Every era had a panacea, and many of them, from theriac to radium, were dangerous

historyWellcome Collection800–1920s

Every era had a panacea, and many of them, from theriac to radium, were dangerous

the gist

For centuries people searched for a panacea, a single cure for every disease. Alchemists sought an elixir of life, and in plague years theriac, a compound of up to 80 ingredients including fermented viper flesh and opium, was prized. Bezoars, stones from goats' stomachs, sold for several times their weight in gold. The antimonial cup made wine toxic, and patent medicine shows sold tonics of alcohol or coloured water. In 1898 radium was hailed as a modern philosopher's stone, and the socialite Eben Byers drank Radithor until his bones deteriorated.

so what

Each era's cure-all reflected its fears, from plague to nervous exhaustion to the new science of radioactivity. Radium's disasters are one reason claims about new miracle substances are now tested before they are sold.

fun fact

Theriac survives in the word treacle, which comes from it.

Wellcome Collection · CC BY 4.0

Illustrative photo · Unknown author, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

source: Wellcome Collection ↗

historyWikipediaclassic1336–1565 · Karnataka, India

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 ↗