Crystal Balls Make Scientists Doubt This Leonardo da Vinci's Work

People photographed Salvator Mundi's painting that was on display. This painting is doubtful because the crystal ball brought by Jesus Christ does not deflect light.(Jerome Favre/EPA)

Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece invites intellectual debate because it is thought to give rise to a bizarre puzzle.
Salvator Mundi (World Savior) will be auctioned at Christie, New York, with an estimated price of 100 million US dollars
n the painting, Jesus Christ is portrayed in Renaissance attire and is blessing the world with His right hand. While his left hand holds a crystal ball.

Well, the debate is a study conducted by writer Leonardo da Vinci: the Biography, Walter Isaacson.
In his explanation, as The Guardian reported, Isaacson wondered why a Da Vinci known as a painter, scientist, inventor, and engineer did not include the scientific elements in his paintings.
Isaacson criticized the portion of the painting showing Jesus holding the crystal ball.
According to him, the mistake made by Da Vinci is that he does not take into account the optical distortion of the crystal ball.
If the lay eye sees through a crystal ball, it should be that both the hand and the line on Jesus' blue cloak seem to turn because of the refraction of light.

However, the painting shows no optical distortion between the hands of Jesus and his cloak.
"Leonardo painted the ball as if the ball was transparent so it did not cause any light," Isaacson said.
This is the irony Isaacson said.
For, in 1506-1513, the moment when Da Vinci completed Salvator Mundi, the artist from Firenze was interested in optical and light studies.
This, as quoted in The Guardian, made some circles begin to doubt the authenticity of the paintings that restored the London National Gallery in 2011.

Frank Zoellner, an expert from the University of Leipzig, Germany, said in 2013 that Salvator Mundi was "the work of Da Vinci's disciple, or perhaps the person who admired him."
British ArtWatch Director Michael Daley said wisely that Salvator Mundi was an empty, flat, can not explain anything, and Jesus' being "cut off haphazardly."
Responding to questions about the authenticity, Christie's Auctioneers say, if Da Vinci follows optical rules, then the background of his paintings should be distorted.
"Da Vinci's painting is known for its mystery and ambiguity," said Christie's official statement.

"In our opinion, he deliberately did not include optical distortion because it would disturb the object behind him," Christie continued.

Read More

The thirteen Inconvenience of the World

1. Abraham Lincoln & John F. Kennedy

Both are among the most beloved presidents of the United States until today. You may have known before that they do have an amazing resemblance. Both Lincoln and Kennedy both have a height of over six feet although both live in different ages, where in Lincoln time, the average height in the United States is not up to six feet.

Both are former members of the military and both suffer from genetic diseases. In fact, both Lincoln and Kennedy died in almost the same way. Kennedy and Lincoln were killed after being shot in the head on Friday, when each sat next to his wife.
There are many more similarities between Kennedy and Lincoln are actually beyond reason.

2. Two Geniuses musician who are neighbors

For lovers of rock and blues music, Jimi Hendrix's name is certainly not foreign. He is often dubbed the "God of Guitar" because of his extraordinary talent in introducing guitar playing techniques. George Handel is also regarded as a genius musician, in which his musical legacy is very influential until this moment.

However, although both are two legendary musicians from different musical genres, both are neighbors. If only George Handel and Jimi Hendrix were not separated in the 2-century period, George Handel and Jimi Hendrix would be neighbors in London, England.
Jimi lives on 23 Brook Street while Handel is next to him, 25 Brook Street.

3. Prediction of Sinking of the Titanic Ship

For 14 years before the Titanic sank after hitting an iceberg in the Atlantic Ocean, Morgan Robertson seemed to have predicted the disaster in a novel he wrote. The title of the Futility novel, or the Wreck of the Titan does not seem to contain only the word "Titan", but another surprising coincidence that judging by its content does not stop there.
The Titan ship, which is a fictional ship in the novel with Titanic in the real world, is equally described as an "unsinkable" vessel-it can not drown. Titan and Titanic also have similarities in the length of the ship, sinking after crashing into the iceberg in the Atlantic Ocean, and countless not long.

4. Victims in a Safety Rope Incident

Safety ropes are often used by workers in construction programs that involve high places. Of course, life can float if the safety rope breaks and makes the workers fall from a height.
The first worker to be victimized in the safety rope incident is J.G. Tierny, who died on December 22, 1922. The last victim to be killed was the son of J.G. Tierny herself, who died thirteen years after her father, on December 22, 1935.

5. Game Predicts the Destruction of the World Trade Center 9/11

The futuristic shooting game titled Deus Ex was released in June 2000 for PC devices. This game takes the location of New York for setting the main location of the plot. Although the depiction of New York city is very detailed and accurate in terms of urban and visual layout in this game, the game developers accidentally forgot to include the World Trade Center.
So to close this error, the narrator in the game explains that the 'absence' of the World Trade Center in the game is because the WTC has been devastated by terrorist attacks.
A year later, precisely on September 11, 2001, the World Trade Center was completely destroyed by terrorist attacks claimed by Al Qaeda.

6. Two Poor Bike Riders

A cyclist in Hamilton, in the Beginning, was killed by a taxi with a passenger in 1974. The following year, on the same road, also a cyclist who was the younger brother of the first victim, was killed by the same taxi, piloted by the same rider, as well with the same passengers

7. Car Accident in Ohio

In 1895 when automobiles were still very rare, there were only 2 cars in the entire state of Ohio, USA. However, in the 88,000-square-mile state, the two cars met and collided. The two cars were destroyed instantly and certainly no longer usable. As a result, in Ohio in 1895, the total number of cars was 0.

8. Edgar Allan Poe and His Predictions

Edgar Allan Poe is a legendary writer. One of his most famous works is The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym. He claims that the novel he wrote is based on a true story. The novel recounts 5 survivors after a ship accident. Four of them were forced to eat a crew named Richard Parker because of starvation in order to survive

Whether inspired from where, in fact there was no such incident in Allan Poe's time when writing the novel. So Allan Poe's acknowledgment of the true story behind his novel got gossip.
However, 46 years later after the novel was written, there was a disaster in which a ship had an accident in the middle of the ocean. The ship's crew was trying to get out of the ship and almost no longer able to survive due to hunger. They then decided to eat someone between them, a crew named Richard Parker.

9. King Umberto I of Italy

King Umberto I had a close relationship with a restaurant owner after learning that they were both born in the same day and city, and their wives had the same name. A few days later, Umberto was very sad after learning that the owner of the restaurant was shot dead. Umberto himself was then killed on the same day.

10. The Beginning of World War I Predicts Finally

The murder of Prince Franz Ferdinand sparked World War I. Franz Ferdinand was murdered in his car. The car has a plate numbered A111118. World War I ended after a truce on 11 November 1918 - 11/11/18.

11. A Very Rare Book

Anthony Hopkins, a legendary US actor is currently filming for his role in The Girl From Petrovka. The movie is based on a novel entitled George Feifer's work.

To explore his role, Hopkins tried to find the novel but did not work out. No more prints available. Incredible coincidence then happens. Hopkins found the novel lying on a park bench. He opens the cover and discovers personal annotations from his own authors.
It turned out that the novel he found was a print of the original author who was stolen shortly before it was discovered.

12. The relationship of Adolf Hitler with Napoleon Bonaparte

Adolf Hitler was born 129 years after Napoleon Bonaparte. Hitler had power 129 years after Napoleon had power. Hitler invaded Russia 129 years after Napoleon did the same. And Hitler's power was overthrown 129 years after Napoleon stepped down from power.

13. Is This The Real Proof of Reincarnation?

In human history, there are many extraordinary similarities between one and another, though there is no blood relation and life in different times. This is evidenced by one phenomenon of similarity between Enzo Ferrari with Mesut Ozil. Is this the real evidence of Reincarnation?

Ferrari founder, Enzo Ferrari, died in 1988. That year also Mesut Ozil, a German footballer born. Reincarnation or just coincidence?

Read More

So Creepy, 10 Most Haunted Churches From Various Parts on The World

1. St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, New York

Staten Island, New York, St. Andrew's Episcopal Church is the most haunted church in the world. That makes the church even more frightening because of the grave that close to the church. Some paranormal say that church is home to the spirits.
The sound of bells and mysterious voices became an entertainment that is often heard by local residents. The church built from the 18th century is often used as a place to celebrate Halloween. People seemed to forget that this church was so scary that it dared to throw a party inside the scary building.

2. Most Holy Trinity - St. Mary, New York

Being a symbol of the city of Brooklyn, the church of Most Holy Trinity is also known by many as one of the most haunted churches in the world. The reformed church of the 1880s had a school building built right on the former graveyard. So, the ghosts who used to haunt the graves have now moved around haunting the school.
Some supernatural activities often occur in this school. the lights suddenly dim, mysterious footprints, and strange noises prove that there are also ghosts in the church. The most famous ghost is the ghost of George Stelz who used to be the one who was in charge of ringing church bells. According to the story, Stelz was murdered sadistically by a group of thieves. Where the blood bundle Stelz left just to decorate the church walls and floors.

3. St. Mary's Church, UK

In Bedfordshire, England, stands a place of worship for Christians. St. Mary's Church, that's the name of this little church. This 400-year-old church is a church that people have left behind. But in the 1840s, this church underwent renovation.
This church may be practically not haunted, but this church used to be used by a group of people to perform black rituals. Where in this ritual requires some human sacrifices. Evident from the grave containing the corpse that mostly are women.

4. St. Nicholas Church, England

St. Nicholas Church is a haunted church residing in England. Many people say that the church is the most sinister church there. The serenity given to the church is because in the church it is known that many ghosts are the inhabitants.
According to locals, it is known there are about 12 ghosts who actively haunt this place of worship. But the most famous are the female ghosts Dering and the woman dressed in red. The ghost of a woman dressed in red is a ghost of a woman who haunts the church in search of her lost baby. In addition there are also the ghosts of former workers and ghost priests.

5. Capel of The Cross, Mississippi

Like most Mississippi churches, the Capel of The Cross church site also stands adjacent to the cemetery. This artistic form of church used to belong to the rich and influential family of the Johnstone's family. Currently the church is located in the former Johnstone plantation.
The spooky story that enveloped this church began in the 1850s. At that time a woman named Helen Johnstone would marry a man. Unfortunately, the man died while dueling with New Orleans before the wedding day. And his body is buried in the church yard. Helen was often seen visiting her grave until finally she died in 1946. Some eyewitnesses said they had seen Helen's ghost in the church's grave .

6. St. Andrew's on The Red, Canada

Done built in 1849 and located in the town of Selkirk, that's about the history of the church named St. Andrew's on The Red. This is the oldest stone church in the West of Canada. And of course this church is known not because of old age but because this church belongs to one of the most haunted churches in the world.
It was in this creepy church that there had been several visions of believers coming from church graves. An eyewitness confessed that he once saw the ghost of a man dressed in black and a mysterious woman dressed in white. And a pair of red eyes also scared some church visitors.

7. St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Florida

Built in the 19th century, St. Paul's Episcopal Church can be found in one of the city's best flower parks in the world, Florida. The church is often damaged because of this natural disaster had experienced some improvement. Back about the haunted church, it is not actually this haunted church but a grave located near a church that is said to have many ghosts waiting.
Spreading folklore tells us that there is one of the most famous ghosts named John Fleming. According to reports circulating, Fleming ghosts are often seen along with white steam. This Fleming ghost is believed to haunt the place because its tombstone has become part of the church wall.

8. St. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans

In accordance with the name of the city where this church stands, St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans is filled with horror stories that can make anyone afraid to hear it. This haunted church was built by a French leader. The unfinished church until the late 1850s kept many ghost stories according to the people around.
One of the famous ghosts of St. Louis Cathedral is the ghost of Pere Dagobert. Pere Dagobert was a pastor who lived in this church in the 18th century. Pere Dagobert was a priest who buried those who were brutally murdered during the Spanish government. Pere Dagobert's successor Pere Antoine is also said to be haunting this church. In addition to these two ghosts, there is a voodoo pastor friend of Antoine named Marie Laveau who also haunts this place of worship.

9. Egg Hill Church, Pennsylvania

Who would have thought behind this beautiful church is a horrible story. This terrible story that finally made many people think this church is a frightening church.
Horror story about this creepy church began in the 19th century. It was a gathering event in the church. Led by a leader, the leader begins to distribute bread and wine to the people present. The poisoned bread and wine quickly kill the people who eat them. The climax is that the leader hangs himself near the altar. The story that spreads until now is that the church leader remains and haunts anyone who dares to enter the church.

10. Old Rock Church. Texas

Old Rock Church Church is an old church located in Texas, United States. It was built in 1986 but the church that was expected to be the gathering place of these churches was lonely in 1917.
Although the church is already quiet, but there are still some "residents" who continue to live the place of worship. The inhabitant is none other than a ghost. Yes, this Old Rock Church church has been known as one of the most horrible and haunted churches in the world. Some of the inhabitants around often hear terrible voices from inside the church and women's voices singing.

Read More

Revealed, The Reason Behind The Ancient Rituals of a Virgin Sacrifice

Ancient Egyptians while throwing a virgin into the Nil river. (Public Domain)

Long time ago, when the hard things happened, it was believed to sacrifice a virgin to the gods was the best solution, to restore prosperity and stability.
Virgin girls are sacrificed in various ways. Some are thrown into the sea, buried alive, or fed to wild animals.
At least that is a practice that is believed to have been done by some cultures in the past.
In addition to prosperity, virgin sacrifice rituals can be performed for a number of reasons, ranging from winning wars, appeasing angry gods, or protecting a building.
According to research conducted so far, the practice appears to be widely recognized. The reason, many cultures that show traces of virgin sacrifice in mythology and text of their beliefs.
Quoted from Ancient Origins, in a legend written by the ancient Greek poet, Homer, Iphigeneia was forced to be sacrificed by his father Agamemnon to appease Artemis. It was done so that the goddess would allow the Greeks to do the Trojan War.In other Greek mythology, the sacrifice of a virgin begins with the story of Queen Cassiopeia, the beautiful wife of King Cepheus. One day, he boasted that his daughter, Andromeda, was far more beautiful than the 50 Nereids, Nereus and Doris's daughters.This made the Poseiden angry. The reason, the ruler of the sea was married to Amphrite, Nereids oldest.The sea monster Poseidon, Cetus, then destroyed the city where Andromeda lived. His efforts in making chaos did not stop until the city was a mess.The only way to stop Cetus is to sacrifice Andromeda to him. King Cepheus then obeyed Poseidon and chained his daughter to a rock, making it a sacrifice, in order to save the area where he lived.

Buried Alive at the Building Foundation

Meanwhile a journal from the 15th century, Yasiitomi-ki, mentions the existence of a practice called 'Hitobashira' or the human pillar. In that practice, the virgins were buried alive at the bottom or near the building. It is believed to protect the building from disaster or enemy attacks.But according to Pliny the Elder, human sacrifice in Ancient Rome was abolished by a senator's decision in 97 BC. Although at that time the practice of human sacrifice was rare, the decision was a symbolic act.Meanwhile in the culture of South Asia, Vedic Purushamedha or human sacrifice, is a pure symbolic act in the earliest records.This is followed by a period of embarrassment for violence. The reason, that period coincides with the rise of Buddhism and Jainism that emphasizes ahimsa or nonviolent action.The period corresponds to the composition of the Chandogya Upanishad (8-6 B.C.) which lists nonviolence as a virtue.

Read More

Original Comic Cover Asterix Sold 1.4 million euros in an Auction in Paris

(Fair Use)

An original illustration of the original comic cover of Asterix, has sold well over 1.4 million euros in an auction in Paris
Quoted from the BBC, Sunday (15/10/2017), the value is seven times higher than the initial estimated price.
The 1964 comic strip, Le Tour de Gaule d'Astérix, was signed by author, Albert Uderzo and Rene Goscinny.

The Drouot auction house said the two signed the illustration and dedicated it to French TV producer and film Pierre Tchernia.
Meanwhile another illustration dedicated to the same man sold almost 1.2 million euros
Taking a time back in 50 BC, the comic tells the story of Asterix and Obelix from Gaul Village (Galia), in their attempt to prevent the Roman invasion with the help of a potion that gives superhuman strength to its drinker.
Hundreds of millions of Asterix's comics have been sold since the series began.
Goscinny died in 1977. Uderzo began to hand control of Asterix to other artists six years ago

Read More

The Shocking Confession of 20th Century Cannibalism

Jeffrey Dahmer. (source Wikimedia Commons)

We often read or hear the story of cannibalism as an event in a place far away in the past, as far from our space and time.

Apparently, in some cases, cannibalism still occurs in the near enough time in the middle of the modern environment. For example, as Jeffrey Dahmer did.

Quoted from the ranker.com on Wednesday (10/11/2017), the man who is called the most famous cannibal of the 20th Century is even telling the taste of human flesh that he ate.
To the FBI investigator, Dahmer confessed to eating various parts of his victim's body, including the thighs, arm muscles, and several internal organs.

Based on his own experience, the taste of human flesh is recognized as a piece of filet mignon. When talking about beef steaks, then the filet mignon pieces are among the most expensive.

Some other cannibalists claim the taste of human meat better than conventional roasted meat.

Surprisingly, there is a recurring theme when explaining human flesh flavor, namely the presence of sweetness. Some cannibalistic tribes in Vanuatu, South Pacific, call it "very sweet."

                                                               issei Sagawa. (Source Alchetron)

Meanwhile, Issei Sagawa said that, after a few days, "the flesh becomes sweeter and tastes good."

But, according to the man who was nicknamed "Kanibal Paris" is, human flesh as if it does not smell even sweet taste. He said, "The flesh does not have the smell of wild game."

According to the Japan Today page, a Japanese man who, at the Sorbonne Academy, Paris, France, was arrested in June 1981 on charges of murdering a Dutch student named Renee Hartevelt (25).

After killing his college colleague, he ate some parts of the victim's body either in raw condition or in the form of spicy stir-fry.

Sagawa stifled the urge from childhood and learned about cannibalism from a fairy tale. But, as he realizes the inner drive to eat human flesh, Sagawa never consulted a psychiatrist.

Read More

Ancient Ponds in the Time of Jesus Born Restored, US Spent 750 billion dollars

   The view of Solomon Pool in Bethlehem City, West Bank, on October 10, 2017, on the day of the       launch of a US-funded conservation project to preserve the site. (AFP / Musa AL SHAER).


The ancient pool that provided water to Jerusalem in the time of Jesus was born, restored with funds from the United States.

AFP news agency, Tuesday (10/10/2017) launch, the US provides funds amounting to 750 thousand US dollars for the repair.
Three pools of Solomon near Bethlehem in the West Bank were built around the time of Jesus' birth.

Based on the research results of the Institute for Palestine Studies (IPS), at that time, the place was the main water source for the entire city.
The results of the study say that the first channel that drains water to the pools in the south, is estimated to be built in the time of King Herod, between the year 37 and 4 BC.

Over 2,000 years since that time, the pools have collapsed and only two of the three ponds are filled with water.

In fact, one of the oldest pools is in a very bad condition.

Since 1993, at least six people have drowned in the pools.

The US consulate in Jerusalem, which provides funds for restoration, hopes to see the pools turn out to be part of a major tourist site in the West Bank.

The area has been occupied by Israel since 1967.
"This project is more than just protecting history, it's about protecting the lives and livelihoods of the people who live here now," said US Consul General Donald Blome.

The grant comes as US President Donald Trump tries to convince Palestinian and Israeli leaders to restart stalled peace talks.

The United States is also about to provide economic support to the Palestinians and become a major pillar for the United States to build peace efforts.

"(Trump) has made it clear that an important element for the achievement of peace will open up its full potential for the Palestinian economy," Blome said.
The high locations of the hills, with dry conditions throughout the year, make Jerusalem a region that has always suffered water shortages throughout its history.

George Bassous, general manager of Solomon's pool, said the site had been neglected for a long time.

"The importance of this site comes from the fact that for centuries it has become a shelter that provides water for Jerusalem."

"So it is our duty to protect and restore it," said Bassous.

Read More

This 512 Billion Bowl Breaks the Record

Nicolas Chow, Vice Chairman of Sotheby's Asia, presented a bowl of the Song dynasty in China, dated September 28, 2017. (AFP / ANTHONY WALLACE)

    A 1,000-year-old bowl of the Song Dynasty relic in China sold for 37.7 million US dollars, Wednesday (3/10/2017).
The price is almost equivalent to Rp 512 billion is a record-breaking porcelain sales from China.
The sale took place during the auction of Sotheby's Chinese Works of Art Autumn Sales in Hong Kong.
Sotheby's auction house revealed the information was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.
The small object that dates from 960-1127, broke the previous record of 36.05 million US dollar.
The sale occurred in 2014 for a Ming Dynasty wine cup sold to a Shanghai conglomerate.
In Chinese history, the Song Dynasty began in 960 and ended in 1279.
Song Dynasty consists of Northern Song (960-1127), and Southern Song (1127-1279).
With a prosperous economy and an advanced culture, the period was regarded as another golden period, other than the Tang Dynasty in 618-907.

Read More

6-10-1976: 46 People Killed at Massacre Thammasat University

Bangkok - 6 October 1976 became a dark day which still haunts the government and people of Thailand. The reason is that military forces massacred a number of student activists at the Thammasat University yard in Bangkok.

It began with a student protest at the end of September 1976. They opposed the return of a former dictator to rule Thailand, Thanom Kittikachorn.
In early October of that year, thousands of people gathered in Thammasat. They unite to prevent Thanom's rein's return from exile for three years.

Then on October 4, the students held a drama depicting the death penalty process of two student activists by the police.

Reported by the Daily Mail, for weeks radio broadcasts mention that Thammasat is an antonymous communist rebel nest. High tension at that time was inevitable.
On October 6, 1976, paramilitary and police forces surrounded thousands of students on campus.

The violence began when authorities fired M-16s and threw grenades. But the military says that the students who fired something first - although this is always denied by the demonstrators.

For several hours, the troops fired, beat, raped and killed unarmed students as they tried to escape.

The confusion was used to justify a military coup on the same day.

Reported by Time, official figures say that the death toll from the incident as many as 46 people and 167 others injured. More than 3,000 students were arrested in the event known as the 'Thammasat Massacre'.

However, up to now the death toll in the massacre on campus in Thailand is still debated. The survivors said the number was more than 100 people.

In addition to the Thammasat massacre event, on the same date a Cubana airline, Cubana, with the number 455 of Barbados-Jamaica route exploded by two C-4 time bombs. The iron bird fell from a height of 18,000 feet shortly after takeoff.

All 73 passengers were killed. 5 of which were crew members, 57 Cubans, 11 Guineans, 5 North Koreans, and 24 members of the 1975 Olympic fencing team.

Meanwhile on October 6, 1981, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat was shot from close range. At that time he was watching a military parade commemorating the 1973 Yom Kippur War.

Read More