Primary tabs

Lex Leigh

Lex Leigh is a former educator with several years of writing experience under her belt. She earned her BS in Microbiology with a minor in Psychology. Soon after this, she earned her MS in Education and worked as a secondary science teacher for several years.

Lex has spent the last several years working as a freelance writer between classes, after work, and on the weekends. Her future goals include pursuing writing as a primary career and publishing her first novel in the near future. Topics she is passionate about include science, technology, history, animal welfare, and education.

History

Member for: 2 years 1 month

Opt-in to Ancient Origins Newsletter (AC):

No

Posts

Jan Steen - The Lovesick Maiden [c.1660]. Source: Gandalf’s Gallery/CC BY-SA 2.0

24 July, 2022 - 23:00 Lex Leigh

Fake It Til’ You Make it: A History of the Placebo Effect

One of the most fascinating medical phenomena is the placebo effect. In medicine, a placebo is considered to be any medical treatment that is not “real.” This could be a fake pill, shot, or in some...

The waterway wonders of China’s Grand Canal are both picturesque and ancient in some sections but also super modern and unattractive in others. This part of the canal is in the ancient, preserved section of Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China. Source: gui yong nian / Adobe Stock

22 July, 2022 - 22:57 Lex Leigh

The 2500-year-old Genius of China’s Grand Canal System

Ancient China is known for its famous dynasties, rich culture, and some of the first “advanced” technological innovations in the world. One of the best-known works created in ancient China is China’s...

Female pirate close up looking through trees. Representative of Anne Bonny. Source: stivog / Adobe Stock

18 July, 2022 - 22:55 Lex Leigh

Pirate Queens of the High Seas: Anne Bonny and Mary Read

When it comes to pirates, most people think of iconic names like Blackbeard , Calico Jack, or William Kidd . But what about female pirates? Although female pirates are less well-known, they did exist...

Medieval monk praying with a Bible and a rosary. Source: Nomad_Soul / Adobe Stock

17 July, 2022 - 18:56 Lex Leigh

Medieval Monks: The Life and Times of God’s Men in Robes

Have you ever wondered what it was like to be a medieval monk? Perhaps you’ve wondered about the reasons behind becoming a monk, or what they do on a daily basis. Monasticism has existed for...

Circular gate in the Suzhou gardens. Source: rudiuk / Adobe Stock

15 July, 2022 - 22:54 Lex Leigh

The Classical Gardens of Suzhou: A Sight to Behold

Some of the most beautiful sights to see in China are the classical Suzhou gardens. Suzhou, located in Jiangsu province in eastern China, is known as the home of these gardens, which are often called...

Firewalking over hot coals. Source: Tatyana / Adobe Stock

8 July, 2022 - 18:56 Lex Leigh

Hot Trot: The Fascinating Ancient Practice of Firewalking

If you’ve ever seen firewalking in person or online, you may have been amazed by the control and skill of individuals performing such a risky act. Since ancient times, the ability to walk barefoot...

Karnak temple in the ancient Egyptian city of Thebes. Source: Calin Stan / Adobe Stock

7 July, 2022 - 18:58 Lex Leigh

The Ten Essential Ancient Egyptian Cities: Relics of Egypt’s Storied Past

The various civilizations which developed within ancient Egypt were some of the most technologically advanced and beautiful of their time, giving birth to some of the greatest cities the world has...

Body odor has been around for as long as we have been and early on civilizations from Egypt to Greece and Europe developed things to keep us smelling clean. Source: Andrey Popov / Adobe Stock

5 July, 2022 - 22:59 Lex Leigh

What’s That Smell? Body Odor Through the Ages!

Consider your home bathroom: you probably have a lot of toiletries in there, such as soap, deodorant, and perfume. In today’s age, these items are associated with cleanliness and health. But were...

Coffee beans next to a skull. Source: karnstocks / Adobe Stock

1 July, 2022 - 15:00 Lex Leigh

When Sweden’s King Ordered a Clinical Trial of Coffee on Prisoners

Between Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks, coffee is everywhere. If you’re a coffee lover, you may have wondered about how coffee came to be throughout history. In early times, however, some people...

The history of true crime consumption can be traced all the way back to the early 1500s. Source: Sved Oliver/ Adobe Stock

21 June, 2022 - 01:48 Lex Leigh

Morbid Fascination: The Birth of the True Crime Genre

For many true crime junkies, podcasts are the way to go to get your next fix. But before podcasts and streaming documentaries, what did people do to get their true crime docs? When did true crime...

In the famous Eighty Years' War or Dutch War of Independence, ice skates played a crucial role in the final outcome between Spain and the Netherlands that also led to the end of the notorious Spanish Inquisition. Blades of ice skates, made by the German company "Kondor," from about 1890. Source: Christos Vittoratos / CC BY-SA 4.0

11 June, 2022 - 14:46 Lex Leigh

Battles on Ice Skates in the 1500s: The Dutch Against The Spanish!

When you think of Spain, you don’t normally think of ice skates. Yet, that’s exactly what the King of Spain wanted back in 1572. And it wasn’t just a single pair; the king specifically requested 7,...

Detail of an etching of Manetto, who was pranked by Filippo Brunelleschi, from The Fat Woodworker. Source: Public domain

10 June, 2022 - 18:44 Lex Leigh

Filippo Brunelleschi and his Remarkable Renaissance Prank

Everyone loves a good, harmless prank. This was especially true for Filippo Brunelleschi, a Florentine man who famously got back at his friend for having failed to show up at a dinner party in...

The concept of meditating in nature is based in beliefs in animism. Source: ittipol / Adobe Stock

7 June, 2022 - 22:59 Lex Leigh

The Meaning of Animism: Philosophy, Religion and Being Alive

In some cultures, life and sentience are believed to exist for only certain beings, such as humans, animals, and plants. In other belief systems, however, places and objects are also believed to have...

Researchers generated a virtual sequence to unfold a sealed letter protected via letterlocking. Source: Unlocking History Research Group / CC BY 4.0

26 May, 2022 - 18:56 Lex Leigh

Securing Ancient Secrets: The Fascinating History of Letterlocking

Communication through written word existed long before the days of text messages and DMs, and even then some kind of security was needed to protect people’s secrets. When we think of a handwritten...

Charcoal drawings from the Chauvet Cave in France, fabulous examples of artwork created by the Aurignacians. (Claude Valette / CC BY-SA 4.0)

22 May, 2022 - 18:58 Lex Leigh

Aurignacians: The First Artistic Culture?

Since the evolution of Homo sapiens approximately 1.8 million years ago, humans have advanced in many aspects of life, especially art. According to historians, the earliest record of humans engaging...

Amphora dating to circa 540 BC made in Attica, Greece, depicting bees from ancient Greek mythology. Source: The British Museum / CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

19 May, 2022 - 18:53 Lex Leigh

Getting Buzzed: The History of Hallucinogenic Mad Honey

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,...

Pages