In ancient China there was even an official position - the manager of dragons . Foreigners who visited the territories of modern Lithuania and Russia in the Middle Ages wrote about creatures that looked like large lizards, which were worshiped by the local population .
The fourth episode of the podcast "As if Russian, as if culture" is a conversation about Russian architecture . In this episode, the presenters turn to history to discuss the origin and manifestation of various architectural styles in Russia.
The editors of "Shelf" Varvara Babitskaya, Lev Oborin, Polina Ryzhova and Yuri Saprykin discuss what Russian literary megalomania is . How are texts of large volume and ambitions of a planetary scale connected? How did literature, trying to explain the world, come to the need to change it?
"Polka" talks about what images #children's reading took in Russia and the world . The next episode of the Shelves podcast is dedicated to answering your questions . Ask us about what you would like to know and write in any convenient way .
In this issue, the editors of "Shelf" answer questions from listeners . How to understand if you have a bad text or a good one? Why is the novel better than the series? When did literary awards appear in Russia? Does the author have the right to squeeze a tear out of the reader?
"Shelf" opens a new season of podcasts - and changes the rules a bit . Elizaveta Podkolzina and Lev Oborin are talking to philologist Maria Nesterenko, who has just published her book Roses Without Thorns . Who were the first Russian writers and poetesses, what did they write about and how did they find their way in literature?
The podcast "Referee Radio Russia FM" has started a series of programs dedicated to Galina Ulanova on the occasion of her 105th birthday. The host considers Ulanova one of the brightest names in world art and a symbol of Russian ballet, along with Anna Pavlova and Maya Plisetskaya. The podcast discusses how Ulanova has become an ideal for audiences, colleagues, and artists alike, and how her talent has inspired many famous contemporaries such as Boris Pasternak, Sergei Eisenstein, and Faina Ranevskaya. The host also mentions that Alexei Tolstoy once called Ulanova an "ordinary goddess."
Russia seized the famous Chernobyl nuclear power plant on the day it invaded Ukraine, raising concerns about its military's attack on facilities with no respect for the consequences. Ukraine's foreign minister has claimed that the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which Russia has occupied, should be attacked and exploded, posing a danger ten times greater than the Chernobyl accident. Ukraine is one of Europe's nuclear powerhouses, with over 50% of its energy generated by nuclear power. The country has five nuclear power plants, including the Chernobyl and Zaporizhzhia plants, and some other threatened nuclear facilities. Experts are worried that the disruption of the power supply to Chernobyl's nuclear testing facilities could lead to high-temperature runaway reactions.
More than 100 world leaders committed to investing nearly $200 billion to end deforestation by 2030 and reverse the loss and degradation of land. This announcement was made at the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland, where countries like Canada, Brazil, Russia, and Indonesia signed the agreement to stop deforestation by 2030, a move considered key to preventing the impacts of global warming. These countries have approximately 85% of the world's forests. Besides, 28 countries have committed to reducing deforestation in global trade of food and agricultural products such as palm oil, soy, and cocoa. The United Kingdom pledged to support the initiative with $200 million from public and private funds. The EU government also promised €103 billion by 2025 to tackle deforestation. The decision was considered crucial in controlling the Earth's warming to 1.5°C.
Hello everyone, welcome to Chen's History 1909. An exploration team entered a long-abandoned ancient city in western Inner Mongolia, China, which they later named Heichang in Mandarin Chinese, also known as Blackwater City. They excavated many artifacts throughout the city, possibly unaware that their excavation would uncover a mysterious dynasty that had been sealed for centuries. This was the team's second visit to the site, led by Russian explorer Kozlov. Supported by the Saudi government and the Russian Royal Geographic Society, they were led by a guide from local Mongolian King Ye. They unearthed ancient coins, artifacts, sculptures, and more, filling ten boxes with their findings. After shipping the artifacts back, they left for Qinghai Lake. Kozlov received high praise from the Russian Royal Geographic Society for their findings at Heichang, prompting them to conduct a more detailed excavation. After finishing their exploration of the Tibetan areas, they returned to Heichang for a second excavation. The scope and duration of the second excavation were larger, resulting in a greater number and value of artifacts discovered. A significant number of cultural relics were found, with over 2,000 books and manuscripts from the Western Xia Dynasty discovered in a pagoda just 500 meters west of the city. After the excavations, over 11,000 artifacts were collected, with some now housed in various Russian institutions. This discovery of the Western Xia artifacts led to the formation of the discipline of Western Xia studies and extensive research in Russia. The artifacts provided crucial information for understanding the history, language, art, and religion of the Western Xia Dynasty. As the artifacts were shared and researched, they shed light on the mysteries surrounding the Western Xia Dynasty. The destruction of the Western Xia remains by the Mongols and subsequent looting left many historical questions unanswered for centuries. Despite efforts to recover the artifacts, the publication of Western Xia texts in the 1990s allowed for further research by scholars. The publication of these texts opened up new avenues for research and understanding of the Western Xia Dynasty. Excavations at Heichang revealed a treasure trove of Western Xia-era documents and artifacts, offering insights into their culture and history. The deciphering of the Western Xia script and subsequent research helped researchers gain a deeper understanding of the Western Xia Dynasty. The artifacts unearthed at Heichang provided valuable information about the daily lives of the people living there, including household information, naming customs, and tax records. These discoveries offered a window into the unique societal practices of the Western Xia Dynasty, shedding light on their customs and way of life. Overall, the excavations at Heichang were instrumental in uncovering the mysteries of the Western Xia Dynasty and provided valuable insights into their history and culture.