Hello, and welcome to this week’s roundup. This week on Aglena: a horse that seemed to do math, a 5,300-year-old murder in the Alps, a town that has been burning since 1962, and an army that lost a war to emus. We also launched the History Globe, an interactive 3D globe where you can spin the world, slide through time and tap a pin to read the story behind it. Here are the stories we think you’ll enjoy most.
Clever Hans: The Counting Horse That Fooled Berlin, and Still Fools AI
In 1904 a horse in Berlin tapped out sums for crowds and stumped a panel of experts. A young psychologist worked out what the horse was really reading, and the Clever Hans effect still trips up dog research and AI today. Read the story.
Ötzi the Iceman: The 5,300-Year-Old Murder Victim Two Hikers Found in the Alps
In September 1991 two hikers spotted a body in the melting ice of the Ötztal Alps. He turned out to be 5,300 years old, and he had been murdered. Read the story.
The Centralia Mine Fire: The Pennsylvania Town That Has Been Burning Since 1962
In May 1962 a fire at a borough dump crept into the old coal mines under Centralia, Pennsylvania. It beat every attempt to put it out, emptied the town, and is still burning. Read the story.
The Great Emu War: How 20,000 Birds Outran Australia’s Machine Guns
In late 1932 a Western Australian wheat belt facing ruin called in the army against some 20,000 emus. Two machine guns and thousands of rounds later, the birds were still winning. Read the story.
The Dancing Plague of 1518: What Really Happened in Strasbourg
In the summer of 1518, dozens of people in Strasbourg could not stop dancing. The city’s own records tell a stranger, quieter story than the legend. Read the story.
The Nebra Sky Disc: The 3,600-Year-Old Star Map Rescued in a Police Sting
Dug up by looters in 1999 and seized in a Swiss hotel bar in 2002, the Nebra sky disc may be the oldest known picture of the night sky. Read the story.
The 1960 Valdivia Earthquake: The Strongest Quake Ever Recorded
On May 22, 1960, a magnitude 9.5 earthquake struck southern Chile, the strongest ever recorded. Its tsunami crossed the Pacific, and a landslide lake nearly drowned the city of Valdivia. Read the story.
Puzzles: New Puzzles of the Day went up this week, from balancing cherries on the fruit scales to cracking a night-sky equation and working out which way the compass arrow points next. Try this week’s puzzles.
Thanks for reading, and see you next week with more strange history and science.
