​The wonders of Lagash, one of the oldest cities of Mesopotamia ● A priceless 1,600-year-old mosaic was found in Syria ● Can the World Ocean be recognized as a living, full-fledged entity? ● The liver can function for over 100 years even after multiple transplants

Strangers of Lagas, one of the oldest cities of Mespotamia

If you listened to the first episode of the podcast on the history of propaganda, you already know that Lagasse is officially the place where the earliest known references to propaganda appear. However, Lagas, one of the oldest and most famous Mesopotamian settlements, still holds many secrets, one might even say many oddities, which archaeologists are only beginning to discover.

One of these unusual aspects was recently noticed by a group of researchers from the University of Pennsylvania in a study published in the Journal of Anthropological Archaeology. It is surprising that, contrary to the customs of the time, Lagasse had no center or defensive walls. And yet it is known that the city, which was discovered 40 years ago, was the center of a kingdom that waged wars with all its neighbors, managing to conquer most of them at one point.

Topographical studies carried out by specialists have shown that Lagasse was a real ancient Venice, which is another unusual fact. The city was built in the middle of a huge swamp, located between the Tigris and the Euphrates, on four islands connected by canals and later bridges. This aspect not only provided him with a natural defense system, but also allowed the independent development of each sector of the settlement.

Founded about 5,000 years ago, Lagasse was one of the most important economic and cultural centers of its time until it was abandoned by its inhabitants about 3,000 years ago. In fact, about 4,000 years ago, Lagasse would have been the largest city in the world. Although its history is still little known, it appears that the city-state was abandoned after the draining of the swamp, which provided not only protection but also a major source of livelihood.

A priceless 1,600-year-old mosaic was found in Syria

The Roman mosaic, which dates back to the 4th century AD and measures 20×6 meters, has been cataloged as the most important archaeological discovery in Syria in the last decade. Its existence has been known for years, especially after a rebel group put it up for sale on several social networks in 2017.

Discovered in the city of Rastan, a former stronghold of armed anti-government groups, the mosaic came to power after several Syrian and Lebanese businessmen joined forces to purchase the property on which it stands, which they later donated to the Syrian state. It features mythological scenes depicting Hercules as well as scenes from the Trojan War, and the fact that it was not destroyed during the 2018 conflicts that led to the recapture of the city is a true miracle.

Syrian archaeologists and experts still cannot say whether the mosaic was in a luxurious residence or a public bath. Excavations have just resumed, and representatives of the Naboo Museum, which received the mosaic, hope to acquire an adjacent property, which they say contains archaeological remains of immense value. Obviously, if war doesn’t start there again.

Can the World Ocean be recognized as a living, full-fledged entity?

Several researchers from the United States and Canada recently requested in a study published in the specialized journal PLOS Biology that the world ocean be recognized as a living entity with all the rights that come from it. The unusual request was a response to threats to the world’s oceans, threats related to the loss of diversity, the devastating effects of global warming, pollution, habitat destruction, and more.

The authors of the paper argue that reframing the oceans as an independent entity with full rights, rather than as an exploitable resource, will require a new legal framework that makes their protection a priority. In this sense, experts say, international laws must ensure the oceans’ right to existence, health and recovery.

And, North American researchers emphasize, such a measure must be implemented as soon as possible. Sure, but it may be too late for future generations, and what’s in place now doesn’t really work. But despite this, the chances of the countries of the world to achieve such a record are quite low.

The liver can function for more than 100 years even after several transplants

Elderly donors are better off with liver transplantation, say experts from the University of Texas and TransMedics in Massachusetts at the scientific forum of the American College of Surgeons. Although rare, such cases have occurred 25 times over the past 32 years.

In all cases, the organs came from elderly people with a mean age of 84.7 years. Doctors noticed that one difference between liver transplants in young and old people was that the latter had a lower incidence of diabetes and infections. In addition, a low level of trasaminases, enzymes that lead to difficulties in transplantation, was noted.

That doesn’t mean you can enjoy yourself. Despite this, the number of requests is huge compared to the number of donors at the moment. All these data were presented at the scientific forum of the American College of Surgeons.

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