Offbeat Humor

 

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Data Talks

In 2014, the eco-worried Guardian wrote the obituary of the Great Barrier Reef

Last three years, the Great Barrier Reef has been better than ever since records started in 1986

Moral: Don't believe all scare stories https://t.co/7NtRyC5MV0

Threads&refs: https://t.co/MvOuXaLH8b pic.twitter.com/9Oi4txcr9o

— Bjorn Lomborg (@BjornLomborg) July 8, 2024

 

Landscape with Apple Tree, circa 1890 by Levi Wells Prentice (American, 1851–1935)

Landscape with Apple Tree, circa 1890 by Levi Wells Prentice (American, 1851–1935) 

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History

#TilesOnTuesday! Hoof marks of lambs or kids on a tile found in Pfongau/Austria
Tiles with imprints can be found all across the Roman empire because tiles were laid out to dry in the open air ahead of firing, where animals could step on them.
📷 Museum Salzburg#RomanArchaeology pic.twitter.com/WtBoy33s0Z

— Nina Willburger (@DrNWillburger) July 9, 2024

 

An Insight

Between 2004 and 2014, nine American states implemented strict voter ID laws.

Voter turnout was not affected. pic.twitter.com/VTRQvcPZp6

— Crémieux (@cremieuxrecueil) July 8, 2024

 

I see wonderful things

Earth's rotation visualized in a stunning timelapse that follows a fixed point in the sky.

📽: Martin Giraud pic.twitter.com/JG0IcOxWvO

— Wonder of Science (@wonderofscience) July 8, 2024

 

Offbeat Humor

«The Black Hole» is an international prize winner short film that offers a portrait of temptation and greed from a genuinely sci-fi point of view.

[🎞️ Olly Williams and Phil Sansom]pic.twitter.com/RlNXaJOB5f

— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) July 9, 2024

 

Data Talks

"A recent survey across 43 traditional societies revealed that a mother's death before her baby reached age two almost always proved catastrophic...in half the societies, whether or not the father was present had no detectable effect on infant survival." https://t.co/SUb0yDFTdH pic.twitter.com/mZ3Ka04Zsn

— Rob Henderson (@robkhenderson) July 8, 2024

 

Portrait of a Woman, 1620 by Artemisia Gentileschi

Portrait of a Woman, 1620 by Artemisia Gentileschi

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15% of state revenues to keep the citizens of Rome fed with free or cheap food

Grain dole amounted to 100,000 tons yearly, "more than 15% of the state revenues" were spent on it. pic.twitter.com/eOCGhCU35j

— LiorLefineder (@lefineder) August 13, 2024

The source material is Money and Prices in the Early Roman Empire by David Kessler and Peter Temin.  

The Imperial Metropole is always glorious and always depends on extracting surplus from the rest of the empire.

And regardless of the imperial city, always and everywhere it seems, governments end up spending an inordinate portion of their budget essentially as a bribe to keep the lower classes from getting too restive.