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Rubaiyats of Lote-Tree

Poetic Justice and Giant Rats

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by
Lote-Tree
, 01-16-2008 at 05:32 AM (1540 Views)
Syphilis really did come from the Americas, suggests a new study.

There has been a long-running row over from where the dreaded disease came. But new genetic data from deep in the jungles of Guyana suggests that while other forms of this bacterium have plagued humans since early in our evolution, it emerged as venereal syphilis only when carried back to Europe by Columbus and his crew.....

http://www.newscientist.com/article/...syphilis-.html
Poetic Justice?

I guess it's not because we knew nothing about bacteria and viruses then.

Our ignorance have been quite devasting.

Through our knowledge is increasing...but our wisdom it seems lags behind...

Giant Rats

A 1-tonne rodent has been discovered by scientists in Uruguay. But there is no need to worry, Josephoartigasia monesi is around 2 million years old and fossilised.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/...iscovered.html
I think they would have made great pets
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Comments

  1. Virgil's Avatar
    Yes, they provided symphilis and the europeans provided the flu which wiped out millions. Ah what happens to demographics when populations that have indivuidually built immunities mix. It's not pretty. Actually this is one of the reasons for the ancient Roman population collapse in the third and fourth and fifth centuries, migrations from asia. It's now considered in some historical circles the primary reason for the collapse of the roman empire.

    Ah yes that giant rat would make a great pet. I can see it resting on my couch.
  2. PeterL's Avatar
    That just a little more evidence. It has been known for a very long time that syphilis was endemic in much of South America when the Spaniards arrived. Syphilis is asymptomatic in llams and some other animals that can carry it.
  3. Lote-Tree's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Virgil
    Yes, they provided symphilis and the europeans provided the flu which wiped out millions.
    Ah yes. But Syphilis was excruciatingly painful was it not...

    Actually this is one of the reasons for the ancient Roman population collapse in the third and fourth and fifth centuries, migrations from asia. It's now considered in some historical circles the primary reason for the collapse of the roman empire.
    So Gibbons got it wrong...

    Ah yes that giant rat would make a great pet. I can see it resting on my couch.
    Yep. Would have ate your dog in one bite but don't worry it was also a vegetarnian. So they would have made a right pair
  4. Virgil's Avatar
    Oh Gibbons absolutely got it wrong. Gibbons was around 250 years ago. The reason he is relevant today is (1) he was one of the first historians and (2) his writing style is superb.