Friday, April 17, 2020

THEE STRANGER NEWS (April 16th, 2020!)

A Liberated Zone on the FM, to enhance alternative culture and cognitive freedom! 
Convened by Dr.G., a Renegade Illuminati, convening Thee Temple [link], for knowledge, whimsy, and inspiration. Everything is true, nothing is forbidden!
Broadcast Thursdays at 89.5 FM KZCT in Vallejo, California, to a worldwide audience.
Introductory track: Covenant - Ritual Noise [youtube.com/watch?v=dnlGEQ1NUsk]


Space News
"NASA Administrator: Alien Life Is More Likely Than We Thought" (2019, futurism.com) [archive.is/d6n46]

* "Astronomers detect supernova so powerful it was previously thought IMPOSSIBLE" (2020-04-14, rt.com/news/485751-astronomers-most-powerful-supernova/) [archive.is/8tdyo]
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* "No aliens but massive destruction: Study offers theory about ORIGIN of mysterious interstellar visitor ‘Oumuamua" (2020-04-14, rt.com/news/485807-interstellar-object-oumuamua-origin/) [archive.is/L6Jgq]

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Ancient News

* "Crafty Neanderthals Made String, More Evidence for Their Intelligence" (2020-04-09, ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/neanderthal-intelligence-0013539) [archive.is/k3V7d]
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* "The Unknown Origins of the Mysterious Nomoli Figures" (2014-12-30, ancient-origins.net/artifacts-other-artifacts/unknown-origins-mysterious-nomoli-figures-002513) [archive.is/qbMks] [begin excerpt]:
Locals in Sierra Leone, Africa were searching for diamonds when they came across a set of extraordinary stone figures depicting several human races, and in some cases, semi-human beings. These figures are extremely old, with some estimates dating them as far back as 17,000 BC. However, some aspects of the figures – namely the high melting temperatures that would have had to have been used to create them, and the presence of steel manipulated into perfectly spherical balls – suggest they were constructed by a civilization that would be considered highly advanced for its time if they were indeed constructed around 17,000 BC.  Overall, the finding sets forth intriguing questions as to how and when the Nomoli statues were created, and what purpose they may have served to those who created them. [end excerpt]
- image caption: Nomoli Figures

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* "Saraswati: Hindu Goddess of Wisdom and Protector of the Universe" (2020-04-14, ancient-origins.net/human-origins-religions/saraswati-hindu-goddess-aesthetics-and-protector-universe-007671) [archive.is/LsXV0]

* (2019-10, National Geographic Traveler magazine), cover [archive.is/tqPeV], page [archive.is/kCyOi], caption: Ornamentation reaches rare heights at Meenakshi Amman Temple in South India.

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* "The Palace of Diocletian: Roman Retirement Home and Palace Fortress of Croatia" (2015-07-03, ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-europe/palace-diocletian-roman-retirement-home-and-palace-fortress-croatia-003353) [archive.is/spypE]
- image caption: Artist’s representation of Diocletian’s Palace, Croatia

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* (2019-10, National Geographic Traveler magazine), cover [archive.is/tqPeV], page [archive.is/LT0m3], caption: Bekaa Valley treasures: the Roman ruins at Baalbek [...].

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* "New Evidence Throws Doubt On Nazareth Inscription’s Ties To Jesus" (2020-04-14, ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/nazareth-inscription-0013566) [archive.is/RIV0a]
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* "Tsarverets Castle, Bulgaria: The Rise and Fall of an Empire" (2020-04-14, ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-europe/tsarverets-castle-0013563) [archive.is/oETun]
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* "Earliest Amazon Inhabitants Created Thousands of 'Forest Islands' " (2020-04-08, ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/amazon-forest-islands-0013535) [archive.is/sFigq]
- image caption: Forest islands found in the Amazon study region. A-f are considered anthropic and g-I are said to be natural.

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* "Measuring Up Real World Archaeological Giants" (2020-04-14, ancient-origins.net/history/archaeological-giants-0013562) [archive.is/f0Skt]
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* "Trees Fall on Angkor Wat Temples During Cambodian New Year" (2020-03-13, ancient-origins.net/news-general/angkor-wat-0013561) [archive.is/UybXT]

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Miscellany & Errata

* "Video emerges from Siberia of UFO flying overhead — experts bamboozled" (2020-04-08, rt.com/russia/485295-siberia-ufo-flying-overhead/) [archive.is/CVISp]

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Curiata

* "Psychokinesis (PK)" (parapsych.org/articles/61/505/psychokinesis_pk.aspx) [archive.is/IVdX8] [begin excerpt]: PK generally evokes images of table levitations, spoons bending, and similar fireworks. But such ‘macroscopic’ or large-scale PK effects -- assuming they really exist -- are probably just the more explicit and impressive manifestations of a broader phenomenon which is going on all the time, unnoticed. Though macro-PK was the craze of late 19th century psychical research (and briefly in the 1970s, with Uri Geller and others), micro-PK - the mind’s influence upon microscopic events -- has been the preferred laboratory approach for several decades now.
Actually, the idea of micro-PK is not new. Way back in the 1700s, Sir Francis Bacon, ‘father’ of the scientific method, gave some visionary suggestions for the study of micro-PK. In his posthumously published work « Sylva Sylvarum » he proposed we study this ‘mental force’ by applying it «...upon things that have the lightest and easiest motions... as upon the sudden fading or coming up of herbs; or upon their bending one way or other ...or upon the casting of dice».
Bacon’s ghost must have had something to do with the strange twist of fate which got micro-PK research going in the 1930s. A young gambler arrived at the Duke University parapsychology lab -- the first university lab fully dedicated to parapsychological research -- claiming he could influence the fall of dice by sheer « will power ». J.B.Rhine, director of the lab and ‘father’ of modern parapsychology, was intrigued, and ready and willing. He devised tests using dice as ‘target’ systems, and found that the gambler indeed seemed to beat the odds and get the wished-for outcome much more often than would be expected by chance. Micro-PK research was thus born, as Rhine began to test different individuals’ ability to influence the fall of dice. [end excerpt]
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The life and art of shaman, performance artist, writer, poet, painter, rock singer, director, TV show host, teacher & bon vivant FRANK MOORE!
* EPISODE 4: "Roots of Performance" (frankadelic.com/episodes/episode-4.html)
* EPISODE 5: "A Channel, Not A Creator" (frankadelic.com/episodes/episode-5.html)
* EPISODE 6: "Learning the Trickster’s Art" (frankadelic.com/episodes/episode-6.html)

Visit FRANK MOORE's official page (eroplay.com) and check out his Unlimited Possibilities public access show (eroplay.com/fmup) (facebook.com/unlimitedpossibilities)
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* "Is EVERYTHING broken? Earth has a 'leaky core' resulting in iron-rich lava eruptions, researchers find" (2020-04-14, rt.com/news/485786-earth-leaky-core-iron-lava/) [archive.is/huoFi]
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* "The Mysterious Marree Man of Outback Australia: Largest Geoglyph in the World" (2015-08-21, ancient-origins.net/unexplained-phenomena/mysterious-marree-man-outback-australia-largest-geoglyph-world-003642) [archive.is/Mpt4B]

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Thee Stranger News is broadcast courtesy of 89.5 FM-KZCT [OzcatRadio.com].
Tune-in online [is.gd/kJ1EUt], and, check in with The Mothership ConnectionBroadcast Saturdays, 5 to 6pm, & Thursdays, 5:30 to 6pm, with alternative music and culture from across the Greater Bay Area!


All materials not authored by members of the "The Northbay Uprising Media Collective" are ©, ® or ™ to their respective owners and authors, and are included in this database for evaluative purposes only, without commercial profit. For commercial use of the materials on this database, please contact the respective copyright owners of the materials. Copyright owners of materials on this page are not responsible for the contents of this database.

Files types linked are noted if not standard (.html). Files noted as (.pdf) may be viewed in most standard browsers, or by downloading the viewer app from the proprietor [get.adobe.com/reader].
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Archival sites save a text and a graphical copy of a web page with no active elements and no scripts (nor popups or malware), and with timestamps, including Archive.is/fo (how-to) (donate) and Archive.org (how-to) (donate). Also [webcitation.org], [webrecorder.io].

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Thursday, April 9, 2020

THEE STRANGER NEWS (March 26th, April 2nd & 9th)

A Liberated Zone on the FM, to enhance alternative culture and cognitive freedom! 
Convened by Dr.G., a Renegade Illuminati, convening Thee Temple [link], for knowledge, whimsy, and inspiration. Everything is true, nothing is forbidden!
Broadcast Thursdays at 89.5 FM KZCT in Vallejo, California, to a worldwide audience.
Introductory track: Covenant - Ritual Noise [youtube.com/watch?v=dnlGEQ1NUsk]


Science & Futurism

* "Anti-aging game changer: Scientists successfully ‘reset’ cells from 114yo ‘supercentenarian’ " (2020-03-25, rt.com/news/484028-scientists-successfully-reset-cells-supercentenarian/) [archive.is/zS053]

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Space News
"NASA Administrator: Alien Life Is More Likely Than We Thought" (2019, futurism.com) [archive.is/d6n46]


* "Magnetic Field Mysteriously Collapses in Enormous Stellar Explosion and Scientists Can’t Explain Why" (2020-04-03, sputniknews.com/science/202004031078819348-magnetic-field-mysteriously-collapses-in-enormous-stellar-explosion-and-scientists-cant-explain-why/) [archive.is/pEoKP]
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* "NASA-Funded Mission Proposal Seeks to Detect Exoplanet Habitability Via Radioactivity" (2020-03-27, sputniknews.com/science/202003271078735169-nasa-funded-mission-proposal-seeks-to-detect-exoplanet-habitability-via-radioactivity/) [archive.is/6bzby]
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* "Voyager 2 arrives at interstellar space, finds increased plasma density; Voyager 2's report of increasing plasma density at the interstellar medium is similar to data sent back by Voyager 1 when it reached the same point in space" (2019-11-05, upi.com/Science_News/2019/11/05/Voyager-2-arrives-at-interstellar-space-finds-increased-plasma-density/8321572956729/) [archive.is/BTb5f]
* "Voyager 2 reaches interstellar space: Scientists detect plasma density jump" (2019-11-04, phys.org/news/2019-11-voyager-interstellar-space-scientists-plasma.html) [archive.is/mGtMP]
* (2020-01-10, gocomics.com/candorville/2020/01/10) [archive.is/ghqIM]

- [comment]: Temperature in a near vacuum is a measure of the average speed of the molecules. But it won’t make you hot because heat is transferred when the molecules impact you, and there are so very few molecules out there.
- [comment]: “we ain’t goin’ nowhere.”
I’m not, but it is doable. Build a structure 15 pounds per square inch of anything for shielding, pressurize the inside, provide heating and cooling and food and send it toward another star at any relative speed and it will get there eventually. Many an asteroid could provide the mass required. Comets and moons could also supply materials.
One percent of the speed of light sends you one light-year per century. Need enough room to allow generations to live through it. Could cure old age and send just some very patient people, like Heinlein’s Methuselah’s Children.
Can also freeze people once you figure out how to thaw them alive and just send corpse-cicles to the stars. Still need radiation protection along the way.
Send materials for artificial wombs and grow people when you get there. If could record personalities, might reconstitute people afterward but I doubt it.
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* "So Long 2I/Borisov! First Interstellar Comet to Visit Our Solar System Spotted Falling Apart" (2020-04-03, sputniknews.com/science/202004031078814776-so-long-2iborisov-first-interstellar-comet-to-visit-our-solar-system-spotted-falling-apart/) [archive.is/TjTpk]
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* " 'Poisonous Comet' That Witnessed the Construction of Egyptian Pyramids Returns to Our Solar System" (2020-04-04, sputniknews.com/science/202004041078833257-poisonous-comet-that-witnessed-the-construction-of-egyptian-pyramids-returns-to-our-solar-system/) [archive.is/2BCp0]
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* "Ancient Comet ‘Atlas’ Measures Half the Size of the Sun and it’s Back!" (2020-04-02, ancient-origins.net/news-science-space/comet-atlas-0013504) [archive.is/3WVhA]
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* "Fly by Night! BepiColombo Space Mission Takes Final View of Earth Before 8.5bn km Trip to Mercury" (2020-04-03, sputniknews.com/science/202004031078820819-fly-by-night-bepicolombo-space-mission-takes-final-view-of-earth-before-85bn-km-trip-to-mercury/) [archive.is/fLtfQ]
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* "Mystery of Uranus’ unique off-kilter tilt finally EXPLAINED by massive ancient impact" (2020-04-06, rt.com/news/485115-uranus-tilt-mystery-solved-research/) [archive.is/R6V17]

* "Uranus’s Atmosphere Leaking Into Space Via Gargantuan Electrified Magnetic Bubbles - Study" (2020-03-26, sputniknews.com/science/202003261078716378-uranuss-atmosphere-leaking-into-space-via-gargantuan-electrified-magnetic-bubbles---study/) [archive.is/HqhUt]
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* "Planet Mercury's 'Chaotic Terrain' Possibly Etched by 'Alien Life Forms' " (2020-03-26, sputniknews.com/science/202003261078712928-planet-mercurys-chaotic-terrain-possibly-etched-by-alien-life-forms/) [archive.is/VcFgp]
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* (thelivingmoon.com/43ancients/41Group_Lunar_FYEO/02files/FYEO_Lunar_03.html) [archive.is/dj9dh#selection-1049.0-1069.24] [begin excerpt]:
Clementine Satellite
Image Galleries
Final Version Full Color

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NEO Watch
B612 Foundation [b612foundation.org] to protect Earth from asteroid impacts.

* "Planetary defenders gain fresh insight on ASTEROID deflection with new study" (2020-03-29, rt.com/news/484415-asteroid-deflection-earth-defense/) [archive.is/xdOB9]

* "If Not Corona Then an Asteroid: 390-Metre Space Rock 'Closely' Approached Earth Last Night" (2020-03-27, sputniknews.com/science/202003271078728237-if-not-corona-then-an-asteroid-390-metre-space-rock-closely-approached-earth-last-night/) [archive.is/mP9YY]

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Ancient News

* "Spreading the Love: Evidence of Neanderthals' Prehistoric Sexcapades Uncovered by Scientists" (2020-04-03, sputniknews.com/science/202004031078821840-spreading-the-love-evidence-of-neanderthals-prehistoric-sexcapades-uncovered-by-scientists/) [archive.is/8Lzfl]
* "The Controversial Lapedo Child – A Neanderthal / Human Hybrid?" (2013-10-08, ancient-origins.net/human-origins-science/controversial-lapedo-child-neanderthal-human-hybrid-00903) [archive.is/k5yNt]
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* "Unwritten Mystery: Was the Great Pyramid’s Capstone Destroyed? What exactly happened to the capstone of the Great Pyramid of Giza? Did it ever exist? Was it destroyed?" (curiosmos.com/unwritten-mystery-was-the-great-pyramids-capstone-destroyed/) [archive.is/m53cQ]

* "Great Pyramid of Giza: mystical experience that changed life of Napoleon Bonaparte" (2019-01-04, medium.com/@asya_shkuro/great-pyramid-of-giza-mystical-experience-that-changed-life-of-napoleon-bonaparte-9adcd910e0d9) [archive.is/OQs6G]

* "Six Images Of The Great Pyramid Of Giza That Will Make You Feel Microscopic" (2019-05, doyouremember.com/98343/photos-great-pyramid-giza) [archive.is/bVu9z]

* (egypttoursportal.com/egypt-vacation-packages) [archive.is/tfiWt]

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* "The Hidden Goddess: Secrets of Ancient Egyptian Sarcophagus Uncovered by Scientists" (2020-04-04, sputniknews.com/science/202004041078834471-the-hidden-goddess-secrets-of-ancient-egyptian-sarcophagus-uncovered-by-scientists/) [archive.is/vgtRi]
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* "6 Advanced Ancient Inventions Beyond Modern Understanding" (2015-02-07, ancient-origins.net/artifacts-ancient-technology/6-advanced-ancient-inventions-beyond-modern-understanding-002652) [archive.is/HGYxf]

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* "Coligny Calendar: The 1,800-Year-Old Lunisolar calendar banned by the Romans" (2014-12-08, ancient-origins.net/artifacts-other-artifacts/coligny-calendar-1800-year-old-lunisolar-calendar-banned-romans-002429) [archive.is/UzfRH] [begin excerpt]: The age of the calendar has been estimated based upon the styling of the letters and images it contains. French archaeologist, J. Monard, has speculated that the druids created the calendar as a means of preserving the druid tradition of timekeeping at a time when the Julian calendar was being heavily promoted throughout the Roman Empire.  Druid were members of the educated, professional class among the Celtic peoples of Gaul, Britain, Ireland, and possibly elsewhere during the Iron Age. The druid class included law-speakers, poets and doctors, among other learned professions, although the best known among the druids were the religious leaders.
A calendar similar to the Coligny calendar was found nearby at Villards d'Heria.  Both calendars follow the Contintental Celtic calendar. Through reconstruction, researchers have been able to determine that the calendar is a lunisolar calendar, focusing on the lunar month and the solar year. Scholars have disagreed as to whether a new month began with the new moon, full moon, or the first quarter moon.  The lunar year was made up of 354 or 355 days. There is dispute as to whether the calendar began in summer or autumn. The starting month, Samonios, is generally affiliated with Old Irish Samhain on October 31. However, Samon is Gaulish for summer.
Like the modern calendar, the Coligny calendar is comprised of 12 months, with each month containing 29-30 days. [end excerpt]

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* "Saints at Pella after AD 70?" (2018 Spring, Fulfilled! magazine, vol. 13, no. 1, pgs. 12, 13, fulfilledcg.com/Site/images/Issues/2018_Spring/vol-13-issue-1.pdf) [is.gd/Lsr0Km] [begin excerpt]:
Some Saints Did Flee to Pella Eusebius (4th century) wrote, “The church in Jerusalem had been commanded by a revelation, vouchsafed to approved men there before the war, to leave the city and to dwell in a certain town of Perea called Pella” (3 Euseb 5:3).
John A. T. Robinson notes that “the only tradition we have as to what Christians actually did, or were told to do, is that preserved by Eusebius apparently on the basis of the Memoirs of Hegesippus used also by Epiphanius” (Redating the New Testament, p. 16).
Most patristic scholars agree that some Christians fled from Judea and went to Pella when they saw the signs which Jesus gave them (Matt 24:15-16 and parallels). And Pella was a safe place to go before the war, since it was a Hellenized city that was not under the Sanhedrin’s control. But there is another factor here which helps us date the first departures from Jerusalem. It is the Neronic persecution, which began two years before the outbreak of the war (AD 64). If the Jewish Christians had stayed in Judea until the war (May AD 66), they would have been either killed in the Neronic persecution or coerced by the Zealots to join the war effort. That is why the warning to flee from Judea had to come “before the war” (as Eusebius says).
First Exodus from Judea in April, 62 AD -
Eutychius of Alexandria (10th century) claims that one “group of disciples,” who were connected with James, fled from Jerusalem after James’ execution, and went to the region of Perea and the Decapolis (the area around Pella):
Qistus [Festus], governor of Jerusalem, died [AD 62] and the city was without any authority or sovereign to govern it. The Jews then arose and rioted and killed James, son of Joseph, known as the “brother of the Lord”, stoning him to death. Then they harassed a group of disciples and expelled them from the city. The Christians abandoned Jerusalem, crossed the Jordan and settled in those places [i.e., in the region of Perea and Decapolis]. [Eutychius of Alexandria (10th century), The Annals of Eutychius of Alexandria, ch. 9 sect. 7.]
We do not know from whom Eutychius received this information. It could have been from Hegesippus or Papias, or some other early source. He indicates that those Judean saints began their exodus from Jerusalem as early as April AD 62, right after the high priest Ananus II killed their leader, James. That group had much in common with the Judaizers, who considered James their bishop. If that group was a Judaizing sect of Jewish Christians, then it would be easy to link them to the Nazareans and Ebionites in Pella.
It seems that Epiphanius (4th century) makes that very connection when he claims that the Nazareans (and Ebionites?) in Pella were directly associated with the group that fled from Jerusalem:
According to Epiphanius, the Nazarenes [and Ebionites?] were the descendants of those Christians who were Jewish and came from Jerusalem (Haer. 29,7; 30,18). [Angelo Di Berardino, “Pella”, Encyclopedia of Ancient Christianity, Downers Grove, Illinois: IVP Academic, 2014, vol. 3, p. 131]
What Happened in Pella?
So this places some Judean Christians “in the region of Perea and Decapolis” (near Pella) as early as AD 62. That was two years before the Neronic persecution (AD 64) and four years before the Zealot rebellion (AD 66). What happened to these Christians after they fled to this region?
Soon after the Zealot rebellion began in May AD 66, the Greek and Syrian residents of the Decapolis cities (including Pella) evicted and killed many of their Jewish residents (Josephus Wars 2:477-480). The Zealots retaliated soon afterward and killed many of the Greek, Roman, and Syrian residents, as well as any Jews who would not join their war effort (Josephus Wars 2.458 [2.18.1]). The Zealots then put a garrison in Pella and the other cities of Perea.
Later in the war (March to April AD 68), after he subjugated Galilee, Vespasian sent Placidus with cavalry and soldiers to wipe out all of the Zealot fortresses on the entire east bank of the Jordan (Perea), from Gadara and Pella all the way down to the Dead Sea (see Josephus Wars 3:46 and 4:413 for the boundaries of Perea, as well as Wars 4:419-438 for the story about this campaign of Placidus in Perea).
So Pella suffered three hits during the war. This is why patristic historians do not think any Christians were still alive in Pella after the war. Pella was not safe for anyone (Jews, Gentiles, or Christians) after the war broke out. It was evidently a safe haven before the war, but it was certainly not a good place to be after the war broke out in AD 66. Thus, it appears that there were no Christians of any kind left in Pella after the war. Nor was there a church left in Jerusalem to which they could return. [end excerpt]
Also see other Fulfilled! Magazine articles at (fulfilledcg.com/Site/Magazine/magazine_previous_issues.htm) [archive.is/kxffr]
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* "Terrifying ‘Red Sign’ of Doom Etched in Japan’s Sky 1,400-Years Ago Finally Explained" (2020-04-04, sputniknews.com/science/202004041078834239-terrifying-red-sign-of-doom-etched-in-japans-sky-1400-years-ago-finally-explained/) [archive.is/qM6Ka]
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* "An ancient text that has baffled researchers for more than 200 years - The indecipherable Rohonc Codex" (2015-01-11, ancient-origins.net/artifacts-ancient-writings/ancient-text-baffled-researchers-indecipherable-rohonc-020160) [archive.is/BiTtq]

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* "The Menhune of Hawaii – Ancient Race or Fictional Fairytale?" (2014-06-11, ancient-origins.net/myths-legends/menhune-hawaii-ancient-race-or-fictional-fairytale-001741) [archive.is/3HEwd] [begin excerpt]:
In Hawaiian mythology, the Menehune are said to be an ancient race of people small in stature, who lived in Hawaii before settlers arrived from Polynesia. Many scholars attribute ancient structures found on the Hawaiian Islands to the Menehune. However, others have argued that the legends of the Menehune are a post-European contact mythology and that no such race existed.
The mythology of the Menehune is as old as the beginnings of Polynesian history. When the first Polynesians arrived in Hawaii, they found dams, fish-ponds, roads, and even temples, all said to have been built by the Menehune who were superb craftspeople. Some of these structures still exist, and the highly-skilled craftsmanship is evident.  According to legend, each Menehune was a master of a certain craft and had one special function they accomplished with great precision and expertise. They would set out at dusk to build something in one night, and if this was not achieved, it would be abandoned.
Some scholars, such as folklorist Katharine Luomala, theorize that the Menehune were the first settlers of Hawaii, descendants of the Marquesas islanders who were believed to have first occupied the Hawaiian Islands from around 0 to 350 AD. When the Tahitian invasion occurred in about 1100 AD, the first settlers were subdued by the Tahitians, who referred to the inhabitants as ‘manahune’ (which means ‘lowly people’ or ‘low social status’ and not diminutive in stature). They fled to the mountains and later came to be called ‘Menehune’.  Proponents of this theory point to an 1820 census which listed 65 people as Menehune.
Luomala claims that the Menehune are not mentioned in pre-contact mythology and therefore the name does not refer to an ancient race of people. However, this argument holds little weight as most accounts of the past were passed down through word-of-mouth from one generation to the next.
If Luomala, and other scholars in her camp, is correct, and there was no ancient race of skilled craftspeople that predated the Polynesians, then there must be an alternative explanation for the ancient constructions of advanced design, which predated any known population in Hawaii. However, no alternative explanations exist and most history books still maintain that the Polynesians were the first inhabitants of Hawaii, some 1,500 years ago. So let’s examine some of the ancient constructions that have been attributed to the Menehune in the mythology of the region.
Alekoko Fishpond Wall at Niumalu, Kauaʻi -
The Alekoko Fishpond, sometimes called the Menhune Fishpond, is one of the finest examples of ancient Hawaiian aquaculture. A lava rock wall between the pond and the Hulei’a River, which is 900 feet (274 m) long and 5 feet (1.5 m) high, was built to create a dam across a portion of the river in order to trap young fish until they grew large enough to consume.  The stones that were used come from Makaweli village, some 25 miles (40 km) away. It is considered to be an unexplained engineering achievement and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
Hawaiian legend states that the pond was built in one night by the Menehune, who formed an assembly line from the fishpond location to Makaweli, passing stones one-by-one from start to end point.
- image caption: Alekoko, Kauai: Menehune Fishpond.
 [...]
The Kīkīaola Ditch at Waimea, Kauaʻi -
Kīkīaola is a historic irrigation ditch located near Waimea on the island of Kauai. Also known as the Menehune Ditch, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 16, 1984.  Hawaiians built many stone-lined ditches to irrigate ponds for growing taro (kalo), but very rarely employed dressed stone to line ditches. The 120 finely cut basalt blocks that line about 200 feet of the outer wall of the Menehune Ditch make it not just exceptional, but "the acme of stone-faced ditches" in the words of archaeologist Wendell C. Bennett. It is purported to have been built by the Menehune.
- image caption: Kikiaola facing stones.

[end excerpt]
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* "The sophisticated water technologies of the ancient Nabataeans" (2014-10-10, ancient-origins.net/ancient-technology/sophisticated-water-technologies-ancient-nabataeans-002193) [archive.is/VpgOD]
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* "The Lost Labyrinth of Ancient Egypt – Part 1" (2020-01-13, ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-africa/lost-labyrinth-ancient-egypt-part-1-002033) [archive.is/zWAr3]
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* "The Celtic Ogham: An Ancient Tree Alphabet that May Disappear Before Showing its Roots" (2020-03-20, ancient-origins.net/artifacts-ancient-writings/celtic-ogham-ancient-tree-alphabet-may-disappear-showing-its-roots-006284) [archive.is/ESag4]
---

* "The ancient text that describes Jesus as a shape-shifter" (2014-02-19, ancient-origins.net/unexplained-phenomena/ancient-text-describes-jesus-shape-shifter-001361)[archive.is/5jsij]
---

* "The Mystery of the San Pedro Mountains Mummy" (2014-09-19, ancient-origins.net/unexplained-phenomena/mystery-san-pedro-mountains-mummy-002088) [archive.is/K5wpk] [begin excerpt]: The scientists conducted extensive testing on Pedro. First, they reviewed the outward physical evidence. Pedro was found in a sitting position, cross-legged, on a small ledge within what appeared to be a man-made cave. With bulging eyes and a flattened cranium, Pedro was extremely well preserved – so much so that even his fingernails were visible. A gelatinous substance covered Pedro’s head, and it became clear that liquids had been used to preserve the body. His nose was flattened, he had a full set of teeth, and his skin was brown and wrinkled, creating the appearance of an old man.
In the years following the discovery of Pedro, scientists conducted more invasive testing, utilizing x-rays to try to unlock the mystery. Several anthropologists initially concluded that the remains were those of an infant, likely born prematurely, or who died shortly after birth. This, however, is an area of disagreement, as a second body of scientists believe the remains to be those of an adult, possibly 16-65 years in age. It has been said that x-rays revealed sharp teeth, and the presence of food in the stomach that appeared to be raw meat. The x-rays also suggested that Pedro had suffered a violent death, showing broken bones, a damaged spine, and damage to the skull. [...]
With the remains nowhere to be found, the mysteries of Pedro linger to this day. Most scientists agree that Pedro’s remains were those of an adult male human. However, modern testing could have answered so many additional questions like where he came from, whether he suffered any diseases or congenital conditions, what the gelatinous substance was, and how his remains come to be sealed within a thick layer of rock.  The answers to these questions, and many others, are likely to remain unanswered unless the remains can be located and further tested. Until then, scientists and enthusiasts can only speculate about who or what he was. [end excerpt]
- image caption: Bob David holds the Pedro Mountain mummy, about 1950. Casper College Western History Center.

- image caption: Photos and x-ray of the San Pedro Mummy.

---

* "DNA analysis reveals genetic origins of Tibetans" (2020-03-23, xinhuanet.com/english/2020-03/23/c_138907014.htm) [archive.is/z1oCn]
---

* "Han Purple: A 2,800-year-old artificial pigment that quantum physicists are trying to understand" (2014-11-23, ancient-origins.net/artifacts-ancient-technology/han-purple-2800-year-old-artificial-pigment-quantum-020105) [archive.is/7tZ4Y]

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Miscellany & Errata

* "The Stone Head of Guatemala that History Wants to Forget" (2013-12-09, ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-americas/stone-head-guatemala-history-wants-forget-001104) [archive.is/awHKs]

---

* " ‘Gutted It’s Not Mars Attacks’: Video of Vanishing UFO Baffles Twitter Skygazers" (2020-03-27, sputniknews.com/viral/202003271078726367-gutted-its-not-mars-attacks-video-of-vanishing-ufo-baffles-twitter-skygazers/) [archive.is/8R7q4]
---

* "Stanton T. Friedman, Scientist Who Tracked U.F.O.s, Dies at 84" (2019-05-21, nytimes.com/2019/05/21/obituaries/stanton-friedman-dead.html) [archive.is/Psuxj]
- image caption: Stanton T. Friedman in 1978 holding a photograph of a sculpture of what was purported to be a visitor from outer space, as described under hypnosis by a New Hampshire man who claimed that he had been taken aboard an alien spaceship.

---

* "Watch: Two ‘Artificial Structures’ Spotted on Mars, Alien Buff Claims" (2020-04-04, sputniknews.com/science/202004041078832430-watch-two-artificial-structures-spotted-on-mars-alien-buff-claims/) [archive.is/MwunC]
---

* " 'I Found an Alien Skull': Ufologist Claims to Have Proven Life Existed on Mars" (2020-03-27, sputniknews.com/viral/202003271078735097-i-found-an-alien-skull-ufologist-claims-to-have-proven-life-existed-on-mars/) [archive.is/igHto]

01:18 GMT 28.03.2020 | 3
Did you think for a moment that nasa would tell you of an alien skull on Mars when it was agreed in Brookings in 1953 that any signs/evidence of previous civilizations in our Sol System would NOT be divulged? Ancient part soil covered cities were photograpjed on Mars in the early 1980s by nasa. The U of AZ was tasked with this project. They tried to hide the evidence, but Hoagland had already downloaded the original photos. His site has been hacked and shut.. but see the photos here. Search.. enterprise mission (dot) com Mars cities. Another expose. Search.. Holy Crap! They Hid MARS From Us Covering Over Whole Cities! Ancient cities? According to et, in theyfly dot com, Mars was thrown out of its orbit and position in 195,960BC when the 3rd inhabited Planet in our Sol System, Milona/Phaeton was destroyed by a massive explosion during a local war. Tens of millions of humans died on both Planets.

* "The Glass Biosphere" (livingmoon.com/43ancients/41Group_Lunar_FYEO/02files/FYEO_Lunar_08.html) [archive.is/43ndQ] [begin excerpt]:

The image above is taken from the USGS Planetary mapper and is at the highest resolution available.
Comments:
The most obvious features that jump out at you are the reflection and curved effect of that reflection. Also you can see light reflected from the anomaly onto the surrounding area.
When you look "inside" the "biosphere" you see a distortion of the objects consistent with looking through a glass bubble. [...]
The image above shows the angle of the sun and where the seperation line is of the image patches. The scan took several weeks and the moon and satellite changed constantly with each snapshot, resulting in totally opposite angles of light in some sections.

[end excerpt]



* "More Cloud Cover on the Moon; Apollo 8, AS8-13-2225"(thelivingmoon.com/43ancients/02files/Moon_Images_A07.html) [archive.is/75vmj] [begin excerpt]:
View of Goclenius and other craters. December 24, 1968.
Just another typical morning on the Lunar Surface.... Sun coming up burning off the morning mist... I wonder what's hiding beneath those clouds...

(larger image) [archive.is/hjXLb]
[end excerpt]

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Curiata

* "Researchers unearth deep-sea bacteria with metabolism unlike anything encountered before" (2020-04-04, rt.com/news/484973-deep-sea-bacteria-extraordinary-metabolism/) [archive.is/ufjZj]
---

* "Chinese scientists discover first 'whale fall' in the South China Sea" (2020-04-03, news.cgtn.com/news/2020-04-03/Chinese-scientists-discover-first-whale-fall-in-the-South-China-Sea-Po2PJjKpJm/index.html) [archive.is/BtsHS]
---

* "Firth of Clyde dolphin found to communicate with porpoises; A dolphin living alone in the Firth of Clyde has learned to communicate with local harbour porpoises, an expert believes" (2018-08-28, scotsman.com/news/people/firth-clyde-dolphin-found-communicate-porpoises-261330) [archive.is/fWfzc]
---


The life and art of shaman, performance artist, writer, poet, painter, rock singer, director, TV show host, teacher & bon vivant FRANK MOORE!
* Episode 1: "A Lucky Guy" (frankadelic.com/episodes/episode-1.html)
- (eroplay.com/Cave/ArtShaman/artsham1.html) [archive.is/tdhUH]

* Episode 2: "A Wounded Healer" (frankadelic.com/episodes/episode-2.html)

* Episode 3: "Art of Reshaping Reality" (frankadelic.com/episodes/episode-3.html)


Visit FRANK MOORE's official page (eroplay.com) and check out his Unlimited Possibilities public access show (eroplay.com/fmup) (facebook.com/unlimitedpossibilities)

===*===*===



Thee Stranger News is broadcast courtesy of 89.5 FM-KZCT [OzcatRadio.com].
Tune-in online [is.gd/kJ1EUt], and, check in with The Mothership ConnectionBroadcast Saturdays, 5 to 6pm, & Thursdays, 5:30 to 6pm, with alternative music and culture from across the Greater Bay Area!


All materials not authored by members of the "The Northbay Uprising Media Collective" are ©, ® or ™ to their respective owners and authors, and are included in this database for evaluative purposes only, without commercial profit. For commercial use of the materials on this database, please contact the respective copyright owners of the materials. Copyright owners of materials on this page are not responsible for the contents of this database.

Files types linked are noted if not standard (.html). Files noted as (.pdf) may be viewed in most standard browsers, or by downloading the viewer app from the proprietor [get.adobe.com/reader].
(is.gd) is a web address shortening app, with direct links noted when used with this app.

Archival sites save a text and a graphical copy of a web page with no active elements and no scripts (nor popups or malware), and with timestamps, including Archive.is/fo (how-to) (donate) and Archive.org (how-to) (donate). Also [webcitation.org], [webrecorder.io].

===*===*===
===*===*===
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Thursday, March 19, 2020

THEE STRANGER NEWS (2020-03-19)

A Liberated Zone on the FM, to enhance alternative culture and cognitive freedom! 
Convened by Dr.G., a Renegade Illuminati, convening Thee Temple [link], for knowledge, whimsy, and inspiration. Everything is true, nothing is forbidden!
Broadcast Thursdays at 89.5 FM KZCT in Vallejo, California, to a worldwide audience.
Introductory track: Covenant - Ritual Noise [youtube.com/watch?v=dnlGEQ1NUsk]


Science & Futurism

* "New Nanowire Synthesis Method to Make Flexible Electronics More Affordable" (2020-03-13, sputniknews.com/science/202003131078539941-new-nanowire-synthesis-method-to-make-flexible-electronics-more-affordable/) [archive.is/c6Ucy]

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Space News
"NASA Administrator: Alien Life Is More Likely Than We Thought" (2019, futurism.com) [archive.is/d6n46]

* "Mind-blowing Discovery May Hold Key to Mystery of Extraterrestrial Life, Claims Study" (2020-03-16, sputniknews.com/science/202003161078579259-mind-blowing-discovery-may-hold-key-to-mystery-of-extraterrestrial-life-claims-study/) [archive.is/mKi5m]
---

* "Stellar Discovery: First-Ever Exoplanet From Beyond the Galactic Plane Found" (2020-03-16, sputniknews.com/science/202003161078584957-stellar-discovery-first-ever-exoplanet-from-beyond-the-galactic-plane-found/) [archive.is/SkSuw]
---

* "Solar system mystery finally solved, thanks to salty space rock" (2020-03-13, rt.com/news/483089-nitrogen-comet-mystery-solar-system/) [archive.is/UmkHQ]
---

* "Who Needs Aliens When You Have Cake? NASA Releases Pictures of Mars Surface That Looks Like Tiramisu" (2020-03-13, sputniknews.com/science/202003131078556561-who-needs-aliens-when-you-have-cake-nasa-releases-pictures-of-mars-surface-that-looks-like-tiramisu/) [archive.is/9gKHe]
---

* "Coronavirus came from METEORITE which hit China last year - bombshell scientist claim; The deadly coronavirus which has killed more than 1,000 people globally came from a meteorite which hit China last year, scientists have sensationally claimed" (2020-02-11, express.co.uk/news/world/1240664/coronavirus-news-latest-china-origin-meteorite-scientists-health-warning-death-toll-latest) [archive.is/4A4od]
* "Scientist who claims coronavirus came from SPACE by meteor says prevailing winds are spreading the disease to the hardest-hit countries" (2020-03-12, dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-8104085/Scientist-claimed-coronavirus-came-SPACE-says-prevailing-winds-spreading-disease.html) [archive.is/irCGg]
* "Damn You, Space! Scientist Claims That Coronavirus Came to Earth With Meteor and is Spread by Wind" (2020-03-13, sputniknews.com/viral/202003131078559573-damn-you-space-scientist-claims-that-coronavirus-came-to-earth-with-meteor-and-is-spread-by-wind/) [archive.is/AnWZg]
---

* (http://www.virtualtelescope.eu/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/luna_pw17_31aug2012.jpg) [is.gd/ebagq6]

* (http://www.thelivingmoon.com/43ancients/04images/Moon7/Full_Moon/Moon_Mosaic_80_light.png) [is.gd/cLju4Q]

---


NEO Watch
B612 Foundation [b612foundation.org] to protect Earth from asteroid impacts.

* "Elon Musk’s Starlink Project Will Make Detection of Killer Asteroids ‘Very Diffiсult’ - Astronomer" (2020-03-15, sputniknews.com/science/202003151078572796-elon-musks-starlink-project-will-make-detection-of-killer-asteroids-very-diffiult---astronomer/) [archive.is/urzv6]

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Ancient News

* "Palaeontologists Offer New Clues to One-Ton 'South-American Yeti' That Went Extinct 10,000 Years Ago" (2020-03-14, sputniknews.com/science/202003141078562493-palaeontologists-offer-new-clues-to-one-ton-south-american-yeti-that-went-extinct-10000-years-ago/) [archive.is/15FJJ]
---

* "Ancient Ball Courts Found in Mexico Rewrite Deadly Ballgame’s History" (2020-03-14, ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/aztec-ballgame-0013420) [archive.is/8fkuR]
---

* "Analysis of Ancient Remains Reveal Social Inequality in El Argar Civilisation" (2020-03-14, sputniknews.com/science/202003141078568760-analysis-of-ancient-remains-reveal-social-inequality-in-el-argar-civilisation/) [archive.is/SJRog]
---

* "Ancient Romans Invited Good Luck by Wearing Flying Penis Amulets, Anyone Surprised?" (2020-03-15, sputniknews.com/society/202003151078574024-ancient-romans-invited-good-luck-by-wearing-flying-penis-amulets-anyone-surprised/) [archive.is/PBwOk]
---

* "Scientists Discover Capital of Ancient Mayan Kingdom at Cattle Ranch in Mexico - Photos" (2020-03-13, sputniknews.com/science/202003131078558702-scientists-discover-ancient-maya-kingdom-in-cattle-ranch-in-mexico/) [archive.is/hjjIq]
- image caption: A map of the excavation site. The horseshoe-shaped structure to the left is the palace area. On the far right, center, is the Monuments Plaza

---

* "The incredible Senegambian Stone Circles" (2014-05-18, ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-africa/incredible-senegambian-stone-circles-001661) [archive.is/xfUhU]

---

* "ALL Dead Sea Scrolls in Washington Bible Museum are Fakes" (2020-03-14, ancient-origins.net/news-general/dead-sea-scroll-fakes-0013418) [archive.is/kufyh]
* "All 16 Dead Sea Scrolls in Washington D.C.’s Museum of the Bible Found to Be Fake" (2020-03-14, sputniknews.com/society/202003141078567147-all-16-dead-sea-scrolls-in-washington-dcs-museum-of-the-bible-found-to-be-fake/) [archive.is/4OAEB]

===*===*===



Miscellany & Errata

* "UFO 'Bigger Than Earth' Flying Past the Sun 'Spotted' by NASA Observation Mission" (2020-03-13, sputniknews.com/viral/202003061078494363-ufo-bigger-than-earth-flying-past-the-sun-spotted-by-nasa-observation-mission/) [archive.is/BystE]

===*===*===



Thee Stranger News is broadcast courtesy of 89.5 FM-KZCT [OzcatRadio.com].
Tune-in online [is.gd/kJ1EUt], and, check in with The Mothership ConnectionBroadcast Saturdays, 5 to 6pm, & Thursdays, 5:30 to 6pm, with alternative music and culture from across the Greater Bay Area!


All materials not authored by members of the "The Northbay Uprising Media Collective" are ©, ® or ™ to their respective owners and authors, and are included in this database for evaluative purposes only, without commercial profit. For commercial use of the materials on this database, please contact the respective copyright owners of the materials. Copyright owners of materials on this page are not responsible for the contents of this database.

Files types linked are noted if not standard (.html). Files noted as (.pdf) may be viewed in most standard browsers, or by downloading the viewer app from the proprietor [get.adobe.com/reader].
(is.gd) is a web address shortening app, with direct links noted when used with this app.

Archival sites save a text and a graphical copy of a web page with no active elements and no scripts (nor popups or malware), and with timestamps, including Archive.is/fo (how-to) (donate) and Archive.org (how-to) (donate). Also [webcitation.org], [webrecorder.io].

===*===*===
===*===*===
===*===*===

Thursday, March 12, 2020

Thee Stranger News (March 12th, 2020)

A Liberated Zone on the FM, to enhance alternative culture and cognitive freedom! 
Convened by Dr.G., a Renegade Illuminati, convening Thee Temple [link], for knowledge, whimsy, and inspiration. Everything is true, nothing is forbidden!
Broadcast Thursdays at 89.5 FM KZCT in Vallejo, California, to a worldwide audience.
Introductory track: Covenant - Ritual Noise [youtube.com/watch?v=dnlGEQ1NUsk]


Science & Futurism

* "UCSF technology could be breakthrough for those who have lost ability to speak" (2019-04-24, sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/UCSF-technology-could-be-breakthrough-for-those-13790358.php) [archive.is/n0VH1]

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Space News
"NASA Administrator: Alien Life Is More Likely Than We Thought" (2019, futurism.com) [archive.is/d6n46]

* "Slime mold inspires breathtaking recreation of cosmic ‘dark matter web’ holding our universe together" (2020-03-11, rt.com/news/482821-cosmic-web-dark-matter/) [archive.is/ir2nK]
---

* "Astronomers Discover Hundreds of New Minor Planets Beyond Neptune" (2020-03-13, sputniknews.com/science/202003131078552496-astronomers-discover-hundreds-of-new-minor-planets-beyond-neptune/) [archive.is/1vJpI]
* "Planet 9 next? Hundreds of minor planets found beyond Neptune in OUR SOLAR SYSTEM" (2020-03-12, rt.com/news/482921-hundreds-minor-planets-neptune/) [archive.is/Urup1]:
Researchers have successfully identified 316 minor planets beyond Neptune, 139 of which are completely new, in a discovery which could bring us one step closer to hunting down the mysterious Planet Nine.
Using infrared and near-infrared data taken from the southern sky by the Dark Energy Survey (DES), scientists have painstakingly tracked down over 300 trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) at the far reaches of our solar system. TNOs are notoriously difficult to spot as they are so dim and so far away with little in the vicinity to illuminate them enough for us to detect.
The DES was designed to study galaxies and supernovas and operated between August 2013 and January 2019, but it has proven invaluable in tracking down elusive TNOs.
Pluto is actually considered a TNO, and is located at about 40 Astronomical Units (AU) from the sun (an AU is the distance from the sun to the Earth). Among this new list of TNOs were objects between 30 and 90 AUs away.
Now, researchers led by graduate student Pedro Bernardinelli and professors Gary Bernstein and Masao Sako pored over the dataset of seven billion ‘dots’ from which they compiled a list of 22 million objects having cleared previously known objects like stars, galaxies and supernovae.
They whittled that list down to just 400 candidates visible across at least six nights of observations before distilling the list even further by “stacking” numerous images on top of one another to more accurately track the movement of the distant objects and to better understand exactly what they were and differentiate them from one another.
“The most difficult part was trying to make sure that we were finding what we were supposed to find,” says Bernardinelli.
The boffins are now rerunning their sharpened analysis on the entire DES dataset to hunt for even more similar objects. The latest discoveries, published in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement series, could even aid future searches for the hypothetical Planet Nine, the name given to a titanic object that interrupts the orbits of objects beyond Neptune, which has eluded astrophysicists and conspiracy theorists alike for decades.
---

* "Life on Mars: Organic molecules discovered by Red Planet rover offer major hint" (2020-03-05, rt.com/news/482398-mars-rover-organic-compounds-life/) [archive.is/XXnAB]
---

* "Scientists may have discovered lost chunk of mystery planetoid Theia buried inside the Moon" (2020-03-10, rt.com/news/482714-scientists-lost-planetoid-theia-moon/) [archive.is/sVIVJ]:
---


NEO Watch
B612 Foundation [b612foundation.org] to protect Earth from asteroid impacts.

* "Large asteroid to fly by the Earth in late April, says NASA" (2020-03-05, plenglish.com/index.php?o=rn&id=52965&SEO=large-asteroid-to-fly-by-the-earth-in-late-april-says-nasa) [archive.is/3QEcU]
---

* "WATCH: Home security cameras catch MASSIVE FIREBALL light up Netherlands sky" (2020-03-05, rt.com/news/482409-meteorite-netherlands-germany-video/) [archive.is/RFD3l]

---

* "Fire in the Sky: Cosmic Impact Obliterated Prehistoric Settlement" (2020-03-10, ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/cosmic-impact-0013399) [archive.is/IJ5xC]

===*===*===



Ancient News

* "Two Faces of a Denisovan Revealed and Explained" (2020-03-07, ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/denisovan-face-0013385) [archive.is/mxteH]
---

* "Egypt inaugurates Step Pyramid after full restoration" (2020-03-05, xinhuanet.com/english/2020-03/05/c_138847114.htm) [archive.is/a4qjM]
- photoset [archive.is/wywBB] [archive.is/JnbOh] [archive.is/lPbqj] [archive.is/93bek] [archive.is/zGvDG] [archive.is/hlOjb] [archive.is/6Cs7T] [archive.is/lwslX] [archive.is/9Kr9Y] [archive.is/my7mE] [archive.is/McrL0]
- image caption: A woman takes photos near the Step Pyramid in Saqqara necropolis, Giza province, Egyp, March 5, 2020. Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly inaugurated on Thursday the Step Pyramid of Djoser in the Saqqara necropolis near the capital Cairo, after the completion of its restoration.

---

* "Ten enduring mysteries of the Longyou caves" (2014-01-21, ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-asia-unexplained-phenomena/ten-enduring-mysteries-longyou-caves-001248) [archive.is/snF5W]:
Located near the village of Shiyan Beicun in Zhejiang province, China, lies the Longyou caves - an extensive, magnificent and rare ancient underground world considered in China as ‘the ninth wonder of the ancient world’. The Longyou grottoes , which are thought to date back at least 2,000 years, represent one of the largest underground excavations of ancient times and are an enduring mystery that have perplexed experts from every discipline that has examined them.  Scientists from around the world in the fields of archaeology, architecture, engineering, and geology have absolutely no idea how they were built, by whom, and why.
First discovered in 1992 by a local villager, 36 grottoes have now been discovered covering a massive 30,000 square metres. Carved into solid siltstone, each grotto descends around 30 metres underground and contains stone rooms, bridges, gutters and pools. There are pillars evenly distributed throughout the caves which are supporting the ceiling, and the walls, ceiling and stone columns are uniformly decorated with chisel marks in a series of parallel lines. Only one of the caves has been opened for tourism, chosen because of the stone carvings found inside which depict a horse, fish and bird.  The Longyou caves truly are an enigma and here we will explore ten mysteries that are still unexplained despite more than two decades of research.
1. How were they constructed?
A rough estimation of the workload involved in building these five caves is awe-inspiring. The quantity of rock that would have been removed in the overall excavation of the grottoes is estimated to be nearly 1,000,000 cubic meters. Taking into account the average digging rate per day per person, scientists have calculated that it would take 1,000 people working day and night for six years to complete.  These calculations are based purely on hard labour, but what they haven’t taken into account is the incredible care and precision of the sculptors, meaning that the actual workload would far surpass the theoretical estimation.  As for how they were constructed and what tools were used, it is still unknown. No tools have been found in the area, and, as we will explore later, scientists still don’t know how they achieved such symmetry, precision, and similarity between the different caves.
2. No traces of construction
Despite their size and the effort involved in creating them, so far no trace of their construction or even their existence has been located in the historic record.  Although the overall excavation involved almost a million cubic metres of stone, there is no archaeological evidence revealing where that quantity of stone went, and no evidence of the work. Moreover, there is not a single historic document that refers to them, which is highly unusual considering the sheer scale of the project.  Their origin is a complete and utter mystery.
3. Why were the walls chiselled?
Longyou Caves - ChiselledEvery single one of the caves is covered, from floor to ceiling, in parallel lines that have been chiselled into virtually every surface.  The effect is a uniform pattern throughout the caves, which would have required immense manpower and endless hours to create.  The question is why? Was such labour-intensive work purely for decoration?  Are the lines or patterns symbolic in some way? All that is currently known is that the markings are similar to those found on pottery housed in a nearby museum, which is dated between 500 and 800 BC.

4. Lack of fish
When the caves were first discovered, they were filled with water, which presumably had been there for a long period of time.  They had to be pumped out in order to realise that these were not just like the other ‘bottomless ponds’ found within the area, but man-made structures. Most villages in southern China contain very deep ponds, which have been called "bottomless ponds" by generations of villagers. These ponds teem with fish, which are easily caught. However, after the first cave was pumped dry, not a single fish was to be seen, or any other sign of life.
5. How did the caves remain so well preserved?
One of the most interesting and challenging questions is how the caves have been able to keep their structural integrity for more than 2000 years.  There are no signs of collapse, no piles of rubble, and no damage despite the fact that in some areas the walls are only 50 centimetres thick.  Over the centuries, the area has gone through numerous floods, calamities and wars, the mountains have changed their appearance and exposed stones have been weathered, but inside the caves, the form, patterns and markings are still clear and precise – it is as though they were built yesterday.
6. How did the builders work in the dark?
Due to the great depths of the caves, some areas at the bottom, which are not exposed to the opening above, are pitch-black. Yet even those dark areas are decorated with thousands of parallel lines on the walls, columns, and ceiling.  So how did the ancient people work in the dark?   According to Jia Gang, a Tongji University professor specializing in civil engineering: "There should be lamps, because the cave's mouth is very small, and the sunbeam could only shine in the cave at a certain angle during a certain period of time. As one goes deeper into the cave, the light becomes dimmer. At the cave's bottom, which is usually dozen of meters from the mouth, one could hardly see anything." However, this was at least two millennia ago and nothing that could have been used for lighting has been found.
7. Were the caves meant to be connected?
All of the 36 grottoes are distributed across an area of only one square kilometre. Considering such a high density, one cannot help asking whether some grottoes were meant to be connected.  What would be the purpose of making so many separate caves in such a tight area without connecting them? In many areas, the walls between the caves are very thin, only 50 centimetres, but they were never linked so it appears they were intentionally kept apart.  What’s more, many of the caves are almost identical to each other.
8. Who built them?
Nobody has any idea who built the caves. Some scientists have claimed that it was not possible or logical for such as mammoth job to have been undertaken by regular village people. Only the emperor and the leaders could have organised such a huge project, like the construction of the Great Wall, which was built to defend against invasion from the outside. But if it was commissioned by an Emperor, why are there no historical records of its construction?

9. How did they achieve such precision?
The scale of the Longyou Grottoes is magnificent and momentous, the design was delicate and scientific, the construction was sophisticated, and the precision is indicative of superior craftsmanship. The model, pattern and style of each cave is extremely similar.  Every grotto is like a grand hall. One side is steep and another side is 45% inclined. The four walls are straight; the edges and corners are clearly demarcated. The chiselling marks are uniform and precise.
According to Yang Hongxun, an expert at the Archaeological Institute of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, "At the bottom of each cave, the ancient [builders] wouldn't be able to see what the others were doing in the next grotto. But the inside of each cave had to be parallel with that of the other, or else the wall would be holed through. Thus the measure apparatus should have been very advanced. There must have been some layout about the sizes, locations, and the distances between the caves beforehand."
With the help of modern equipments and methods, the investigators measured the sizes of the walls, and surprisingly found that the overall construction is extremely accurate. The walls between the caves are of the same thickness in different sections. So how did they achieve this precision? What were their methods?

10. What were they used for?
Following extensive investigations and study, scientists and scholars have attempted to put forward explanations for the grottoes , but none so far provide a convincing explanation for why they were built and what they were used for.
Some archaeologists have suggested that the grottoes were the tombs of old emperors, emperor halls, or places for storage. But this interpretation is far-fetched. No funeral objects or tombs have been found and no artefacts left behind. If it were used like an emperor’s palace, the grottoes would have been designed differently with separate rooms for different purposes like entertaining, meeting, and sleeping, but no evidence can be found of this and no traces of habitation have been found.
Another hypothesis is that it was used for mining and extracting some type of mineral resource. However, mining operations would have required equipment and apparatus to extract the rocks and transport them. Again, no traces of this have been found, nor any evidence of where the rocks were taken. And of course, if the caves were just for mining, why create such intricate decorations on the walls, columns and ceilings?
Finally, some have suggested that the grottoes were the places for troops to be stationed and that an emperor of the past wanted to keep his soldiers out of view in order to keep his war preparations secret.  However, these caves could not have been built in a short period of time. They would have taken many, many years to build so it is unlikely to have been done in preparation for war, which tends to come about much more quickly. Furthermore, there are no signs of people having stayed in the caves.
Despite decades of research, very few answers have emerged to explain the enigma of the Longyou caves. Our ancient ancestors have achieved many wondrous things, but this truly is an unexplained mystery.


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Thee Stranger News for December, 2023

A Liberated Zone on the FM, to enhance alternative culture and cognitive freedom! Broadcast Thursdays at 89.5 FM KZCT in Vallejo, California...