The Iceman’s reconstruction. © South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology/A. Ochsenreiter
1. What Does 125-Year-Old Beer Taste Like?
An amateur scuba diver and treasure hunter from Nova Scotia found the bottle of beer at the bottom of Halifax Harbor in November. The mysterious, murky liquid was identified this week. Read more at CNN.
2. Remains of a Whaling Disaster Discovered
More than 1,200 mariners and their families barely escaped with their lives from 33 whaling ships trapped in ice off of Alaska’s Arctic coast almost 144 years ago. Researchers have found two wrecks from the tragedy. Read more at Smithsonian.com.
3. Ötzi the Iceman Had a Stomach Bug
Microbes extracted from the inside of a 5,300-year-old mummified body have shown he was suffering from a stomach bug before he died. The frozen body was discovered in the Alps in 1991 and named Ötzi the Iceman. Read more at BBC.
4. Roman Toilets Spread Parasites
New research published in the journal Parasitology reports that public baths, latrines with washing facilities, sewer systems, fountains and clean drinking water from aqueducts did not protect the ancient Romans from parasites. Read more at Discovery.
5. On This Day: January 6
Joan of Arc, nicknamed “The Maid of Orléans” was born on January 6th, 1412. She is considered a heroine of France for her role during the Lancastrian phase of the Hundred Years’ War, and was canonized as a Roman Catholic saint. Read more at History Today.
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