askhistorians

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The last known auroch only died in 1627. There were royal restrictions on hunting them as early as the 1200s. How did 400 years of proto-conservation fail for such a high status, visible animal?	2576
What does Charon do with his eye-coins in Greek mythology? What is he buying? Does he hoard them or toss them away?	393
Why did it take so long for naturalists to come around to the idea that the sea - specifically fish stocks - were not inexhaustible after the steam trawler came around?	242
How were allergies - specifically material allergies, like wool - viewed during the European Middle Ages? What were the perceived causes, cures, or alternatives if I couldn’t wear wool?	198
I’ve been reading about Rorke’s Drift, and still can’t wrap my head around how 140 defending British held off 4,000 Zulus. Have new perspectives emerged as to how this was done, apart from the standbys I’m learning about concerning barricades and the shock of volley fire?	178
When the crew are instructed to be lubberly in Master and Commander to imitate whalers - what exactly is being implied? Were whalers known for being sloppy sailors?	113
Can you draw a straight line between the movie King Kong (1933) - with its depiction of a predatory, swamp-dwelling, long-necked dinosaur - and the explosion of interest in the Loch Ness monster as a result of the hoaxed Surgeon's Photo (1934)?	104
Browsing a high-end grocery store in the US, I saw a variety of grains - farro, amaranth, quinoa, etc. It got me thinking - what led to the dominance of wheat, rye, oats and corn over others, historically? Was it a choice, some inherent property, related to population migrations?	79
Has did the middle of Pennsylvania - Pennsyltucky - get that way? Why is it such a conservative region, despite the state as a whole’s long-time association with organized labor, farming, and other left-leaning factors?	30
Railroads are part of the mythic fabric of the “Old West” and manifest destiny- why are long-haul passenger trains not more prevalent in the US? When did they stop being built?	30

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