Surgery – xkcd
Written on October 26, 2009 at 3:48 pm, by admin
A softer robot
Written on August 25, 2009 at 3:07 am, by Lupo
A softer robot
The Lost Pyramids of Caral
Written on August 25, 2009 at 12:52 am, by Lupo
A great BBC documentary about the lost city of Caral in Peru. This documentary raises fundamental questions about the origins of civilisation and the first human societies. Most modern theories believe that warfare, and ultimately fear, is the key as to why human beings one day decided to live, work, pray and play together in large groups with strong (and heavily armed) leaders. It seems widely accepted that the first cities were built for protection, as fortifications in times of war, when there was a common threat that brought people together.
Opposed to these theories the history of Caral shows a very different story: a society that apparently lived in peace for a thousand years, without leaving any traces of weaponry, armies, battlefields nor fortifications. Instead, the findings suggest it was a gentle society, built on commerce and pleasure, with evidence of organised trade, entertainment venues, music and the widespread use of drugs and aphrodisiacs.
Peruvian archaeologist Ruth Shady discovered the 5,000 year old city of Caral in 2001, and although it was covered in the media at the time, we (as a society) seem not to have realised how important it is as one astonishing example of how people can live in peace. It is worth watching.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/horizon/2001/caral.shtml
