The Supreme Court on Friday shut down Virginia Democrats latest attempt to save a statewide referendum implementing a redrawn congressional map siloing Republicans into one of 11 districts. The unsigned

Yesterday marked the two-year anniversary of this debate challenge that is one of the worst aging posts of all time:Donald Trump lost two debates to me in 2020. Since then, he hasnt shown up for a

Microgen Adobe Stock/Reinhard Adobe StockArchaeologists discovered the sword at Nuraghe Barru, an ancient tower complex in Sardinia, Italy.Archaeologists recently uncovered a sealed well in Sardinia, Italy. Within the well, the team found ceremonial vessels that appear to have been intentionally destroyed as well as a bronze sword with a metal composition that indicated it was likely not used in battle.The discovery was made at Nuraghe Barru, an ancient tower complex in south-central Sardinia. According to a new study led by Dr. Silvia Amicone of the University of Tbingen, the discoveries made at this site might explain how the use of Sardinias famous Bronze Age towers evolved over time.In short, these sites were not simply abandoned once they lost their usefulness. Rather, their purpose may have changed from practical to spiritual.What Happened To Sardinias Towers?Across Sardinia are nearly 7,000 ancient stone towers known as nuraghi. While these towers have been around for millennia evidence points to the towers being built between 1700 and 1100 B.C.E. their exact purpose has long been debated. Theories range from defensive buildings and territorial markers to residences for the elite.As the Bronze Age transitioned into the Iron Age more than 3,000 years ago, the islands society evolved. While this was happening, archaeologists now believe the use of these towers may have evolved in tandem. A recent discovery shows that, long after their construction, some of the nuraghi might have been repurposed into places of ritual and worship.During excavations at Nuraghe Barru, archaeologists uncovered a cistern well. At the bottom of the well were intentionally broken ceramic vessels, including jugs, a small amphora, and a four-handled vessel believed to be ceremonial as well as various human and animal remains.These items were deliberately sealed into the well with limestone slabs, suggesting that this was part of a ritual act.Illustrations of pottery and bronze artefacts by L. F. Morandi. De Gruyter BrillThe 94-centimeter-long bronze sword was likely used for symbolic or religious purposes rather than for battle.Nearby, researchers located a 94-centimeter-long sword composed of bronze as well as three razor-like bronze objects and a lump of copper. Further investigation into these items, as well as the pieces found in the well, provides insight into Sardinias ritualistic practices and how they may have traveled.Swords, Pottery, And TravelThe sword, razor-like objects, and pottery all bear curious characteristics.For example, the sword and blade-like objects were found to be composed of an alloy high in copper and low in tin. This alloy, the study says, is typical of Nuragic votive swords meaning they were likely designed for symbolic or religious purposes rather than combat. While swords like this are well-known, this is only the second intact votive sword ever found inside a nuraghe.Concerning the razorlike objects, the study notes that their shape resembles items known to be from mainland Italy. However, the composition of these objects suggests they were locally made. This could suggest that practices from Italy were being adopted and transformed at Nuraghe Barru, implying that the area was in conversation with the wider Mediterranean world.Turning to pottery, unique characteristics of the pieces show how practices may have traveled within the island of Sardinia. Using a technique called thin section petrography, researchers took a closer look at the broken ceramic vessels discovered within the well.Tomasz Czajkowski/Adobe StockIts not uncommon for archaeologists to find similar objects in Sardinia, which is home to thousands of archaeological sites.They determined that, given the composition of the ceramics, they were not produced locally; instead, some were sourced as far as 40 kilometers (about 25 miles) away. According to researchers, this shows that both goods and spiritual practices may have traveled around the island.Together, all these pieces and the fact that they were found in a Bronze Age complex show that the transformation of the island did not mean that the structures of yore went into disuse. Instead, its possible that Sardinias nuraghi remained socially and spiritually significant long after they were first built.This isnt the first time something like this has happened.There are countless examples throughout history of private homes being turned into places of worship. There are also places that have been used as spiritual sites for various, changing religions, adapting to new practices as the religion shifted.If youre a fan of ancient weaponry, take a look at this 3,200-year-old sword unearthed on the island of Mallorca. For more ritual sites in unexpected places, discover a nearly 2,000-year-old sanctuary buried deep in a Spanish cave.The post Archaeologists Enter An Ancient Stone Tower In Italy And Discover A Hidden Bronze Sword appeared first on All That's Interesting.

If the stories are to be believed, the Philadelphia Experiment went something like this.As it sat in the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in 1943, the newly commissioned destroyer USS Eldridge was being outfitted with several intriguing devices. These included top-secret generators that were said to be able to make the ship completely invisible to the enemy.Wikimedia CommonsThe USS Eldridge, the ship at the center of the Philadelphia Experiment.As the final generators were put into place, the crew readied themselves for the system test. There, in broad daylight on a clear summers day in the middle of the shipyard, the generators were switched on and a greenish-blue glow surrounded the ship.Before the crews eyes, the ship disappeared entirely.Witnesses in the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Virginia reported seeing the Eldridge appear in their waters before it disappeared just as rapidly. Hours later, it showed up back in Philadelphia.Crew members aboard the ship reported nausea, insanity, and burn marks. Others reported being entirely embedded within the metal structure of the ship, having fallen through floors, or walls during the time it was missing. Some claim to have re-materialized inside out, or not at all.The only problem with the tale? According to prevailing wisdom, it never happened.The Beginning Of The Philadelphia ExperimentWikimedia CommonsThe Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, where the USS Eldridge was docked during the alleged Philadelphia Experiment.The story of the Philadelphia Experiment has lived on for decades, despite the fact that much of what is known is pure conjecture. Of the hundreds of stories and details that have been thrown around over the years, only a few things are known for certain.The first of these is that one Morris K. Jessup, an astronomer specializing in the propulsion of unidentified flying objects (UFOs), received a letter from a man named Carlos Allende (also known as Carl Allen) who claimed to have witnessed a secret experiment in the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. Allende claimed that he was aboard the SS Andrew Furuseth in Philadelphia in 1943 when he witnessed the naval ship USS Eldridge become invisible before reappearing in Virginia, disappearing again, and appearing back in the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard.He also declared that the experiment was proof of Einsteins unified field theory, which Allende claimed taught him the theory.Jessup attempted to investigate Allendes incredulous claims, though he could not find any physical evidence to support them. Eventually, he wrote Allende off as a fool.The Philadelphia Experiment Conspiracy Theory Is BornThe story might have ended there and then, but in 1957, Jessup was contacted by the Office of Naval Research with a strange report. They told him theyd received a copy of Jessups book The Case for the UFO, which detailed how UFOs might be able to fly.The book was annotated with notes in three different handwritings, one of which supposedly belonged to an alien. These notes claimed to have an advanced understanding of physics and extraterrestrial technology.The uncommon use of capitalization and punctuation led experts to believe that the annotator was, at the very least, not a native English speaker.Jessup himself believed the annotations were the work of Allende, the mysterious letter writer. The annotators discussed the merits of Jessups claims and referenced the Philadelphia Experiment multiple times. For reasons that remain unclear, the ONR decided to publish 127 copies of the annotated book. They were instantly dubbed the Varo editions after their publisher, Varo Manufacturing. So, the story of the Philadelphia Experiment was given new life.The Lack Of EvidenceApart from Allendes claims and the Varo annotations, all reports of the Philadelphia Experiment have been uncorroborated, considered a hoax, or brushed aside, as the claims simply do not conform to the laws of physics. The government organizations that were allegedly involved declare that it never happened, and indeed no documents have ever been found. Truly, the mysterious annotated manuscript of Jessups book seems to be the only written mention of the Philadelphia Experiment.Over the years, the Philadelphia Experiment has become somewhat of a gambit amongst conspiracy theorists. Everyone has their own version of events or explanations as to what could have caused the alleged disappearance and teleportation of an entire naval destroyer, ranging from government contact with aliens to paranormal interference.The sole fact that Carlos Allende seemed to be the only witness to such a large-scale event seemed to hold most right-minded people back from believing the story. However, in 1988, Allende was joined by another witness. A man named Al Bielek came forward in 1988, four years after Hollywood had gotten their hands on the story of the experiments and released a movie. Bielek claimed that he was aboard the Eldridge when it disappeared and that he had been brainwashed to forget it. It was only upon seeing the movies depiction of the event that the memories had come flooding back.YouTubeAl Bielek, the man who claimed to be a survivor of the Philadelphia Experiment.Despite the fact that there were now two men who claimed to have firsthand knowledge of the test, the idea that it was a hoax still dominated conversations about the Philadelphia Experiment.A More Sensible Explanation Behind What Happened To The USS EldridgeToday, most people are inclined to believe the explanation put forth by Edward Dudgeon, a man who had worked as a Navy electrician and was stationed near the USS Eldridge in the summer of 1943 during World War 2. According to Dudgeon, generators were indeed placed on both the Eldridge and his ship the USS Engstrom to make the ships invisible. However, the term invisible did not apply to the ships physical appearance but rather its ability to be detected by the magnetic torpedoes fired by German U-boats. In fact, this process had its own name: degaussing.Dudgeon also had logical explanations for the ships greenish-blue glow and appearance in Norfolk, Virginia. The glow, he said, was likely the result of a lightning-like phenomenon known as St. Elmos Fire. Meanwhile, the fact that the ship seemingly appeared out of thin air in Virginia before reappearing quickly in Philadelphia was explained by inland canals, which were off-limits to civilians and could shorten a two-day commercial journey to just six hours. Even though Dudgeon put forth an excellent explanation for the Philadelphia experiment, there are still those who choose to believe the more exciting version. As there are no official documents explaining what transpired, technically speaking theres no proof for either story.As for the USS Eldridge itself, it was transferred to Greece and rechristened the HS Leon before being used in exercises during the Cold War. Now, it lies in pieces, after being sold for scrap metal in the 90s.After reading about the Philadelphia experiment and the USS Eldridge, check out the Stanford prison experiment, and the Helmut Kentler experiment.The post Whats The Truth Behind The Philadelphia Experiment? appeared first on All That's Interesting.

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