All About Ancient Mesopotamian Beer
The Sumarians’ brewing methods developed over the ages into the beer we know today. Yet making alcohol from bread mashed into liquid has never left people’s minds. We have a funny note on that: jailbird booze.
Country: Iran
Iraq’s Ancient Water Wisdom Faces a Modern Reckoning
The land between the Tigris and Euphrates was once a wellspring of invention. Thousands of years before modern irrigation, the Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians, and Assyrians carved canals, engineered flood basins, and developed qanat systems—ingenious underground channels that carried water from mountain springs to distant farms.
The incredible shrunken salt head mummy men
These “salt men” are ancient corpses that were either killed or crushed in the cave and naturally mummified by the harsh, salty conditions. The dry salinity of the mine preserved hair, flesh, and bone but also internal organs, including stomachs and colons, in remarkable detail.
The Shah’s Harem and the Subtle Grace of the Persian Mustache
Iran's Anis El Doleh was the favorite of the Shah - and wore a mustache considered a sign of beauty, strength and grace
These countries have the saltiest soil and include the US, China and Iran
The world's soils are becoming too salty for farming. These man-made problems are cause for concern but remediation of soils can be done.
How Islamic-era agriculture points way to sustainable farming methods
Despite their initial success, early Islamic P&B agricultural systems in Israel were largely abandoned after the Crusader conquest and, surprisingly, were not reestablished. However, these traditional systems found renewed application in regions such as Iran, Algeria, the Gaza Strip, and parts of Iberia since the Middle Ages, where they continue to support agriculture in marginal environments.
Two-faced Turkey imposes tariffs on solar panels from Asia
Turkey imposes tariffs on solar panels when it hurts its local economy but it speaks from the other side of its mouth when it stiffs Europe by helping China evade high tariffs on electric vehicles sold in Europe.
Camels make a comeback in Iran
On the verge of extinction, a rare breed of camel in Iran were brought back to life.
Iran considers shifting its weekend to match the west
Iran, looking to become more of a Canada than a China has expressed its interest in shifting its work week from a Thursday-Friday to a Friday-Saturday model.
Algerian Judoka expected to defeat to Israeli player before match
Instead of letting areas like sport create a bridge to peace, an Algerian judo contestant at the Paris 2024 Olympics says he would rather withdraw from the Olympics rather than compete against an Israeli.
The wind farms of the Middle East
In recent years, the Middle East has emerged as a significant player in renewable energy, embracing the potential of wind power to diversify its energy mix and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
What is climateflation and how it impacts Middle East nations
Climateflation presents a complex and multifaceted challenge for Middle Eastern economies, requiring concerted efforts from governments, businesses, and civil society to address effectively.
Repression of Bahai’s in Iran “a crime against humanity”
Iranian authorities’ decades-long systematic repression of Baha’is amounts to the crime against humanity of persecution, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today.
Flamingos left when this lake dried up
A few years after a fresh influx of water raised its levels, the large lake has nearly gone dry and dried out completely in August 2023. Lake Urmia was the largest lake in the Middle East and was one of the largest hypersaline lakes.
Child bride hangs for murdering her husband
Child bride at 15 hangs for killing her abuser husband.