/u/RusticBohemian's posts
Romans kept pools of rainwater (impluvium) in their courtyards. How did they keep them from becoming clogged with mosquitoes and algae? Did they keep fish in them, as is common in Asia?
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Bosnia is almost landlocked, but it has a narrow, 12-mile long piece of land on the Adriatic Sea. How did it get this sliver, and how has it kept it, despite it cutting off a piece of Croatia? Why isn't the strip built up as an industrial port for Bosnia?
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Christian monks and nuns began to form communities not long after the religion began to spread. But what about Jesus's message led people to think monasticism was a path he would approve of?
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Soy is extremely popular in much of Asia, but never became a major crop in India, nor did it spread along the silk road to Europe. Do we know why such an important crop stayed regional?
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Ancient Roman roads are useable 2,000 years after their creation. Our asphalt roads get replaced every 18-20 years. The Arkadiko bridge in Greece functions 3,100 after it was built. Modern bridges are designed to be replaced after 50 years. Why'd we stop building infrastructure that outlasts us?
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Two maxims inscribed in the Temple of Apollo at Delphi are famous — "Know Thyself," and "Nothing in Excess". But the third is rarely mentioned and opaque — "A Pledge Brings Trouble." Do we know what was behind this third cryptic maxim, and why the Greeks thought it was important?
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The first subways were pulled by steam engines. Were passengers choking on smoke in poorly ventilated tunnels? Were the tunnels well lit? Would it have been a good experience to use these early subways?
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Americans dressed to the hilt until the 1960s, and put effort into even their casual attire. After this society seemed increasingly less concerned about dress. What brought about this transformation?
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