Intellect PlusCards starting with M
3,838 cards. Page 44 of 64.
Medieval German eastward settlement later armed nationalist mythsOstsiedlung names early and high medieval migration of Germans into Slavic, Baltic, and Uralic lands—Germania Slavica. Princes invited settlers; sometimes prior inhabitants were p…
Medieval guilds policed craft quality—and city politicsA guild is a professional association of artisans or merchants regulating a craft in a territory. Medieval Europe made them famous, yet Mesopotamian standards under Naram-Sin and …
Medieval Iberians never called their wars ReconquistaFrom Asturias’s stand at Covadonga around 718 or 722 to Granada’s fall in 1492, northern Christian kingdoms clawed Iberia back from Muslim al-Andalus. Yet no medieval writer ever …
Medieval kings were far likelier to be killed before clear succession rulesBetween 600 and 1200, more than a fifth of Western Christian monarchs were killed by their own subjects. Over the next six centuries that share fell to about 6 percent. The histor…
Medieval knights carried thyme for courage and sleepers hid it under pillowsEgyptians used thyme in embalming, Greeks burned it in temples believing it gave courage, and medieval women handed sprigs to knights for the same reason. Today its main oil, thym…
Medieval Latin was not a dead language, but a living, evolving tool of power.Far from being a static relic of Rome, Medieval Latin was a dynamic, evolving language used for law, science, and faith. It absorbed vocabulary from Germanic tribes and Greek phil…
Medieval literature was not just dusty theology; it was a vibrant, symbolic, and oral world.Far from a dark age of silence, the medieval period produced a rich tapestry of heroic epics, courtly romances, and bawdy street dramas. While the Church preserved classical wisdo…
Medieval manor houses were courtrooms and larders as much as homesA medieval lord often could not live off one estate for a whole year. So he travelled, eating his way through the stores at one manor before moving to the next, leaving the house …
Medieval military orders were the original hybrid of monastic devotion and professional warfare.Emerging during the Crusades, military orders combined the strict religious vows of monks with the martial purpose of knights. These organizations managed vast estates across Euro…
Medieval monks believed their music could physically mend broken bodiesIn the twelfth century, a cripple reportedly crawled into a French abbey and walked out moments later. To the medieval mind, this wasn't just a miracle; it was the measurable powe…
Medieval monks gave up meat for centuries but almost never gave up fishThe word pescetarian was only coined in late-1980s Britain, blending Italian pesce with vegetarian. The habit is far older. Benedictine monks banned four-legged meat yet ate fish …
Medieval necromancers were often clergymen who borrowed prayers to summon demonsIn medieval Europe, the people accused of raising spirits were mostly literate clerics, not village witches. Trained in exorcism and armed with astrology texts, they blended Chris…
Medieval people never said they lived under feudalismFeudalism names the tangle of land-for-service bonds that structured much of Europe from the ninth to fifteenth centuries. Yet the noun itself is modern, and since the 1970s many …
Medieval pies were edible treasure chests of mixed meatsA pie wraps sweet or savory filling in pastry—sometimes top and bottom, sometimes only one crust. The English word shows up in 1303 Yorkshire accounts, possibly linked to the magp…
Medieval popes once tried to ban singing in more than one melodyIn 1322 Pope John XXII banished polyphony from the liturgy, and two years later he issued a bull warning against its unseemly novelties. Critics called harmony frivolous and lasci…
Medieval Quanzhou was the emporium travellers called ZaitonQuanzhou is a Fujian port on the Jin River beside the Taiwan Strait—China's Song–Yuan maritime emporium that foreigners knew as Zaiton. The 2020 census counted about 8.78 million …
Medieval scholars knew the Earth was round. The flat-Earth story is the myth.You may have learned that Columbus had to convince people the world wasn't flat. He didn't. Educated Europeans had known Earth was a sphere since ancient Greece. The idea that the…
Medieval scholars tried to count every demon, and loved the number sixIn 1467 Alonso de Espina announced that there were exactly 133,316,666 demons. A century later Johann Weyer counted 4,439,622, sorted into 666 legions of 6,666 each under 66 ruler…
Medieval Serbia's mightiest ruler seized the crown from his own fatherIn 1331 the young prince Stefan Dusan marched on his father, besieged him, captured the royal treasury and had him imprisoned, then took the throne. Over the next two decades he b…
Medieval sport was far more than just knights clashing on horseback in tournaments.Historian Eleanor Janega explores the diverse world of medieval recreation, from the combat-focused jousting of the elite to the social mobility offered by crossbow guilds and the…
Medieval tricksters secretly printed amulets and sold them as handwrittenBetween roughly 900 and 1444, street magicians across the Islamic world known as the Banū Sāsān printed amulets bearing Quranic verses from wooden and tin blocks. They kept the me…
Medina: The Fertile Oasis That Became the Heart of the Islamic CommunityLocated in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, Medina is far more than a historical site. It is the second holiest city in Islam, where the Prophet Muhammad established the …
Meditation is not a mystical escape, but a practical tool for mental clarityMany assume meditation requires a spiritual transformation or a retreat from reality. However, the practice is actually a simple way to pause, breathe, and reset. By training your…
Mediterranean’s second island still speaks pre-Latin namesSardinia, Italy’s autonomous second-largest Mediterranean island after Sicily, lies about 200 kilometres west of the peninsula. Its name appears as ŠRDN on the Phoenician Nora Sto…
Medulloblastoma is a fast-growing brain tumor that requires precise genetic classification for effective treatment.As the most common cancerous brain tumor in children, medulloblastoma originates in the cerebellum, the brain's center for balance and coordination. While once viewed as a single …
Medusa's power may have begun as a ritual mask, not a monsterOf the three Gorgon sisters, only Medusa could die. Perseus took her head by watching her reflection in a polished shield, and even severed it kept turning people to stone. One cl…
Meerkats are surprisingly picky eaters with a specific preferenceThese slender, black-eyed members of the mongoose family are more discerning than you might expect. While they spend much of their time on lookout duty in the Kalahari Desert, the…
Meerkats use distinct alarm calls to identify specific predatorsA meerkat's cry is more than just a scream for help; it is a sophisticated data packet. These social mammals use a nuanced vocabulary of alarm calls that change depending on what …
Meerut: An Ancient Indian Crossroads of Mythology, Revolution, and Modern IndustryLocated in the fertile plains near New Delhi, Meerut is a city defined by its deep historical roots and industrial spirit. Known as the Sports City of India, this administrative h…
Meet Aergia, the ancient personification of sloth who guards the gates of sleepIn the shadowy depths of the Underworld, where the halls of Hypnos reside, stands a figure of perpetual drowsiness. Aergia, the Greek goddess of idleness, serves as a torpid guard…
Meet Aleš Svoboda, the pilot and scientist training to be Europe's next space explorer.Aleš Svoboda is a pilot with over 1500 flight hours and a PhD in rocket technology. Now an ESA astronaut reserve member, he is undergoing rigorous training to prepare for future m…
Meet Andreas Kaufer, the new leader shaping the future of European astronomyThis interview introduces Andreas Kaufer as the new Director General of the European Southern Observatory. Filmed at the organisation's Vitacura office, the video captures his vis…
Meet Andrew Haydn Grant, instructor for MIT's video game creation courseIn this introduction, Andrew Haydn Grant discusses his role at MIT and his current interests in game development. He shares the games he is playing and making, alongside his visio…
Meet Arandaspis, the tiny, armored pioneer of the Ordovician seasLong before sharks or bony fish dominated the oceans, a small, jawless creature called Arandaspis swam through Australian waters. Discovered near Alice Springs, this ancient verte…
Meet Balaur bondoc, the stocky, double-clawed dragon that redefined European dinosaur evolutionForget the lithe, sprinting raptors of cinema. Discovered in Romania, Balaur bondoc was a kickboxing predator built for raw strength rather than speed. With two sickle-shaped claw…
Meet Enheduanna, the high priestess and world’s first known authorFour thousand three hundred years ago in ancient Sumer, a powerful woman was banished to the desert. This video explores the life of Enheduanna, a high priestess from the city of …
Meet Ennostar, the Hsinchu-based powerhouse behind Apple's advanced mini-LED display technologyApple's 2021 12.9-inch iPad Pro features a stunning mini-LED display that has captivated reviewers. While tech outlets have explored the technical merits of these panels, the true…
Meet Epiphron, the ancient Greek spirit of prudence and thoughtful, careful actionIn the vast pantheon of Greek mythology, Epiphron stands out as the personification of sagacity and shrewdness. Born from the primordial forces of Darkness and Night, this spirit …
Meet Hera, the asteroid detective investigating the double asteroid system DidymosThe European Space Agency's Hera mission is an asteroid detective designed to study Didymos, a double asteroid system representative of thousands that could pose an impact risk to…
Meet Jonathan, the tortoise believed to be the world's oldest living land animalLiving on the grounds of Saint Helena’s Plantation House, Jonathan is a Seychelles giant tortoise whose age is estimated to be around 193 years. Despite losing his sight and sense…
Meet Joy Achill: A new lens on ancient historyWorld History Encyclopedia introduces its new presenter, Joy Achill. In her debut, the scholar of Ancient Middle Eastern History explores the reign of the Persian emperor Artaxerx…
Meet Keith Weed, the new leader of the Royal Horticultural SocietyKeith Weed introduces himself as the new President of the Royal Horticultural Society. This video provides a look at the leadership behind the world's leading gardening charity as…
Meet Krampus, the terrifying half-goat demon who punishes children during the Christmas seasonWhile Santa Claus brings gifts to well-behaved children, the Alpine regions of Europe tell tales of a far more sinister figure. Krampus, a horned, fanged beast, serves as the dark…
Meet Legendrea loyezae, a ciliate so elusive it has appeared only four times.This video introduces Legendrea loyezae, an extraordinarily rare ciliate. It highlights the work of microscopist James, who recently published his first academic paper detailing t…
Meet Matthias Maurer, the materials science engineer who spent months aboard the space station.Matthias Maurer served as a mission specialist on the Crew-3 flight. This overview highlights his background as a materials science engineer and his role in advancing internationa…
Meet METIS, the sophisticated multi-tool instrument designed for the Extremely Large TelescopeThis video introduces METIS, a specialized multi-tool instrument currently in development for the Extremely Large Telescope. It provides a behind-the-scenes look at the collaborat…
Meet Millie Ross in her debut appearance on the iconic Gardening Australia program.Explore the unique rental garden of Millie Ross in her first episode as a presenter. This segment features an unconventional approach to lawn maintenance involving guinea pigs, of…
Meet Milunka Savic, the most decorated female soldier in all of military history.Discover the extraordinary life of Milunka Savic, a Serbian woman who disguised herself as a man to serve in World War I. Her story of battlefield bravery, multiple injuries, and …- Meet Nick Carter, the turn-of-the-century detective who was actually a dogAt the turn of the century, newspapers hailed 'The Famous Nick Carter' as the premier tracker in the United States. He was called on the most important cases and drew massive crow…
Meet Penthus, the ancient Greek personification of grief who actively torments the mourning.In the landscape of Greek mythology, emotions were rarely just internal states; they were living, breathing entities. Penthus, the embodiment of sorrow, represents a darker side o…
Meet Peteinosaurus, the tiny, winged lizard that challenges our understanding of early flightLiving 218 to 215 million years ago, Peteinosaurus was among the earliest and smallest pterosaurs ever discovered. With a wingspan as small as 60 centimeters, this insect-eating c…
Meet Phantasos, the ancient deity who populates your dreams with inanimate objectsIn the intricate landscape of Ovidian mythology, Phantasos stands out as a unique dream-weaver. While his brothers took on human or animal forms to haunt the sleeping mind, Phanta…
Meet Richard Eberhardt, the instructor behind MIT's video game creation courseIn this introductory video, Richard Eberhardt shares his perspective on the evolving landscape of digital play. He discusses his current projects, the games currently occupying hi…
Meet Shero, the foul-mouthed tabby cat who turned Turkish animation into a global cultShero is not your typical cartoon pet. A crass, short-tempered tabby from Istanbul, he navigates a violent, adult-oriented world of bank robberies, reanimated corpses, and romanti…
Meet Tapputi, the Mesopotamian perfumer who pioneered the art of chemical distillationLong before modern laboratories, a woman named Tapputi was mastering the complex science of chemistry in ancient Assur. As a royal perfumer around 1200 BC, she refined the delicat…
Meet the 122-foot giant that is too large for its own museum gallery.This massive, unnamed herbivore from the Late Cretaceous period is so enormous that its head pokes out of the American Museum of Natural History. Discover how this 70-ton titan li…
Meet the 130-ton transporter moving the world's most precise space antennasThe ALMA Observatory requires extreme precision to position its massive antennas. This video showcases the maiden rollout of a specialized transporter, an engineering marvel desig…
Meet the Achatina, the giant land snails that dominate the African landscapeThe genus Achatina contains some of the largest land snails on Earth. Native to Sub-Saharan Africa, these air-breathing mollusks are known for their striking, ovate shells and imp…
Meet the Air Boss: The Three-Star Admiral Managing the Entire U.S. Naval Aviation FleetThe U.S. Navy relies on a single three-star headquarters to oversee the readiness, training, and administration of its vast aerial assets. Known colloquially as the Air Boss, this…
Meet the ALU: The mathematical brain powering every modern computerDiscover how the Arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU) performs every calculation your computer executes. This video demonstrates how to build an ALU from scratch using binary and logic…