Modern Academic Says Gods Spoke to Ancient Greeks

guest
-
0
Modern Academic Says Gods Spoke to Ancient Greeks
Gods Ancient Greeks
Greek Gods and Goddesses. Credit: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Academic Julian Jaynes postulated that before modern consciousness occurred, the voices ancient Greeks heard in their heads were those of gods.

by Patrick Garner

In 1976 an obscure psychologist from Princeton University in New Jersey published a book titled, The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind.

It was an unexpected sensation, not in small part because author Julian Jaynes postulated that before modern consciousness occurred, the voices humans heard in their heads were those of gods.

Jaynes’ “bicameral mind” refers to the two sides of the human brain. Our brain has two chambers, a right and a left, that Jaynes speculates initially did not communicate with each other.

Scientists agree that the left side of the brain controls speech. It’s the right side that is the mystery.

Jaynes considers this to be the god-side and the origin of automatic, executive commands. Millennia ago when humans heard voices — as schizophrenics commonly do today — our ancestors would have believed them to be divine. In effect, Athene, Artemis and Ares would have been issuing commands to our early ancestors.

Gods and Ancient Greeks: The Tipping Point

Originally, Jaynes believes, the god-side of the brain dominated. When humans heard these internal voices, Jaynes theorizes, they were commands about how to act and work as a society.

He conjectures that these voices functioned well as divine orders as long as life was routine. Generations of secure village life gave the internal voices credibility. With catastrophe — which Jaynes emphasizes as being extraordinary stress — the reliability of the voices broke down. In unstable times, the voices ceased to offer good advice — and as a consequence, humans were compelled to think for themselves … or perish.

This, Jaynes speculates, became the forced birth of consciousness. In unexpected crises, the right side of the brain gave erratic and untrustworthy commands. Desperate humans began to have to think for themselves and to ignore the old voices. Calculated actions were taken. Some succeeded, and the result was the sputtering development of inductive reasoning.

Jaynes pinpoints the date of this shift from divine commands to consciousness as occurring a little more than 3,000 years ago. This took hundreds of years. During this process of growing self-awareness, humans continued to consult oracles, as some still do today. But in succeeding generations, the divine voices faded.

Much of Jaynes’ theory is based on his study of Greek gods and archaic language. He theorized that humans became conscious only after complex language evolved.

To cross-check his hypothesis, he taught himself ancient Greek and reread the oldest of the Greek texts, including Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey. He concluded that characters in the Iliad — the earlier of the two books — exhibited almost no self-consciousness.

Yet in the Odyssey, characters spoke and thought as modern humans. Based on this analysis as well as on his study of other early civilizations, he came to a radical conclusion. Consciousness — what we also call self-awareness — began around 1600 to 1200 B.C.

Before this, freethinking or self-direction simply did not exist. Then, over a few centuries as constant geological and social upheavals swept the Mediterranean, what we consider modern consciousness occurred. This change, Jaynes asserts, was accelerated by writing and an increasingly sophisticated use of language.

Jaynes and The Delphic Oracle

The vast majority of ancient populations changed, yet not all humans became equally self-conscious. Jaynes stipulates that this new consciousness prevented most humans from hearing divine voices. Regardless, certain individuals retained the ancient archaic thought process. In other words, they were a throwback to earlier days. They could hear the gods, and Jaynes proposes that these rare individuals served as prophets and oracles.

Human nature includes the wish to know the future, whichever side of the brain is tapped. Even during the metamorphosis in thinking, Greeks relied on oracles. The most famous was the Delphic oracle, a woman known as the Pythia.

She was an astonishing figure. She served as Apollo’s voice of prophecy. She was referred to as the Delphic oracle because she lived in Delphi, which the Greeks considered to be the omphalos or center of the world.

But why was she considered astonishing? Because Pythia had served for as long as anyone could remember and because she was always right. Indeed, for a period exceeding 1,000 years (in the body of many women), she was never recorded as making an inaccurate prediction.

Generals, politicians, tyrants, and common men all relied on her counsel. They asked, “Who will win the battle? Where should we locate our next colony? Will my crops be robust this spring? Will I recover from this injury?” The questions included this famous one from a friend of Socrates — “Who is the wisest man in Athens?” — which, when the Pythia said “Socrates,” the philosopher coyly denied.

The Pythia answered each inquiry without hesitation, which added to her fame. How did she do it? Both the Pythia and her petitioners were prepared for their interaction through physical purification and psychological expectation. There are theories that she had assistance from hallucinogens or unusual vapors beneath the temple. No external aids have ever been discovered. Apparently, she simply excelled in channeling Apollo.

The Road to Modernity

Jaynes suggests that, with the breakdown of ancient thinking, information began to be processed differently. He concludes that once society reached a sufficient size and complexity, humans were forced to access both sides of their brain to survive.

He attributes this to the continuing development of culture. A more robust language was required — one that included metaphors, similes and reasoning. In short, Jaynes says, the growing complexity of civilization itself separated us from the gods.

Half a century later, Jaynes’ groundbreaking book remains in print. His analysis of how language influenced consciousness plays into endless academic debates about human awareness. For more discussion, find the Julian Jaynes Society online.

Patrick Garner is an artist and the creator of the breakout podcast, Garner’s Greek Mythology, with listeners in 179 countries. Garner is also the author of The Naxos Quartet, four novels about the startling appearance of Greek gods in the contemporary world. See www.patrickgarnerbooks.com

Pre-Inca People Stomped Salutes to Their Thunder God

Nisha Zahid
-
0
Pre-Inca People Stomped Salutes to Their Thunder God
Pre-Inca people danced on a unique platform in the Andes Mountains to worship their thunder God.
Pre-Inca people danced on a unique platform in the Andes Mountains to worship their thunder God. Credit: Rod Waddington / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0

Archaeologists discovered a fascinating occurrence in the Andes Mountains around seven hundred years ago long before the Inca Empire rose to prominence in 1400 A.D. New evidence suggests pre-Inca peoples produced human thunder on a ridge in the mountains.

Those who lived there, part of a group called the Chocorvos, created a unique platform on this high ridge in Peru, known as Viejo Sangayaico about a century prior to the establishment of the Inca Empire. They weren’t merely dancing, however; they were worshipping a thunder god.

Study of the pre-Inca dance site

Archaeologist Kevin Lane from the University of Buenos Aires has been studying this pre-Inca site. He found something quite intriguing. The floor these people made was like no other.

It was made of layers of different materials including soil, ash, and guano (which is bird droppings). These layers combined to form a floor that could take the pounding of people’s feet. When the floor was stomped on, it didn’t just absorb the impacts but made booming sounds much like thunder.

Think of it as a massive drum composed of the ground itself. A group of around twenty to twenty-five people could play this natural drum with their feet. It’s as if they were creating thunderous music while worshipping their thunder god.

This amusing discovery has been covered by a scientific journal called the Journal of Anthropological Archaeology in which Lane explains the findings.

Testing of the platform’s sound

In 2014, while working at Viejo Sangayaico, Kevin Lane and his team noticed something intriguing. They found that one of the two open-air platforms in a ritual area sounded hollow when people walked over it.

Later on, they dug into part of the platform to learn more about the pre-Inca ritual. What they found were six different layers of materials such as silty clay, sand, ash, and other things. Some of these layers had ash mixed with guano, which comes from animals like llamas and alpacas.

These ashy layers had small spaces that helped create drum-like sounds when the platform was stepped on. Lane’s team then tested the platform’s sound by stomping on it one person at a time as well as in groups of two to four people. They even had a group of four people do a stomping dance on the platform.

Chocorvos dancers’ belief system

The sounds of stomping on the platform had different levels of loudness, ranging from sixty to eighty decibels. This resembles the noise you’d hear during a loud conversation or at a restaurant where it’s a bit noisy, according to Lane.

When bigger groups of Chocorvos dancers were on that platform making their rhythmic stomping sounds, it would have been even louder.

There are old Spanish documents that refer to the beliefs of the Chocorvos, including their beliefs in powerful things like thunder, lightning, earthquakes, and water deities.

Lane has a theory that these might have led to special ceremonies at Viejo Sangayaico. These ceremonies involved the stomp dancing referred to previously. The goal was to imitate the booming sounds of a thunder god.

In support of this idea, there were remains of what might have been a temple near the platform where all the stomping happened. There were pieces of pottery in this area with images of snakes. In the local Quechua language, these snakes represented water, rivers, and even lightning.

Influence of the pre-Inca dance

There’s a strong possibility that the stomp dancing practiced prior to the Inca Empire may have influenced a dance that was popular with the Chorcovos and other Andean groups in the mid-1500s. This was after the Spanish took over the Inca Empire in 1532.

The Chorcovos were part of the Inca Empire for a long time. However, later, they resisted the Spanish way of life and became part of something called Taki Onqoy. In this, Andean people danced in circles and shook with joy. This might have been a way to connect with the spirits of their ancient gods.

Kevin Lane believes finding additional platforms such as the one where the stomp dancing occurred, along with objects linked to water and lightning rituals, would greatly support his speculations. He believes the platforms were used to honor the thunder god during grander ceremonies.

Researchers could dig up similar platforms at other old sites. They can look for signs such as layers of guano and other things that create drum-like floors for dancing. Kylie Quave, an archaeologist at George Washington University, thinks finding these things would help prove Lane’s point.

Archaeoacoustics of the platforms

Miriam Kolar, archaeoacoustics researcher at Stanford University, thinks that the platform at Viejo Sangayaico may have been built for the purpose of amplifying sounds.

However, even if this wasn’t the intention, the Chocorvos could have still figured out that the platform made drum-like sounds. They might have used this discovery for their special dancing ceremonies.

At Andean sites older than Viejo Sangayaico, there is evidence of other structures that could alter sounds. For example, at a place called Chavin de Huántar, which is around three thousand years old, conch-shell horns were found.

These horns could produce all types of sounds from especially pure tones to loud roars. Kolar and her team found that these sounds were important during special parts of ceremonies and at certain parts of the site that had air ventilation openings.

The folks who live close to Viejo Sangayaico today have mentioned that there is another old site nearby with a platform similar to the one that makes sounds when you step on it. However, Lane and his team haven’t had a chance to explore that site as of yet.

To find more platforms that make similar sounds, it’s important to listen closely to how different parts of a site sound, Lane explains. This is something to which archaeologists don’t usually pay much attention, but by training their ears to notice these things, they may discover more such noteworthy platforms in the future.

Eleftherios Venizelos: The Leader Who Expanded Greece’s Borders

Philip Chrysopoulos
-
0
Eleftherios Venizelos: The Leader Who Expanded Greece’s Borders
Eleftherios Venizelos
Eleftherios Venizelos. Credit: Public Domain

Born in Mournies, Chania on August 23, 1864, Eleftherios Venizelos served seven times as Greece’s prime minister. For most people, he was viewed as the country’s most important politician because he expanded Greek borders and brought Constitutional reforms that modernized Greece. Others believe he was responsible for dividing the Greek people.

In 1866 Venizelos’ family was exiled to Kythera because his father, Kyriakos, had taken part in the Cretan Revolution. They then fled to Syros, where the young Eleftherios went to school.

Although his father intended for him to become a merchant, Eleftherios studied at the Law School of Athens, where he earned a Ph.D. in 1886. In 1887 he returned to Chania and began to practice law while he entered the island’s political arena.

That year, he published the newspaper Lefka Ori and was elected an MP representing Kydonia. However, the Turkish rulers soon dissolved the Greek Parliament.

Eleftherios Venizelos fought for union of Greece and Crete

In the 1897 Cretan Revolution, Venizelos was especially active, establishing the revolutionary camp of Akrotiri. On August 25, 1897, Venizelos made a petition to the Great Powers for the Union of Crete with the rest of Greece. Ultimately, what he achieved was to declare Crete an autonomous state, with Prince George II as High Commissioner.

On March 23, 1905, with the revolution of Therissos, Venizelos declared Union with Greece. The Great Powers were not happy with this particular development, however, and they intervened, leading to the resignation of the prince.

Alexandros Zaimis, who replaced him, worked closely with Venizelos and on October 12, 1908, the Cretan Assembly proclaimed the independence of Crete and the Union with Greece.

With the suggestion of his politician friends, Venizelos was elected an MP in Athens. In 1910 he founded the Liberal Party and won the election, forming a government on October 15, 1910.

In 1912, Venizelos was re-elected in triumph, soon putting in motion his ambitious plan to remove the Turks from European territories. With Venizelos as head of the Greek Army in the Balkan Wars, Greece literally doubled its territory with the liberation of Thessaloniki from the Ottomans in 1912.

With the outbreak of World War I, his disagreements with the Palace began to show, especially because of the neutral attitude King Constantine wanted to maintain. Venizelos wanted to join the United Kingdom-France alliance, the Entente Cordiale, and fight on their side.

The disagreements led to Venizelos’ resignation and his refusal to participate in the 1915 elections, reasoning that the dissolution of the Parliament by the King was unconstitutional.

In 1916, when Constantine was ousted and replaced by his successor, Alexander, Venizelos reconciled with the Palace and Greece entered the war on the side of the Entente. At the end of the war, Venizelos signed the Treaty of Neuilly and the Treaty of Sevres, creating a “Greece of the two seas and of the five continents.”

However, as he returned from Paris, two retired royalist army officers attempted to assassinate him. The Palace began a war of slander against him, leading to his political defeat in 1920. King Constantine then returned to the throne; that development forced Venizelos into self-exile in Paris.

After the Asia Minor Disaster

After the Asia Minor Disaster, the Greek Army under Nikolaos Plastiras took over on September 11, 1922, declaring a Revolution. The Revolutionary Officers instructed Venizelos to negotiate with Turkey.

With the “Evros Army” that was formed on his suggestion, Venizelos went to Lausanne to sign the Treaty of Lausanne with Turkey, gaining territories in Thrace and establishing the Evros River as the natural border with Turkey. He also signed an agreement for the exchange of populations between the two countries.

On January 4, 1924, Venizelos formed a new government, but he soon began having disagreements with the royal family once more, causing him to leave Greece one more time.

He returned to Athens in 1928 to secure another electoral victory. In 1934, there was another failed assassination attempt against him. This time he decided to retire from politics altogether.

A year later, however, he resurfaced from retirement to support a military coup, which failed. This time he left for Paris for good. On March 18, 1936, he died of a stroke there. He was buried in Akrotiri, Crete with all the honors of the great statesman that he was.

Today, Venizelos is widely considered a national hero, and countless sculptures of the former Prime Minister have been erected across the country. The country’s largest international airport, the Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos, is named after him.

New Study Sheds Light on Bronze Age Diets

Abdul Moeed
-
0
New Study Sheds Light on Bronze Age Diets
Ancient Cauldrons Bronze Age Diets
Using protein analysis of leftover proteins on ancient cauldrons, experts have revealed bronze age diets. Credit: iScience/Wilkin et al.

In the past, experts guessed how old tools were used by looking at old writings and hints around them. However, when it came to what people ate a long time ago, they had to make educated guesses about food and how it was prepared.

A recent study shared in the journal iScience has brought fresh insights. Researchers took a closer look at protein remains in ancient cooking pots. They found out that in the Maykop period (from 3700 to 2900 BCE), the people living in the Caucasus region ate animals such as deer, sheep, goats, and cows.

“It’s really exciting to get an idea of what people were making in these cauldrons so long ago,” says Shevan Wilkin of the University of Zurich. “This is the first evidence we have of preserved proteins of a feast—it’s a big cauldron. They were obviously making large meals, not just for individual families.”

Proteins have been well preserved on cauldrons

For a while now, scientists have been aware that the fat residues left behind in ancient pottery and the proteins found in dental calculus, the tough mineral buildup on teeth, offer insight into what people consumed in the past.

What’s new is that this study brings together protein analysis and archaeological study to uncover precise information about the dishes prepared in these specific containers.

Certain metals have unique properties that fight against microbes, and this is why the proteins have been so well-preserved on the cauldrons.

The usual microbes in the soil that tend to break down proteins on surfaces like ceramics and stones are kept in check on these metal alloys.

We’ve already come to the conclusion that people during that era probably enjoyed a type of soupy beer, but the specifics of the main meals remained a mystery, according to Viktor Trifonov from the Institute for the History of Material Culture.

Seven cauldrons recovered from the Caucasus region

The team of researchers gathered eight samples of leftover materials from seven cauldrons that were found in burial sites within the Caucasus region.

This region stretches between the Caspian and Black Seas, covering areas from Southwestern Russia to Turkey and including countries such as Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia.

Through their efforts, they successfully extracted proteins from sources like blood, muscle tissue, and milk.

Among these proteins, one called heat shock protein beta-1 points to the fact that these cauldrons were utilized for cooking deer or bovine meats, including cow, yak, and water buffalo.

Furthermore, milk proteins from either sheep or goats were also detected, indicating that these cauldrons were used for preparing dairy-based dishes as well.

22 People Could Start a Colony on Mars, New Study Finds

Abdul Moeed
-
0
22 People Could Start a Colony on Mars, New Study Finds
22 People Could Start a Colony on Mars
Experts propose that it could take just 22 people to start a colony on Mars. Credit: NASA / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

A recent study has found that around two dozen astronauts are sufficient for establishing and maintaining a Mars colony. This latest research challenges earlier beliefs that about a hundred people would be required. The study indicates that this smaller group can effectively support a living environment on Mars.

Scientists, including those from George Mason University in the United States, took a look at past studies. These studies had estimated that anywhere from one hundred to five hundred astronauts might be necessary to establish a self-sufficient colony on Mars.

A new analysis, which has not yet been reviewed by other experts in the field, was published on arXiv. In this study, researchers also considered how people interact socially and psychologically, along with the need for ongoing interactions. Based on this additional information, researchers propose a different estimate. The efforts of twenty-two individuals might suffice for such a project.

Mars settlers will be dependent on Earth resupply

After many years of exploration carried out by space agencies worldwide, it has been ascertained that constructing a human settlement on Mars presents an exceedingly intricate engineering challenge.

Furthermore, due to unwelcoming conditions on the Red Planet, any habitat constructed there must primarily rely on its own systems to sustain itself, according to scientists.

In addition to extracting essential minerals and water through mining, individuals settling on the Red Planet in the future will rely on both shipments from Earth and the advanced ability to produce what is needed directly on Mars.

This involves utilizing sophisticated technology, for example, to separate water on Mars into oxygen for breathing purposes and hydrogen for fuel.

The presumed colonists will also need to face psychological and human behavior difficulties, as highlighted by researchers.

Use of Agent-Based Modeling (ABM) for behavior analysis

In this new study, data scientists aimed to gain greater insight into behavioral and psychological dynamics among potential Mars settlers.

“We seek to identify areas of consideration for planning a colony as well as propose a minimum initial population size required to create a stable colony,” researchers mentioned in the study.

To conduct their analysis, scientists examined past data pertaining to well-performing teams operating in secluded and demanding surroundings, such as on submarines, Arctic expeditions, and the international space station.

They made use of this information in creating a representation of the various types of interactions occurring among individuals with four distinct psychological profiles.

They used a computer simulation method known as Agent-Based Modeling (ABM). This technique is utilized in the study of intricate systems to foresee the emergence of broader patterns and phenomena by employing straightforward rules and behaviors.

First Food Award Invented in Ancient Greece

Giorgio Pintzas Monzani
-
0
First Food Award Invented in Ancient Greece
ancient greece symposium greek
First Food Award Invented in Ancient Greece. Banquets were obviously the order of the day in Sybaris. Credit: Public Domain

While it’s not a Michelin star as we all know it, the first food award originated in Ancient Greece.

The Ancient Greek world was not limited to today’s borders. Many cities in other Mediterranean territories spoke the Greek language and were of the same religion and culture. An example of such is Sybaris, one of the major cities of Magna Graecia.

Located in the present-day region of Calabria, Sybaris set the foundations for traditional Calabrian cuisine, one of the most popular on the Italic peninsula.

The writer Athenaeus, whose work Deipnosophistae is quite an important basis for the study of ancient food customs, tells of the everyday reality there. The vanity and laziness of the inhabitants went hand in hand. It was a city mainly marked by rest, good food, and the ostentation of one’s wealth.

Anecdotes of the times tell of how a sybarite pulled a muscle merely by watching a peasant hoe. This gives us a very clear idea of what their daily life must have been like.

The Sybaris cuisine

The constant search for the rarest and most delectable products led the city to becoming one of the most critical ports for the exchange of foodstuffs, especially fish. The city’s wealth was defined by its location.

The land on which it stood produced some of the best wines in the Mediterranean. Furthermore, there were gardens of exquisite herbs and strawberries, and ample amounts of honey provided Sybarites with a superior product year-round.

Likewise, Athenians had a special love for fish and marine products, especially the eels they caught in the waters of the Crati River.

The Sybarites’ passion and mania for food could often be a negative point for citizens. They were quite lackadaisical and focused on showing off their rare delicacies. Nevertheless, this exaggerated material attachment also led to one of the most unique gastronomic innovations of the times.

The best cook award in Ancient Greece

According to Athenaeus, the figure of the cook was highly respected and appreciated in Sybaris. Therefore, their love of food also led to their valuing the very person who prepared it with patience and talent. It was hence determined that this finesse be rewarded in some way. It was in this ,manner that a kind of “culinary patent,” or food award, was brought into being.

The cook who managed to create a novel dish combination defined by unique and bold flavors was honored with a type of food award. Thereby, the recipient of the award became the only individual who was permitted to prepare the specified dish for an entire calendar year.

This would ensure that the chef’s fame would skyrocket in no time. Who but a Sybarite would have paid gold to try a sumptuous and rare new dish that he could tell everyone about?

Sybaris was certainly quite an extravagant and worldly city dedicated to the pleasures of life and undoubtedly open-minded. It was a city ahead of many others during ancient times.

Russian Wagner Mercenary Chief Appears in First Video Since Mutiny

Alexander Gale
-
0
Russian Wagner Mercenary Chief Appears in First Video Since Mutiny
Prigozhin
Prigozhin has resurfaced in Africa. Credit: Telegram / WAGNER_svodki

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the chief of the Russian mercenary Wagner Group, has appeared for the first time in a video address since his private military company (PMC) mutinied in June, earlier this year.

The video was released on Telegram, a popular messaging and social media platform. Prigozhin can be seen in full combat gear claiming that Wagner Group’s operations in Africa are making the continent “more free”.

Wagner has a significant operational footprint across Africa, where thousands of mercenaries working for the company are believed to be located.

Prigozhin appears to be in Africa

After an apparent coup attempt by Wagner Group mercenaries- the exact nature of which is still a matter of speculation – Prigozhin’s exact whereabouts became unknown.

In June, approximately 5,000 Wagner personnel took control of the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don and advanced toward Moscow, claiming their intention was to depose the military leadership. In the months prior to the incident, Prigozhin had repeatedly and publicly criticized the Russian military leadership for their approach to the war in Ukraine.

Nevertheless, Prigozhin halted their progress following discussions with the Kremlin, which were facilitated by Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko. As part of an agreement to conclude the uprising, charges against Mr. Prigozhin were dismissed, and he was provided the option to relocate to Belarus.

Now, however, Prigozhin appears to be somewhere on the African continent, although his exact whereabouts remain unknown.

“We are working. The temperature is +50 – everything as we like. Wagner PMC conducts reconnaissance and search actions, makes Russia even greater on all continents, and Africa even more free,” the mercenary chief said in the video.

“Justice and happiness – for the African people, we’re making life a nightmare for ISIS (Islamic State) and Al-Qaeda and other bandits,” he continued.

Wagner operations in Africa

According to the Council on Foreign Relations, “Russia’s Wagner Group has intervened in the affairs of several African countries, providing military and security support while expanding Moscow’s influence across the continent.”

The Wagner Group has set up its activities across various African nations, primarily concentrating on security concerns. Its involvement frequently encompasses delivering security solutions, offering paramilitary aid, and initiating information warfare efforts to aid embattled governments in return for access to resources and backing on the diplomatic front. Wagner’s primary areas of activity include the Central African Republic (CAR), Libya, Mali, and Sudan, all of which share strained relations with the Western world due to historical colonial ties and underlying political disparities.

“Wagner’s services vary based on the needs of its clients, which include rebel groups and regimes, and its funding ranges from direct payment to resource concessions,” further explains William Rampe of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Eye Scan May Detect Parkinson’s Years Before It’s Diagnosed

Nisha Zahid
-
0
Eye Scan May Detect Parkinson’s Years Before It’s Diagnosed
Cutting-edge eye scans might have the ability to detect Parkinson's disease.
Cutting-edge eye scans might have the ability to detect Parkinson’s disease. Credit: Ecole Polytechnique / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0

A breakthrough discovery has found a clue in the back of the eye that could be linked to Parkinson’s disease, a condition affecting movement. What’s remarkable is that this clue might show up many years before doctors are able to officially diagnose the disease.

The researchers, who work at Moorfields Eye Hospital and University College London (UCL), have just completed the biggest study of its kind. They looked closely at pictures of the back of the eye, also called the retina, to learn about Parkinson’s disease.

This study drew on information from a large group of people, including 154,830 patients over forty years old and 67,311 volunteers aged forty to sixty-nine, who are part of the UK Biobank project.

Close examination of the brain

After closely examining the brains of people who had Parkinson’s disease after they passed away, scientists discovered something interesting. They found that the inside part of the eye called the inner nuclear layer (INL) was different in those with Parkinson’s disease compared to those who were healthy.

They also saw that the layer of cells near the surface of the retina, known as the ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL), was thinner in people with the disease.

This is a significant finding because it is the first time that the INL has been connected to the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.

It is also the first time that changes in the eye could be seen many years before doctors can diagnose someone with Parkinson’s disease. This is about seven years before an official diagnosis is possible.

Eye scans have proven useful in spotting signs of various brain-related conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and schizophrenia. The lead author Dr. Siegfried Wagner (UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Eye Hospital) said, “I continue to be amazed by what we can discover through eye scans.”

He further added, “Finding signs of a number of diseases before symptoms emerge means that, in the future, people could have the time to make lifestyle changes to prevent some conditions [from] arising, and clinicians could delay the onset and impact of life-changing neurodegenerative disorders.”

Artificial intelligence to analyze eye scans

In recent times, researchers have also explored the use of advanced computer technology, known as artificial intelligence, to help analyze eye scans. This technology has shown promise in predicting the risk of stroke and heart disease through these scans.

Cutting-edge technology, called high-resolution, 3D Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) scans, provide us with an amazingly clear look at the retina. These scans are special because they allow doctors to see deep layers of cells under the skin without the need for invasive procedures.

By using a smart type of computer learning called AI machine learning, these images can be checked quite quickly to detect all sorts of signals pertaining to a person’s health.

The growing area of “oculomics” is becoming all the more important for figuring out early signs of diseases that make our bodies break down over time.

Alastair Denniston, a professor and consultant ophthalmologist at University Hospitals Birmingham, said, “This work demonstrates the potential for eye data, harnessed by the technology to pick up signs and changes too subtle for humans to see.”

He further said, “We can now detect very early signs of Parkinson’s, opening up new possibilities for treatment.”

This helps us in determining risks before they become bigger problems. With such knowledge, people can make the necessary lifestyle changes, and they can also attempt to to stop the problems from becoming worse.

More research to understand the process

More research is required to understand how the thinner ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) and the inner nuclear layer (INL) affect each other and whether changes in one lead to problems in the other.

Dr. Wagner mentioned, “While we are not yet ready to predict whether an individual will develop Parkinson’s, we hope that this method could soon become a pre-screening tool for people at risk of disease.”

 

New Smart Glasses Allow Deaf People to See Conversations

Jacquie Namugerwa
-
0
New Smart Glasses Allow Deaf People to See Conversations
Artificial Intelligence smart glasses let deaf people see rewind conversations in real time
Artificial Intelligence smart glasses let deaf people see (and rewind) conversations in real time Credit: XRAI Glass

New artificial intelligence AI-powered smart glasses allow deaf people to see conversations with real-time subtitles as well as rewind the chat.

Branded XRAI Glass, the latest technology, uses ordinary augmented reality AR glasses synchronized to a smartphone app with AI-powered software.

The software has potential utilization for just about anyone and gives the user a new kind of personal assistant that remembers what they have forgotten.

The “AI assistant” employs deep learning technology to write back even the most complicated questions. Some of the learning mechanizations include large-scale learning models (LLMs).

Live captioning app can translate over nine languages

The app even possesses the ability to translate nine different languages in near-real time, and more are coming in the next few months.

“Imagine Alexa in front of your eyes,” Mitchell Feldman, the co-founder and chief marketing officer for XRAI exclaimed.

XRAI says it is presently in sync with the Nreal Air Augmented Reality glasses. They hope to work with all AR and XR headset manufacturers in the future, however.

AI technology inspired by co-founder’s grandfather

Co-founder Dan Scarfe’s 97-year-old grandfather’s hearing loss and his subsequent difficulty participating in family gatherings inspired the idea for the smart glasses.

“Where his grandfather came to life the most was watching television and using subtitles,” Feldman said.

He added, “If he enjoys captioning, why can’t we caption his life? And that was the genesis of how this product started.”

The standard live captioning app is free to download with the assistant, while the translation services are paid for via subscription.

Impressed, some welcome the glasses

Justin Osmond, who was diagnosed at the age of two with severe hearing loss, was one of the people most amazed by the XRAI Glass.

Osmond, son of Merrill Osmond of the American pop group The Osmonds, was astounded by a conversation with his wife while using them.

“What’s amazing is not only can I follow everything she says, even if I don’t look up at her, if I have to look down or look somewhere else, it’s all right there in front of me,” he said.

Tasha Ghouri, who was born deaf and received a cochlear implant at age five, was likewise fascinated by the new technology. Ghouri, who became the first deaf contestant on the British reality show Love Island in 2022, broke down after seeing speech translated into text in real time.

Promising technology needs some improvements

It is sometimes a struggle understanding group conversations when people speak over each other. A fairly quiet environment is also needed to interpret that speech accurately.

Compatibility is also another issue. Currently, the app for the smart glasses is only supported by fourteen android smart phone models. The Glasses are also not yet compatible with the iPhone. A free version of the Apple app will be made available, but users will have to pay for premium features. The smart glasses themselves can be purchased separately for $484.

Rare Photos Show First Excavations at Sacred Greek Island of Delos

Tasos Kokkinidis
-
0
Rare Photos Show First Excavations at Sacred Greek Island of Delos
Courtyard Diadomenos
Courtyard of the House of the Diadoumenos, Courtesy of the French School of Athens

Rare photographs of the excavations at the Greek Island of Delos from the 19th Century have come to light in a book by French archaeologists.

The book Delos 1873-1913 sheds light on the challenges facing the scientists and other skilled and unskilled workers who unearthed ancient monuments and artifacts in one of most important mythological, historical, and archaeological sites in Greece.

Its claim as the birthplace of Apollo gave Delos a strong religious identity that lasted all the way until Byzantine times.

Delos
The Diadumenos, supported by two Mykonian workers, trying to shake off the numbness of a 2,000-year sleep from his “perfect limbs” uncovered in 1894.

Over the centuries, Delos was truly a cosmopolitan center with a diverse population that included people from all around the Mediterranean, but in 88 BCE, the Romans razed the island during their war with Mithridates (an ally of the Athenians who controlled the island), a calamity Delos never recovered from.

Excavations began on Delos in the 19th century

Delos
Credit: French School of Athens

The French School of Athens (FSA) in 1873 sent archaeologist A. Lebègue to begin work on excavations on Delos.

Until the First World War, on the instigation of T. Homolle and then M. Holleaux, the emphasis was on the clearing of large areas in the Sanctuary zone and on the northern slopes of Cynthus; however, the rest of the island was not neglected.

Delos
Credit: French School of Athens

Several years apart (1894 and 1907), two archaeological maps of the island were drawn up while a study of its physical geography was successfully completed by the geologist L. Cayeux (EAD IV).

Delos
Credit: French School of Athens

From 1903 onwards, the excavations enjoyed annual financial support from Joseph Florimont, Duke of Loubat (1831-1927), a rich American philanthropist and foreign corresponding member of the Academy of Inscriptions and Belles-Lettres.

This major contribution to work in the field was complemented in 1920 by the creation of a Greek epigraphy fund to support the institute from which the income was used for the publication of the Choix d’inscriptions de Délos by F. Durrbach (1921) and the Corpus des inscriptions de Délos.

Delos
Credit: French School of Athens

From the 1920s onwards, the efforts of the school’s members focused on the study of monuments, batches of equipment and inscriptions discovered in the previous decades, and exploratory research concentrated more on buildings than groups of monuments.

Today, the island maintains its serenity all to itself, as no one is allowed to stay overnight on the island except for caretakers and archaeologists who continue to uncover its ancient secrets. Those who would like to explore the island and pay tribute to its magnificent history are allowed to do so, but only as part of day trips.

The Greek Island of the Gods is linked by ferry to the island of Mykonos, with the trip taking a mere 45 minutes.

1...345346347...7,609Page 346 of 7,609