letter from Pausanias to the Persian satrap. Again, the prefects maintained their reservations until they overheard the conversation of Pausanias with his messenger, hidden in the sanctuary of Poseidon at Tainarus.
From that conversation, the guilt of the great general became crystal clear. The ephors decided to arrest him, but he fled and sought asylum in the temple of Chalkioikos Athena. The ephors built the doors of the sanctuary so Pausanias would starve to death inside. In order for the temple to not be desecrated by his death, they tore down the roof and removed the victor of Plataea just before he died.
Herodotus doubts Pausanias’ guilt while Thucydides takes it for granted. More recent studies have indeed shown that Pausanias had deviated but essentially paid for it with the loss of Sparta’s hegemony in Greece.
The great sculptor Phidias and his gold
Phidias was one of the greatest ancient Greek sculptors of antiquity. He was the creator of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the 41-foot (12.4 meter) tall statue of the seated Zeus at Olympia.
Having risen to great heights around 490 to 430 BC, he was also a painter and architect, and his name was closely connected with that of Pericles and the Golden Age of Athens. Pericles assigned him the general artistic creation, supervision, and decoration of the buildings of the Acropolis and especially the Parthenon.
Phidias was the first who combined ivory and gold in sculpture and used both in the famous chryselephantine statue of the Virgin Athena (438 BC). Furthermore, he most probably designed the sculptures of the Parthenon. It is said of him that he had seen the exact image of the gods and then revealed it to man.
However, political opponents of Pericles accused Phidias of misappropriating part of the Athena statue’s ivory and gold. Phidias, in turn, detached the golden tunic of the statue—without causing any damage—and weighed it. This way, he proved that the accusations were nothing but slander.
His enemies, however, also sued him for disrespect, accusing him of portraying Pericles and himself on the shield of the goddess. According to Plutarch, he was imprisoned and perished in prison as a result of disease or poison, treacherously given to him by Pericles’ enemies.
According to another version of Phidias’ fall from grace, he was not imprisoned but escaped and went to Ilia, where he built the famous golden-ivory elephant statue of Olympian Zeus. He was then killed by the Ilians after being sentenced to death a second time for basically the same reason as the first.
Once again, problems arose as to which of the two statues—Zeus or Athena—was crafted earlier. The temple of Olympian Zeus was completed in 456 BC. Phidias probably worked in Ilia, returned to Athens at the invitation of Pericles, and spent the last years of his life in Ilia.
Representatives of Athens and Corinth at the Court of Archidamas, King of Sparta, from the History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides. Credit: Hans Leonhard Schäufelein. CC BY 1.0/Wikimedia Commons/ Hans Leonhard Schäufelein
The self-exiled historian, Thucydides
Thucydides, the greatest historian of all time, according to many, was born in Alimos, Attica around 460 BC and was the son of Olorus. His family must have had Thracian blood, judging by his father’s (Thracian) name and the large tracts of land with ores that he owned in Skapti Yli.
In 424 BC, the ancient Greek historian assumed the office of general. As a general, he was sent to defend Amphipolis by the Lacedaemonian General Brasidas. However, he did not succeed and saved only the port of Amphipolis, Iona. He was then accused of treason and sentenced to death. That is why he was forced to self-exile in his estates in Skapti Yli.
The ancient Greek historian remained in exile for twenty years and traveled to Macedonia, the Peloponnese, and probably to all the battle sites of the Peloponnesian War. With his twenty-year stay in exile, he was able to witness events from a detached and independent perspective and judge the Athenian state objectively.
In 404 BC, a general amnesty was granted to all exiles, and Thucydides returned to Athens. According to one version of events, he remained in the city until his death (between 399 and 396 BC), while according to another, disappointed by what he encountered, he returned to Skapti Yli, where he passed away.
Pyrrhus of Epiru, the most famous victim of a roof tile… Credit: Catalaon / Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Pyrrhus: The king of Epirus who died in Argos
According to Plutarch, Hannibal ranked Pyrrhus as the greatest commander in the world. His victorious battles are to thank for the phrase “Pyrrhic victory,” meaning a victory with great losses for the winner.
The ancient Greek king of Epirus, Pyrrhus, was born in 319 BC. This was during the Hellenistic period. He became ruler at the age of twelve and allied himself with Demetrius, son of Antigonus I Monophthalmus of Macedonia.
After he was dethroned by an uprising in 302 BCE, Pyrrhus fought beside Demetrius in Asia and was sent to Alexandria as a hostage under the treaty between Ptolemy I Soter and Demetrius. Ptolemy became friends with Pyrrhus, and in 297, helped him get his kingdom back. Pyrrhus reigned along with a relative, Neoptolemus, but soon had him assassinated.
In 294, he took advantage of a dynastic quarrel in Macedonia and managed to obtain several frontier areas. He later had Corcyra and Leucas given to him in a marriage dowry. Pyrrhus went to war against his former ally, now Demetrius I Poliorcetes of Macedonia, and took Thessaly and the western half of Macedonia while he relieved Athens from Demetrius’ siege. He was driven back into Epirus by Lysimachus in 284.
When Tarentum (in southern Italy) asked for Pyrrhus’s assistance against Rome, he crossed the Ionian with about twenty-five thousand men and won a complete, if costly, victory over a Roman army at Heraclea.
In 279, the ancient Greek king beat the Romans once again in Ausculum. He then crossed to Sicily and conquered most of the Punic province except Lilybaeum. The Sicilian Greeks, however, revolted against him, and Pyrrhus returned to Italy. In 275, he suffered heavy losses in a battle against Rome at Beneventum.
When he left Italy to return to Epirus, Pyrrhus saw his army dwindling down while all the spoils of war had been wasted. He continued, however, to wage wars. The next year, he defeated the new Macedonian ruler, Antigonus II Gonatas in the Battle of the Aous. His strategy had the enemy troops hailing Pyrrhus as king.
In 272 BC, he was summoned to Sparta by Cleonymus, an unpopular royal who wanted to reclaim the throne. Cleonymus promised him that, in return, he would let him take control of the Peloponnese. However, the Spartans fought bravely and did not allow Pyrrhus to win. In addition, the Epirote lost his firstborn son, Ptolemy, in the battle.
Immediately after, Pyrrhus was called to Argos to intervene in a civil dispute. Since Antigonus Gonatas was approaching too, the Epirote king took his soldiers to the narrow streets of Argos, which were crowded by hostile troops.
While Pyrrhus was fighting an Argive soldier, the soldier’s mother, who was watching from a rooftop, threw a tile which knocked him off his horse and broke part of his spine, thereby paralyzing him. A Macedonian soldier named Zopyrus saw him down and beheaded Pyrrhus, according to Plutarch.
When Antigonus arrived in Argos, he cremated Pyrrhus’ body with all the honors.
Experts suggest that AI ‘Ghosts’ can be a threat to mental health. Credit: Lenara Verle / Flickr / CC BY-NC 2.0
Loss and grief touch everyone’s lives. But what if saying goodbye wasn’t the end? Imagine being able to virtually bring back loved ones, have conversations with them, and know how they’re doing—wherever they may be.
For many, the idea of seeing a departed loved one moving and talking once again could bring some solace, wrote Nigel Mulligan, an assistant professor of psychotherapy at Dublin City University.
AI ‘ghosts’ may cause confusion, stress, and psychosis
Mulligan finds the rise of ghost bots fascinating as a researcher in AI and therapy. However, he’s also worried about how they might affect people’s mental health, particularly those who are grieving.
Bringing back deceased individuals as avatars could create more problems than solutions, leading to increased confusion, stress, sadness, anxiety, and, in severe cases, even psychosis.
Advancements in AI have brought about the emergence of chatbots such as ChatGPT, which can engage users in conversations that mimic human interaction.
With the help of deep fake technology, AI software can generate lifelike virtual representations of deceased individuals using digital data such as photos, emails, and videos. What once seemed like mere imagination in science fiction is now becoming a tangible reality in the realm of science, according to Mulligan.
AI ghosts might disrupt the natural grieving process
Research published in Ethics and Information Technology recommended the use of death bots as short-term support during mourning to prevent possible emotional reliance on the technology, which could be harmful.
The presence of AI ghosts might disrupt the natural grieving process, potentially impacting people’s mental well-being.
A Mother meets her deceased Daughter through VR technology 🕊️
Grieving is a gradual journey that unfolds over time, spanning various stages that can extend across many years.
In the initial stages of grief, people may frequently think about their departed loved ones, vividly recalling memories. It’s common for grieving individuals to experience intense dreams involving their lost loved ones, wrote Mulligan.
AI ‘ghostbots’ may cause issues like hallucinations
Psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud was deeply interested in how individuals cope with loss. He noted that additional challenges could arise during the grieving process if there are negative aspects surrounding the death.
For instance, if someone had mixed feelings toward a person who passed away, they might feel guilt afterwards. Similarly, if the death occurred under traumatic circumstances such as murder, accepting it might be even harder for the grieving individual.
Freud termed this phenomenon “melancholia,” also known as “complicated grief.” In severe cases, a person might experience apparitions or hallucinations of the deceased, leading them to believe the deceased is still alive.
Introducing AI ghostbots could potentially worsen the distress of someone experiencing complicated grief and might heighten issues such as hallucinations.
Mastiha, often referred to as the “Tears of Chios” or the “White Gold of Greece,” is a product made exclusively on the Greek island of Chios. Since antiquity, this sticky resin, which seeps from the bark of mastic trees, has been harvested not only for its flavor but for its therapeutic value.
Although the mastic tree, also called “lentisk,” is native to many areas in the Mediterranean, its bark only “bleeds” mastic on the island of Chios, making it a truly unique and nearly miraculous product.
Mastic is used as flavoring in many sweets and drinks, most famously in Mastiha, a digestive liquor from Chios. The mastic “tears,” or small bits of hardened tree sap, can also be chewed like gum, a practice dating back thousands of years. Its healing properties include prevention and treatment of stomach pains and gastric disorders and rejuvenation of the skin.
Mastic is used in cultures throughout the Mediterranean and Arab world, especially in Greek, Cypriot, Syrian, and Lebanese cuisine. The spread of mastic through the Mediterranean and Middle East is due to trade routes which date back to the Byzantine era.
Its rarity has made mastic highly sought-after throughout history. Even today, mastic is considered a precious commodity not to be wasted. The European Union has designated it a “protected designation of origin” product, confirming that only Chios can produce authentic mastic.
In fact, any attempt at producing the resin outside of the island over the years has totally failed. Researchers believe that Chios simply makes for the perfect combination of climate and soil conditions for the aromatic sap to be produced.
During the Byzantine period, it was so fundamental to the economy that villages in Chios were heavily walled to protect the island’s precious “white gold.”
Mastic production shapes daily life in Chios. In villages where the aromatic resin is produced, called “mastihohoria,” all of the residents partake in the preparation of the product.
Preparation begins in fall, when the tree bark is scored by a needle-like tool. The mastic then seeps out of the tree like tears as the bark tries to “heal” itself.
This process of gathering mastic is such an ancient tradition that UNESCO placed it on its “Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity” list in 2014.
Mastiha, or mastic, is an integral part of life in Chios
When the resin is dry, it is collected and taken back to the village to be cleaned. Women gather in groups to clean the “tears” of brittle, cloudy resin one-by-one so they will be ready for processing.
In response to drops in mastic prices in the nineteenth century, a cooperative called the Chios Gum Mastic Growers Association was formed. The association ensures that the two hundred families who depend on mastic production are not left unsupported in case of difficult crop seasons, wildfires, or other unforeseeable events that could halt production of the resin.
This concept of cooperation and concern for fellow mastic-workers is essential to Chios and is representative of the island’s tradition of working together and supporting one another.
The product’s rich history on the island is celebrated in Chios’s Mastic Museum, located in the southern region most associated with production of the resin. In the museum, all of the stages of mastic collection are explored, from the fields to the final stages of production.
Although most popular in the Mediterranean, the unique product from Chios has now reached all corners of the world, even South Korea and China.
Watch our short documentary on mastiha made possible through a grant by executive producer Michael Psaros:
17th century Zen garden in Takahashi City, Japan. Credit: Ka23 13 CC BY-SA 4.0
The first-ever Zen monastery in Greece is set to open in the next few weeks on the Greek island of Serifos. Additionally, a Zen temple in the Kerameikos area of Athens is currently under construction.
This endeavor is spearheaded by Zen abbot and entrepreneur Konstantinos Sgoumpopoulos. He passionately undertakes the construction, expressing his profound commitment to ensuring the eternal transmission of Zen teachings, reminiscent of the enduring legacy of Zen Buddhism in Japan, a Kathimerini report stated.
The Zen monastery on Serifos island is almost complete, while at the same time the Zen temple on 76 Agisilaou Street in Athens is also close to completion.
The Zen abbot and businessman said that the two spaces will be self-financing, and will leave a zero ecological footprint.
The monastery will have 10 cells for the monks, or long-term practitioners, with shared bathrooms and a large kitchen and can also accommodate 30 or so people in rooms outside the monastery.
Sgoumpopoulos said that currently there are more than 10 Zen monks in Greece, and they form the main sangha group of the Serifos monastery. Almost everything that the monastery inhabitants consume will be grown by the inhabitants.
If someone wants to become a monk or a practitioner they should be familiar with the Zen teachings, and it doesn’t matter what religion they belong to, if they are Christian, Muslim, atheist, or Jewish. Anyone can come, as long as they want to be trained, he said.
There will also be yoga, laido, aikido and tae kwon do classes and Zen Day. Also, Sgoumpopoulos himself will be teaching an introductory Zen class on the first Tuesday of every month.
Zen Buddhism Principles
A statue depicting Buddha performing the vitarka mudra. Credit: Purshi / wikimedia common CC BY 3.0s
Zen is a profound sect of Mahayana Buddhism originating in India approximately 2500 years ago, with its roots tracing back to China around 2000 years ago. About a millennium later, it merged with elements of Taoism, giving rise to Chan Buddhism, which eventually found its way to Japan, where it became known as Zen.
It emphasizes direct experience and insight into the true nature of reality. At its core, Zen is about realizing one’s inherent Buddha nature—our fundamental nature of wisdom, compassion, and interconnectedness with all things.
Rather than relying solely on intellectual understanding, Zen encourages practitioners to engage in rigorous meditation practice to directly experience this truth for themselves. Through disciplined meditation, often involving long periods of sitting in silence, practitioners aim to quiet the mind and cultivate a heightened state of awareness.
Zen teachings often employ paradoxical statements, stories, and koans (puzzles or riddles) to provoke deep contemplation and transcend conceptual thinking. By challenging conventional ways of understanding, Zen aims to break down the barriers of ego and attachment, leading to a profound shift in consciousness.
Central to Zen is the concept of mindfulness—being fully present and attentive to each moment without judgment or distraction. This mindfulness extends beyond formal meditation sessions into everyday life, where mundane activities like eating, walking, or working become opportunities for spiritual practice.
Ultimately, Zen is not just a philosophy or belief system but a way of life—an ongoing journey of self-discovery, awakening, and compassionate action. Through dedicated practice and inner exploration, individuals can cultivate a sense of peace, clarity, and profound interconnectedness with the world around them.
A new therapy, CAR T-cell therapy, destroys deadly brain tumors of glioblastoma in days. Credit: Ars Neurochirurgica / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 4.0
A 72-year-old man, diagnosed with a very aggressive type of cancer known as glioblastoma, had brain scans that showed his tumor shrank significantly just days after treatment.
Two other individuals with a similar cancer diagnosis didn’t have such positive results, but the innovative treatment provides hope for people with this aggressive type of cancer. There is otherwise no known cure for glioblastoma.
Glioblastoma is one of the deadliest types of cancers. It starts from support cells in the central nervous system and quickly spreads, growing into cancerous masses. Moreover, up to 95 percent of people with glioblastoma don’t survive beyond five years, according to a study.
CAR T-cell therapy may help treat glioblastoma
Researchers at the Mass General Cancer Center in the US had the idea that a treatment called CAR T-cell therapy, which uses the patient’s own immune system, could work against glioblastoma.
This therapy, already in use for blood cancers, is efficient at finding and attacking cancer cells. The patient’s T-cells are extracted from their body, modified to spot specific markers on cancer cells, and then injected back into the body through infusion.
Oftentimes, with glioblastoma, there is a modified version of a protein called epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which could be a target for CAR T-cell treatment. However, glioblastoma has different forms, making it difficult to modify T-cells.
A novel CAR T-cell therapy directed at EGFRvIII with a secretable EGFR T-cell engager produced rapid responses in three patients with recurrent glioblastoma, but the responses were transient in two of the three. Read the Brief Report for the full study: https://t.co/kYAm6U9DR1pic.twitter.com/CoZ4ynAZC0
To resolve this, researchers have determined how to stimulate CAR T-cells to produce antibodies that look for normal EGFRs, too. These proteins aren’t usually in brain cells but are in cancer cells. Hence, it offers an additional way to spot their target, according to ScienceAlert.
In lab tests prior to human trials, the T-cell-engaging antibody molecule (TEAM) therapy showed promising results by gathering T-cells at the tumor site and bringing in more T-cells to help fight the cancer.
The INCIPIENT trial, a phase 1 clinical study, aimed to ascertain if this treatment was safe and could be a helpful treatment for glioblastoma.
Human trials on 3 patients diagnosed with glioblastoma
Only three patients were chosen for the trial, all diagnosed with a type of glioblastoma.
The first patient, a 74-year-old man, had tried regular medicine and radiation for his tumor but relapsed a year later. After receiving an infusion of CARv3-TEAM-E T-Cells, the treatment began producing results. Just a day later, an MRI scan showed the tumor had shrunk significantly.
Within a few months, the first patient had to undergo surgery yet again because the cancer had begun spreading once more despite the earlier progress detected in scans.
There was a similar situation with a 57-year-old woman who had a large glioblastoma tumor on the left side of her brain. Her tumor almost disappeared five days after the therapy, but ultimately, it started growing again just a month later.
The third participant, the 72-year-old, didn’t show any signs of the cancer returning after the treatment. The only side effects were a fever and some small nodules in the lungs, which quickly went away.
Because of these positive results, the researchers feel hopeful about continuing to study this new immunotherapy method, as reported by ScienceAlert.
The Carnival of Naoussa is unique. Credit: Michalis Agiannidis for the Greek Reporter
Greece’s rich history of traditions comes alive during the Carnival season, a time when ancient customs and modern celebrations come together. Among these, the Carnival of Naoussa has a special place. It highlights the depth of Greece’s cultural heritage and the resilience of its people.
The Roots of the Carnival of Naoussa
Tracing its origins to the worship of Dionysus, the Naoussa Carnival reflects the timeless nature of ancient Greek rituals dedicated to the god of wine, ecstasy, and renewal.
These celebrations were always characterised by their emphasis on fundamental elements of human nature, such as fertility, rebirth, and joy. All these have evolved over the centuries, nonetheless, they retain their core significance, connecting the modern Greek traditions to its ancient past.
Echoes of Freedom: The Historical Struggle Against Ottoman Rule
The carnival of Naoussa is not simply a frenzy celebration before the Orthodox Great Lent. It also commemorates the town’s heroic history of resistance against Ottoman oppression.
The events of 1822, when the city’s inhabitants faced brutal reprisals during the Greek War of Independence, are memorialised through the “Genitsaroi and Boules” tradition.
The Massacre of Naoussa was a lesser-known tragic event in the Greek War of Independence, occurring in April 1822.
Back then, Ottoman forces under the command of Abdul Abud (Ebu Lubut) laid siege to the town of Naoussa, which was a stronghold of Greek revolutionary activity in Macedonia. Despite the fierce defence of the town undertaken by approximately 4,000-5,000 Greek rebels, the city’s defences were eventually breached. The fall of Naoussa led to widespread destruction and unspeakable atrocities against the local Greek population. Ottoman forces engaged in the systematic massacre of its inhabitants, resulting in the death or displacement of around 5,000 people, including numerous women and children.
This brutal act was part of a larger Ottoman campaign to squash all Greek uprisings and deter further rebellion elsewhere in the empire. The massacre had a profound impact on the Greek struggle for independence. This unfathomable catastrophe galvanized support both domestically and internationally and highlighted the brutal repression the Greeks were facing by the Ottoman Turks.
This aspect of the carnival serves as a powerful reminder of the sacrifices made for freedom by the people of this small and beautiful town in northern Greece.
Genitsaroi and Boules: Naoussa’s Vibrant Spectacle
Central to the carnival are the “Genitsaroi” and “Boules,” with young men dressing in elaborate traditional costumes and masks (known as the ”prosopos” or face). These people reenact roles that proudly demonstrate the historical and cultural past of the town.
The “Boula,” representing the female element in this dance, is portrayed by a man in bridal attire, highlighting themes of fertility and continuity amidst the commemoration of struggle and survival from the Ottoman yoke.
The dances and songs performed during the carnival tell stories of heroism, tragedy, and triumph. They are not only a form of entertainment but also a means of passing down history and reinforcing community bonds among the descendants of the survivors and the brave people of Naoussa.
Through these rituals every Carnival season, the town of Naoussa becomes a living museum, showcasing the rich cultural heritage of its past and the resilience of its people.
Safeguarding Heritage: The role of tradition in modern Naoussa
The Carnival of Naoussa is evidence of the commitment of this heroic town to preserve its heritage. By maintaining the authenticity of the “Genitsaroi and Boules” tradition, the people of Naoussa ensure that their history is not forgotten. On the contrary, it is celebrated with each passing year.
This dedication to cultural preservation enriches the carnival experience for both locals and visitors. This unique blend of historical memory and modern-day joy offers a unique insight into the Greek spirit that goes back to the ancient Greeks.
Beyond its local significance, however, the Carnival of Naoussa has gained recognition as a cultural treasure, attracting visitors from around the world. Its unique blend of ancient rituals, historical commemoration, and vibrant festivities showcases the universal themes of struggle, joy, and renewal. This is what makes Naoussa’s Carnival unique; a custom that resonates with audiences far and wide.
The Legacy of Naoussa’s Carnival
The Carnival in Naoussa is more than just an annual event; it is a living legacy that brings together the ancient and the modern, the tragic and the triumphant. This year, the festivities took take place on March 10, and will be repeated on March 17, March 18 as well as on Sunday, March 24.
The costumes and masks, passed down through generations, will be a sight to behold. With their intricate details and vibrant colour, they are definitely something unique in Greece. Visitors of this beautiful Greek town can also indulge in the delicious traditional cuisine and gourmet delicacies of northern Greece, as barbecues and food stalls will line the streets across the town.
The Carnival of Naoussa is a vibrant celebration of life, a tribute to the enduring human spirit, and a focal point of cultural pride for Greece.
Through the continued observance of this timeless tradition, Naoussa not only honours its past but also looks forward to a future where its history will be remembered with pride and its culture will be cherished by young and older generations alike.
172 Greek monks of the Holy Monastery of Panagia Eikosifoinissa were killed by the Ottomans. Credit: Nikolaos Karampetakis Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0
All 172 Greek monks of the Holy Monastery of Panagia Eikosifoinissa at Pangaion were massacred by the Ottomans, reveals the study of recovered 16th century manuscripts.
The manuscripts are part of the whole monastery library that was stolen in 1917 by Bulgarian soldiers during World War I and ended up in the United States. The library included over 430 manuscripts and 470 objects.
In their pages, the rich history of the monastery is revealed, confirming the oral testimonies that existed until today about a series of events that marked the monastery during its long and turbulent history, according to an Athens Macedonian News Agency (AMNA) report.
Among them, there is confirmation of an oral testimony about a 16th century massacre, when the Ottoman conquerors slaughtered all the monks in the monastery.
Hand-Written Gospel
Previous to the manuscripts, a 9th century Codex 1424 – a rare Greek manuscript of the complete New Testament – was returned to its rightful owners.
In December 2016, His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, Geron of America, returned a rare ninth century Greek manuscript of the complete New Testament known as Codex 1424, to its rightful owners: the Holy Metropolis of Drama and its Hierarch, His Eminence Metropolitan Pavlos of Drama.; and the Holy Monastery of Panagia Eikosifoinissa from which the manuscript had been stolen.
The priceless codex was returned by the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago. The manuscript includes miniatures and depictions of the Evangelists, is written in two columns with twenty-seven lines per column. The columns together measure 18.1 cm by 14 cm (7.13 inches by 5.5 inches).
The vellum gospel somehow ended up at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., which recently notified the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew that it had been one of the objects stolen during World War I.
Bartholomew, the Metropolis said, allowed the museum, which receives one million visitors a year, to exhibit the manuscript until very recently.
More Manuscripts Returned
In October 2023, the Metropolitan of Laodicea, Theodoritos, as the representative of the Ecumenical Patriarch in Athens, handed over to the Metropolitan of Drama three stolen manuscripts of the holy monastery of Eikosifoinissa dating to the 16th century.
The Archdiocese of America mediated so that the above manuscripts came into legal possession of the Ecumenical Patriarchate from the collection of the Swann Auction Galleries of New York.
The manuscripts were sold to a Chicago collector in 2018, who however returned them when he found their ownership to be legally and ethically questionable.
The manuscripts remained for years in the particular auction house and after it was established that they were stolen from the Monastery of Panagia Eikosifoinissa, it was decided to deliver them to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, so that they could be returned to the rightful owner.
The Great Secret the Manuscripts Hid
In one of these manuscripts marked X 8, a note and text was found related to the massacre of the Greek monks of Eikosifoinissa by the Ottomans in the year 1507.
Drama Metropolitan Dorotheos told AMNA that the oral testimonies spoke about the particular manuscript in which it was recorded that 172 monks were slain by the Ottomans. However, with the discovery of the paper manuscript, “we have all the names of the slaughtered monks, who met a tragic death on August 25, 1507 and who are now commemorated in the monastery services.”
The handwritten note states: “In 1507, a great and terrible tragedy fell upon the holy monastery when they cut down the monks and sacked the monastery as well, in the month of August (25).”
Under the heading “These are the monks”, there is a list of the slaughtered monks and others. In the margin of sheet 31 there is confirmation of the continuity of the list of slain monks and the designation: “The unjustly killed”.
It should be noted that the total number of the massacre victims was 202, of which there were 24 priests, 3 deacons, 145 monks and 30 pilgrims.
A new study from the University of Ottawa shakes up our understanding of the universe. Published in The Astrophysical Journal, the study challenges what we thought we knew about the universe’s makeup.
The existing idea says it’s made of normal matter, dark energy, and dark matter. However, this new study says there might not be any dark matter at all.
In cosmology, “dark matter” refers to stuff that doesn’t seem to interact with light or electromagnetic fields.
We can’t see it, and we don’t know what it’s made of, but it helps us figure out how galaxies, planets, and stars move and behave because of its gravitational pull, according to Phys.org.
Existing beliefs say that the universe is 27% of dark matter
Rajendra Gupta, a physics professor at the Faculty of Science, came to this conclusion by using a model that blends two theories: covarying coupling constants (CCC) and “tired light” (TL).
The CCC+TL model combines ideas about how natural forces change over time in the cosmos and how light loses energy during long travels.
This model has been put to the test and has been found to align with various observations, like the distribution of galaxies and the evolution of light from the early universe.
This new finding challenges our current understanding of the universe. The prevailing idea says about 27% of the universe is made of dark matter, with less than 5% being ordinary matter, and the rest is dark energy.
The universe doesn’t need dark matter to exist
Gupta explains that the earlier research on the age of the universe, titled ‘JWST early universe observations and ΛCDM cosmology,’ showed it to be 26.7 billion years old. This new study confirms that the universe doesn’t need dark matter to exist.
He added that in typical cosmology, the universe’s accelerated expansion is attributed to dark energy. However, it’s actually because the natural forces weaken as the universe expands, not because of dark energy.
‘Redshifts’ occur when light shifts towards the redder end of the spectrum. The researcher looked into recent studies regarding how galaxies are dispersed at low redshifts and examined older literature concerning the size of the sound horizon at higher redshifts.
“There are several papers that question the existence of dark matter, but mine is the first one, to my knowledge, that eliminates its cosmological existence while being consistent with key cosmological observations that we have had time to confirm,” says Gupta.
The new study questions dark matter’s role, offers a new model, and sparks exploration into the universe’s fundamental properties, according to Phys.org.
Red clay from the drowned island found off Brazil. Credit: Scientific Reports / CC BY 4.0
Scientists from Brazil and Britain were investigating the ocean floor near a volcanic plateau called the Rio Grande Rise. As they observed footage from their remotely operated submersible 650 meters (2,100 feet) below, they noticed some unusual rocks.
These rocks had layers of red clay, something not commonly found on the seabed. Bramley Murton, a marine geologist from the National Oceanographic Centre in Southampton, U.K., who was part of the team, described the deposits as resembling soils found in tropical regions.
A recent study conducted by the team revealed that the unique minerals present in the clay could have only been created through weathering in tropical conditions. This discovery adds to a series of findings suggesting that this particular area of the ocean, located 1,200 kilometers (750 miles) from Brazil’s coast, may have been an island in the past.
“Imagine a lush tropical island slipping beneath the waves and lying frozen in time. That’s what we’ve uncovered,” said Murton, the study’s co-author.
He and his colleagues believe that this island would have been approximately the size of Iceland, which is about a fifth of the total area of the Rio Grande Rise.
Rio Grande Rise goes back to 80 million years
The Rio Grande Rise has a history dating back 80 million years. At that time, a massive mantle plume existed beneath the mid-ocean ridge of the South Atlantic, leading to a period of intense volcanic activity.
Murton explains that initially, the rise resembled a Cretaceous version of Iceland and was situated closer to the mid-ocean ridge than its current location near South America. Over time, as volcanic activity decreased, the plateau slowly drifted westward across the Atlantic Ocean and eventually submerged beneath the waves.
Around 40 million years ago, the mantle plume experienced a final burst of volcanic activity, but this time, it was confined to the western part of the rise.
It was in this specific area that the researchers discovered the red clays, which were sandwiched between lavas known to be approximately 45 million years old, as reported by Live Science.
Underwater ancient beach terraces and drowned waterfalls
The research represents the outcome of two scientific expeditions conducted in 2018 to explore the Rio Grande Rise.
The first expedition aboard the Brazilian research vessel Alpha Crucis focused on mapping the underwater terrain of the rise using sonar technology. Initially, the project aimed to study mineral-rich ferromanganese crusts found on the rise’s seafloor.
During the mapping process, the researchers made several significant discoveries. They identified a steep-sided canyon called the Cruzeiro do Sul Rift, which stretches for 30 kilometers (about 20 miles) and divides the rise.
Additionally, they found evidence of ancient beach terraces, wave-cut platforms, and submerged waterfalls.
