Mont-Saint-Michel is truly an astonishing site. An awe-inspiring Gothic/Renaissance Abbey rising out the sea like something from Game of Thrones. Today it’s referred to as the “Wonder of the West,” a UNESCO World Heritage Site with over 3 million visitors a year. But how on earth did such a gem get in such a place?Continue reading “The Long and Storied Life of Mont-Saint-Michel”
Author Archives: andrewspaulw
The Forgotten Palomares Nuclear Bomber Crash of 1966
There was a time during the Cold War when nuclear warheads were not only sitting in ballistic missile silos, but also flown 24/7 by large bombers.
6 Ways the Count Saint Germain was a true Renaissance Man
The Count of St. Germain’s amazing talents attracted as much attention as his believed immortality.
“No Irish Need Apply” – an Irish Immigrants Welcome
To listen to the audio Podcast Click Here Given this century’sMiddle Eastern wars and refugee crises, it’s not hard to fathom the intense bigotry experienced by Irish immigrants of the mid 1800’s. The great Irish Potato Famine lasted from 1845 to 1855 and brought massive numbers of starving Irish refugees to America’s eastern shores. Ireland’s strict landlordsContinue reading ““No Irish Need Apply” – an Irish Immigrants Welcome”
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is as Big as Texas
The “Great Pacific Garbage Patch” is just what its sounds like. Not one, but two immense clusters of man-made trash concentrated in the North Pacific Ocean. One is off the east coast of Japan, the other between Hawaii and California, often described as being as being ‘as large as Texas!’ The name may lead youContinue reading “The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is as Big as Texas”
The 10 Most Successful Vaccines in History
We used to take vaccines for granted. After all, they’ve been around for decades, some given to our grandparents and even great-grandparents. So much so, we were shocked by a modern pandemic in 2020, due in part to the lack of a ready COVID vaccine. How could that be? Anti-vaxxers likewise have been with usContinue reading “The 10 Most Successful Vaccines in History”
The Mysterious Disappearance of Author Agatha Christie
On a cold winter’s night in 1926, 36-year-old mystery novelist Agatha Christie vanished from her English estate in Berkshire without a trace!
How did Roman Christianity go from Executions to Adoption?
For first 300 years following the death of Jesus, Christianity grew, but Christians suffered persecution under the cruel Roman Empire. How did it then grow to become a dominant, global religion? What was the miraculous turning point for Christianity? The Ancient Romans worshipped a collection of gods, most borrowed from the Ancient Greeks –Continue reading “How did Roman Christianity go from Executions to Adoption?”
What Caused Russia’s 1908 Tunguska Blast?
On 30 June 1908, at around 7am in the morning, a massive explosion ripped through the quiet air above a remote Siberian forest at the Tunguska River.
The Last Deadly Days of the Knights Templar
For almost 200 years, the famous Knights Templar had considerable power, wealth, and influence across Europe and the Mediterranean. But it all came to an abrupt and bloody end in 1314. The Knights were originally founded as a Christian monastic-military order, devoted to protecting pilgrims traveling to and from the Holy Land following the FirstContinue reading “The Last Deadly Days of the Knights Templar”