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Pythagoras

Greek Philosopher Pythagoras with overlay of woodcut showing Pythagoras with bells, a kind of glass harmonica, a monochord and (organ?) pipes in Pythagorean tuning. From Theorica musicae by Franchino Gaffurio, 1492 (1480?)	Source: Khuram Ibn Sabir/Adobe Stock, overlay Bibliothèque nationale de France/Public Domain

Pythagoras’ Claim of Universal Musical Harmony is Wrong, Finds Study

Ancient Greek philosopher Pythagoras posited that "consonance," a harmonious combination of notes, arises from specific relationships between simple numbers like 3 and 4. While scholars have...
Fresco of Paul’s Conversion, by Michelangelo  (1542-45) in the Vatican Cappella Paolina (Public Domain)

Near-Death-Experiences Of The Ancients

Socrates, Plato and Aristotle formed a trio toward the middle of the fourth century BC in ancient Greece to become the most well-known philosophers who ever lived. They were the founders of the...
French manuscript from 1512/1514, showing Pythagoras turning his face away from fava beans in revulsion. Source: Public Domain

Did Pythagoras’ Bizarre Fear of Fava Beans Contribute to his Death?

The ancient Ionian Greek philosopher Pythagoras (c.570-495 BC) is widely credited with many foundational mathematic and scientific discoveries. An ardent ascetic vegetarian, several myths emerged...
Babylonian clay tablet shows Pythagorean Triples were used 3,700 years ago.           Source: University of New South Wales

Mathematician Finds Pythagorean Triples On Ancient Babylonian Tablet

A University of New South Wales, Sydney mathematician has discovered the oldest example of applied geometry ever recorded, the university’s newsroom reports . The tablet illustrates the use of...
How did the Greeks Measure the Earth’s Circumference?

How did the Greeks Measure the Earth’s Circumference?

It is considered obvious today that Earth is roughly a sphere and that it can be measured like any spherical object. Scientists technically call it an oblate spheroid, but it is still sphere-like in...
Pythagoras the Hermit: the Pythagoras Cave on Samos

Pythagoras the Hermit: the Pythagoras Cave on Samos

On the Greek island of Samos there is a famous cave, named the Pythagoras Cave due to its association with the famous ancient Greek philosopher. Pythagoras is believed to have lived in the cave for a...
Sacred geometry deduces that certain geometrical shapes and proportions contain sacred meaning. The application of sacred geometry can be found in many civilizations around the world.       Source: ekaart / Adobe Stock / Sacred Geometry Spiral (lightaspect / Adobe Stock)

Sacred Geometry: Unlocking the Secret Structures of the Universe

The Cambridge English Dictionary defines geometry as “the area of mathematics relating to the study of space and the relationships between points, lines, curves, and surfaces”. This definition fits...
Pythagoras advocating vegetarianism.

Pythagoras: A Life Beyond Math and Science

Pythagoras is perhaps the most famous figure in the group of ancient Greek philosophers known as the Pre-Socratics. This is largely due to the Pythagorean Theorem, a mathematical theorem that is...
Atlantis underwater ruins

3 Problems to Remember When Trying to Find Atlantis

It is perhaps the greatest unsolved mystery of all time: Did the lost city of Atlantis actually exist? And if it did once exist, where was it located before its watery demise? Fortunately, the...
Ancient Greek astronomy has baffled experts for centuries – how did they know what they knew so long ago? These four discoveries epitomize this. Pictured: view of the Earth, Moon and Sun from the space elements (original image from NASA). Source: vovan / Adobe stock

Four Discoveries of Ancient Greek Astronomy That Still Baffle Experts

The Histories by Herodotus (484BC to 425BC) offers a remarkable window into the world as it was known by ancient Greek astronomy in the mid fifth century BC. Almost as interesting as what they knew,...
Democritus’ (1630) by Johannes Moreelse. There have certainly been some strange and funny events in history.

Monumentally Funny Events in History: From Napoléon’s Petit Package to Pythagoras’ Fear of Farts

History is often presented in grey, rather dry terms, but when you do a bit of digging, our past is full of remarkable people who had wicked senses of humor and died with as much vigor as they lived...
Stonehenge Sunset impression.

Stonehenge Builders Had Ancient Knowledge of Pythagorean Geometry

A new book, Megalith , claims ancient Britons built Stonehenge “and other stone circles with a knowledge of Pythagoras' theorem, 2,000 years before the Greek philosopher formalized geometry.”...
The Roman Tantalus Bowl, a Pythagorean Cup. (Journal of Roman Archaeology) Background: ‘Aeneas and a Sibyl in the Underworld’ by Jan Brueghel the Elder.

More than a Sip and You Feel a Drip: A Morbid Motif for the Crafty Pythagoras Cup

The Pythagoras Cup (Pythagorean Cup) is the name given to a drinking cup attributed to the ancient Greek philosopher, Pythagoras of Samos. This cup is also known as the Greedy Cup and the Tantalus...
Hegassen scroll detail. Fart Battle, 1864

From Fart Gods to Farting Out One’s Soul: The Historic Ritualization of Farts

They command attention, bring silence into noisy environments and have been associated with the utterances of gods for thousands of years. In fact, entire rituals have been designed around them...
The 3700-year-old Babylonian tablet with the ‘Pythagorean theorem.’

3700-year old Babylonian Tablet Confirms Pythagoras Did Not Invent the Theorem Bearing His Name

An unknown Babylonian mathematician beat Pythagoras to the discovery of trigonometry by more than 1000 years, claim experts studying the piece. That Babylonian genius marked down the famous theorem...
Tabula Cortonensis: A 2,200-year-old Tablet with a Bronze Key to Understanding the Etruscan World

Tabula Cortonensis: A 2,200-year-old Tablet with a Bronze Key to Understanding the Etruscan World

2,200 years ago, a pair of skilled Etruscan hands crafted a tablet that became a key to the language of this remarkable civilization. This unique bronze artifact is known as the Tabula Cortonensis...
Pythagoras: One of the Greatest Minds of His Time

Pythagoras: One of the Greatest Minds of His Time

Pythagoras was one of the greatest minds and philosophers of his time and his unquestionable influence can be felt even today in mathematics. It is believed that he was the first man who referred to...
Theano – A Woman Who Ruled the Pythagoras School

Theano – A Woman Who Ruled the Pythagoras School

In ancient Greece, it was not very common to see a female scientist. However, history remembers the names of the women who made their mark in those times. One of them was Theano, the wife of the...
The Mystical Pentatonic Scale and Ancient Instruments, Part I: Bone Flutes

The Mystical Pentatonic Scale and Ancient Instruments, Part I: Bone Flutes

One of the ancient technologies that is often overlooked is the creation of musical instruments. The purpose, development and in some cases the techniques used to develop music remains a mystery...
The interior of the underground basilica, which opened in April 2015

Underground Pagan Basilica with Dark History Revealed to the Public for the First Time

A pagan basilica of first century AD Rome dedicated to Pythagoras’ and Plato’s metaphysics but depicting many types of Greek and Roman mythical beings has opened to the public. The family that...
Plato Hidden Music

Plato and his Hidden Music Code

Plato is one of the greatest ancient Greek philosophers. He was a student of Socrates and his writings delve into philosophy, theology, mathematics, cosmology and epistemology. He was the founder of...