When your magic trick doesn’t go over well — Every year on Great Saturday, the day before Greek Orthodox Easter, dozens of high ranking officials from the Greek Orthodox Church meet in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. The church is ancient, having originally been built by Constantine the Great during Roman times. The Orthodox adherents come…

Virginia failed to reunify after the Civil War — West Virginia is unique in two ways. It is the only state with the word West in it (as opposed to North or South), and it is the only state to form out of another state during the Civil War. West Virginia was a secession born out of a secession…

Who was visited, seen, and ultimately conquered? — Veni, vidi, vici is one of the most famous phrases of all time. The phrase is a masterclass in concise writing and alliteration. Veni, vidi, vici means I came, I saw, I conquered (or I won), and it has been used to gloat over quick military victories for over two…

Thank you — Christianity has a Revelation problem. There is more time and attention given to end time prophecies and wild speculation than there is to actual sound doctrine. I have been a Christian my entire life, and I cannot help but roll my eyes any time I hear someone ask a question…

Simple yet clever — The internet continues to be a cesspool of scammers, hackers, and thieves. Every day that goes by is another day that ne’er-do-wells could be improperly accessing your data and information. Once someone gets your name, email address, and birthday, they can do a lot to try and break into your…

And it has little to do with its appearance — Few things evoke such a powerful image as gold. It has been used as currency and as a symbol of wealth and power for thousands of years. The association with wealth has made gold extraordinarily desirable and instantly recognizable. But have you ever stopped to wonder why gold is used…

How long has it been burning? — The idea of an eternal flame has endured throughout human history. At some points, an eternal fire was thought of as something magical or holy. At other points, it was inspired by the sun. Eternal fire appears in mythology and there have been modern attempts to replicate this idea. There…

A look at the happiest (and saddest) places on Earth — Every year, the World Happiness Report puts out a very beefy breakdown of happiness around the world. These reports are hundreds of pages long and examine the societal factors that affect human well-being. They take survey data from around the world to compile their findings which they then release to…

A true spectacle for history nerds — One of the least remembered chapters of the tale of Julius Caesar involves a strange siege of Alexandria, Egypt. Caesar sailed into Alexandria with some soldiers in search of money and troops for his ongoing battle against Pompey in the Roman civil war. When he arrived, he discovered that the…