Can the Extinct Tasmanian Tiger Be Brought Back to Life?

Acen Winnie
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Can the Extinct Tasmanian Tiger Be Brought Back to Life?
Tasmanian tiger thylacine
Extinct Tasmanian Tiger to be brought back to life. Credit Ben Sheppard/Wikimedia Commons

Almost 100 years after its extinction, scientists at The University of Melbourne are ready to try and bring the Tasmanian tiger (thylacine) back to life. The species has been declared extinct since the 1930s.

The initiative now has a partnership with the ‘De-extinction’ company, part of the US-based ‘Colossal Biosciences’ genetic engineering firm, which will provide the study team access to more DNA editing technologies as well as assistance from a group of top scientists from around the world.

The Thylacine Integrated Genetic Restoration Research (TIGRR) Lab, directed by Professor Andrew Pask, will greatly benefit from this collaboration.

Pask said recently that “a lot of the challenges with our efforts can be overcome by an army of scientists working on the same problems simultaneously, conducting and collaborating on the many experiments to accelerate discoveries.”

“With this partnership,” he added, “we will now have the army we need to make this happen.”

How Long Until We See a Living Tasmanian Tiger?

According to Professor Pask, as this collaboration progresses, Colossal Biosciences will use its CRISPR gene editing and computational biology capabilities to reproduce thylacine DNA while TIGGR concentrates its efforts on developing reproductive technologies specifically suited to Australian marsupials, such as IVF and gestation without a surrogate.

However, according to Professor Pask, the main question is how long it might take until a living thylacine is seen. Pask believes that it will be possible to attain an edited cell within ten years. This would then allow for the de-extinction of the animal.

“With this partnership, I now believe that in ten years’ time we could have our first living baby thylacine since they were hunted to extinction close to a century ago,” he said.

The idea of resurrecting the thylacine surfaced in the late 1990s. The ambitiously named Lazarus Project aimed to clone the animal using DNA from preserved museum specimens; it was halted when available genetic material from which to replicate the animal proved too degraded and fragmentary.

Tasmanian tigers
This photo from 1902 is of a pair of Thylacines, a male and female at the National Zoo in the area of Rock Creek Park in Washington, D.C. Public Domain

 Tasmanian Tiger Hunted by European Settlers

About three thousand years ago, thylacines were quite common throughout Australia but it was specifically Tasmania that the species thrived.

Tasmanian Tigers were being hunted to extinction by European settlers who considered it a danger to the Tasmanian sheep business. The last known captive thylacine passed away in 1936.

Among living marsupials at the time, the Tasmanian Tiger was unique. It had a huge head and a long, stiff tail, granting it its recognizable wolf or dog appearance that led to the description “long dog with stripes.”

A biobank of species, created from marsupial stem cells could be immensely beneficial in preventing their extinction. However, the emergence of such a thing would surely necessitate further technological advancements. Animals are vulnerable to extinction in such instances as the recent Australia bushfires, so such a bank would prove quite valuable.

Additionally, research on embryo growth and development, as well as marsupial cloning, can support species management plans and breeding efforts for these animals.

Critics doubt the Tasmanian tiger can be recreated

Australian Museum Chief Scientist Kris Helgen, a mammalogist has expressed doubts on whether the Tasmanian tiger can be recreated.

Speaking to National Geographic he says that the biggest impediment is the genetic distance of the thylacine from any of its living relatives.

Unlike the woolly mammoth—the other charismatic extinct mammal that has become a high-profile target for de-extinction—the thylacine lacks a closely related species to serve as a genetic reference and provide cells that can become viable embryos that carry the thylacine genome. For the woolly mammoth, that role is served by the Asian elephant.

“The thylacine stood alone,” he argues. “It was as different as a cat is to a dog or a horse is to a rhino. The idea that we can bring back this carnivorous marsupial because we have all these modern genetic tools—no.

“If rhinos became extinct, you would be laughed out of any room if you said you could take a horse and turn it into a rhino, or a dog into a cat,” he told National Geographic.

The Six Breathtaking Shipwrecks of Karpathos Island

Paula Tsoni
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The Six Breathtaking Shipwrecks of Karpathos Island
A sunken shipwreck off Karpathos island, Greece.
The Six Breathtaking Shipwrecks of Karpathos Island. Credit: Facebook / Kostas Thoctarides

A recent video produced for the Municipality of Karpathos by ROV Services offers a rare glimpse at the six little-known 20th-century shipwrecks hidden in the Greek island’s waters.

The breathtaking video, filmed by Kostas and Agapi Oceanis Thoctarides, is part of the effort to create the first official record of the island’s underwater heritage.

“Beneath the deep blue waters of the island hides a wild beauty of special geological formations that, with their otherworldly image, compose a mysterious scenery which becomes a pole of attraction for every diver,” the video’s description explains.

The unusually large number of shipwrecks off Karpathos make for “an exciting sea bottom with impressive geological flare ups.”

Shipwrecks of Karpathos explained

Karpathos, the second largest island of the Dodecanese, is located on what was a busy route for warships and submarines during World War II. Thus, this explains the plethora of wrecks within its waters.

Most of these are in excellent condition and located at accessible depths of up to forty meters, the video’s description adds.

Some of the sunken ships are of special shipbuilding; they were built before the war and survived WWII to end up, years later, at the bottom of the sea off Karpathos.

The shipwrecks are located to the north and south of the island, thus enabling underwater visitors to enjoy diving around them regardless of weather conditions.

Because of its remote location, local people in Karpathos have preserved many traditions including unique customs, their own dialect of the Greek language, and distinctive clothing.

Wreck diving in Greece

Recently, the Greek state started to relax its long-standing restrictions related to recreational diving around historic wrecks in a bid to boost the potential of wreck diving tourism.

The first wreck that was opened to the public was the ancient shipwreck of Peristera off the Greek island of Alonissos in the summer of 2020.

In March 2021, the Greek Ministry of Culture and Sports said it had begun a process to clear at least ninety-one wrecks of historic vessels and aircraft for recreational diving.

Eleven of these were declared accessible following the completion of documentation work by competent authorities.

According to a related regulatory framework, diving at the listed historic wrecks in the Greek seas is allowed only externally and around the perimeters of wrecks while diving within wrecks remains explicitly prohibited.

Interested divers must, in any case, write to the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities of the Ministry of Culture and Sports at eea-shipwrecks@culture.gr and provide mandatory information at least a day prior to the dive.

Aristodemus: The Only Survivor of Sparta’s 300 Died a Hero

Philip Chrysopoulos
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Aristodemus: The Only Survivor of Sparta’s 300 Died a Hero
Aristodemus Sparta
Aristodemus was the sole survivor at Thermopylae. Still from the movie “300”/You Tube

The story of Aristodemus of Sparta, who was branded a traitor but eventually turned a hero, is one of the Battle of Thermopylae’s sub-chapters.

Nearly all historical events have both heroes as well as villains. In the Battle of Thermopylae Leonidas and his brave 300 were the heroes — and Ephialtes of Trachis, the vile traitor who betrayed the Spartan army, served as the villain.

The name of the King of Sparta became synonymous with bravery and devotion, while that of Ephialtes came to be the ultimate symbol of treason and the baser instincts, forever to be connected with the image of a pile of dead Spartan soldiers at Thermopylae Pass.

Yet there was another man, one of Leonidas’ 300, namely Aristodemus of Sparta, the only survivor of the epic battle.

According to the historian Herodotus, there were only three men out of Leonidas’ elite army who did not fight in the epic battle.

The first was Pantites, who had been sent by Leonidas as an emissary to Thessaly to call for reinforcements. Pantites failed to return to Thermopylae in time for the battle, and branded with shame in the eyes of his fellow Spartans, he hanged himself.

Then there were two other men, Aristodemus and Eurytus, who had been stricken by en eye disease and become blind. King Leonidas deemed them unfit to fight and ordered them to return home before the battle.

Eurytus, however, turned back again to the battlefield, and though literally blind, met his valiant death very early on in the battle. Aristodemus, who duly returned to his homeland, was regarded as a coward and subjected to humiliation. He was even called “Aristodemus the Coward” from then on.

Herodotus believed that had both Aristodemus and Eurytus returned to Sparta alive, or Aristodemus alone been ill and excused from combat, the Spartans would have ascribed no blame to him.

The Battle of Thermopylae

The invasion of the Persians into the Greek homelands set in motion the clash of the two greatest powers of the ancient world. As much as modern historians question many of the elements quoted by Herodotus, it was in essence a handful of warriors — 300, or 1,000 if we add the Thespians or 5,000-6,000 according to other estimates — standing against an enormous horde of opponents.

The final outcome, namely the fact that the Persians did cross the strait, is not surprising or admirable. But a much more interesting subject of eternal study will be how so few not only did not fear the enemy, but were able to ultimately stop them, defeating them first in the mind and then on the battlefield.

When Xerxes was finally convinced that the Greeks were not kidding him when they insisted on confronting his vast army, he truly believed it was a given that the complete obliteration of the single-minded defenders of Thermopylae was just a matter of time.

On the other side, Leonidas, was following the prediction of the oracle, which had stated that Sparta or one of its kings would be lost while leading an army of dedicated, valiant warriors who were ready to sacrifice themselves along with him.

It was not a coincidence that all 300 of the soldiers already had male children; therefore their replacement in the Spartan Army was a given.

Before the battle that lasted three days began, Leonidas had ordered Pantites to go into Thessaly. It is believed that he was sending a message asking for additional troops, although this part of the story is disputed.

Be that as it may, Pantites returned alone only to discover that his king and comrades were all dead, while arrows, broken spears, shields, and fresh Persian mass graves remained the only witnesses to what had happened.

When Pantites returned to the free city-state of Sparta, thanks to the sacrifice of his fellow Spartans at Thermopylae, he was accused of cowardice — and he soon killed himself.

Aristodemus redeems himself in Sparta

The word “coward” was the worst insult for the supremely warlike Spartans. The coward was not punished, but he was treated as if he did not exist; he was invisible and no one would touch him.

He could not exercise or train to fight and he could not marry because no woman would have him. He had no civil rights and was even obliged to step aside when a Spartan passed by. For this accused of cowardice, death may have been preferable.

Understandably, Aristodemus sought to attain a glorious death at the very next opportunity presented to him. This turned out to be the battle of Plataea, just one year after Thermopylae. There, it was recorded that he foght fiercely, desperately desiring rid himself of his shame and clear his name.

Indeed, he fought fiercely and bravely at Plataea and was wounded. His courage and bravery did not go unnoticed. Unfortunately for him, however, the military leaders also saw a recklessness that was completely incompatible with the discipline which was a key element of the success of the Spartan phalanx.

Every move outside the battle plan was considered as endangering the lives of fellow warriors.

Once again, Aristodemus was in a difficult position and was forced to apologize for his stance. Although very seriously injured in the battle, he was accused of being insane.
Madman or not, however, he survived to take part in the Greek-Persian wars until their very end, paying a bitter price for walking away and not returning home dead on his shield from the great Battle of Thermopylae.

Aristodemus’ story will come to life in a new movie planned to be filmed in Greece.

Two Dead From Floods Following Torrential Rain in Central Greece

Tasos Kokkinidis
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Two Dead From Floods Following Torrential Rain in Central Greece
Rain floods greece
The torrential rain and flood washed cars into the sea in the village of Agios Ioannis near the port city of Volos that has been hit hard by the weather phenomena. Credit: Iro Proia / Facebook

At least two people have lost their lives due to the floods in Greece. One man was found dead and hundreds of houses and roads were flooded in a the port city of Volos in Central Greece by Tuesday morning, following ten hours of thunderstorms in the wider region. Storms are expected to persist for another 24 hours.

The elderly man, a shepherd, died when a wall fell on him due to the pressure from the huge quantity of water in the wider region of Ano Volos while trying to reach the area where his sheep were.

The second victim was an 87-year-old woman, who had been missing since Tuesday from the Paltsi region of Magnesia. The elderly woman was found among a pile of wood.

The wider region of Magnesia saw a heavy storm overnight which lasted for over ten hours, and the phenomena are expected to continue until Wednesday.

According to information, the power supply in Volos faces periodic interruptions. Thunder fell incessantly from Monday midnight until 9 am on Tuesday.

Hundreds of drivers were trapped in their cars. Vertical roads brought down huge amounts of rainwater from Mount Pelion that the drainage system could not absorb.

Authorities were also very concerned about the rising water levels of the 12-kilometer Krafsidonas stream, which collects water from Pelion and crosses several districts of Volos before ending up on the west side of the port and the Pagasetic Gulf.

On Tuesday morning, the water levels had risen by three meters, placing the adjacent district of Agioi Anargyri at risk.

Flooding was also reported in the villages of Agria, Portaria, Tsangarada, and Stagiates.

The nearby Sporades islands, in particular the island of Skiathos, have also been hit by flooding.

The weather front has been battering parts of Greece with heavy rain and thunderstorms since Monday. This is expected to last until Wednesday.

The National Observatory of Athens said the regions of Thessalia, Sporades, Central and Eastern Sterea Ellada, North Evia, and the Peloponnese will be most affected by rain.

Which regions in Greece will be affected by heavy rain and thunderstorms

Forecasts say that on Wednesday heavy rains and storms are forecast:

in Thessaly, the Sporades, Central and Eastern Sterea (mainly in the prefectures of Evrytania, Fthiotida, and Boeotia), Evia (mainly in the north), Eastern and Southern Peloponnese, and at times in Western and Southern Crete.

It is pointed out that, in the evening, the phenomena will weaken except for the regions of Thessaly, Sporades, and Northern Evia, where they will continue until the morning hours of Thursday.

Strong northeasterly winds of 7 to 8 Beaufort will blow in the Northern Aegean from Monday to Tuesday evening, while the temperature will drop noticeably by 6 to 8 degrees Celsius mainly in the Ionian and continental areas.

Scientists Search for Ice as India Completes Moon Walk

Nisha Zahid
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Scientists Search for Ice as India Completes Moon Walk
India’s lunar success sparks hope for water discovery and scientists are in search for ice on the moon.
India’s lunar success sparks hope for water discovery, and scientists are in search for ice on the moon. Credit: Mick Baker / Flickr / CC BY-ND 2.0

India’s lunar rover has finished its exploration on the moon and has now been placed in sleep mode, all within a mere two weeks after its historic landing near the moon’s southern pole. Now, the search for ice on the moon is something the world is focusing on.

According to the Indian Space Research Organization, the rover has successfully completed its designated tasks and is now safely parked, entering sleep mode. Daylight on that lunar region dwindles.

The organization conveyed this information in a statement released on Saturday, September 2, 2023. “Currently, the battery is fully charged,” it was said. “The solar panel is oriented to receive the light at the next sunrise expected on September 22, 2023. The receiver is kept on. Hoping for a successful awakening for another set of assignments!”

Furthermore, the rover’s instruments and equipment have been turned off, and the valuable data it gathered has been transmitted back to Earth through the lander.

It’s worth noting that the Chandrayaan-3 lander and rover were originally designed to function for just one lunar day, which corresponds to fourteen Earth days.

News about frozen water

There hasn’t been any news yet about whether the rover found frozen water on the moon’s surface. Such water could be crucial for future astronaut missions, as it could serve as a potential source of drinking water or even be used to make rocket fuel.

In the previous week, the space agency reported that the moon rover did confirm the presence of sulfur and also detected several other elements.

Using its laser-induced spectroscope instrument, the rover identified aluminum, iron, calcium, chromium, titanium, manganese, oxygen, and silicon on the moon’s surface.

All this data has safely made its way back to Earth. Initially, Indian scientists will take a close look at it, and then the global scientific community will join in the analysis.

India becomes the fourth nation to land on the moon

India’s recent triumph in landing on the moon marks a significant achievement, especially considering a previous unsuccessful attempt in 2019.

With this success, India joined an exclusive club of countries, including the United States, the Soviet Union, and China, as the fourth nation to achieve such a remarkable milestone.

This accomplishment highlights India’s growing reputation as a technology and space leader, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of showcasing India as a rising power on the global stage.

The mission, which began over a month ago, came at an estimated cost of $75 million. It’s worth noting that Russia’s Luna-25, which was also targeting the same lunar region, faced a setback as it entered an uncontrolled orbit and ultimately crashed. This mission aimed to mark Russia’s return to successful lunar landings after a hiatus of forty-seven years.

Comparison of Russian and Indian space mission

The leader of Russia’s state-controlled space agency, Roscosmos, has attributed the failure of Russia’s lunar mission to a lack of expertise. This shortage of expertise was a result of the extended hiatus in lunar research that followed the last Soviet mission to the moon back in 1976.

In contrast, India has been actively engaged in space activities since the 1960s. It has achieved numerous milestones, such as launching satellites for both its own use and for other countries. One notable accomplishment was successfully placing a satellite into orbit around Mars in 2014.

Looking ahead, India is gearing up for its inaugural mission to the International Space Station, slated for the upcoming year. This mission will be carried out in collaboration with the United States, marking another significant stride in India’s space endeavors.

One Third of Chartered Yachts Worldwide Sail in Greece

Tasos Kokkinidis
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One Third of Chartered Yachts Worldwide Sail in Greece
Yachts Greece
Greece is gaining market shares this year against France and Italy, with one in three chartered yachts worldwide sailing in Greece. Public Domain

Greece is the most preferred destination for chartered yachts over twenty meters worldwide, according to data from the International Yacht Company (IYC), one of the largest yacht brokerage companies internationally.

According to data, Greece is gaining market shares this year against France and Italy, with one in three chartered yachts worldwide sailing in Greece during the summer.

Last year, Greece emerged first worldwide as a destination with a 24 percent share, followed by France with an 18 percent share and Italy in third with a 16 percent share. Croatia followed in fourth place with 10 percent.

Based on bookings made this year through June for travel throughout this year, Greece increased its share by three percentage points to 27 percent. Especially for the summer, this share rises to 32 percent.

Duty-free fuel and VAT bring more chartered yachts to Greece

“Low rates on duty-free fuel and VAT have favored yachting activity in the country,” says IYC in its latest market report.

Market analysts say another factor that makes Greece attractive to yachts is the possibility of uncontrolled mooring. In other countries, yachts are only allowed in a few specific areas for a fee collected by either local or national authorities.

The pleasant weather throughout the year, combined with powerful winds, pristine waters, and stunning anchorages, make it a prime sailing destination that draws yachts from all over, IYC says.

Though many islands are remote and some don’t even have vehicles, accessibility by boat and helicopter is surprisingly easy, it was added.

“Some of the islands even enjoy airports, providing greater flexibility and choice to meet the yacht,” IYC says. “Cruising by boat is the best way to discover isolated bays, enjoy picnics in solitude, and make the most of water toys away from onlookers. Island hopping allows guests to experience the culture, immerse [oneself] in the villages and dine on fine delicacies unique to certain areas.”

Greece offers the best of the Mediterranean climate with mild winters and dry summers. Yachts typically charter during the summer months of June, July, and August. The months of May and September can be equally as rewarding once the hot heat has waned and the crowds have departed.

According to data from other charter companies, medium-length vessels also had a good year, without significantly increasing the number of charter weeks. On the contrary, smaller, mainly sailing vessels, saw a decrease in charter weeks this year.

Related: Greece is World’s Second Most Popular Destination for Superyachts

Greece Imposes Caps on Visitors to Acropolis to Prevent Overcrowding

Tasos Kokkinidis
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Greece Imposes Caps on Visitors to Acropolis to Prevent Overcrowding
Acropolis visitors
Overcrowding of tourists at the Acropolis has prompted Greek authorities to introduce E-tickets and time slots. Credit: Schminnte / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

On Monday, Greece imposed limits on the number of visitors to the Acropolis to prevent overcrowding in Athens’ most famous landmark.

A new booking website now keeps track of tourists at the Acropolis while enforcing an hourly time slot to tackle overcrowding and preserve the archaeological site.

“Obviously tourism is desirable for the country, for all of us,” Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni told Greek radio last week. “But we have to find a way of preventing overtourism from harming the monument.”

The new system, which rolled out Monday, will cap Acropolis visits to twenty thousand tourists a day and be used at other Greek sites, beginning in April.

Access will be granted to three thousand visitors between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m., followed by two thousand each subsequent hour.

Mendoni said the Acropolis, which sits on a rocky hill in Athens and houses a collection of ruins, structures, and artifacts, including the Parthenon temple dedicated to the goddess Athena, currently sees up to twenty-three thousand visitors per day. She called this an “enormous number.”

Large number of visitors to the Acropolis creates bottlenecks

The tourists create bottlenecks and “unpleasant conditions for the site, the visitors and the staff who are trying to accommodate this high volume of people,” Mendoni added.

The implementation of the new policies aims to alleviate the issue of long queues, which has been aggravated by the arrival of massive cruise ships. These disembark thousands of passengers at the port of Piraeus, the gateway to the Greek capital.

“In the past, these cruise ships had the capacity to carry a few thousand, the population of a large village,” said Lysandros Tsilidis, the president of the Federation of Hellenic Associations of Tourist and Travel Agencies.

“Now the vessels are so big you’ve got the size of a small state on board and at least 30 percent of all of those passengers will have pre-purchased tickets to visit the Acropolis,” he continued.

There will be no limit on how long visits may last, although Mendoni said people who come with organized tours or from cruise ships, who account for about fifty percent of the daily visitor count, spend an average of forty-five minutes at the site.

Greek authorities closed access to the Acropolis and other ancient sites during midday hours in July at the height of a heat wave that also resulted in huge wildfires across the country.

They also installed awnings as sun protection for people lining up to see the Acropolis’ 5th century B.C. temples. Mendoni said those precautions would be implemented once again as necessary.

Greek Mythology Created the Romantic Concept of Second Halves

Maria Rybachuk
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Greek Mythology Created the Romantic Concept of Second Halves
Greek God Apollo, Fresco
Apollo with lyre, fresco fragment, Palatine Museum, Rome. Credit: Carole-Raddato / CC-BY-SA-2.0 / Wikimedia Commons

“Love is born into every human being; it calls back the halves of our original nature together,” Plato appealed to the myth of androgynes. This beautiful legend gave rise to one of the most popular romantic concepts about finding a second half.

The story has it that at the very beginning of ancient times, androgynes were the first people whose appearance was significantly different from more modern ones. Plato wrote that they were two people of different sexes, merged into one. They had both male and female genitalia, two pairs of legs and arms, as well as one head with two faces looking in different directions. It was believed that androgynes were the children of the moon, who were born from the merging of the sun and earth.

With so many physical advantages and an ability to benefit from a broader world-perspective, they were very strong and fearless. Realizing their own capabilities and power, the androgynes decided to take an ambitious step that led to the destruction of their usual way of life. They dared to challenge the gods. The myth says that the androgynes planned to remove them from the pedestal and take their place and power themselves.

Having just defeated the Titans, the Gods decided to confront a new threat to their might. Enraged Zeus took the lead and punished people for their arrogance, dividing them into two parts with lightning. God warned the androgynes that if they attempted to seize power, he would repeat his retribution and once again separate their bodies, leaving them with only one leg and arm.

According to ancient myths, the separated halves were doomed to suffer without each other. Devastated, they desperately searched for their soul mates, and their lives were filled with pain, grief, and loneliness.

A slight relief came from the god of music and healing, Apollo. He could not bear their torment seeing how they slowly died one by one without each other. Apollo healed the androgynes’ wounds and sewed them in places where they had been cut in halves.

He smoothed out the scars and wrinkles, lining up the skin at the navel as a reminder of their punishment and original shape. Thus, people have acquired a modern look with two arms and legs, forever striving to reunite with their second half.

Apollo greatly facilitated the fate of the androgynes, thereby reducing physical pain and mental suffering. Some of them even managed to find their soul mate, but most continued to look for their second halves. Still, it is believed that their physical nature will tirelessly seek the complement of the missed part. Following the reunion, the lost halves will continue to live in absolute understanding, joint harmony, and higher happiness.

3,000-Year-Old Ancient Weavings Uncovered in Alaska

Abdul Moeed
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3,000-Year-Old Ancient Weavings Uncovered in Alaska
3,000-Year-Old Ancient Weavings
A close-up look at the 3,000-year-old ancient weavings uncovered in Alaska. Credit: Patrick Saltonstall, Alutiiq Museum

Archaeologists from the Alutiiq Museum recently made an exciting discovery during their excavation of an ancestral sod house on Kodiak Island, Alaska. They uncovered pieces of ancient weavings, shedding light on a long-standing Alutiiq art.

Weaving has been a significant tradition among the Alutiiq people for generations. However, documenting it through archaeological findings is no easy task. This is because fiber artifacts, like these weavings, are delicate and rarely survive the test of time, according to Heritage Daily.

The sod house was a part of a settlement belonging to the Koniag Alutiiq people. These folks, also known as the Alutiiq or Sugpiaq, have called the coastal regions of south-central Alaska their home for more than 7,500 years. Their ancestral lands include Prince William Sound, the outer Kenai Peninsula, the Kodiak Archipelago, and the Alaska Peninsula.

The Alutiiq people have a lot in common with other coastal groups, especially the Unangan or Aleut from the Aleutian Chain and the Yup’ik from the Bering Sea coast.

Anthropologists believe these shared cultural traditions might be a sign of a common ancient history among these groups.

Sod house burned and collapsed around 3,000 years ago

The sod house after excavation
The sod house after excavation. Credit: Patrick Saltonstall, Alutiiq Museum

The pieces of woven artifacts were found within a sod house located on the shores of Karluk Lake. Patrick Saltonstall, a researcher from the Alutiiq Museum, revealed, “We were excavating a sod house beside Karluk Lake as part of a broader study to understand how Alutiiq people used Kodiak’s interior.”

Carbon dating has provided clues about the fate of this ancient structure. It tells that roughly three thousand years ago, the sod house suffered a fire, causing it to collapse. The walls tumbled inward, covering a part of the floor in the process, wrote Heritage Daily.

Saltonstall further stated, “As we removed the remains of the walls, we were surprised and excited to find fragments of charred weaving. It looks like the house had grass mats on the floor. The pieces covered about a two-metre area at the back of the house, perhaps in an area for sleeping.”

Revealing details of the ancient woven fragments

A careful look at the woven fragments reveals how they were made. The skilled creators began by placing long, parallel strands of grass (known as the warp) and then fastened them with rows of twining (called the weft), which ran perpendicular to the warp and were spaced about an inch apart.

This weaving method resulted in an open pattern, similar to what we see in historical examples of Alutiiq grass mats. Additionally, smaller fragments with intricate braiding might indicate the finished edges of these mats, according to Heritage Daily.

Grand Benefactor of Greek-American Community Nikos Andriotis Dies

Maria Rybachuk
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Grand Benefactor of Greek-American Community Nikos Andriotis Dies
Cathedral of Saint Demetrius in Astoria.
Cathedral of Saint Demetrius in Astoria. A funeral service for a devoted benefactor of the Greek-American community will take place here. Credit: Facebook / Saint Demetrios Cathedral of Astoria

Nikos Andriotis, the former president of the historic community of the Cathedral of St. Demetrios of Astoria, located in Astoria, New York, passed away at the age of 82 on Saturday, September 2nd. The dedicated benefactor of the Greek-American community and Nisyros died at Mount Sinai Queens Hospital in Astoria after battling health issues and receiving treatment for pneumonia during his final days.

His brother, Giorgos Andriotis, shared his heartfelt sentiments, calling the loss unbearable and emphasizing that only a “few people can match his contributions and efforts.”

The funeral service will take place at the Cathedral Church of St. Demetrios on Thursday, September 7th, followed by burial at St. Michael’s Cemetery. Instead of flowers, the family kindly asks for contributions to The Nick Andriotis Tuition Assistance Program at St. Demetrios of Astoria.

Andriotis’ Story and Input

Nikos Andriotis, a prominent businessman and philanthropist, played a pivotal role in shaping the St. Demetrios Community’s school complex, including the establishment of the first Greek High School in America during his presidency. His determination to realize this vision faced opposition, but he persevered, serving as both president of the Community and the School Committee to advance the school’s mission.

Archbishop Iakovos of North and South America acknowledged his contributions, and in 2000, the St. Demetrios community honored him with the Odysseus Award. Andriotis’ commitment to education led to the creation of the Nick A. Andriotis Assistance Fund, supported by his $100,000 donation.

Born on the Greek island of Nisyros in 1940, Andriotis immigrated to the United States in 1956 and settled in Astoria, New York. He started as a hotel elevator operator with limited English proficiency. Later on, he worked as a waiter before venturing into real estate, partnering with millionaire Steve Valiotis in his company.

Andriotis served as president of the Parish Council of St. Demetrios of Astoria for multiple terms, demonstrating dedication to Greek education and the community’s well-being. His relentless pursuit of the Greek-American School, established in 1980 and inaugurated in 1982, prevailed despite skepticism.

In 2017, he donated one million dollars to St. Catherine’s School, and his final philanthropic act contributed two million euros to renovate Nisyros’ municipal thermal baths, earning him the title of Grand Benefactor.

He also led the acquisition and renovation of the Greek Cultural Center in Astoria and was honored as an Archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Known as the “Prime Minister of Astoria” in the community, Andriotis promoted Greek language and education, leaving an indelible mark on the St. Demetrios Community and Greek-American life in New York. His life and legacy are documented in his book, My Path Without a Cassock, published in 2016.

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