/u/Obversa's posts
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British child psychologist Lorna Wing created the term "Asperger's Syndrome" in 1981, a year after Hans Asperger died in 1980. Wing dismissed Asperger's ties to Aktion T4, the WWII Nazi euthanasia program, by claiming "he was a devout Roman Catholic". Why did Wing cite Asperger's faith as a defense?
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The 1996 Sokal hoax was "a demonstrative scholarly hoax to investigate whether a leading North American journal of cultural studies would publish an article liberally salted with nonsense if it sounded good, and flattered the editors' ideological preconceptions". How did this hoax impact academia?
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Horse breeds in the United States practically non-existent until after the American Civil War (1861 – 1865), after which there was an explosion of new horse breeds (Quarter Horse, Standardbred, Saddlebred, Tennessee Walker, Missouri Fox Trotter, etc.). What was the cause for this breed expansion?
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In the period drama "La Révolution" (2020), which takes place in 1787, one person says of the aristocracy, "It is often said, 'Stay away from donkeys, or you, too, will bray as well.'" In "Pinocchio" (1883), lazy children literally turn into donkeys. Was this view of donkeys widespread in Europe?
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In Disney's live-action adaptation "Beauty and the Beast" (2017), the Beast is implied to be the son of King Louis XIV of France (1638 – 1715). In the film, Beast's mother died when he was a child, and his father is called a "a cruel, vain tyrant". Did this match Louis's personality in real life?
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In the late 1780s, rumours circulated that Prince William, Duke of Clarence (later King William IV) - the son of King George III and Queen Charlotte - engaged in "illicit relations" with women of African descent, or Black slave women, while stationed in the Caribbean. How true are these rumours?
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A 2016 scientific study claimed to show that people in the Middle Ages preferred "solid-coloured" horses over spotted horses. Was this a documented trend in the Middle Ages? If so, was this trend related to the rules of heraldry?
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Billionaire conservative donor Ken Griffin, fresh off of buying Apex the Stegosaurus for $44.6 million, donates an additional $20 million to aid Ron DeSantis in 'Vote NO on 3' campaign
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Before he married Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, King George III set his sights on marrying Lady Sarah Lennox, the daughter of Charles Lennox, the 2nd Duke of Richmond. Lord Bute, the King's advisor, reportedly vetoed the engagement. Why was Lord Bute against Lady Lennox as a royal bride?
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