The theremin was invented in 1920 as a proximity sensor, then became one of the strangest instruments in music

pop & funWikipedia1920 · Soviet Union

The theremin was invented in 1920 as a proximity sensor, then became one of the strangest instruments in music

the gist

The theremin was created in October 1920 by the Russian physicist Lev Termen, known in the West as Leon Theremin, as part of Soviet research into proximity sensors. It makes sound with two antennas: one controls pitch and the other volume, and the player never touches either. Theremin patented it in the US in 1928 and RCA sold it commercially, though it was not a commercial success. Robert Moog began building theremin kits as a teenager, and the experience helped lead to his synthesizer.

so what

The theremin is one of the first electronic instruments, and it shaped the path of electronic music. Its unusual touchless playing style has also been praised as an accessible route to music-making for people with disabilities, and its link to Moog connects it to the synthesizers that defined later music.

fun fact

Robert Moog began building theremins as a high-school student, and the experience helped lead to his synthesizer.

Hampi was once one of the world's largest cities, until its Vijayanagara capital was destroyed in 1565

the gist

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India, with more than 1,600 surviving remains spread over 4,100 hectares. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Travellers from Persia and Portugal described it as a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with temples, markets and farms along the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 it was estimated to be the world's second-largest city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at the time. In 1565 a coalition of Muslim sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire, its capital was conquered and destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Hampi remains a religious centre, with the active Virupaksha Temple at its heart.

how it works

The city was built around a fortified core with temples, markets and water structures along the river, supplied by an extensive network of roads and waterworks. When the empire fell, the city was not rebuilt, so its stone monuments were left standing.

so what

Hampi shows how quickly a great city can vanish after a military defeat, and how a ruined capital can remain sacred. Its ruins give historians a view of medieval South Asia that few other sites can match.

fun fact

The name Hampi comes from Pampa, an old name for the Tungabhadra River.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · text CC BY-SA 4.0

Image: Wikimedia Commons

source: Wikipedia ↗

2 min

politicsshortCNA2:01

False allegations about Singapore’s hand in Indonesia’s markets and a made-up meeting

from CNA

CNA Verify has found close to 400 posts pushing falsehoods tying Singapore to Indonesia’s stock market rout and to a secret meeting that never took place. Together, they drew nearly 12 million views, and some were circulated by accounts that appeared to be working in concert, across multiple social media platforms.

Here’s how the disinformation campaign targeting Singapore was uncovered.

on YouTube: CNA ↗