M.J. Rose

Here’s a population and a subject we can’t resist a little curiosity about…

A Courting message from Harald Harfagre to Gyda. Google Images

From History Collection,

Viking Love: 8 Facts about Love and Sex Among the Vikings

By Natasha Sheldon

“Vikings in popular culture are often viewed as the brutes of the Dark Ages, robbing, raping and pillaging people and goods. However, an analysis of their personal lives shows a much different side. Family life was important to Norse men, and every proper, upstanding Viking aimed to marry and have children. And although their parents arranged their marriages, Norsemen liked to court their ladies- and made a special effort to impress with their appearance.

As for Norse women, although they had to put up with their husband’s affairs with live-in mistresses, slaves and even other men, they had the right to divorce their partners for violence, neglect, and various sexually related issues. In fact, Norse customs of love, marriage, and sex set a high standard in their time- and some even survive to this day. Here are just eight facts about sex, love, and marriage in the Viking era…”

For the rest, click here.

…and we wonder, what else can our furry friends see that may be invisible to us? Spirits and ghosts perhaps? How many times have we watched our pets staring at (or barking at) something up in the corner that is unseen by us?

From Live Science,

Cats and Dogs May See in Ultraviolet
By Tanya Lewis

“A house cat’s bizarre antics may be more than just feline folly. The kitty may be seeing things that human eyes can’t.

Unlike humans, many animals see in ultraviolet, and a study now suggests that cats, dogs and other mammals can, too. Knowing these animals see things invisible to humans could shed some light on the animals’ behavior, the researchers say.

“Nobody ever thought these animals could see in ultraviolet, but in fact, they do,” said study leader Ron Douglas, a biologist at City University London, in England.

Light is made up of a spectrum of colors. Visible light (that humans can see) spans from red to violet, and beyond the visible lie ultraviolet wavelengths. Many animals are known to have UV-vision, including insects (such as bees), birds, fish, some amphibians and reptiles, and a handful of mammals (such as some mice, rats, moles, marsupials and bats)…”

For the rest, click here. The video is below.

With murals of tomes as far as the eye can see, this new library is a marvel.

From Bored Panda,

China Opens World’s Coolest Library With 1.2 Million Books, And Its Interior Will Take Your Breath Away

by James Gould-Bourn

“Nobody likes to be watched while they’re trying to read a book, but we’re willing to make an exception if it means getting to visit this stunning new library in China, because as you can see below, the incredible structure has a giant spherical auditorium in the middle that looks just like a giant eye.

Located in the Binhai Cultural District In Tianjin, the five-story library, which was designed by Dutch design firm MVRDV in collaboration with the Tianjin Urban Planning and Design Institute (TUPDI) and has since been dubbed “The Eye of Binhai”, covers 34,000 square metres and can hold up to 1.2 million books. Taking just three years to complete, the library features a reading area on the ground floor, lounge areas in the middle sections and offices, meeting spaces, and computer/audio rooms at the top. We’re not sure how much studying we’d get done though – we’d be far too busy marveling at the awesome architecture!”

More info: MVRDV

For more pictures, click here.