“As is probably stated somewhere in the theory of infinity, if you give an infinite amount of monkeys an infinite number of old-timey Polaroid cameras, one will eventually take “artistic” blurry photos of historical sites in Moscow which will then be auctioned at Sotheby's for an estimated $75,000 – $100,000. Fortunately for every simian art fan with a spare $100k, we are currently living in the very universe in which that concept is reality. Eighteen photographs by – and of – Mikki The Chimpanzee are going to auction on June 5, 2013”. – Callie Beusman via Jezebel.com. (Photo by Guzelian)

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.

A spectator at the Maslenitsa car battle, reacts during a clash, in the village of Goroshki, some 35 kilometers from Minsk, Belarus, 12 March 2016. The battle which is held at the Historical and Cultural Complex, Stalin line, is a small local competition, with participants from Belarus and Russia. (Photo by Tatyana Zenkovich/EPA)

A woman takes part in a rally in support of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in Omsk, Russia on January 23, 2021. (Photo by Alexey Malgavko/Reuters)

A policeman reacts during a clash with protestors during a protest against the proposed changes to France's working week and layoff practices, in Lyon, central France, Thursday, April 28, 2016. French protesters are back on the streets over proposed reforms to the country's labor rules and strikers have forced cancellations and delays at two airports serving Paris. (Photo by Laurent Cipriani/AP Photo)

Miss Venezuela Ivian Sarcos receives her Miss World 2012 sash from Miss World 2011 by Miss World 2010, Alexandria Mills (R) in the Miss world 2011 World Final on November 6, 2011 in London, England. (Photo by Jeremy O'Donnell/Getty Images)

Flowers and an iPad showing a picture of Steve Jobs are placed at a makeshift memorial for Steve Jobs at the Apple headquarters on October 5, 2011 in Cupertino, California. Jobs, 56, passed away after a long battle with pancreatic cancer... (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

In this photo taken on August 29, 2024, an Afghan burqa-clad woman walks past an energy drink advertisement at Kandahar airport in Kandahar. The Taliban government has purged many signs of Western influence but a stimulant drink craze that arrived with US soldiers remains, and has even sprouted a thriving domestic industry. Alcohol is outlawed in Afghanistan but caffeine-rich energy drinks are guzzled by secret police, fed by mothers to suckling children and advertised on billboards more than even Taliban state propaganda. (Photo by Wakil Kohsar/AFP Photo)