‘Science’ Archives
Ancient Sailors
Until recently, it was thought that humans began sailing the Mediterranean Sea around 12,000 BCE. But scientists now believe early Stone Age people arrived on Crete at least 130,000 years ago. Why the huge timeline shift? A Greek-American research team found man-made tools in 130,000-year-old rock formations in southwest Crete, near the village of Plakias. [Read More]
Measuring the Past
Turning southwest from Mirabello Bay, we drive through Kritsa village and up towards the Lasithiotika mountains. We are on our way to visit the research site of our friend Sabine, an archaeologist who is studying a Minoan farming community in a remote forest. It’s not an exploration you might imagine (no digging in ancient ruins), [Read More]
Under the Sea
After British friends give us a tour of the renovation project at their Latsida home, they suggest a visit to Elounda Bay for a swim. It is a short drive to Ayios Nikolaos and then northward along the coast. Once a quiet fishing village, Elounda is now a resort town – mainly because of its [Read More]
Energy and the Environment
Visiting Greece over the past fourteen years, we have always been impressed by the hot water heating systems installed on the roofs of nearly every building. These are solar water heaters. In a country with so much sunshine, it makes perfect sense to use solar energy to heat water. More recently, we have also seen [Read More]
A Guide to Archaeological Digs
I have never met an archaeologist who carried a pistol (let alone a bull whip) while working in the field. In fact, just mentioning the name “Indiana Jones” usually elicits laughter from real archaeologists. Their profession is not an escapade or a game of chance; it’s a science that requires study and a lot of [Read More]
