Easter Island has long been a poster boy for Malthusians. Like other Polynesian so-called “Future Eaters”, the Rapanui people are argued to have settled and then become stranded on the remote island, where they quickly ate themselves out of house and home. When European explorers discovered the island, it
The fascination with Cleopatra, Egypt’s penultimate pharaoh, has endured for over 2000 years. Her magic seems unlikely to fade away soon. The Queen of the Nile entranced the most powerful men of her day. Today, she inspires as heated arguments as she did when Julius Caesar fell under her
The culinary dish paella finds its origins in the Valencia region of the Iberian peninsula known today as Espania or Spain. Round rice, the principal ingredient of paella, was introduced to “Spain” in the eighth century CE by the Moors after their invasion and conquest of Iberia. The Arabs and
Jacinda Ardern might want to bring the wedding day forward, stat. New Zealand’s fairy princess is in dire threat of her media white horses turning into rats. After years of fawning adulation, even the bought-and-paid-for New Zealand media are starting to whisper that Cinderella’s ball
We are rapidly descending into a maelstrom of violent race-hate. Not, as the left would have you imagine, a world where white supremacists are waiting around every corner, and leaving nooses on garage doors and building sites. No one would deny that white supremacists indeed exist – but they are
Sir Bob Jones nopunchespulled.com Try and imagine the carry-on in Britain if its government announced special privileges for the original Anglo-Saxon and Celt citizens. Nearly 40% of today’s Brits are of non-traditional ethnicity. Take those of Indian ethnicity. They have the highest educational standards of
It’s a symbol we see every day, in almost every context imaginable. It’s used in computer coding, emojis, artwork, even pop stars’ names. But most often we see it used to indicate currency. I’m talking, of course, of the dollar: or at least, the “dollar sign”. For
As part of our drive to keep our comment section the best in New Zealand we showcase each week an example of a top-notch comment that adds value to The BFD. Today’s comment was written by George Thank you George for taking the time to craft such an
Dr Muriel Newman nzcpr.com New Zealanders want to be united by the things that we have in common, not divided by our differences. Next week is the 40th anniversary of the 1981 South African Springbok tour of New Zealand. The anniversary is a poignant reminder of an event that
Few historical crimes have had such enduring fascination as the Ripper murders. The mutilation-killings of five lower-class women in London’s Whitechapel slums in 1888 caused an immediate sensation – one which has barely faded after 133 years. “Jack the Ripper” is the subject of dozens of films and
Some time back, The BFD reported on recent archaeological research on Britain’s Cerne Abbas Giant. The Giant is one of the most famous example of a geoglyph, massive figures carved into the chalk hillsides of southern England. As recent studies indicate, the Giant is much older than supposed. Previously,
What was the cost of living like, for an average Roman? This is one of the intriguing kinds of questions of history that are often almost impossible to answer. By and large, historical records are almost exclusively concerned with the doings of kings, queens, generals and the literate upper classes
There are a variety of different pasta sauces that have come out of Italy. Most are products of the twentieth century with wealth being created by industrialisation and the knock-on effect to a burgeoning middle class. Restaurants and eateries exploded and started competing and striving for excellence, offering something
We’re all familiar with the First Law of the Shed: never throw anything out — it might come in handy, one day. Science is a lot like a shed: you never know when some old, apparently useless thing will come in handy. In forensic science, for instance, evidence collected decades,
Is the “Stolen Generations” the biggest lie in Australian history? No-one seriously disputes the fact that many, many Aboriginal children were removed from their families in the middle decades of the 20th century. But, were they really “stolen”? Was it a deliberate policy of genocide? After all, a generation
