Thursday, November 7th, 2024

Goodmorning! Did you know that oranges in Southeast Asia: Were originally green and were tangerine-pomelo hybrid. 🍊 

World News

Newly-Found Metropolis

A recent LiDAR survey in the Yucatán Peninsula has revealed a significant Mayan urban center, complete with pyramids and ball courts, highlighting the ongoing potential for discoveries about Central America's ancient civilizations. The survey aimed to determine whether the Mayan Lowland was densely populated or if perceptions of density were influenced by the concentration of well-known sites. LiDAR, an aerial survey technology that utilizes laser pulses to create detailed 3D maps by penetrating tree cover, is revolutionizing archaeological research in the region. Findings suggest that “low-density urbanism” was common across Central and South America, where large populations organized their settlements around key structures like the pyramids of Tikal and Tulum.

Doctoral student Luke Auld-Thomas and Tulane University professor Francisco Estrada-Belli conducted their research in Campeche, focusing on the population density during the Mayan Classical Period (250 CE – 900 CE). By randomly selecting survey plots in the unexplored southeastern forests, they found not only smaller rural settlements but also a large city, which they named Valeriana, located near the region’s only highway. This previously unknown site contained 6,500 pre-Hispanic structures, including residential and agricultural elements. The researchers noted that their findings align with theories suggesting that low-density urbanism existed widely in tropical forests, emphasizing that much remains to be discovered.

The Valeriana site features characteristics typical of a Classic Maya political capital, such as enclosed plazas linked by broad causeways, temple pyramids, a ball court, a reservoir, and a probable E-Group architectural arrangement, indicating a founding date before 150 CE. The survey area, covering 4,000 acres, showcases extensive landscape engineering. Professor Marcello A. Canuto, Auld-Thomas's advisor and co-author of the study, remarked, “LiDAR reveals that, like many ancient civilizations, the lowland Maya created a complex network of towns and communities across their tropical landscape.” This technology enhances our understanding of how the ancient Maya adapted their environment to sustain a long-lasting, complex society.

Lifestyle

“Twin Speak”

Umeri isn’t a language you'll find on Google Translate; it has only two speakers. It’s described as “developed” rather than invented because it exemplifies a phenomenon known as “twin speak.” This form of communication is typically understandable only between twins or very closely aged siblings and emerges as they begin to form their earliest language concepts. The term “cryptophasia,” or ‘secret talk,’ is used in scholarly contexts, but it can seem impersonal. Experts note that twin speak isn’t meant to keep secrets from parents; it evolves naturally as twins communicate while learning to speak. A 2010 study found that twin speak often develops during the second year of life and decreases over the following months. Some children, especially male twins, may continue to use a private language at 36 months.

Matthew and Michael clarify that Umeri is not about privacy. They describe it as a reflection of their deep bond as identical twins. Their interest in languages began when they were eight, during a trip to Spain, where they learned Spanish to order ice cream. This sparked a lifelong love of languages, and they now speak 25 languages each and work as language consultants under the social media handle Superpolyglotbros. The 2010 study also noted that strong twin speech often correlates with less stimulating home environments. Twins who had limited individual interaction with parents tended to develop more robust twin speech. However, later research indicated that using a private language did not significantly impact speech delays.

Environment

Lost Chopin Waltz Found

A newly discovered piece of music, likely by Polish composer Frederic Chopin, has surfaced nearly 200 years after its creation. The unknown waltz was found in the vault of the Morgan Library and Museum in New York.

The manuscript, dated between 1830 and 1835, was uncovered by curator Robinson McClellan while cataloguing new collections. He collaborated with a leading Chopin expert to verify its authenticity. Although the score is unsigned, the handwriting features Chopin's distinctive bass clef. The waltz contains minor errors in rhythm and notation, but McClellan expressed confidence that Chopin is the composer. "What we're most certain about is it's written in the hand of Chopin, on paper he used himself," he told BBC's Newshour. "While I'm about 98% sure it's his music, some aspects are atypical, particularly the stormy opening. However, the melody has the recognizable Chopin quality."

Pianist Lang Lang has recorded the waltz for the New York Times, which initially reported the discovery. Chopin, who primarily composed piano solos, died in 1849 at age 39 and struggled with hallucinations and probable epilepsy during his life. Sir Stephen Hough, a classical pianist who has recorded all of Chopin's waltzes, expressed excitement about the find. "Finding anything from a composer you've revered for so long is thrilling," he said. While he initially doubted the manuscript's authenticity due to its roughness compared to Chopin's other works, he compared it to an unfinished draft of a poem by Keats. Hough noted that while the waltz may not be among Chopin's best or worst, it likely belongs to the juvenile works he kept unpublished during his lifetime.

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Mind Stretchers

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Who can finish a book without finishing a sentence?

Yesterday’s Answers to the Mind Stretchers:
A basket contains 5 apples, how can you divide them among 5 kids so that each one has an apple and one apple stays in the basket? 🍎 

• give 1 child the apple inside the basket! — Jennifer Thornell got the correct answer first! 🌞 

Be the first to send us the correct answer for today’s mind stretcher for a shout-out with the answer tomorrow. Just send us the answer and your name to[email protected]or reply to email.

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