The first tram is delivered to the Gogar tram depot on October 17, 2011 in Edinburgh, Scotland. The tram was delivered on a low loader which had driven from Irun, northern Spain and is the first of 27 trams expected to arrive at the depot over the coming months. Last month the Scottish Government intervened to oversee the troubled Edinburgh trams project assigning project managers from Transport Scotland to work with contractors Bilfinger Berger. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

These tiny piglets were born and raised at Pennywell Farm in Buckfastleigh, England. Micro or miniature pigs grow to just 14 inches long, and weigh only 9 ounces when they are born. At two years old, they are fully grown and weigh between 40-65 pounds and are around knee height at 12-16 inches tall. Micro pigs can live for up to 18 years, and make popular pets as they are low maintenance, quiet and surprisingly clean. (Photo by Richard Austin/AP Photo/Rex Features)

Despite any political differences between the United States and Russia, the space agencies of the two countries continue their cooperative work in Earth's orbit, aboard the International Space Station. Apart from the research being done in microgravity, ISS crew members continue to send back amazing images of our home world, photographed from low Earth orbit. Gathered here are recent images of Earth from aboard the ISS, and from a handful of other NASA satellites.

A view of the facade of a house in the village of Cherevkovo, Arkhangelsk region, Russia, July 12, 2016. Traditional wooden houses, many featuring exquisite carvings and craftsmanship, are falling into decay across Russia because of neglect, lack of funds and an exodus from the countryside to the cities. Urbanisation and a low birth rate are emptying out the countryside, and residents and authorities are often largely indifferent towards the historical value of their properties. (Photo by Maxim Shemetov/Reuters)

Russian oppostion activists take part in a rally and march to Bolotnaya Square on February 4, 2012 in Moscow, Russia. Demonstrators braved temperatures as low as -20 degrees celsius as they took to the streets exactly one month before the presidential elections in protest against Vladimir Putin's efforts to return to the Kremlin for an unprecedented third term as President. (Photo by: Ilya Varlamov; Source: LiveJournal)

Evan Leversage, who is terminally ill with brain cancer, is greeted by a Christmas decorated dog with his mother Nicole Wellwood (L), and his father Travis Leversage (2nd R) in St. George, Ontario, Canada October 24, 2015. Evan Leversage is a seven-year-old boy who has been living with inoperable brain cancer since he was two years old. His family has organized a Christmas celebration in October complete with a full parade, in case Evan does not live to celebrate his last Christmas day on the traditional date of December 25, according to local media. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Reuters)

US actress Glenn Close, US actress Sarah Paulson, US actress Teyana Taylor, US reality TV personality Kim Kardashian, US actress Niecy Nash-Betts and British actress Naomi Watts pose during a photocall for the premiere of “All's Fair” TV series in Paris on October 21, 2025. (Photo by Bertrand Guay/AFP Photo)

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.