A Drunken Astronomer, a 2,500-Year-Old Brewer, and a Lost City Older Than Machu Picchu
This week we are examining if polygraph (aka lie detector) tests really work, testing a Bronze Age drink that really should be made today, an astronomer whose name you may not know, and much more!
The drunken astronomer who changed the way we view the universe
You may have never heard of Tycho Braga , but you should have heard. If you’ve heard of Johannes Kepler , you should at least know about the man who inspired him, or the man who measured and observed the stars with more precision than his contemporaries, and this DNews profile permeates the entire life – and death – of one of the greatest unnoticed astronomers in history.
Brahe’s life was as interesting as his passion for science, given that he fought duels over math (and more appropriately for honor) and how he died was sad but. .. well, according to his “party stubbornness, stubborn science.” “lifestyle. Watch the full video to find out more. [ via DNews ]
An ancient lost city in Colombia, 650 years older than Machu Picchu
The always fun guys at Atlas Obscura manage to find some of the most intriguing places around the world to visit, and this visual guide to Ciudad Perdida, also known as The Lost City, is no exception. It is a reminder of how little we still know about the ancient Mesoamerican civilizations before colonialism, and how much remains to be learned about their technologies, communities, and worldview. Some of the basics of the city:
Perhaps the most notable thing about Ciudad Perdida is the fact that it was built around 650 years before Machu Picchu, around 800 AD. Although only a small portion of the site has been excavated, the city is an impressive engineering structure built along a steep ridge nearly a mile above sea level. An intricate network of stone bridges and drainage systems have supported the city throughout the test of time.
The site is believed to have been the seat of power for the Kingdom of Tyrone, which stretched across the Sierra Nevada and the northern region of Colombia. A testament to the stability of the society that built it, the Lost City was continuously inhabited from its construction to its abandonment, which probably took place in the 16th century when the Spanish conquistadors arrived. During this period of contact and conflict, part of the Tayrona people moved further into the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, allowing them to escape the worst of Spanish colonialism of the 17th and 18th centuries.
The entire guide is exceptional and full of photographs to illustrate the beauty of this ancient city overgrown with grass, moss, streams, vines and more. Check it out. [ via Atlas Obscura ]
Do polygraph (lie detector) tests really work?
Well, the short answer is no. Science has never really challenged the fact that lie detectors or polygraphs don’t actually work and cannot reliably tell you when someone is lying, but that doesn’t stop them from being rampant in the intelligence community and during the daytime. the television. These are the only two places where you actually find them in use, and you don’t need to pay much attention to either of them to make sure they are not overly effective anyway (trust me, I know).
Priceonomics has great explanations of the history of polygraph testing, how they have been used and abused, and their best use – as an interrogation tool, not as a lie detection tool. It’s a subtle difference, but important, especially for the intelligence community:
The question of whether polygraphs can detect lies is an open and closed case.
There has been relatively little scientific research on the polygraph, and the National Research Council study from 2002 is the most comprehensive to date. At the request of the US Department of Energy to conduct a polygraph investigation, the NRC reviewed all previously published scientific research and related data.
Ultimately, the NRC concluded that for people “… unprepared for countermeasures, polygraph tests can distinguish false from truth at a rate much higher than ideal, albeit below ideal.”
But the study also concluded that “… truthful members of socially stigmatized groups and truthful test subjects who are considered guilty or have a high likelihood of being guilty may exhibit emotional and physiological responses in polygraph test situations that mimic the responses expected from misleading persons. “
Quite frankly, the polygraph can be an effective interrogation tool in the hands of the right examiner, but there is a real danger that the test will give “false positives” (misclassifying innocent people). And minorities who face preconceived notions about their guilt are especially likely to get nervous during a polygraph and fail the test.
The NRC also found that when it came to screening intelligence officers, “the accuracy of the polygraph in distinguishing actual or potential security intruders from innocent test takers is not sufficient to justify its use in security screening of employees at federal agencies.”
Therefore, intelligence agencies run the risk of receiving “false negative results” (inability to detect enemy spies), which makes the polygraph a potential threat to the state, as officials can develop a false sense of security.
As a person who has passed a polygraph test, I can confirm this anecdotally, but fortunately, I do not need it – the data confirms my experience. Still, it’s all worth reading – including the story of a man who went to jail for failing a polygraph test, and the reasons why polygraph test results are no longer taken to court. [ via Priceonomics ]
2,500-year-old decoction brought back from the dead
NPR’s blog The Salt has this amazing story of a Bronze Age beer made from barley, honey, mint, yeast and meadowsweet – something you won’t find on store shelves, but instead recreated from the contents of a bronze cauldron. found in a cemetery on the territory of modern Germany. They note:
Sifting through the remains of an Iron Age burial dating from 400-450 AD. BC. in what is now Germany, Bettina Arnold , an archaeologist and anthropologist at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and others have discovered a cauldron containing the remains of brewed alcohol. and buried with the deceased.
… Besides yeast, there are really only four ingredients in beer: barley, honey, mint and meadowsweet. It took seven hours to prepare the brew, and another two weeks to ferment it.
I had to drink the final product. The result was smooth and pleasant – almost like dry port, but with a mint herbal undertone. It was also an alcoholic beverage.
Alas, this old recipe will not be found on the shelves of beer stores in the near future. While it is definitely drinkable and “very cool in taste … I don’t think people would be interested in buying it to drink,” says Chris Ranson of Lakefront Brewery.
“But it was a really fun experiment,” adds Ranson.
I don’t know, it looks like it would be fun to drink, I would definitely try it! [ via The Salt ]
Still I get up
Maya Angelou recites her classic poem Still I Rise , originally published in 1978 and included in her third poetry anthology Still I Rise . I thought we might all need something a little reassuring. Have a nice week. [ Thank you Mrs. Swiss ! ]
Everyone this week! If you have thought-provoking stories, interesting podcasts, eye-opening videos, or anything else that you think is perfect for Brain Buffet, share it with us! Email me , leave it as a comment below, or send it in any way convenient for you.