Category: Divination
-
Big Page of Hazel
The oldest confirmed hazel species is Corylus johnsonii found as fossils in the Ypresian-age rocks of Ferry County, Washington, USA
-
Rhabdomancy is a divination technique which involves the use of any rod, wand, staff, stick, arrow, or the like
One method of rhabdomancy was setting a number of staffs on end and observing where they fall, to divine the direction one should travel, or to find answers to certain questions. It has also been used for divination by arrows (which have wooden shafts) – otherwise known as belomancy. Less commonly it has been assigned to…
-
nature’s first Green Fuel Is gold: A Car That Runs On Urine?
The concept of cars running on urine has been explored by several researchers, but it hasn’t yet resulted in a commercially viable vehicle. Here’s what happened with some of the key developments: Ohio University Research (2009): Professor Gerardine Botte developed a catalyst that could extract hydrogen from urine more efficiently than from water. This technology…
-
Light and Medical Tests
From Ask a Scientist: “Serum and plasma both come from the liquid portion of the blood that remains once the cells are removed, but that’s where the similarities end. Serum is the liquid that remains after the blood has clotted. Plasma is the liquid that remains when clotting is prevented with the addition of an anticoagulant.” The…
-
Glucuronic acid is a uronic acid that was first isolated from urine
Glucuronic acid (from Greek γλεῦκος “wine, must” and οὖρον “urine“) is a uronic acid that was first isolated from urine (hence the name”uronic acid”). It is found in many gums such as gum arabic (approx. 18%), xanthan, and kombucha tea and is important for the metabolism of microorganisms, plants and animals. Not to be confused with Gluconic acid (Gluconic acid occurs naturally in fruit, honey, and wine. As a food additive E574, it is now known as an acidity regulator.…
-
Cells in the APUD system may include Juxtaglomerular cells (JG cells), the renin producing cells in the kidney
Juxtaglomerular cells (JG cells), also known as juxtaglomerular granular cells are cells in the kidney that synthesize, store, and secrete the enzyme renin. They are specialized smooth muscle cells mainly in the walls of the afferent arterioles (and some in the efferent arterioles) that deliver blood to the glomerulus. In synthesizing renin, they play a critical role in the renin–angiotensin system and thus in autoregulation of the kidney. Juxtaglomerular cells secrete renin in…
-
Tiresias was a blind prophet who was transformed into a woman for seven years
In Greek mythology, Tiresias was a blind prophet of Apollo in Thebes, famous for clairvoyance and for being transformed into a woman for seven years. He was the son of the shepherd Everes and the nymph Chariclo. Tiresias participated fully in seven generations in Thebes, beginning as advisor to Cadmus himself. Mythology Eighteen allusions to mythic Tiresias, noted by Luc Brisson, fall into three groups: the first recounts Tiresias’ sex-change episode and later his…
-
Saints Cosmas and Damian are regarded as the patrons of physicians, surgeons, pharmacists and twins
Cosmas and Damian (Arabic: قُزما ودميان, romanized: Qozma wa Demyaan; Greek: Κοσμᾶς καὶ Δαμιανός; Latin: Cosmas et Damianus; c. 3rd century – c. 287 or 303 AD) were two Arab physicians and early Christian martyrs. They practised their profession in the seaport of Aegeae, then in the Roman province of Syria. Cosmas and Damian were third century Arabian-born twin brothers who embraced Christianity and practised medicine and surgery without a fee. This led them…
-
Scatomancy Notes
Scatomancy—the ancient art of gazing into the abyss of the human digestive aftermath and declaring, “Behold! Your destiny lies within this steaming pile!” What could be more unhinged than plumbing the depths of poop for cosmic wisdom? Let us embark on this fecal odyssey, where divination meets digestion and prophecy smells faintly of last night’s…
-
Haruspex
In the religion of ancient Rome, a haruspex (plural haruspices; also called aruspex) was a person trained to practise a form of divination called haruspicy (haruspicina), the inspection of the entrails (exta—hence also extispicy (extispicium)) of sacrificed animals, especially the livers of sacrificed sheep and poultry. The reading of omens specifically from the liver is also known by the Greek term hepatoscopy (also hepatomancy). The Roman concept is directly derived from Etruscan religion, as one of…
-
Bārûtu, the “art of the diviner”
The Bārûtu, the “art of the diviner,” is a monumental ancient Mesopotamian compendium of the science of extispicy or sacrificial omens stretching over around a hundred cuneiform tablets which was assembled in the Neo-Assyrian/Babylonian period based upon earlier recensions. At the Assyrian court, the term extended to encompass sacrificial prayers and rituals, commentaries and organ models. The ikribu was the name of collections of incantations to accompany the extispicy.…
-
Pisse Prophecy: A Brief History of Urinalysis
Urinalysis, the first laboratory test, has had a long and fascinating history. Diagnoses and prognostications were made by ancient physicians after observation of the urine’s color and character. Over the centuries, the uro-scopist’s skills, aided by newer and more modern physical and chemical methods being continually applied to the evaluation of the urine, were greatly…
-
Urokinase (and Porta Johns?)
Recycling Fever Reaches New Lows “Utica, Michigan – Realising it is flushing potential profits down the drain, an enterprising young company has come up with a way to trap medically powerful proteins from urine. Enzymes of America has designed a special filter that collects important urine proteins, and these filters have been installed in all…
-
“An entire legion of herion-addicted, long-haired rock and rollers are said to have tried Urine Therapy”
While many people are aware that Gandhi drank his urine, few know that leather-clad rocker Jim Morrison (who, like Gandhi, had an unwatchable movie made of his life) began the practice of drinking his urine while on an LSD-induced spiritual quest in the Mojave Desert. And like Gandhi, Morrison is now dead. As is John…
-
Golden cure? arguments for and against urine therapy
According to its supporters, urine therapy is the number one treatment for all medical ailments. Although the centuries old practice is mired in controversy, they argue, don’t knock it till you try it. Mira Patel, Golden cure? arguments for and against urine therapy www.indianexpress.com (article requires subscription) Updated: June 8, 2022
