Women in Pathein, Myanmar, construct in the last decade of August 2024 parasols that they will paint in vibrant colours to sell in nearby markets. (Photo by Nantapon Pattamakijsakul/Solent News)

Kyrgyz dancers perform in an event gathering bedouins and nomads from around the world as part of the annual King Abdulaziz Camel Festival in Rumah desert, northeast of the Saudi capital Riyadh, on March 19, 2019. (Photo by Fayez Nureldine/AFP Photo)

Presidential candidate Javier Milei arrives at the Teatro Colón opera house with his girlfriend, Fatima Florez, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, November 17, 2023. Milei will face Economy Minister Sergio Massa in a runoff election on Nov. 19. (Photo by Ramiro Souto/AP Photo)

A model presents a creation from the Tom Ford Spring/Summer 2015 collection during London Fashion Week September 15, 2014. (Photo by Suzanne Plunkett/Reuters)

Pierre Gonnord started by photographing his neighborhood but soon left France for Spain, where he lives since 1988. Italy, Portugal, Japan, United States are just some of the countries where Pierre Gonnord has gone in search of models.

A model poses in front of the new Lamborghini Huracan during the media day of the 84th Geneva International Motor Show, Switzerland, Tuesday, March 4, 2014. (Photo by Laurent Cipriani/AP Photo)

“The V-30 Warhawk was designed by Blackshaw Avionics as a long-range fighter and was primarily used by the Arcadian Air Force for escort duties. The plane pictured is the “Spirit of Freedom” and was one of the four planes that escorted the Arcadian Royal Airship during and after the Great War. The three other fighters were the “Spirit of Hope”, the “Spirit of Justice” and the “Spirit of Destiny”. All pilots were hand-picked by the Head of Airborne Forces and included some of the very finest pilots in the Kingdom. The crew consisted of one pilot and one gunner although both cabins were fitted so that if either crew member was killed the other could take over their duties. Each Warhawk was fitted with four Haverlock “Banshee” engines and four 24mm machine guns”. (Photo and comment by Jon Hall)

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.