AI chatbots like ChatGPT are using info from Elon Musk's Grokipedia, report reveals When Elon Musk's Grokipedia isn't just copying Wikipedia word-for-word, it's spreading falsehoods about the AIDS epidemic, justifying slavery, and citing white supremacist websites.Now, at least two of the biggest AI chatbots, OpenAI's ChatGPT and...

Public DomainTerry Davis was a brilliant computer programmer who struggled with schizophrenia.From his early days as a gifted engineer to his final years spent chasing a divine vision through code, Terry Davis was one of the most unusual figures in modern computing history. To his fellow programmers, he was a rare technical master. In his own mind, he was a man chosen by God to build something sacred.For the first 26 years of his life, Davis was on the path to becoming another Steve Jobs. He learned programming language as a teenager, earned a degree in electrical engineering, and secured a job with Ticketmaster. Then, he was diagnosed with schizophrenia, derailing his promising career.During the years he spent in and out of psychiatric facilities, Davis thought he heard God commanding him to build an operating system. So, he spent 10 years creating TempleOS, which he believed was destined to become the Third Temple foretold in the Bible. Then, in 2018, Terry Davis story came to a tragic close. He was struck by a train in Oregon, and nobody is sure if it was a terrible accident or if he died by suicide. Regardless, it brought an end to the life of one of recent historys most brilliant yet troubled minds.Terry Davis Early Life And The Onset Of SchizophreniaTerrence Andrew Davis was born in Wisconsin in December 1969, one of eight children in a Catholic family. He moved frequently as a child, but his passion for computers followed him wherever his family settled.Find a GraveTerry Davis as a young man, long before he made waves with his operating system.As a young teenager, Davis learned programming language on a Commodore 64. This talent carried him to Arizona State University, where he earned a masters degree in electrical engineering in 1994. Hed started working for Ticketmaster as an undergraduate, and he remained with the company for an additional two years after his graduation.Then, in March 1996, Terry Davis started experiencing manic episodes and paranoia. I started seeing people following me around in suits and stuff, Davis recalled to VICE writer Jesse Hicks in 2014. It just seemed something was strange.So, he got in his car and started driving, the whole time convinced that the voices on the radio were speaking directly to him. After he reached Texas, he pulled over on the side of the road, ripped the panels off his car to look for a tracking device, threw his keys into the desert, and walked away. Public DomainTerry Davis, the programmer behind TempleOS, pictured with his Commodore monitor.When a police officer picked him up, Davis jumped out of the moving patrol car and broke his collarbone. At the hospital, he thought he heard doctors talking about artifacts left by aliens that were detected in his X-ray images, so he fled once more. He stole a truck, was swiftly apprehended, and then shoved his glasses into an electrical socket in his jail cell in another attempt to escape.Davis was ultimately sent to a psychiatric hospital, where he stayed for two weeks. Although he was first diagnosed with bipolar disorder, doctors later determined that he had schizophrenia. And as Terry Davis illness progressed, so did his conviction that a higher power was speaking to him.Searching For God Through CodeAfter his release, Davis felt deep guilt over what he described as being a technology-advocate atheist. He decided to follow Jesus by giving away everything he owned and living nomadically. But that plan didnt last long. He spent the next seven years in and out of psychiatric facilities. In between, he worked on various projects, from stints at tech companies to inventing a milling machine to writing a sequel to 1984. Then, he started building TempleOS.Driven by a relentless search for Gods message, Davis began creating an operating system that he believed was divinely inspired and destined to be the Third Temple thats prophesied in the Bible. He believed that God had personally instructed him to build the system.Public DomainThe logo of TempleOS, the operating system Davis claimed that he was instructed by God to create.Based on what he described as direct communication with God, Davis began development of TempleOS in 2003. Originally known as J Operating System, then LoseThos, the project spanned more than a decade. Davis created everything himself, including the programming language, which he dubbed HolyC.The operating system deliberately resembled early systems like the Commodore 64 and DOS-based interfaces. It ran at a fixed resolution of 640 by 480 pixels and was limited to just 16 colors. These constraints were intentional and purportedly instructions from God.In total, TempleOS contained more than 120,000 lines of code. Among its most unusual features was a program called AfterEgypt, which included a digital oracle. Using random number generation, the oracle generated Bible passages that Davis believed allowed users to communicate directly with God.When TempleOS was complete, Davis announced on his website, Gods temple is finished. Now, God kills CIA until it spreads.Terry Davis Growing Fame And ControversyAs Terry Davis shared TempleOS online, he began to attract a devoted following. His work gained attention within the programming community, and he eventually built a small but loyal fan base. He livestreamed coding sessions and referred to himself as the smartest programmer thats ever lived.His YouTube channels were repeatedly deleted due to vulgar and offensive language. He still believed that CIA agents were following him, and he referred to them as Glowies, claiming they glowed in the dark. His language became increasingly disturbing. He frequently used racist and homophobic slurs. These moments overshadowed his brilliance and alienated many who once admired him.Yet, interest in his work continued to grow. Davis appreciated the attention, but he felt disappointed that few of his fans actually used TempleOS to talk to God. After all, that was its entire purpose.In his final years, Terry Davis drifted between homelessness, jail, and brief stays with his family. He stopped taking his medication, believing it hampered his creativity. His fans tried to help, but he reportedly declined offers for housing.Terry Davis/YouTubeTerry Davis in his final YouTube video, which was posted just before his death.In 2018, Davis traveled through California and Oregon. In his final video, uploaded just hours before his death on August 11, 2018, he spoke cryptically about purifying himself. Its good to be king, he said. Wait, maybe I think maybe Im just like a little bizarre little person who walks back and forth.That night, Davis was struck and killed by a train while walking along railroad tracks near The Dalles, Oregon. The trains engineer said the incident may have been intentional, though no official cause of death was ever confirmed. It was not ruled a suicide due to a lack of evidence. He was 48 years old.Just before the VICE article about Terry Davis work was published in 2014, he had emailed the author, writing, What people are going to read is, Its about a pathetic schizophrenic who made a crappy operating system. My perspective is, God said I made His temple.'After learning about the life of Terry Davis, read about Grace Hopper, one of the first modern computer programmers. Then, go inside the story of John Nash, the brilliant mathematician with paranoid schizophrenia behind A Beautiful Mind.The post The Tragic Life Of Terry Davis, The Brilliant Computer Programmer Whose Struggle With Schizophrenia Derailed His Career appeared first on All That's Interesting.

Public DomainThis photograph, taken of Queen Victoria at Balmoral Castle circa 1900, may be the last portrait of the monarch.Queen Victorias death in January 1901 marked the end of an era for the British Empire. At the time, she was the longest-reigning monarch in British history, a title that she held for over a century until Queen Elizabeth II surpassed her in 2015.During her 63 years on the throne, Victoria expanded her empire, oversaw a period of industrial and scientific advancements, and restored the monarchys image after a series of unpopular rulers. She and her husband, Prince Albert, had nine children and 42 grandchildren whose descendants married into royal families across the continent, earning Victoria the nickname the grandmother of Europe.By the turn of the 20th century, Queen Victorias health had started to decline. She had severe cataracts that left her essentially blind, and she suffered from rheumatism that made it difficult to move around. Then, while staying at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight over the Christmas season in 1900, the monarch suffered a series of strokes.Queen Victoria died on Jan. 22, 1901. Her eldest son, Albert Edward, succeeded her as King Edward VII, bringing an official end to the Victorian era that changed history.The Final Days Of Queen VictoriaThe year 1900 was a difficult one for Queen Victoria. Her eldest daughter was dying from breast cancer, her son Alfred passed away, and she was dealing with several health struggles of her own. Due to rheumatism in her legs, the monarch largely relied on a wheelchair to get around. She also had severe cataracts that left her mostly blind, though she continued to dutifully write in her diary daily.During the holiday season, Victoria traveled to Osborne House, a royal residence on the Isle of Wight. Sadly, her troubles followed her there. The queens close friend Jane Spencer, Baroness Churchill, who was also staying at the mansion, was found dead in her bed on Christmas morning. Victorias personal doctor, Sir James Reid, didnt want anyone to tell the monarch the tragic news, fearing it would damage her health. Indeed, when the queen did learn of Janes death, she was so shocked that she had trouble eating. Public DomainOsborne House, the royal residence where Queen Victoria died in 1901.On New Years Day 1901, Queen Victoria wrote in her diary: Another year begun, I am feeling so weak & unwell, that I enter upon it sadly.Throughout early January, the queen started eating less and less, often nibbling on nothing more than a small slice of boiled chicken or sirloin steak. She recorded her final diary entry on January 13:Had a fair night, but was a little wakeful. Got up earlier & had some milk Out before 1, in the garden chair, Lenchen & Beatrice going with me. Rested a little, had some food, & took a short drive with Lenchen & Beatrice. Rested when I came in & at 5.30, went down to the Drawingroom, where a short service was held, by Mr. Clement Smith, who performed it so well, & it was a great comfort to me. Rested again afterwardsFive days later, on Jan. 18, Dr. Reid noticed that the left side of the queens face was drooping. He diagnosed her with a paralytic stroke and news about the potentially impending death of Queen Victoria quickly spread.Queen Victorias Death After 63 Years On The ThroneOn Jan. 19, 1901, family members from across Europe began arriving at Osborne House. Journalists gathered at the gate to await news of Victorias health, but the queen herself seemingly didnt want to admit that her time had come.The monarch reportedly told Dr. Reid on Jan. 19, I should like to live a little longer, as I have still a few things to settle. However, she continued to decline. Public DomainSir James Reid, the personal physician to Queen Victoria.On Jan. 21, the queens eldest son and the heir to the throne, Albert Edward, arrived along with Kaiser Wilhelm II, her eldest grandson. That day, she had a brief burst of energy and asked Dr. Reid if she was any better. He told her that she was, and she asked if her favorite Pomeranian, Turi, could be placed on her bed.Then, in the early morning hours of Jan. 22, it became clear that Queen Victorias death was imminent. She had ruled for so long that her family reportedly turned to her old journals for advice on how to handle the situation, looking through the entries Victoria had written at the time of her ascension to the throne.Around 3 p.m., the royal family gathered around Victorias bedside to read Bible passages and sing hymns. According to the Jan. 22, 1901, issue of The Evening Times, an official bulletin was issued at 4 p.m. that simply stated, The Queen is slowly sinking.Public DomainQueen Victoria on her deathbed shortly after she passed away.Princess Helena, the fifth of Queen Victoria and Prince Alberts nine children, later wrote, I shall never forget the look of radiance on her face at last when she opened her dear eyes quite wide & one felt & knew she saw beyond the Border Land & had seen & met all loved ones.There are several conflicting records of the queens final words, but some say she simply uttered, Bertie in the moments before her death. This likely referred to her heir, Albert, but she may have also been thinking of her husband who had passed away nearly 40 years earlier.Queen Victoria died at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 22, 1901. At 6:45, the mayor of London received a telegram from Albert that read, My beloved mother has just passed away surrounded by her children and grandchildren.Albert immediately took the throne as King Edward VII, and the Victorian era came to an end. The Royal Funeral And The Queens IntermentThree years before Queen Victorias death, the monarch had written strict instructions for her funeral. Although she had been wearing black since her husband had passed away in 1861, she didnt want to be laid to rest in dark colors. Instead, she asked to wear a white dress and a wedding veil.A plaster cast of her late husbands hand was placed in her coffin as well as a lock of hair from John Brown, Victorias favorite servant. Brown was unpopular within the royal family because of his influence on the queen, and some people even believed the two had been engaged in a romantic relationship. However, theres no real evidence that they were anything more than good friends.Public DomainThe queens funeral procession before she was laid to rest alongside Prince Albert.The queens funeral on Feb. 2, 1901, was one of the largest gatherings of European royalty in history. Victoria was known as the grandmother of Europe because many of her nine children, 42 grandchildren, and 87 great-grandchildren married into other monarchies across the continent.Queen Victoria was interred next to Prince Albert in the Royal Mausoleum at Frogmore Estate in Windsor, England, just outside of London. When Albert had died, sculptor Carlo Marochetti had crafted a marble effigy of both the prince and the queen, and her statue was placed in the tomb alongside Alberts upon her death. After four decades, the queen was reunited with her beloved husband at last.After reading about the death of Queen Victoria, go inside the gruesome death of King Henry II of France. Then, discover the stories behind 11 other weird royal deaths.The post How Did Queen Victoria Die? Inside The British Monarchs Final Illness And Rapid Demise In 1901 appeared first on All That's Interesting.

With her blond pigtails and eager smile, Anissa Jones charmed TV audiences in her role as Buffy on Family Affair. But like many child actors, her life began to unravel when the cameras stopped rolling.When the show was abruptly canceled in 1971, Jones then 13 years old was eager to turn over a new leaf. As she started to audition for movies, however, Jones felt pigeonholed by her reputation as the precocious and adorable Buffy.Bettmann/Getty ImagesAnissa Jones, far left, in a scene from Family Affair with Diane Brewster, Kathy Garver, and Johnnie Whitaker in 1967.The movie gigs didnt come. Instead, with her family life in disarray, Jones started turning to drugs and shoplifting. Her life came to a tragic end at the age of 18 when she died of a drug overdose at a friends house in 1976.This is the story of the life and death of Anissa Jones, the Family Affair actress who passed away tragically young.Anissa Jones Rise To FameBorn Mary Anissa Jones on March 11, 1958, in Lafayette, Indiana, Anissa Jones found fame at a young age. Shortly after she and her family relocated to California, her parents divorced. And her mother, at the suggestion of a neighbor, started bringing Jones to TV commercial auditions.Some four commercials later, wrote the San Francisco Examiner, Anissa was seen and signed by a producer of Family Affair for the part of Buffy.At the age of 8, Jones started acting in the CBS sitcom as one of three children sent to live with their wealthy bachelor uncle after the death of their parents. She acted alongside Johnny Whitaker as her twin brother Jody, Kathy Garver as her older sister Cissy, Brian Keith as her Uncle Bill, and Sebastian Cabot as Uncle Bills butler.Bettmann/Getty ImagesJohnnie Whitaker as Jody and Anissa Jones as Buffy on Family Affair in 1966.Jones was very intelligent and a natural actress, her co-star Garver wrote in The Family Affair Cookbook. She had an abundance of talent and liked making friends with the guests who appeared.Anissa Jones charmed audiences as Buffy during the shows five seasons. Viewers especially liked the doll she carried, Mrs. Beasley, which soon became a real-life toy that fans could buy. But as the years went on, Jones began to tire of playing the little girl. When fans called her Buffy she politely insisted on being called Anissa. And as Jones got older, she began to see her role as babyish.One can see from some of her later performances that she was not as happy as in the first years the show was filmed, Garver wrote. Then, in 1971, CBS decided to cancel Family Affair. Though the cancellation seemed like good timing for Anissa Jones, who yearned to try something new, the young actress would struggle in the subsequent years. Life After Family AffairYouTubeAnissa Jones on The Dick Cavett Show in 1971, the year that CBS cancelled Family Affair.Following the cancellation of Family Affair, Anissa Jones attempted to jump from television to the movies. But shaking off her reputation as the adorable Buffy proved an insurmountable challenge. When she auditioned for the role of Regan MacNeil in The Exorcist (1973), the director had a hard time imagining adorable little Buffy possessed by a demon. Disillusioned, Jones also turned down a role on her former co-star Brian Keiths new show, The Brian Keith Show, as well as a chance to audition for the role of Iris Easy Steensma in Taxi Driver (1976).She was done: she had quit show business, Garver wrote. She bonded with local teenage friends and started to have the freedom that had been denied her the five years she was on the TV show.Unfortunately, Garver noted, many of Joness new friends were drug users. And the next five years saw Anissa Jones in the midst of a downward spiral.Not only did Jones struggle professionally, but her family life had become a source of stress as well. Her parents divorce had led to a bitter custody battle, which resulted in her father winning custody of Jones and her brother. But after her fathers death, Jones went to live with a friend. Anissa was in trouble: petty shoplifting, taking jobs and then quitting them, bad sleeping patterns, bad eating patterns, incredible mood swings, explained Geoffrey Mark, who co-wrote Family Affair Cookbook.Garver remembered that Joness mother expressed concern about her daughter at Joness 18th birthday party. [H]er mom had said, Kathy, I wish youd spend some more time with Anissa because I really think that shes in with a bad group of people,' Garver told Fox News.That birthday was a significant one. It was Anissa Joness last, as well as the moment when she inherited the money shed earned from Family Affair.She received a little less than $200,000, which she blew almost immediately, Mark recalled. In four or five months. Indeed, Anissa Jones didnt have much time left. That August, she died of a drug overdose.The Death Of Anissa JonesTwitterThis is thought to be the last photo of Anissa Jones, who died in August 1976.On August 28, 1976, Anissa Jones went to a party in Oceanside, California with her boyfriend, Allan Kovan. But she never returned home. Jones fatally overdosed on a combination of drugs including cocaine, angel dust, Seconal, and Quaaludes at the age of 18.Her doctor, Don Carlos Moshos, was later charged with 11 felony counts of illegally prescribing powerful drugs, according to the New York Times.The coroner said it was one of the most massive overdoses hed ever recorded, Garver wrote. It was such a tragedy that this amazing little girl, such a bright light, was extinguished at such a young age.To Fox News, Garver added that she believed that Jones had died of an overdose, not a suicide. She was a darling little girl and a lovely teenager, and I dont think she would have taken her own life, Garver said. During the circumstances and how many drugs she took, and she was little that was just too much for her little body to handle. Tragically, Anissa Jones wasnt the only Family Affair cast member to suffer an untimely death. Sebastian Cabot died of a stroke in 1977, and Brian Keith died by suicide in 1997. But Garver doesnt believe in the so-called Family Affair curse.I dont think theres any curse, she told Fox News. But if one can put something in a single word or a single sentence, that I think explains the unexplainable to many people. No, of course, theres not a curse, but for some people, coincidences or different lifestyles that happened to people. So, I dont think its a curse.Today, Anissa Jones is best remembered for the role that made her famous. In clips on YouTube and elsewhere, her performance as Buffy is captured forever like a fossil in amber. But Anissa Joness life and tragic death tells another story, too. It embodies the trials of child actors, the devastation of typecasting, and the pitfalls of having, and then losing, stardom.After reading about the life and death of Anissa Jones, look through the tragic stories behind some of Hollywoods biggest child stars. Or, go inside the tragic death of The Land Before Time child actress Judith Barsi.The post The Heartbreaking Story Of Family Affair Star Anissa Jones And Her Untimely Death appeared first on All That's Interesting.

Miguel Hermoso Cuesta/Wikimedia CommonsAncient baths in Pompeii did not meet the high hygienic standards usually attributed to the Romans.Before the Roman city of Pompeii was destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 C.E., it was a thriving colony with roads, restaurants, and, of course, bathhouses. But a new study of the water supply in Pompeii has revealed that these baths were filled with heavy metals and that the quality of drinking water in the town was poor.Ultimately, the city built an aqueduct. But before that point, its water for both bathing and drinking was supplied by deep wells that contained mineralized groundwater connected to volcanic deposits.Far From Ideal: A Study Of Pompeiis Water QualityAccording to a new study published in the journal PNAS, researchers from Johannes Gutenberg University studied the water quality in Pompeii by taking a look at the citys ancient carbonate deposits. They sought to understand how water quality in the city changed when Pompeii transitioned from wells to an aqueduct during the reign of Emperor Augustus (27 B.C.E. to 14 C.E.).Cees Passchier/Johannes Gutenberg UniversityCarbonate samples from Pompeiis pre-Roman Republican Baths, which date back to 130 B.C.E.To learn more, researchers used isotope analysis to study the carbonate deposits that had formed over time in the citys aqueduct, water towers, well shafts, and the pools of the public baths. They found that the citys water quality was particularly poor during the period when Pompeiis water came from wells.The baths were originally supplied by deep wells with water-lifting devices, and the hygienic conditions in them were far from ideal, Dr. Gl Srmelihindi of the Institute of Geosciences at Johannes Gutenberg University, the lead author of the study, said in a university statement. We found completely different patterns of stable isotopes and trace elements in the carbonates from the aqueduct and in those from the wells.The researchers also found evidence of heavy metals in Pompeiis bath water, including lead, zinc, and copper. The bathhouses seemingly underwent renovations in the first century C.E. that replaced boilers and pipes, causing heavy metal levels to increase (and making the bath water warmer).So, what made the water quality in Pompeii so terrible? The Cause Of Pompeiis Poor Water QualityIn the so-called Republican Baths the oldest public bathing facilities in the city, dating back to pre-Roman times around 130 B.C.E. we were able to prove through isotope analysis that the bath water was provided from wells, and not renewed regularly, Srmelihindi explained.She added, Therefore, the hygienic condition did not meet the high hygienic standards usually attributed to the Romans.Cees Passchier/Johannes Gutenberg UniversityRuins of the oldest public baths in Pompeii, which date back to 130 B.C.E.Specifically, Srmelihindi believes that the bath water was probably changed just once a day, which makes sense, because changing the water was an arduous task undertaken by enslaved workers. After all, she noted, the baths were supplied by a water-lifting machine, powered by slaves via a kind of treadwheel. Whats more, when Pompeii used water from wells, it was using highly mineralized groundwater from volcanic deposits under the city. This water was not suitable for drinking. But during Roman times under Emperor Augustus, the city built an aqueduct, which increased the amount of water available for bathing and provided better drinking water. However, Pompeii wasnt able to enjoy the improvement of its water quality for long. In 79 C.E., Mount Vesuvius catastrophically erupted, burying Pompeii and the nearby town of Herculaneum in deadly volcanic ash and killing some 2,000 people in Pompeii (as well as an estimated 16,000 in the region). The eruption horrified the ancient world at the time, Romans didnt even have a word for volcano and the destruction was unthinkable. In fact, researchers found cyclical patterns in the level of carbon isotopes that may reveal fluctuating levels of volcanic carbon dioxide in the citys water supply leading up to the natural disaster. While tragic, the eruption of Mount Vesuvius also preserved much of Pompeii as if in amber. Today, researchers can walk its streets, examine its mosaics and even test its water supply.After reading about the horrendous quality of Pompeiis water supply, go inside the story of the Roman Empires Pax Romana period, an era of unprecedented peace and prosperity. Or, look through these photos of Pompeiis vivid frescoes.The post New Analysis Has Revealed The Water Of Pompeii Was Dense In Heavy Metals And May Have Foretold Mount Vesuvius Eruption appeared first on All That's Interesting.

Marlize LombardBoth sides of one of the prehistoric arrowheads analyzed in the new study.Archaeologists have found the worlds oldest direct evidence of poisoned arrowheads, revealing that hunter-gatherers in modern-day South Africa were using sophisticated weapons to hunt prey as far back as 60,000 years ago.A new study, published in the journal Science Advances, details how researchers detected traces of toxic compounds on tiny quartz arrow tips excavated from the Umhlatuzana Rock Shelter in South Africas KwaZulu-Natal Province. The findings pushed back the earliest confirmed use of poisoned arrows by tens of thousands of years.The Oldest Evidence Of Humans Using Poisoned ArrowsThis is the oldest direct evidence that humans used arrow poison, study co-author Marlize Lombard said in a press release. It shows that our ancestors in southern Africa not only invented the bow and arrow much earlier than previously thought, but also understood how to use natures chemistry to increase hunting efficiency. The research team analyzed 10 microliths small, quartz-backed stone points used as arrow tips that came from a layer of sediments dated to 60,000 years ago. Using gas chromatographymass spectrometry, they identified plant-derived, toxic alkaloids on five of the microliths. The two toxic compounds discovered were buphanidrine and epibuphanisine.Researchers believe the toxic compounds were probably collected from a plant called Boophone disticha, or the Bushmans poison bulb. This plant is known locally as a gifbol or a poisonous onion, and its long been used by the regions Indigenous hunters. Some traditional hunters in the area, like the San and Khoe peoples, still use this poison to slow down their prey as opposed to delivering a knockout blow.Wikimedia CommonsA lone bulb of Boophone disticha.To authenticate their find, the scientists compared the traces on the ancient tools with those from 250-year-old poisoned bone arrows collected by European explorers and extracts from modern Boophone disticha bulbs. The results were a match.Finding traces of the same poison on both prehistoric and historical arrowheads was crucial, said co-author Sven Isaksson of Stockholm Universitys Archaeological Research Laboratory, who helped carry out the analyses. By carefully studying the chemical structure of the substances and thus drawing conclusions about their properties, we were able to determine that these particular substances are stable enough to survive this long in the ground.Its also fascinating that people had such a deep and long-standing understanding of the use of plants, he added. More Evidence That Prehistoric Humans Were Advanced ThinkersThis discovery is about more than just ancient hunting methods it serves as a window into the minds of our early human ancestors. Crafting and using a poisoned arrow requires a certain level of cognitive abilities, and the hunter-gatherers must have used advanced planning and causal reasoning when preparing and using their arrows.They would also need to have a deep understanding of local plants and animal behavior. Early hunters had to identify the correct toxic plant, extract its poison, and apply it to an arrow tip so it could be delivered into the preys wound. They then needed patience and foresight to track the wounded animal afterward, knowing the poison would eventually take effect.Using arrow poison requires planning, patience, and an understanding of cause and effect, explained Linnaeus Universitys Anders Hgberg. It is a clear sign of advanced thinking in early humans.Previous research has identified the use of plant-based poisons in other ancient weapons, such as 7,000-year-old poison arrowheads, but even following those discoveries, researchers suggested that the practice probably stretched much further back into prehistory. These new findings confirm that suspicion.This is the result of a long and close collaboration between researchers in South Africa and Sweden, Sven Isaksson said. Being able to identify the worlds oldest arrow poison together has been a complex undertaking and is incredibly encouraging for continued research. Next, read about the infamous Aqua Tofana poison used by 17th-century Italian women to kill their husbands. Or, learn why the manchineel tree is often called the tree of death.The post Scientists Uncover Evidence Of The Oldest Known Arrow Poison On 60,000-Year-Old Arrowheads appeared first on All That's Interesting.

Nupur Talwar (left) and her husband Rajesh (right) attend a memorial for their mysteriously slain daughter, Aarushi Talwar.When 13-year-old Aarushi Talwar was found dead with her throat slit in her bedroom in Noida, India on May 16, 2008, authorities immediately turned to her parents for answers. And because suicide by throat-cutting is rare, police were certain they were dealing with a homicide.But the ensuing investigation turned out to be anything but simple. In fact, it took so many sharp turns over such a long period of time that it became a sensational whodunnit of nearly unparalleled proportions.At first, the primary suspect was 45-year-old Hemraj Banjade, who was hired help at Rajesh and Nupur Talwars home that is, until he too was found dead just one day after Aarushi Talwar. His body was found partially decomposed on the terrace of the Talwar home.With two murders now on their hands, the authorities began to bungle the investigation, including by not securing the crime scene after Aarushi Talwars death and for allowing the media and a curious public alike to venture into the home hours after the murder. Nevertheless, the investigation quickly found its target, those with the most access and potential motive for the two killings: Talwars parents themselves.Aarushi Talwars Body Was Found Lying In A Pool Of BloodBorn on May 24, 1994 to two dentists, Aarushi Talwar was a student at the Delhi Public School and lived in Noidas Sector 25 with her parents at the time of her death.Rajesh and Nupur Talwar practiced at a clinic in Sector 27 as well as at Fortis Hospital where the former headed the dental department. Anita and Praful Durrani, close friends with the Talwars, shared the Noida clinic with the couple. Rajesh and Anita took the morning shifts from 9 a.m. to noon while Praful and Nupur had the evenings from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.TwitterThe 13-year-old girl was bludgeoned in the head with a golf club before her throat was slit with a kukri blade.At 6:01 a.m. on the morning of May 16, the doorbell rang. Housemaid Bharti was usually let inside by Banjade, but he was strangely missing in action. She rang the bell three more times and was finally greeted by Nupur, who was on the balcony. This was extremely unusual, as Aarushi Talwars parents were known to sleep in because they worked the evening shifts at the office. Banjade was the one who took care of letting servants or guests in. The gate at the entrance was locked from the outside, so Nupur had to throw Bharti a set of keys. When the maid walked into the home, she noticed Rajesh was awake too.Both parents were in their daughters room, crying. Look what Hemraj has done, they said. It was then that Bharti saw Aarushi Talwar motionless in a puddle of blood, her throat slit by a kukri knife. She rushed to get the neighbors and some medical assistance. Of course, it was already far too late to help the girl. A memorial tree in commemoration of Aarushi Talwar in Noida.When the police arrived at 7:15 a.m., a crowd of 15 people that the Talwars had called was already in the living room while five or six others were in the Talwars master bedroom. In terms of crime scene tampering, having dozens of people taint the integrity of DNA evidence and move things around was fairly egregious. Most of the 28 fingerprint samples police lifted from the crime scene were smudged and useless.Oddly enough, Rajesh told the police not to open the locked terrace door and offered them Rs 25,000 ($365) to track Banjade down. The narrative that it was the live-in servant took root almost immediately. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) later mentioned how actively the Talwars were pushing this story. Rajesh and Nupur furthermore claimed not to have heard a single sound while the murders took place. They said that their closed door and air conditioning unit blocked out the sounds of bludgeoning and laceration. Wikimedia CommonsA bloodstained kukri knife was found in the home of Krishna Thadarai, an assistant of the Talwars. He was released by the CBI after a court found the bureau had used excessive interrogation techniques.The Night Of Aarushi Talwars MurderThe night Aarushi Talwar was murdered, her friend Anmol called the Talwars landline. It was around midnight and Anmol couldnt get through to his friends cell phone. Aarushi Talwar typically stayed up after midnight talking to her friends and otherwise using her phone. On May 15, however, her phone was inactive after 9:10 p.m.Anmols call to the house was left unanswered so he sent her a text message at around 12:30 a.m. The message was never received by her phone as it had already been shut off. It would later be found on a dirt track near Noidas Sadarpur area by a maid. The memory had been wiped clean.The CBI closure report found that the Talwars got home from work at 9:30 p.m. the night of their daughters death. They apparently had dinner with her and gave her a new digital camera as an early birthday present. After taking a few photos together, the family retired at 11 p.m., at which time they later said they saw their daughter reading a book. The last photo of Aarushi had been snapped at 10 p.m.Its important to note that Aarushis bedroom door was routinely locked at bedtime. The keys were usually left on Nupurs night table but the mother later told police she couldnt remember whether she locked her daughters door that night or not. Rajesh, meanwhile, was on the internet to catch up on emails and the fluctuating state of his stock portfolio. He sent his last email at 11:57 p.m. after receiving a call on the landline. He then went to bed, as far as anyone knows, though the last internet usage was clocked in just after midnight.Both Aarushi and Banjade are believed to have been killed between midnight and 1 a.m. It was discovered that Aarushis internet router was turned off at 3:43 a.m., which suggested that whoever had walked into her bedroom to turn it off either didnt notice a blood-soaked bed and dead girl lying in it or was responsible for her death.The next day, keys to the apartment and terrace were reportedly found by Nupur on Banjades bed. The keys to Aarushis bedroom were in the living room. There was no other set of house keys even though the propertys gate was locked from the outside. Clearly, somebody else had a spare set. But who? Sakib Ali/Hindustan Times via Getty ImagesThe press was all over the Talwar case, particularly the day the guilty verdict came down. The couple was charged with murder, destruction of evidence, and common intent. Ghaziabad, India. Nov. 25, 2013.Discovering The Body Of Hemraj BanjadeWhen doctors came to visit the Talwar residence to check up on the distraught parents, they noticed bloodstains on the handle of the terrace door which was still locked. They also noticed smudged, bloody footmarks on the floor and bloodstains on the staircase. Rajesh was asked for the terrace keys but didnt produce them and instead went inside after he noticed the blood on the door handle. He remained inside for an entire day, with police unable to access the terrace.Banjades body was discovered the following day, on May 17. The telephonic loop from the day before was coincidentally repeated twice between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. that morning he was discovered. Gautam called journalists he knew to arrive at the house before the terrace gate was opened.On May 17, the police broke the terrace lock open as the keys were still missing and found Banjades decomposing body.There was evidence that both dead bodies were moved around the apartment. The new narrative was that Banjade had been dragged to the terrace in a bedsheet. The terrace door was then locked, and the killers then re-entered the house and drank whiskey. The liquor cabinet was fairly well hidden behind a wooden panel. A bottle of whiskey found on the kitchen table had bloodstains of both victims on it. The police, however, had failed to collect proper samples from it.The crime scene also appeared to be dressed up and scrubbed of any evidence that would point toward the Talwars. The Talwars told their servants to clean up the floor and walls of her room with soap and water. Her bloody mattress was tossed out onto the terrace of a neighbor.Meanwhile, phone records show that between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. on May 16, Rajeshs older brother Dinesh, his family friend Sushil Chaudhury, the retired deputy superintendent of police K.K. Gautam, and someone at an unidentified number all began to communicate while the autopsy report was being written.Dinesh called Chaudhury who would then call Gautam. Gautam would call the unidentified number. This would then repeat but in reverse order six whole times.The CBI later said these communications may have been attempts by the family to use their connection to Gautam to erase references to rape from the autopsy report. The theory goes that Rajesh may have caught his daughter having sex (perhaps consensual, perhaps not) with Benjade and killed them both in a fit of rage and so he wanted any references to intercourse out of the report.At this point, with Benjade discovered dead, the Talwars became prime suspects. They knew where the liquor cabinet was, they had keys to the house, and they were in the house when the murders took place. Rajesh was arrested by police on May 23.Initial Theories About The Noida Double Murder CaseOne expert who first inspected the crime scene said that the killings were done by somebody very close to Aarushi. Evidence that shed had sex and that her vagina had been penetrated and subsequently cleaned by someone was also present, but there was no semen found.Wikimedia CommonsA detailed map of the Talwar residences second floor.As the aforementioned phone calls may have suggested, the police suspected Rajesh Talwar found his live-in servant and young daughter engaged in sexual activity and murdered his daughter as an honor killing and Banjade for raping her. Another theory was that Rajesh himself had been engaged in extramarital relations and was confronted by his daughter and blackmailed by Banjade.These allegations werent taken lightly by the Talwar family. They claimed the police were trying to frame them as the killers to cover up how badly theyd handled the investigation before turning it over to the CBI. The CBI actually exonerated the two parents at first. Their new suspects became the Talwars assistant, Krishna Thadarai, and two servants, Rajkumar and Vijay Mandal. What seemed clear to the CBI from the outset was that this was an inside job. Whoever killed Aarushi and Banjade had access to the home as there were no signs of forced entry and the propertys gate was locked from the outside. The CBIs interrogation of the three new suspects led them to believe that Aarushi was killed after a failed sexual assault and Banjade fell victim to those responsible for the act. Because of the unethical interrogations conducted to arrive at that point, however, all three were released after no concrete evidence was found. What confused everyone, though, was why the killer would leave Banjade rotting on the terrace, particularly if those responsible lived there.One theory the CBI posited was that the body was hidden there in order to dispose of it after the investigation of Aarushis crime scene had been completed. With so much media attention and persons wading through the home, however, that was no longer an option. Though there just wasnt enough evidence because the crime scene had been so extraordinarily tampered with, the CBI also then began to suspect that Aarushis parents were involved. In 2010, however, the CBI handed its investigation over to another team that recommended closing the case. Nonetheless, it named Rajesh as the only credible suspect even while refusing to charge him, since the actual proof was nonexistent.The Talwar family opposed this accusation to no avail. The bureau reopened the investigation in 2011 and designated Rajesh and Nupur as the primary suspects. When the CBI changed its status of the closure report to a charge sheet in February 2011, the Talwars petitioned this at the Allahabad High Court and the Supreme Court but failed.They were now going to trial for their daughters death.The Trials Of The TalwarsThe trial began on May 11, 2013 and concluded with a guilty verdict for both defendants on Nov. 25, 2013. According to NDTV, the prosecution posited this explanation for the murder of Aarushi Talwar:On the night of the murders, Rajesh heard a noise and assumed it had come from Banjades room. He didnt find anyone in there and picked up the golf club from Banjades room before entering Aarushis. There he saw the pair engaged in sexual activity.Rajesh clubbed the 45-year-old servant over the head. When he tried to hit him again, Banjade moved leading the father to accidentally strike his own daughter instead. By the time Nupur was awakened by the noise and rushed into the room, both Banjade and Aarushi were near death.The injured Hemraj had fallen from the bed, said special prosecutor AGL Kaul. Both checked Aarushis pulse and found her near-dead which scared them and they decided to kill Hemraj so no one discovered the incident.Imtiyaz Khan/Anadolu Agency/Getty ImagesNupur (right) and Rajesh Talwar (left) leave Dasna Prison after being acquitted by the Allahabad High Court on October 16, 2017. Ghaziabad, India.The married couple realized theyd have to fabricate a scenario in order to get away with the double-murder of their daughter Aarushi Talwar and their servant. They wrapped Banjades body up and took him to the terrace to get rid of his corpse another time. They slit his throat and decided to do the same to their daughter. They also cleaned her vagina.Rajesh and Nupur then cleaned the crime scene bloodstains on the floor, any stained clothing, whatever they could see was tainted by the violent act was mopped up and disposed of. The couple then left the house, locked the gates from the outside, and entered the residence from Banjades room to fool the authorities.Thats when the father sat himself down and drank some whiskey.The Talwars Go To PrisonIn November 2013, after years of trials and legal proceedings, Rajesh and Nupur Talwar were sentenced to life in prison. The decision was heavily criticised for being based on circumstantial and unconvincing evidence, and the Talwars took their appeal to the Allahabad High Court. According to India Today, the Allahabad High Court overturned the CBIs court judgment in 2017 due to a lack of direct evidence. There were no eyewitnesses, said the judges. The CBI had also failed to provide a strong motive, in their opinion. The judges also noted that the Supreme Court has previously established that if theres no direct evidence, reasonable doubt should override suspicion. It took four years, but the parents did manage to get acquitted on Oct. 12, 2017 and have remained free ever since. The case remains legally unsolved and the family points fingers at the CBI, local police, and the media for ruining an investigation that shouldve resulted in their daughters murderer being identified.The Talwar case was almost immediately a magnet for the press, and remained that way until the Talwars were acquitted in 2017.The CBI was not content with this decision. Former CBI Director AP Singh, particularly, felt his bureau had been dealing with a highly manipulated environment and scarce opportunities for evidence. Only weakness we found [with our investigation] was that scene of [the] crime had been badly tampered [with] on the first day itself, said Singh. As a result, after that, we got nothing of value from the scene of the crime. That was the major lacuna in the entire investigation.The parents were initially convicted of murder but were acquitted in 2017 for a lack of evidence.It was Singh himself who famously stated in court that though they lacked enough evidence, the CBI believed the parents were involved. When he wanted to close the case, the court didnt allow it and instead ordered the Talwars to stand trial on charges of murder.But in the end, more than a decade after the bodies of Aarushi Talwar and Hemraj Banjade were found in a double-murder that stunned Noida, India, the case remains unsolved.After reading the macabre story of the Aarushi Talwar double murder case, learn about the murder of Sylvia Likens by her caretaker and the whole neighborhood. Then, read about how 15-year-old Zachary Davis bludgeoned his mother to death.The post Inside The Still-Unsolved Murder Of 13-Year-Old Aarushi Talwar appeared first on All That's Interesting.

TCD/Prod.DB/Alamy Stock PhotoEd Warren, the paranormal investigator who inspired The Conjuring.Ed Warren, the self-proclaimed demonologist whose paranormal investigations inspired films like The Conjuring and The Amityville Horror, had a controversial life.Critics claim that Ed and his wife Lorraine were fraudsters, perpetuating hoaxes and taking advantage of scared, misled people in order to turn a profit. Believers, on the other hand, would prop up the Warrens as the most famous paranormal investigators in history. But in the years since Ed Warrens death, his story has become even bigger. Ed Warren died in 2006, seven years before the first of The Conjuring series premiered. Lorraine lived long enough to see how she and her husband would be immortalized in film. She ensured that, to the average movie-goer, the Warrens legacy would be a positive one. But the true stories behind The Conjuring movies played out differently than they did on-screen.Indeed, real life is not as black-and-white. This is the story of Ed Warren, from his life as a self-professed demonologist, to his long decline and death in 2006 at the age of 79.How Ed Warren Entered The World Of Paranormal InvestigationBorn Sept. 7, 1926 as Edward Warren Miney, Ed Warrens interest in the paranormal began in his childhood. According to the Hartford Courant, he believed that the house he grew up in Bridgeport, Connecticut, was haunted. Still, his early life was relatively normal. Ed served in the military during World War II, and married Lorraine Warren whom hed previously met when both were teenagers while on leave from the Navy. Like her husband, Lorraine had an interest in the paranormal. She told Entertainment Weekly in 2013 that she was born with the gift of clairvoyance. In the early days of their marriage, the Warrens made money from a surprising source: painting. Ed Warren would paint a house which he thought was haunted, which Lorraine would offer to sell to the houses owners. TCD/Prod.DB/Alamy Stock PhotoEd and Lorraine Warren.I would do a really nice sketch of the house with ghosts coming out of it, he later explained, and Id give it to Lorraine, shed go knock on the door and with her Irish personality shed say, Oh, my husband loves to sketch and paint haunted houses, and he made this for you. I made it special for them. From there, the Warrens would often investigate these allegedly haunted houses. Lorraine would use her purported clairvoyance to search for spirits, while Ed would examine the house for physical manifestations of haunting. Ultimately, Ed Warren dreamed up a solution to peoples paranormal problems with the New England Society for Psychic Research (NESPR). Proclaiming himself a demonologist and claiming that Lorraine had a psychic connection to the spirit world, the Warrens soon began conducting more official investigations into hauntings across the globe. The Warrens Most Famous And Controversial CasesEd and Lorraine traveled far and wide, from West Pittston, Pennsylvania, to Enfield in North London. They brought specialized equipment, as well as their alleged skill as a demonologist and clairvoyant, to assess whether or not the hauntings they investigated were real. It was after Ronald DeFeo Jr murdered his family in Amityville, New York, in 1974, however, that the Warrens truly broke into the mainstream. The Amityville murders drew national attention for the brutality of the killings, but when the Warrens arrived and declared that demons had influenced DeFeo in the home, the incident came instead to be known as the Amityville Horror thanks largely to a book of the same name written by Jay Anson. Anson allegedly based on his book on the experience of the Lutz family, who purchased the home not long after the DeFeo murders.TCD/Prod.DB/Alamy Stock PhotoEd and Lorraine with their daughter Judy.Perhaps inspired by the success of Ansons book, the Warrens went on to publish several books of their own in the 1980s and 1990s. They covered case of the Enfield poltergeist, the public case of Arne Cheyenne Johnson, the Smurl haunting, and the Perron family haunting, which inspired The Conjuring films.Throughout it all, experts pushed back against the Warrens. Amityville in particular drew public ire, as if their conclusion of paranormal activity had excused DeFeos horrific crimes. But other cases received criticism as well. And the Warrens had even testified on behalf of Johnson, who infamously claimed that the Devil had made him commit murder. Bettmann Archive/Getty ImagesArne Cheyenne Johnson arriving at court.Still, Ed and Lorraine Warren continued to have a successful career, even housing their many paranormal objects in an occult museum that attracted thousands of guests over the years. And though Ed Warren never lived to see the films his tales inspired, The Conjuring series would prove to be a box office hit that, according to Box Office Mojo, has pulled in nearly $3 billion to date.But despite the seeming hazards of his chosen profession, it was no ghost or demon that killed Ed Warren. So how did Ed Warren die?The Death Of Ed Warren And His Legacy Among Paranormal InvestigatorsEd Warren had spent more than 60 years of his life courting ghosts and demons a dangerous occupation, if his claims are to be believed. The Conjuring films imply that the Warrens were stalked and targeted by one particular demon, and the films also suggested that Ed Warren suffered a near fatal-heart attack during an especially intense exorcism. But it was not a demon that caused Ed Warrens death. It was years of bad health. TCD/Prod.DB/Alamy Stock PhotoEd and Lorraine Warren at home.Ed Warrens health problems seem to have started in the 1980s, when he had several heart attacks (not demon-related) including one so severe that he had to use a wheelchair. Then, in 2001, Ed Warren collapsed in the middle of the night while letting the family cat into the house. Paramedics restarted his heart, but though he was still alive, his life would never be the same. He spent 11 weeks in a coma and never regained his ability to speakFive years later, on Aug. 23, 2006, Ed Warren died. He was 79 years old. His story, on the other hand, did not. Despite their controversies, the Warrens had gained a rather devout following of paranormal enthusiasts. By the early 2000s, people like Zak Bagans and Ryan Buell had started following in the Warrens footsteps, hosting ghost-hunting television shows like Ghost Adventures and Paranormal State. Another influential force in Hollywood had also been a fan of the Warrens for years: James Wan, the director behind Saw and Insidious.TCD/Prod.DB/Alamy Stock PhotoThe Warrens with some of their equipment.People that are fans of the horror genre, follow sort of real-life supernatural cases, and all that, weve all come across the Warrens, Wan told Entertainment Weekly. I remember saying to my agent, Im curious if theres anyone in town whos potentially doing a real-life biopic on the two of them.'What followed was 2013s The Conjuring, directed by Wan, which became a massive commercial success. However, the debate over whether or not the Warrens were fraudsters continues to rage on, later compounded by claims of abuse levied against the Warrens by a woman named Judith Penney. Penney claimed that not only had she witnessed Ed behave violently toward Lorraine in the past, but that she had also personally been involved in a sexual relationship with Ed Warren when she was underage, which resulted in her becoming pregnant and coerced into getting an abortion by Lorraine. None of this, however, made it into any of the Conjuring films. Lorraine Warrens contract with Warner Bros also included stipulations that the films would not depict extramarital affairs, sex with minors, or domestic abuse. Clearly, she had wanted to preserve their image as a moral couple.As such, the truth of Ed Warrens life played out in real life and on the screen is much murkier than Ed Warrens death.After reading about Ed Warrens death and legacy, read about the life of his daughter, Judy Warren. Or, read about Americas first ghost hunter, Hans Holzer.The post How Did Ed Warren Die? Inside The Long Decline And Death Of The Conjuring Demonologist appeared first on All That's Interesting.

Lititz Borough PoliceBrenda Heist in 2013, 11 years after she vanished from Lititz, Pennsylvania, without a trace.On Feb. 8, 2002, 42-year-old Brenda Heist was reported missing from Lititz, Pennsylvania. She had dropped her two children off at school as usual that morning, but when they got home, she was nowhere to be found.At first, the police treated Brendas husband, Lee Heist, as a murder suspect. He was ultimately cleared, but the stigma haunted the family, and other parents in the neighborhood wouldnt let their children play with the Heist kids.Seven years after Brenda disappeared, Lee had her declared officially deceased. He remarried, and the family moved on as best they could without her.Then, in April 2013, the Heists got a phone call: Brenda Heist was alive.Brenda Heists Sudden Disappearance In 2002Lee and Brenda Heist had a typical life in Lititz, Pennsylvania. They had two children a 12-year-old son and an eight-year-old daughter and Brenda worked as a bookkeeper at a local car dealership. But behind closed doors, their marriage was struggling.By 2002, they were in the midst of a divorce. Brenda, worried that her salary wouldnt cover her living expenses after the separation, decided to apply for housing assistance. In early February, she took a few days off of work to look for somewhere to live. Lancaster Online/YouTubeBrenda Heist abandoned her children, Lee and Morgan, when they were 12 and eight years old.On the morning of Feb. 8, Brenda took dinner out to thaw, dropped her kids off at school, and headed to a nearby park, where she found herself crying on a bench. Shed just discovered that her request for financial assistance had been denied, her marriage was over, and she had no idea how she was going to survive.At that moment, three strangers approached. They asked what was wrong, she opened up to them, and they invited her to hitchhike to Florida with them.It was an absurd proposition. Brenda had a stable job and children to take care of. However, on a whim, she agreed. She abandoned her car in a bus station parking lot and headed south. She didnt even leave a note behind.That evening, Brenda Heists family reported her missing. When her vehicle was found four days later, her husband assumed shed been carjacked and killed. Meanwhile, the police were treating him as a suspect in her disappearance. Lancaster New EraA reward for information regarding Brenda Heists disappearance from a 2002 issue of the Lancaster New Era.Lee later passed a polygraph test and was cleared, but the familys troubles were just beginning. Lee lost his job, and he and the kids had to move out of their home. He had to raise his children as a single father, and they all struggled to come to terms with what they assumed was Brenda Heists violent end. In 2010, Lee filed a petition to have Brenda declared legally deceased after waiting the required seven years. He then remarried, and it seemed as if the family was finally starting to move on. Then, in April 2013, Lee Heist got an unexpected call.What Happened To Brenda Heist?When Lee picked up the phone to hear a detectives voice on the other end of the line, he assumed that Brenda Heists remains had finally been found after more than a decade. He couldnt have been more wrong.Instead, the officer informed Lee that Brenda was alive and well. She had just turned herself in for some minor outstanding warrants at a police station in Key Largo, Florida, and admitted that she was a missing person.But where had she been for 11 years?After Brenda arrived in Florida in 2002, she spent two years living on the streets under the name Kelsie Lyanne Smith. She then met a man and moved into a camper with him for seven years.Missing Brenda HeistBrenda Heist in the late 1990s. During this time, she supported herself with odd jobs, such as cleaning boats. She only accepted cash and never applied for any work that would require her to show identification. Around 2010, Brendas boyfriend decided to move to the Florida Keys, and she didnt want to go with him, even if that meant losing her housing. She soon began cleaning the home of Sondra Forrester, and they became friends. In early 2011, Forrester invited Brenda Heist to live with her.She was such an awesome, nice housemate, Forrester told LancasterOnline in 2013. She caused no trouble and my kids loved her.Brenda claimed that her husband had died and that shed never had children. Forrester had no idea that it was all a lie. After a year, Brenda moved out of Forresters home, returning to the streets once again. But by 2013, she was tired of being homeless and running from the law for crimes like forgery and identity theft. That April, she turned herself in and she finally told the police her real name.Coming To Terms With A Mothers AbandonmentAfter the initial shock of learning that Brenda was still alive wore off, another emotion gripped the Heist family: anger. Brenda Heists son, Lee, and daughter, Morgan, had suffered after her disappearance. Theyd lost many friends while their father was being investigated for murder, and theyd had to go through their teenage years without a mother.Brendas disappearance had caused financial struggles for her family, too. At a 2013 press conference, Lee Heist noted, We experienced the loss of a house and car, a job, and unemployment for over a year and a half. Meaning we lost everything, we moved into assisted housing It was not an easy issue.That makes me really mad, said Morgan Heist in 2013. I cant believe she would do that because she was a good mom. She was great. But, I mean, I guess something happened. Something snapped in her.Dr. Phil/YouTubeBrenda Heist opened up about her disappearance on Dr. Phil in 2013.So, why had Brenda Heist done it?She spoke to Dr. Phil while still behind bars in 2013 and opened up about her decision. As reported by Pennsylvania station WFMZ at the time, Brenda told the talk show host, Im not proud of what I did. Im ashamed of what I did, and I have a lot of guilt and its something Im never going to get over.I just thought it would be better if I wasnt there, Brenda continued. After going to the police in April 2013, Brenda Heist spent several months in prison for charges that included stealing a drivers license. She was released that November, but she didnt go back to Pennsylvania.Instead, she moved in with her mother in Texas, where she was set to seek help at a mental health facility. At that time, she still hadnt seen her children or ex-husband.While Brenda maintained hope that she could reunite with her kids someday, they didnt want to hear her apologies. I dont want an emotional reunion, Morgan told WFMZ in 2013. Im not going to go down memory lane with her I hope she respects the fact me and my brother arent ready to talk to her, and we both need to accept this and let time go on.There have been no major updates in Brenda Heists story since 2013, but it remains one of the most bizarre missing persons cases in recent history.After reading about the strange case of Brenda Heist, discover the stories of these 11 mysterious disappearances. Then, learn about Vasile Gorgos, the Romanian farmer who went missing for 30 years.The post Brenda Heist, The Woman Who Vanished In Pennsylvania Then Turned Up In Florida 11 Years Later appeared first on All That's Interesting.

Bahrain Authority for Culture and AntiquitiesThe ceramic mask dates back to the Middle Dilmun period, around 1200 B.C.E.During excavations at the Hilla archaeological site in southern Bahrain, archaeologists uncovered a roughly 3,300-year-old grave containing two adult women and an infant. Nestled in between the remains, they also found a tiny ceramic mask, intricately carved to depict a human face. The find, only the second of its kind in Bahrain, offers a tantalizing look at the Dilmun people, an elusive civilization in the Persian Gulf during the Bronze Age. The Ceramic Carving Found At The Hilla Archaeological Site In BahrainThe find, announced by the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities, took place during excavations at the Hilla archaeological site. While excavating the 3,300-year-old grave of two women and a baby from the Middle Dilmun period, archaeologists uncovered the tiny ceramic mask. It had been deliberately placed alongside the three bodies, suggesting that it was ritualistic in nature. Bahrain Authority for Culture and AntiquitiesThe faience mask found in the 3,300-year-old grave.The ceramic, which depicts a human face, was made from faience, a type of glazed pottery. Only one other carving like this has ever been found in Bahrain, which makes the artifact extremely rare. However, the mask has not yet been thoroughly studied by researchers, so many questions about its composition, age, and ritualistic purpose still remain.That said, the ceramic carving is not the only thing that archaeologists found at the Hilla archaeological site. While excavating burials in the area, they also unearthed rings made of seashells, tools that were used to apply kohl an ancient makeup similar to modern eyeliner a large ceramic vessel, and a pointed object that researchers believe is a needle or an awl. These items, which appear to be personal belongings, seemingly played an important role in burial rituals among the ancient Dilmun people.Indeed, although more research is needed to better understand the purpose of the mask, it does offer new insights into the Dilmun civilization, which existed from roughly 3000 B.C.E. until 600 C.E. A Brief History Of The Dilmun CivilizationThough the Dilmun civilization remains somewhat enigmatic, archaeologists believe that it was once an important independent kingdom in the Persian Gulf. Ancient Sumerian texts (from which we know its name) suggest that it was a prominent nexus of commerce, and that the Dilmun people traded copper, beads, precious stones, pearls, dates, and vegetables with the Sumerians and other civilizations in exchange for agricultural products.Rapid Travel Chai/Wikimedia CommonsRuins of a temple in Bahrain believed to have belonged to the Dilmun civilization.Located along an important trade route between Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley Civilization (in present-day Bahrain, Kuwait, and parts of Saudi Arabia), Dilmun was even significant enough to the Sumerians to make its way into their religious texts: The Sumerian god Enki had a connection to Dilmuns underwater springs. Indeed, these underwater springs which still exist today and made Bahrain into an oasis surrounded by desert are thought by some to be the basis for the Garden of Eden in the Bible. But most of what we know about the Dilmun people comes from ruins crumbling remains of settlements or, like at the Hilla archaeological site, expansive burial grounds. These offer a tantalizing look at the lost civilization, which left no written records of its own. As such, the ceramic mask discovered in the 3,300-year-old grave at the Hilla archaeological site is a profoundly important artifact. Though small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, it was seemingly a ritualistic object that was significant enough to be buried with two women and an infant. Though its exact purpose remains a mystery, further research will hopefully offer clues about its origins, carvings, and meaning, which in turn will perhaps give insight into the women and child it was buried alongside and the lost civilization to which they belonged.After reading about the ceramic mask from the lost Dilmun civilization, discover the forgotten story of Zenobia, the ancient warrior queen of the Middle East. Or, learn about Queen Dido, the royal who established the ancient city of Carthage.The post A Rare 3,300-Year-Old Ceramic Mask Depicting A Human Face Was Just Uncovered From A Grave In Bahrain appeared first on All That's Interesting.