Did you know that more than half of all people will have to deal with hemorrhoids at least once in their life? Although hemorrhoids are an issue no one looks forward to dealing with, if you ever find...
The ancient Romans were known for enjoying violent forms of entertainment - public executions, animal hunts, chariot racing, and gladiatorial games. However, the blood and gore didn’t stop with the...
In 16th century Europe, anyone suffering from arthritis, bone pain, toothache or gout could trot down to their local pharmacy and pick themselves up a bottle of Axungia hominis ( human fat ). Known...
Everyone loves honey. A delicious, sweet treat, it can be used in recipes, cosmetics, or as a sugar substitute. However, not all honey is made the same. This is incredibly clear in Nepal and Turkey,...
Believe it or not, fake eyes have existed for thousands of years. Besides improving the physical appearance of the patient needing the artificial eye, fake eyes also prevent tissues in the eye socket...
In the 16th and 17th centuries while, with astonishing hypocrisy, Europeans were reacting with disgust and outrage to reports of cannibalism brought back by travelers from the New World. And yet in...
Lavender is one of the most well-known plants throughout the world. It is popular in gardening, baking, cleaning, and medicine. The soft purple flowers have been around for a few thousand years and...
With the recent pandemic and the still-spreading Covid-19 virus, inoculation has become a hot topic throughout several areas of the world. Regardless of what side you’re on, the history of...
The Boswellia tree has long been used in traditional Indian, Chinese, Arab and African rituals and medicines. This gum resin from several species of Boswellia is also known as frankincense, which has...
Most people today would probably associate Egyptian mummies with museums. This is unsurprising, as this is probably where most of us have seen them, especially in Europe. Yet, if I were to say that...
Bloodletting, or phlebotomy, is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as “the surgical removal of some of a patient’s blood for therapeutic purposes.” Throughout the majority of history, this gruesome,...
The Ben Cao Gang Mu , or Compendium Materia Medica , is an encyclopedic compendium written by the 16th-century Chinese doctor Li Shizhen. This compilation is said to be the most complete and...
It has often been said that nature’s ancient medicine cabinet holds everything required for humans to reach and maintain a state of homeostasis. Following this timeworn rule US veterans are now using...
How did people of ancient times treat the difficult and complex condition known today as cancer? In recent years, a rising number of scholars have taken a look at the prevalence of cancer diagnoses...
Considered the world’s most expensive spice , saffron has been highly valued by many ancient civilizations, but its origins have long been debated. A new study claims to have traced the evolution of...
Modern science has lent a certain sophistication to human history, allowing for various genetic and acquired deficiencies to be addressed. Today, our eyes and ears can be repaired with simple and...
An anonymous ‘cleaner’ has kind of destroyed an ancient site in Scotland. But unlike most acts of cultural destruction, this person performed a ‘pro-clean-up’ of the Highland’s famous Clootie Well...
Archaeologists in China have discovered a 1,300-year-old tomb containing big cannabis seeds that are unlike any of today’s strains. A new study has revealed that cannabis in China was not only grown...
A pair of metal detectorists in England have made the rare discovery of a solid silver Roman oddity dating back to the time of Roman Emperor Constantine (306 to 337 AD), remembered for making...
During a computed tomography (CT) scan of a child mummy belonging to a youngster who lived in ancient Egypt , archaeologists found something unique and most unexpected. The imagery they obtained...
Crystals and gemstones have been a part of ancient cultures for millennia. They were and continue to be used as decoration and to preserve the memories of those who have passed on. Malachite is one...
While no one knows exactly when alcohol was first produced, it was presumably the result of a fortuitous accident that occurred at least tens of thousands of years ago. However, the discovery of late...
Sex is a primal urge humans share with animals. In the ancient world, human fertility had implications for safety and prosperity. However, as the search for birth control methods went hand in hand...
Male impotence, commonly known as erectile dysfunction, is known today to have many causes, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, post-prostatectomy procedures, neurological or psychological...
