What Would the Pyramids Look Like if Built Today?

Imagine the logistics of managing a work force that is at least 100,000 strong. The ancient historian Herodotus apparently witnessed the construction of a pyramid in Egypt, and wrote of such a force of men. Over the years, Egyptologists have correctly and incorrectly begun piecing together how the pyramids were built. Today’s technology dwarfs what the ancient Egyptians had, so how would our pyramids look compared to theirs?

Pyramid Purpose

To begin with, massive funding would be required for a construction project of that magnitude today. That means that the whole pyramid idea isn’t really leaving the ground as no one could use it for anything practical.

Large portions of existing city would need to be cleared out for the project, and while it would create significantly more jobs in the construction industry, it would also displace thousands or even millions of people depending on location.

But our view of the rich and the view that Egyptians had are very different. For one, pyramids were based on a tribute to the sun god Ra. So pyramids served as religious relics and burial sites, a purpose not as practical today.  

Technology

For all of our cranes and machinery, we really don’t know much more about the logistics of building pyramids than Egyptians did. That’s fairly fascinating, considering the precision of the angles in the pyramids. Machinery and advanced calculations are a blessing; the Egyptians did it all by hand. We could mimic it, and probably do it more efficiently. Better? Not by a long shot.

How to Dress for Antarctic Weather

This article was written by Samuel Phineas Upham,

Antarctica is one of the coldest continents on Earth and contains over 90% of the world’s supply of ice. Its extreme distance from the equator means that the region receives very little sunlight and is therefore frigidly cold. Still, people continue to journey to Antarctica to live and study there. Poor preparation results in hypothermia and frostbite, but proper preparation can help resist the sub-zero temperatures of Antarctica.

Polar Jacket/sweater

The first layer of this coat protects the body from the harsh Antarctic elements. It is one part windbreaker, one part coat with a waterproof element to add. The second layer insulates heat and moisture coming from the body. This traps our internal body temperature within the fabric and keeps us warm with our own heat. The final layer further insulates the body while absorbing unnecessary moisture that the body produces.

Headgear

A scarf is worn around the neck to protect skin from freezing winds. The scarf also stops snow and ice from breaching your layers, which could melt and lower your body temperature if you’re not too careful. Your head is the part of your body that loses the most heat, so head gear like knit and fur caps help your body keep some of that heat.

Goggles are also useful to help protect your eyes and face from snowstorms. Chapped skin and frostbitten noses are very possible in the Antarctic, where workers are prone to long exposures.

Further Insulation

Thick boots do more than keep your feet warm. Specially designed boots help workers traverse snowy conditions and prevent water and ice from breaching layers. Gloves also insulate the hands, helping to guard against frostbite.

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About the Author: Samuel Phineas Upham is an investor at a family office/hedgefund, where he focuses on special situation illiquid investing. Before this position, Samuel Phineas Upham was working at Morgan Stanley in the Media & Technology group. You may contact Samuel Phineas Upham on his Twitter page.

Five Facts about the Amazon Rain Forest

Deforestation is rapidly depleting the Amazon, but there are still some amazing things happening in the forest. The canopy is still alive and active, and we still use so much of the resources the Amazon gives to us. Here are five amazing things we take for granted that come from the Amazon rainforest. 

Forest Floor

The forest floor is almost completely dark. The forest canopy, which can extend up to 100 feet into the air, only lets in about one percent of sunlight. The canopy above the forest floor actually contains almost 90% of wildlife in the jungle.

Fruit Variety

There are over 3000 varieties of fruits in the jungle, and Westerners barely consume one percent of them. Locals, on the other hand, will consume almost 2000 different varieties of fruits from within the forest. Next time you eat a banana, thank the rainforest.

Food Origins

At one point, almost 80% of what we consumed as humans came from the rainforest. Though our usage of rainforest products has dwindled, we still use popular items like coffee and chocolate to get us through the day. These operations do put a strain on the forest eco-system, but several organizations including the Rainforest Alliance work to sustain the jungles.

Medicinal Properties

Only about one-percent of the plant life in the jungle has actually been studied for medicinal properties. The other ninety-nine percent could be a cure for anything. We synthesize our consumer drugs from compounds we find in the wild.

The Exploding Art Scene of Istanbul

Istanbul was once the largest city of the medieval period. Once hailed as a trade and commerce hub, the city has undergone several transformations throughout its lifespan. The most recent iteration is into a city of art. Istanbul has one of the largest populations of billionaires, and they are starving for new art. Prominent New York art director Mari Spirito said of Istanbul, “In New York it feels like the best years are behind us, [while] in Istanbul it feels like the best years are yet to come.” Many of these new artists congregate in the old European quarter of Beyoglu. This is a place few of the city’s wealthy will tread after sundown, but the spooky décor and glamour in a state of disrepair provide creative fodder. Like gentrification already happening in parts of the US, the resurgence of art and architecture has brought money into this previously decrepid part of the city. The result is a need for more hotels, more places of commerce and, of course, more art. A shift in the government attitude toward creative minds has also occurred. In a place where writers and journalists spend time in jail for the work they produce, artists get a free pass for the time being. This is not to say there have been no challenges to the art movement, a strongly worded dispatch from the Interior Ministry tried to make the case that art is a form of terrorism. Still, the fact remains that Istanbul is content with this new freedom of expression. Contemporary art, says the wife of the prime minister, is good for business.

Rebuilding Munich

After the allied forces bombed Munich during World War II, destroying almost 80 percent of the buildings in Munich and some of Germany's other main cities, the city underwent an intense reconstruction period. Munich Destroyed This kind of devastation was at a scale unknown to the world during the 1940s -- yet, human adaptation and ingenuity demanded change to the new world. The undertaking was great: rebuilding an entire country. Walking the streets of Germany today, it’s easy to forget that much of the city was rebuilt after 1948. Munich was bombed a total of 71 separate times, leveling almost every important building in the city. The city was meticulously rebuilt, carefully omitting buildings that had significance for the Nazi party. The city’s approach to planning was to literally rise from the ashes. The rubble of the destroyed city was cleared to make way for new buildings that still stand today. Munich Rebuilt The reconstruction of Germany lasted well into the 1980s – barely reaching a phase of completion before the fall of the Berlin Wall. The reunification of Germany kickstarted even more building, plunging Germany into a state of self-renewal. Even while the city struggles to reinvent itself, the people of Munich have maintained the same planning over time. The quadrants that made up Munich in the 1500s remain relatively unchanged, perhaps a testament to Munich’s ability to look destruction in the eye and live to tell the tale.