Kytor Industries has just released a SCART brace for the RetroTINK 4K scaler. that utilizes the RT4K’s screw terminals to secure it in place.  At $12 plus shipping‚ I’d say this is a must-have for anyone who wants to integrate their RT4K into their setup and never have to worry about your SCART cable backing […]

We don’t know her name‚ or how she died. Despite this‚ a medieval mother unearthed in Imola‚ Italy‚ was able to give us some fascinating information on life and pregnancy in ancient times.  Her bones tell a tragic story of a young life and a pregnancy cut short. The skeleton of the woman was found with a second skeleton‚ the remains of a fetus‚ between her legs. There was also a coin-sized hole in her skull.  The minuscule bones were that of her unborn child‚ expelled from her body after her death. This is due to a gruesome phenomenon known as coffin birth. The skull hole is the result of a medieval medical procedure called trepanation.  Trepanation is interesting in its own right‚ but today‚ we’ll be focusing on coffin birth and the sad circumstances that can lead to this post-mortem event.  The remains of a coffin birth seen in medieval grave. The Smithsonian Coffin Birth‚ or Postmortem Fetal Extrusion  Despite how it presents itself‚ the term coffin birth might be a misnomer for what truly happens during postmortem fetal extrusion. Coffin birth is not truly birth in the most technical sense. Instead‚ it results from the build-up of gasses within the abdomen of the deceased mother. It forces the uterus‚ and also the fetus if one is present‚ from the body.  After death‚ a body will begin to decompose‚ aided by bacteria in the abdominal cavity. These bacteria are naturally occurring. As they work to decompose the body‚ the by-product of said decomposition is gas. Meanwhile‚ soft tissues‚ organs‚ and other parts of the body are softening and putrefying.  If the deceased happens to be a pregnant mother‚ this buildup of gasses causes extreme pressure to be put on the uterus and it can be forced downwards through the body. In rare cases‚ the uterus will be turned inside out and forced out of the body. The sad phenomenon of coffin birth occurs when the inside-out uterus is forced from the body while also containing a fetus. Outwardly‚ this may appear similar to childbirth‚ but the mechanisms behind it are totally different.  With regular birth‚ the body prepares by thinning and widening the cervix. In the case of coffin birth‚ the expulsion is the result of the decomposition. The History of Coffin Birth Postmortem fetal extrusion was first documented in a medical compendium published in 1896. The compendium‚ Anomalies and Curiosities of Medicine‚ offered multiple examples of coffin birth dating back to 1551.  This first case was particularly ghastly. A woman who had been hanged had been observed to “give birth” to twins while still tied to the gallows.  Other examples of the postmortem fetal expulsion phenomenon are: Brussels‚ Belgium‚ 1633: A woman’s body expels a fetus 3 days after dying from seizure complications. Weissenfels‚ Germany‚  1861: Sixty hours after death‚ a woman’s body is observed to have expelled a fetus.  Hamburg Germany‚ 2005: A rare example of a postmortem fetal expulsion was observed when the body of a 34-year-old woman was found in her apartment after being dead for some time. She was 8 months pregnant‚ and when discovered‚ the head of the fetus was present outside of the vaginal canal. By the time the autopsy began‚ the entire head and the shoulders were visible. This was the first modern record of a coffin birth. Panama‚ 2008: A 38-year-old woman was found murdered four days after her disappearance. She had been 7 months pregnant at the time of the homicide‚ and upon examination the remains of the fetus were found in her underwear‚ still attached to the placenta which had not yet been expelled.  Coffin Birth in Archeology  With the extremely rare modern examples of coffin birth‚ the state of the remains often makes it easy to identify when the expulsion has occurred. This is much harder to do with remains that have been skeletonized‚ like the mother that we mentioned at the beginning of the article.  There are many examples of mothers being buried with their infant children. So the presence of fetal remains with the mother is not conclusive of a coffin birth. The much more likely scenario is that the deceased child was placed on the mother’s chest‚ in her arms‚ or beside her before burial.  A few cases of ancient coffin birth have been all but confirmed‚ though. Archaeologists look for the fetal remains to be lined up with the pelvic bones of the mother. This would indicate that the fetus was in the birth canal during or after the death of the mother.  The Mother in Imola‚ Italy  The body of the mother in Italy fits these qualifications and therefore is considered an example of coffin birth in archeology. Archeologists were also interested in the trepanation hole in the woman’s head. A hypothesis was formed that might explain both the trepanation and the coffin birth.  Trepanation was used to relieve symptoms occurring in the head‚ such as headaches‚ migraines‚ and other illnesses caused by intracranial pressure. One such disorder is called eclampsia‚ and it causes hypertension during pregnancy. This hypertension could have caused terrible physical pain‚ requiring doctors to perform the trepanation surgery to relieve the pressure on the woman’s head.  A view of the hole that was found drilled into the skull. Pasini et al./World Neurosurgery It is unlikely that the trepanation itself was the cause of death since there was evidence of some healing around the hole at the time of the skeleton’s discovery. Infection‚ or simply the eclampsia (which would have not been fixable via trepanation) might have killed the woman about a week later. This would have occurred while she was only two weeks away from reaching full-term in her pregnancy.  All of these variables combined may be a strangely perfect setup for a postmortem fetal expulsion. The remains of the fetus were found with the legs still positioned as if they were inside of the mother. This further cements the claim that her grave was an example of the extraordinarily rare phenomenon.  So while her death was tragic‚ and quite possibly agonizing for the poor woman at the time‚ her remains have enlightened scientists on not one‚ but two extraordinarily rare medical events. References  “Rare Case of ‘Coffin Birth’ Seen in Medieval Grave” https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rare-case-coffin-birth-seen-medieval-grave-180968612/ “Post mortem fetal extrusion: Analysis of a coffin birth case from an Early Medieval cemetery along the Via Francigena in Tuscany (Italy)” https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352409X20302108The post Coffin Birth: A Rare Postmortem Phenomenon first appeared on History Defined.

Arya Stark traveled to discover what was west of Westeros when she should have tried looking for what was far north of the known world. Why? Because it’s supposed to be an idyllic place where suffering doesn’t exist. Unfortunately‚ Hyperborea‚ or the place far north of the known world‚ is as real as Arya Stark and the world of Westeros. Hyperborea is part of Greek mythology and is said to be where the mythical Hyperboreans lived. The name means “beyond Boreas‚” which honors Boreas‚ the god of the North Wind. So‚ what is there to know about Hyperborea? We’ve got ten fantastic details about this mythological paradise. On this 1570 map‚ Hyperborea is shown as an Arctic continent  1. Herodotus is Credited as the First Person to Mention Hyperborea Herodotus was considered the world’s first historian. It was believed that he was born sometime in 484 BCE in Halicarnassus‚ Ionia‚ currently known as Bodrum‚ Turkey.  He wrote the first historical narrative of the ancient world‚ aptly called The Histories. It was also in that book that Herodotus mentions Hyperborea‚ the first written reference to the place.  In Book IV of Histories‚ between chapters 32 and 36‚ Herodotus talked about Hyperboreans based on research from earlier sources‚ including the great Greek poets Hesiod‚ Homer‚ and Aristeas. All three of them have mentioned Hyperboreans in their work.  2. Hyperborea May Have Been a Mythological Place‚ but Many Knew Where it Was ‘Located’ Where in the world was Hyperborea? Different writers have different pictures of where Hyperborea was‚ but they all believe in the same thing: It was somewhere north.  Over the years‚ after the lost work of Aristeas‚ Hesiod‚ and Homer about Hyperborea‚ many other writers wrote about this mystical place.  Homer‚ for example‚ said the Boreas originated in Thrace. This would mean that Hyperborea was in the north of Thrace in Dacia‚ modern-day Romania. Tragedian playwrights Sophocles and Aeschylus and other Greek poets‚ Simonides of Ceos and Callimachus‚ also had the same place in mind.  Greek historian and geographer Hecataeus of Miletus believed that Boreas lived in the Riphean Mountains adjacent to the Black Sea. Greek poet Pindar put the location near the Danube. Greek Philosopher Heraclides Ponticus suggested that Hyperboreans lived beyond the Alps. While famous Greek philosopher Aristotle said the place was further north of the borders of Scythia.  More writers have had their own interpretation of where Hyperborea was located. Based on various writings‚ the online learning platform Study.com placed Hyperborea somewhere in Central Europe‚ Britain‚ or Northern Russia.  3. Hyperborea is Said to be Impassable Aside from the noted strong Hyperboreans‚ the place itself was said to be impassable.  People who intended to visit Hyperborea needed to pass through the Riphean Mountains. This was a mountain range believed to be the boundary between the known world and beyond. The mountains were supposed to be brutal to travel through because of the strong winds and heavy snow. Riphean Mountains roughly translate to “wind gust” in Ancient Greek. Not only that‚ but there were cannibal tribes in surrounding valleys while the high mountain passes had scary griffins milling about. The river Oceanus was also hard to navigate‚ which served as a natural defense for Hyperboreans.  But if you successfully reached Hyperborea‚ you would enjoy endless spring and eternal light.  4. Hyperboreans Were Strong and Blessed Hyperboreans were described as strong and happy people. Hyperborea is considered terra incognitae‚ or an unmapped place by the Greeks and Romans. A territory once attempted to conquer Hyperborea but backed out upon realizing that Hyperboreans were too strong and blessed.  5. Hyperboreans Lived at least 1‚000 Years  Strength and happiness will make you live a long life. In Hyperborea‚ a long life could reach 1‚000 years.  According to the myth‚ if some Hyperboreans didn’t wish to live that long‚ they only needed to deck themself with garlands and jump from their rocky mountains to the sea.  6. Hyperboreans Worshiped Apollo and Artemis The mythical residents of Hyperborea worshipped the divine twins Apollo and Artemis. They would often find themselves in Delphi and Delos to worship the gods‚ who were often at odds with each other.  Apollo at Delphi The temple of Apollo‚ sometimes referred to as Apollonion‚ is located at Delphi in Central Greece. It was built to honor the god of archery‚ music‚ arts‚ and healing. It was believed to be built in the 4th century BCE. It became a famous Greek religious and pilgrimage site in the 8th century BCE.  The Temple of Apollo in Delphi Hyperboreans venerated Apollo because once a year‚ the god‚ who is often referred to as the personification of the sun‚ would leave Hellas for Hyperborea. It would be dark in Hellas when Apollo was away.  Ancient Greek Pindar wrote about this visit in his First Pythian Ode: (translated) “Yet neither ship nor marching feet may find the wondrous way to the gatherings of the Hyperborean people. Yet was it with these that Perseus the warrior chief once feasted‚ entering their homes‚ and chanced upon their sacrifices unto the god‚ those famous offerings of hecatombs of asses; for in their banquets and rich praise Apollon greatly delights‚ and laughs to see the rampant lewdness of those brutish beasts.” Pindar‚ First Pythian Ode Artemis at Delos Hyperboreans also worshipped Artemis in Delos‚ the birthplace of the twin gods. Artemis is the goddess of hunting‚ wild animals‚ and children.  Artemis had a large retinue of attendants‚ including Hyperborean maidens. The goddess is said to be protective of her people. She once shot the giant Orion for forcing himself on one Hyberborean virgin‚ Oupis‚ who was one of Artemis’ attendants. Other written Hyperboreans that surround Artemis were Arge and Opis.  Legend has it that the Hyperborean maidens were once delivered to Delos as offerings‚ but they were often dead upon arrival. To prevent such a tragedy‚ the maidens were wrapped in wheat straw and were handed from one nation to another until they had reached their destination of Delos.  7. Scandinavians Believe They are Descendants of Hyperboreans In the modern world‚ when academics describe Hyperboreans‚ Scandinavians find it familiar. They consider Scandinavia Hyperborean land because of the eternally sunny lands in the north. Sometimes‚ residents of the northern region are referred to as Hyperboreans.  Conclusion Did Hyperborea exist? The perfection described in Hyperborea makes it easy to conclude that it is a figment of a person’s imagination passed down from one generation to the next. It has been immortalized through the writings of some of the most famous Greek poets‚ playwrights‚ and philosophers.  However‚ writers from the Common Era usually describe Hyperborea as similar to modern-day England‚ Scandinavia‚ and Siberia. Modern-day literature considers Hyperborea a utopic amalgamation of various European cultures.  Whatever the case‚ Hyperborea doesn’t exist today‚ but many would wish it did so that we could all live in perpetual happiness and blessedness. The post The Land of Hyperborea: 7 Interesting Things To Know first appeared on History Defined.

American crime history is filled with Infamous serial killers like Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer who have become household names. They have inspired TV shows‚ movies‚ and podcasts.  Traditionally‚ the realm of serial murders has been dominated by male perpetrators. Female serial killers are a rare breed‚ but when their stories emerge‚ they captivate and intrigue us. Aileen smiles during her trial Serial Murders on Florida’s Highways‚ 1989-1990 In the fall of 1989‚ police discovered the body of Richard Mallory several miles away from his abandoned car. He had been shot multiple times and dumped near Interstate 75 in central Florida.  This was the first of a series of seven murders that spanned from 1989 to 1990. All of the victims were middle-aged white men‚ all shot multiple times‚ and their cars stolen. Police were baffled.  They had a serial killer on the loose but who could have done something like this? The Making of a Serial Killer Aileen Wuornos had a tumultuous upbringing marked by tragedy and instability. Born in 1956 in Rochester‚ Michigan‚ her early years were marred by her father’s conviction for child molestation and subsequent suicide in prison.  Wuornos’ mother abandoned her and her brother‚ leaving them in the care of their grandparents. Her childhood was plagued by sexual and physical abuse from her alcoholic grandparents and her brother.  At the age of 11‚ Wuornos resorted to exchanging sexual acts for money‚ beer‚ and cigarettes. At 14‚ she gave birth to a child after being raped by a friend of her grandfathers.  By the time Wuornos was 15‚ she was kicked out of her home by her grandfather and forced to live on her own. She began by living in the woods nearby and supported herself by selling her body. By 1976‚ Wuornos had moved to Florida where she met a 69-year-old yacht club president named Lewis Gratz Fell. They fell in love and quickly got married. The marriage was plagued with violence from the start.  Wuornos’ violent behavior quickly became apparent. She even beat Fell with his own cane. Within a few weeks of being married‚ Fell took out a restraining order against his new wife. Wuornos went back to Michigan in 1976 but her pattern of violence only continued. She was arrested at Bernie’s Club in Antrim County for assaulting a bartender with a cue ball.  In 1978‚ at 22 years old‚ Wuornos attempted suicide by shooting herself in the stomach‚ her sixth suicide attempt. Her criminal activity continued with a string of offenses‚ from an armed robbery in 1981 to arrests for forged checks‚ theft of a revolver‚ car theft‚ and resisting arrest.  Her relationship with Tyria Moore‚ a local hotel maid‚ began in 1986. They met in a gay bar in Daytona Beach and quickly moved in together. Wuornos continued to support her and Moore through money earned through prostitution.  Notorious Killings Between 1989 and 1990‚ Wuornos began her infamous killing spree. Within just 12 months she took the lives of seven middle-aged men. All of them were motorists that were soliciting her for sex‚ but got much more than they paid for.  Richard Mallory‚ a 51-year-old electronics store owner‚ was her first victim. He was found shot multiple times in Volusia County‚ Florida.  David Spears‚ a 43-year-old construction worker‚ was also found with fatal gunshot wounds in Citrus County.  Wuornos’s third victim‚ Charles Carskaddon‚ was found in Pasco County‚ Florida‚ shot nine times and wrapped in an electric blanket.  Peter Siems‚ age 65‚ was the fourth victim; his body was never recovered‚ but his car was discovered abandoned in Orange Springs. Troy Burress‚ a 50-year-old sausage salesman‚ was Wuornos’s fifth victim‚ found deceased in Marion County.  Charles Humphreys‚ a retired U.S. Air Force major‚ met a similar tragic fate‚ discovered dead in Marion County‚ Florida.  The final known victim‚ Walter Antonio‚ was found shot to death in Dixie County. Each victim was a middle-aged man between the ages of 40 and 65. Wuornos later confessed that she lured these men under the guise of offering sexual services before killing them. Their stolen vehicles were often found abandoned and robbed of their belongings. The Arrest of Aileen Wuornos The gruesome crimes and the mounting number of victims began to raise concern within the local community. Law enforcement agencies were actively searching for a suspect but so far‚ they didn’t have many leads.  As the investigation went on‚ the belongings of the victims began appearing in local pawn shops. This allowed the police to concentrate their efforts around a certain area‚ Central Florida.  Aileen Wuornos’ luck took a turn on Independence Day‚ 1990. After getting into a car accident with Peter Siems’ stolen car‚ Aileen and Tyria Moore abandoned the car.  A witness to the accident told the police she saw two women fleeing the vehicle. Police now had a description of the suspect but they still couldn’t pin down the perpetrator.  The big breakthrough came when Wuornos’ fingerprint was found on a receipt at one of the local pawn shops. This matched a fingerprint found in Peter Siems’ car.  Since Wuornos was already in the Florida police database‚ it didn’t take long for them to identify her. Aileen Wuornos was eventually located and arrested at a biker bar in Port Orange‚ Florida.  Aileen Wuornos mugshot Trial and Execution Aileen Wuornos’ defense centered on claims of self-defense. She asserted that the men tried to threaten and rape her. Throughout the trial‚ Aileen Wuornos presented several conflicting narratives about the killings. At first‚ she asserted that all seven men had either raped or attempted to rape her. However‚ she later retracted the self-defense claim and admitted robbery and leaving no witnesses was the prime motivator for the murders.  Aileen Wuornos was sentenced to death in 2002 for the murder of Richard Mallory. Despite her legal team’s assertions of self-defense‚ the court upheld her conviction and death sentence. She was executed by lethal injection on October 9‚ 2002.  Psychological and Emotional Profile The case of Aileen Wuornos has baffled and fascinated experts since her infamous crime spree. Most experts believe her history of sexual abuse and abandonment as a child contributed to her psychological trauma.  Others suggest she might have faced underlying mental health issues that were exacerbated by her abusive childhood and impacted her emotional and psychological development‚ such as: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Wuornos’s experiences‚ including alleged abuse and a tumultuous upbringing‚ could have led to PTSD. The enduring impact of these traumatic events might have triggered symptoms such as hypervigilance‚ flashbacks‚ and emotional reactivity. Borderline Personality Disorder: Her documented emotional outbursts‚ history of unstable relationships‚ and impulsive behavior hint at traits consistent with borderline personality disorder.  Depression: Wuornos’s numerous suicide attempts and abusive upbringing hint at potential depression or profound emotional distress.  These underlying emotional disorders could have played a large role in shaping her perception of her encounters with men and led to violent altercations.  Due to the limitations of available information‚ a comprehensive understanding of her psychological and emotional state remains a subject of debate and speculation within the expert community. The Intersection of Gender and Crime Aileen Wuornos occupies a distinctive place in the annals of criminal history. As one of the few female serial killers in history‚ her story shatters the previous notion of serial killers being predominantly male.  Her case prompted a deeper exploration and understanding of how past traumas combined with underlying psychological conditions can play a role in identifying criminal behavior before it’s too late.  The discrepancy between societal expectations of women and their involvement in violent crime has been a focal point. Her case has triggered debates about the way society perceives women serial killers versus their male counterparts.  Her case challenged the conventional understanding of women’s roles in violent acts. It prompted reconsideration of gender-specific attitudes within the criminal justice system. Portrayals in Media and Popular Culture Wuornos’s life and incredible story have been depicted in various films and documentaries. Most notably‚ the movie “Monster” featuring Charlize Theron showcased a dramatized version of her life and crimes.  Documentaries‚ such as “Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer‚” explore the complexities of her story through interviews and archival footage. It offers further insights into her life and motivations. The public’s growing fascination with true crime stories and serial killers brings up ethical debates about sensationalism and glorifying the acts of criminals instead of condemning them. Aileen Wuornos’s rare stature as a female serial killer is no exception.  The glorification of her and other serial murderers leads to blanket terms such as “monster”‚ “evil”‚ or “sociopath” that generalize their behavior. It ignores the many complex psychological issues that lead to the crimes in question.  Legacy and Impact Wuornos’s story has left a significant imprint on the true crime genre. Her rare status as a female serial killer and the complexities of her troubled life have made her story a subject of ongoing fascination.  Wuornos’s troubled past and psychological issues have raised questions about the intersections between mental health and criminal behavior. Her case serves as a case study for examining the complexities of trauma‚ abuse‚ and their potential links to criminal behavior. References The Case of Aileen Wuornos – The Facts https://capitalpunishmentincontext.org/node/77455 Serial killer Aileen Wuornos horrifying final words and haunting vow before she was executed https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/us-news/serial-killer-aileen-wuornos-horrifying-31343894 Aileen Wuornos https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aileen_Wuornos#The post Female Serial Killer‚ Aileen Wuornos: Making of a Monster first appeared on History Defined.

Self Assembly Nanotech‚ Live Blood‚ Inhalation Solutions Micro Robots‚ What The HELL? Dr Ana Mihalcea discuss this and more tonight at 10 pm ET. DiamondandSilk.com Diamond and Silk Chit Chat… The post WATCH: Self Assembly Nanotech‚ Live Blood‚ Inhalation Micro Robots! Dr. Ana Mihalcea 12/07/23 first appeared on Right Side Broadcasting Network (RSBN).

Photo: Alamy The House Ways and Means Committee stated on Thursday that “new evidence” from a recent IRS whistleblower hearing allegedly supports claims against President Joe Biden and Hunter Biden’s… The post Report: Oversight Committee finds Biden’s family business ‘completely outside the bounds’ in new investigation hearing first appeared on Right Side Broadcasting Network (RSBN).

Photo: Alamy Owen Shroyer‚ a Jan. 6 prisoner and Infowars host‚ has been released from prison following a 60-day jail sentence in September of this year. He announced the news… The post Jan. 6 prisoner and ‘Infowars’ host ‘finally out of prison’ first appeared on Right Side Broadcasting Network (RSBN).

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