Author: nhadmin

Kings Dethroned. Gerrard Hickson and His Discovery Kings Dethroned is based on research from Gerrard Hickson. Reportedly, in 1907, he made an astonishing discovery. Based on his findings and calculations, he came to believe that the sun was remarkably closer to the earth than previously thought. Such a finding flew in the face of previous research and the teachings even from the greatest astronomers. It could upend the entire field. Hickson more broadly came to believe that the actual methods for calculating the earth’s distance from the sun and all the subsequent conclusions by the great astronomers were seriously flawed. He followed the work of these astronomers backwards to find the flaws in their work and conclusions. Then he followed their work and conclusions forward to identify the erroneous consequences. In his book, written in 1922, Hickson lays out the history of this work, what he considers to be an evolution of the field. This evolution spans work completed as far back to the days of the Roman Empire up to Hickson’s own work. He believed that this information must be put forth for the general public to better understand the field of astronomy and the gravity of these ‘truths’ he had discovered. Hickson took his book Kings Dethroned one step further by not only proclaiming a mistake and a ‘truth’ but also by debunking large portions of the field of astronomy. He presents arguments for how one error led to more, essentially indicating that the field had built itself on a faulty foundation. He also takes things even one step more by, at times, suggesting a conspiracy to protect those false conclusions. Public and Scientific Reception to Hickson’s Work You might imagine that Hickson’s discoveries and writings would be astonishing. Such information should have entirely upended the field of astronomy. Would this not mean that people’s understanding of the earth and its place in space was entirely wrong? Surely people would want to know the truth and the field of science would quickly set about towards correcting all those old falsehoods. Yet, if you think about your own education in science and anything you do know about astronomy, you probably do not recall hearing about any great revolution in the field. You also probably do have a sense that the earth is fairly far away from the sun. So, what gives?  Well, what gives, is that Hickson was himself wrong. His own calculations were flawed. His book and theories were later debunked. Ultimately, Hickson’s book was considered so spectacularly wrong that, in 1989, the archivists at MIT identified it as a member of their “Nut Collection.” This is their affectionate term for useless research that now has no bearing on the scientific community. Hickson’s work is not alone in that collection, but it certainly stands out for its spectacular inaccuracy and the high degree of hubris it displays. Today’s, Hickson’s view (and his prideful certainty) that the earth is quite close to the sun, is considered almost laughable. Indeed, it may even sit aside other erroneous theories such as that old view that the earth is flat. However, what makes Hickson’s views more easily criticized is that he was working in a time with access to more data and better scientific equipment to avoid such erroneous conclusions. Further, Hickson was indeed overly prideful when he wrote his work and it makes his own inaccuracy all the much more ironic. He had proclaimed that his work would dethrone the great ‘kings’ of the field. However, their reigns were left solidly in tact and rather than sitting atop his own throne, he is considered to have no relevance in the field (aside from being a footnote example of faulty findings). Utility for Modern Audiences As a modern reader, with sometimes limited time, you may wonder if you should put forth the effort to read Kings Dethroned. In many cases, yes you should make the time. The book is iconic for putting forth erroneous information and it does highlight the hubris of a man who thought he had it all figured out. If you are in the field of science, why not read a book that will broaden your understanding for the field and the scope of its history. Hickson’s work should not just be a footnote of inaccuracy, it should be considered as a work that does have a place in the history of the development of the field of astronomy. When you read the book King’s Dethroned, you may find yourself sometimes feeling astonished at Hickson’s thought processes, conclusions, and written statements. Read it as a bit of scientific history. Read it as a source of entertainment. Read it so you have some fun trivia to share at parties. Finally, read it as a warning against exercising any similar levels of hubris in your own scientific work.    ]]>

The DNA test uses some of the most advanced autosomal testing technology. Science combines with the store of information now available on line to map ethnicity going back through multiple generations. This is all achieved through a simple saliva test. The test looks at a person’s entire genome and covers both the maternal and paternal sides of the family tree. However, some pundits maintain that ethnic testing is not reliable. The methods used for ancestral DNA testing are not the same as DNA testing for other purposes. The autosomal testing base is considered to be one the less reliable forms of DNA testing. Further, the results are partly based on responses from a pool of other people who have had similar testing, what are described as a reference population. So the results could come across as a little skewed. Arguably until many more people have put themselves forward for ethnicity testing, there will remain naturally limiting factors. Some ethnicities are easier to identify than others, for example, Jewish results seem to be highly accurate. But if you look at the evolution of the European landmass, war followed by shifting borders followed by more war and so on, most Europeans are actually an ethnic mix. In the same way, the inhabitants of the British Isles are a mix of invaders and the resident population who were themselves probably also invaders at an earlier point in time. Living ancestry is becoming a real thing and there are people who create heritage tours. These are based on documented evidence of past family members and genetic testing. The idea is to make it possible for you to stand on the same soil as your ancestors. But ethnicity testing has a long way to go if it is going to catch up and compete with hard historical evidence when it comes to clear and factual accuracy.    ]]>

st century, the phrase ‘egghead’ remains in use and is the name of a popular television quiz show still supporting the concept that a big egg-shaped head holds a large and intelligent brain. As medical science developed, phrenology was largely discredited in the late nineteenth century but it experienced something of a revival amongst criminologists in the twentieth century. Phrenology sits within the field of Anthropological Criminology which supports the theory that the crime is somehow linked to the physical characteristics of the perpetrator.   The idea behind Phrenology was that different parts of the brain were attributed with distinct mental abilities or capacity. As the brain developed, so did the shape of the skull. A particular shape to the skull would therefore indicate either an over or under development of a certain part of the brain. An over development was viewed as a lump or bump and an under development as a dip or depression.  This is something akin to the line that the Collauga were working along. Phrenology always had its critics and dissenters even when there was little alternative knowledge offered by way of medical science. Phrenologists spent much time in the dissection room, analysing the brains of convicted criminals in relation to the shape of their skulls. Discredited now, it is easy to look back with all the advances in medical science and think of it as nonsense but at the time, with little to counter it, Phrenology held sway amongst a hardened group of believers.]]>

The Middle East department at the museum has a huge collection of clay tablets with cuneiform inscriptions. Dr Finkel’s department researches and decodes the inscriptions, linking the tablets together where possible to provide a linear story. This is where the true revelation about Noah’s Ark came from. Cuneiform is an ancient system of writing used in the Middle East. The word, Cuneiform, means wedge-shaped and indeed the script comprises wedge-shaped marks on clay tablets. A clay tablet of some 4,000 years old in the British Museum has revealed that the famed vessel was, in fact, round and not as has been thought and portrayed, rectangular. Not only has the tablet revealed this piece of information but it has also detailed the materials used to build the ark and the precise measurements. The discovery was a chance find made by deciphering the Cuneiform and linking it to other tablets to compile the ancient Babylonian story, the Story of the Flood. The ark was constructed out of wooden ribs and palm fibre rope with hot bitumen used after construction to render the vessel waterproof. The instructions were given by a Mesopotamian god and the dimensions are translated to be 3,600 square metres, with walls to a height of six metres. This equates to an area around two thirds the size of a modern football field. The sixty lines on the tablet also include the order that the animals must enter, ‘two by two’. The odds surrounding this discovery were revealed to be even greater when the story of how the tablet came into the possession of the Museum was recounted by Dr. Finkel. A man called Douglas Simmonds came into the museum with a clay tablet which he wanted identified, a normal day at the office for Dr. Finkel. The tablet was a family piece given to the owner by his father as a reward for passing his exams. The tablet had been acquired by Mr Simmonds’ father, Leonard, along with a few other less interesting bits and pieces in the late 1940s after serving with the RAF in the Middle East. This unique tablet recounts the story of the ark and is far older than the known biblical accounts. Finkel has described the discovery of the tablet as one of the most important human records ever found but in a shocking paradox, is absolute in his belief that the ark never actually existed. The tablet remains on display at the British Museum where it has been since 2014 on loan from Mr Simmonds.]]>

th century birch bark manuscript. Russian pickpocketry takes on a different form now in this modern age, and with arguably a far greater reach than merely arms’ length. Russia has a fearsome reputation as home to some of the most deadly and serious cyberhacking groups such as Anonymous International and the Koobface Gang. They are to modern cyber crime what their villainous ancestors were to the pockets and valuables of eighteenth century Russia.   Sometimes hackers are motivated by political ideology and a cause to believe in but Russian hackers simply seem intent on emptying other peoples’ bank accounts, and not a thieves’ coin in sight.          ]]>

st April 1918 just prior to the end of the Great War as the Royal Flying Corps with planes made from canvas and wood, the service rapidly developed and changed to meet the needs of more modern warfare a short 21 years after its formation.   The defence of the British Isles by Spitfires and Hurricanes was pivotal in preventing Nazi invasion and the inclusion of heavy bombers later on the war, whilst controversial, secured victory in Europe for the Allies. The bombing raids across Europe resulted in a casualty rate higher than that incurred by the other two services during the Second World War.   Other iconic aircraft have followed as scientific and global developments have demanded. The Typhoon Jet has a speed of 1,550 miles per hour; compare that to the very first plane, the BE2, which had a maximum speed of just 70mph.   What is interesting about the RAF is its meritocracy; even from its infancy, men of all social classes rubbed shoulders together, not the case at all in either the Army or the Navy which reflected the UK’s class-ridden society. Women were also included in the force during the Second World War, not as main crew but within the Air Transport Auxiliary which delivered aircraft to their destinations from the factories.   The female contingent had to wait until 1994 to see the first female RAF jet pilot, Jo Salter, flying a Tornado and until 2009 to see the first all female jet crew who were deployed to Afghanistan.   The motto for the service, ‘per ardua ad astra’ was chosen by a junior officer and is translated as, ‘through adversity to the stars’. The man to whom this choice is accredited, Lieutenant J.S. Yule, is believed to have taken the phrase from a novel by Sir Henry Rider Haggard entitled, ‘The People of the Mist’ and it is thought Rider Haggard himself borrowed it from the Irish Mulvany family who have had this as their family motto for centuries. Still so relevant today in modern conflicts in the Arab state, the RAF is held in great affection by the British people. The UK is awash with a year of events and celebrations to mark the first one hundred years of the RAF.   With an eye watering budget of £8 million, concerts, flypast and tattoos are all planned. A commemorative £2 coin has been struck by the Royal Mint featuring five different designs.   The Ministry of Defence has released an iconic set of pictures to tell the story of the RAF through the decades. Some of the pictures have been colourised by an expert which is a relatively modern technique designed to breathe life into old pictures. The colourised versions convey a depth of feeling and atmosphere that is not present in the black and white originals.]]>