The Past Remains the Present: Copernicus Found

Scientists recently discovered what they think are the remains of Nicholas Copernicus.

Researchers said Thursday they have identified the remains of Nicolaus Copernicus by comparing DNA from a skeleton and hair retrieved from one of the 16th-century astronomer's books. The findings could put an end to centuries of speculation about the exact resting spot of Copernicus, a priest and astronomer whose theories identified the Sun, not the Earth, as the center of the universe.

Read the full story here.

Vermeer

...is here, here, here, here, and Vermeer blog here.

Absolutely Comparative

As you prepare the comparative absolutism chart for tomorrow's discussion (again, according to the 6 traits of an absolutist ruler we outlined in class), I've provided some very helpful links.

As a reminder, you will consult notes from our previous discussion of Louis XIV, Suleyman, and Ieyasu Tokugawa. Read pp. 461-3 about Peter the Great, and follow the links below to obtain additional details. It is also a good idea to read and/or review the relevant portions of chapter 15 as it pertains to Louis, Peter, and Suleyman.


You may wish to review the documentary segments about Suleyman here and here (the first 5 minutes of this link). These clips come from the the PBS documentary Islam: Empire of Faith. In addition, follow this link to read more about Suleyman's reign.








As for Ieyasu Tokugawa, find the link to episode 2 ("The Will of the Shogun") from the PBS documentary Japan: Memoirs of a Secret Empire.








Finally, here are some "great" links for Peter, to be consulted only after reading the relevant portions of ch. 15. Here's a site that covers much of his reign (read about the domestic, military, and government reforms as well), and another site with contemporary observations about Peter.

American Politics in European Perspective

In preparation for our current events discussion tomorrow, here's a suggested list of European news sources where you might find articles/analysis about the U.S. Presidential election.

London Telegraph

The Economist

The Brussels Journal

Courrier International

EuroZine

Deutsche Welle

EUbuisness

EUobserver

Radio Free Europe

London Spectator

Transitions Online

Der Spiegel



If you find other helpful and reputable news sources, please leave the URL in comments.