<![CDATA[And This Now: DID YOU KNOW]]>https://www.andthisnow.com/s/did-you-knowhttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!zwNn!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6e1bbe74-83cf-4925-ab9d-0441a566df68_288x288.pngAnd This Now: DID YOU KNOWhttps://www.andthisnow.com/s/did-you-knowSubstackSun, 28 Jun 2026 03:41:42 GMT<![CDATA[Excel, 5,000 years ago]]>https://www.andthisnow.com/p/excel-5000-years-agohttps://www.andthisnow.com/p/excel-5000-years-agoFri, 26 Jun 2026 23:10:41 GMT
This Sumerian tablet (3200–2900 BCE) records the calculation of five fields, dividing the land: 2/3 for the EN (“lord”), the rest split among others.
Sumerian Tablet (3200–2900 BCE)

This Sumerian tablet (3200–2900 BCE) records the calculation of five fields, dividing the land: 2/3 for the EN (“lord”), the rest split among others.

The world’s first spreadsheets weren’t digital—they were clay.

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]]><![CDATA[How early civilizations mapped the heavens?]]>https://www.andthisnow.com/p/how-early-civilizations-mapped-thehttps://www.andthisnow.com/p/how-early-civilizations-mapped-theFri, 26 Jun 2026 23:03:32 GMTLong before modern telescopes allowed us to explore deep space ancient astronomers were already reaching for the stars.

Sumerian Planisphere Tablet c. 700 BCE
Sumerian Planisphere, c.700 BCE


This fascinating round tablet known as the Sumerian Planisphere was discovered in the ruins of Nineveh in modern day Iraq. Dating to roughly 700 BCE the clay surface is covered in cuneiform inscriptions and geometric symbols that map out the sky. While scholars still debate the exact meaning many believe it records a major celestial event such as a massive meteor impact or a solar eclipse. Whether it is a scientific star chart or a mythological map of the heavens it perfectly captures how ancient humanity tried to understand the universe through symbols carved in wet clay.

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]]><![CDATA[The Cleopatra Myth]]>https://www.andthisnow.com/p/the-cleopatra-mythhttps://www.andthisnow.com/p/the-cleopatra-mythFri, 26 Jun 2026 21:59:30 GMT
The Cleopatra Myth

The Timeline Glitch

It always feels a bit odd when you look closely at the Egyptian timeline. The Great Pyramid was already an ancient, crumbling relic by the time Cleopatra took the throne. She actually lived closer to the 1969 moon landing than to the construction of Giza.

A Different Kind of Arsenal

We always see her portrayed as a flawless beauty who seduced Roman generals purely with her looks. Surviving minted coins from her reign suggest a woman with a strong jaw and a very prominent nose. Her real leverage was likely her intellect, considering she commanded naval fleets and spoke around nine languages.

Keeping It in the Family

The Ptolemaic family tree was essentially a straight line. She married two of her adolescent brothers to satisfy tradition and secure her status. Conveniently, both of those sibling-husbands ended up dead right when she needed absolute, unchallenged control.

Chemical Cosmetics

Her heavy eye makeup was probably more than just a royal fashion statement. She reportedly owned a perfume factory near the Dead Sea and actively studied pharmacology. The lead-based kohl rimming her eyes might have been a calculated medical choice to prevent common bacterial infections.

The Ultimate Outsider

We naturally associate her entirely with the ancient Egyptian culture she ruled. She actually had Greek Macedonian heritage and was part of a foreign conquering dynasty. She was simply the first ruler in her family’s long history who bothered to learn the local language.

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