Do you think that history is a science? Well, not exactly. First, and foremost, history is the state's “legend of wars”, it’s official regalia. Of course, public historians are not interested in scientific truth – quite the opposite. In this respect, any attempt to present a state’s history as altruistic and benevolent as possible is welcomed and encouraged – as opposed to any revisionism attempts that may be more accurate. In this matter, Chinese have surpassed us all – they revised in highly creative manner (but rather shamelessly) the technology already invented by Europeans, a process that resulted in oldest state on the planet. Here is an interesting paradox: ask any sinologist about the Middle Kingdom during second century B.C., and he will describe it to you in such a vivid manner as if he has been living there all his life – but as soon as you will ask him to describe Chinese history in the 19-20th centuries… let's say, his eagerness will be greatly diminished. However, we will discuss China in a different article, and in the meantime we will try to understand how exactly historic “legend of wars” is formed and functions – based on a specific and well-known example. A great example is Ferdinand Magellan's first voyage around the world.

Close Encounter of the Insect Kind: “Check out the awesome face on this praying mantis. I can't get over the mouth, it's like something from a science fiction movie. Of all photographic styles macro is definitely my favorite. I am constantly amazed, in every photo that I take, by the intricate level of detail that exists on even the smallest of creatures. It's a stark reminder that a very complex and infinitely beautiful world exists just beyond our human-sized level of perception. Photo taken in Donnybrook, Queensland, Australia” – Andrew Young. (Photo by Andrew Young/National Geographic Photo Contest via The Atlantic)

A monkey is being fed by a foreign tourist during the annual Monkey Banquet at Phra Prang Sam Yod ancient temple in Lopburi, some 180km from Bangkok, central Thailand, 24 November 2024. The annual gala has been organized since 1989 by Lopburi's entrepreneur Yongyuth Kitwatananusont, offering all-you-can-eat fruits, vegetables, and desserts for monkeys to honor the long-tailed macaques to attract tourists to visit the town to promote tourism. (Photo by Rungroj Yongrit/EPA)

What do you imagine when you look through a key hole? Do you imagine seeing a Wonderland with a sinister Queen of Heart ruling over a magical kingdom? Or you might imagine an eye staring back at you, if you’re a fan of horror movies. Least of all do you expect seeing a picturesque view of St. Peter’s Dome, perfectly framed by green hedges. Is it a lucky coincidence, or was it intended by the maker? We might never know. However, this became a curious sightseeing spot for many tourists who visit Rome. Thus, if you’re ever in the area of Priorato dei Cavalieri di Malta, be sure to peep into this key hole.

It would have been so much better if the pictures created by Mister Blick were real. How wonderful it would be if these men were actually holding flowers, and none of these wars happened. Regretfully, all these wars have left their mark on the history of mankind. Wars are always bad. They bring nothing but destruction and terror to the regular people, while the big players make huge profits off of the suffering of the common folk. However, establishing dominance is an integral part of the human nature, and the desire to wage wars is simply an extension of this trait. Strong countries always suppress the weaker ones to gain even more power. Unfortunately, this is as inevitable as the sunrise or sunset. (Photo by Mister Blick)

A white-skinned Indian couple are set to enter the record books along with their offspring, after becoming the world's biggest albino family. The ten members of the Pullan family, headed by Rosetauri, 50, and his wife Mani, 45, all have the extremely pale skin and near-white hair of albinos.But despite years of prejudice and suffering the poor vision which is a side effect of the condition, the Pullans and their eight other family members are set to land a Guinness World Record.

Every year, participants in the Burning Man Festival descend on the playa of Nevada's Black Rock Desert to form a temporary city – a self-reliant community populated by performers, artists, free spirits, and more. Last week, an estimated 68,000 people came to Burning Man 2013 from all over the world to dance, express themselves, and take in the spectacle. Gathered below are some of the sights from the festival, which lasted a week and came to its conclusion yesterday

These Halloween horrors were all carved out of humble pumpkins by Ray Villafane and his team of professional sculptors who meticulously carved the terrifying characters using spoons and scalpels. Each one takes on average two hours to complete – with the horrifying results netting Villafane, plus colleagues Andy Bergholtz and Chris Vierra, numerous TV appearances each Halloween. This year the team has gone global travelling to Germany, Switzerland and Hong Kong to create their masterpieces. Photo: A horror face carved out of a pumpkin by Ray Villafane and team in Bellaire, Michigan. (Photo by Ray Villafane/Barcroft Media)