Trees are Migrating West
From Nation, For Nation - Pulse of the Nation
Those Four Small Words
The History of Mermen and Mermaids
Early History of Mermen and Mermaids
From the Selkies of Scotland to the Ipupiara of 16th-century Brazil, the history of mermaids stretches back through the folklore, legends, and myths of different cultures around the world. While some tales feature beautiful women with long tails instead of legs who send sailors to the bottom of the sea, others depict helpful goddesses, creatures more bird than fish, or beings more fish than woman.
Believe It or Not!, the first mermaid tale might swim all the way back to ancient Syria around 1000 BC. Legend has it that Atargatis, deeply in love with a mortal shepherd, accidentally caused his death. Stricken with sorrow and guilt, she plunged into a lake, hoping to become a fish. However, her divine beauty shone through, transforming her into a mermaid instead.
Mermen appear in Babylonian mythology, where the god Ea is described as having the body of both a man and a fish. Then there’s the more well-known merman, Triton, who was depicted as half man and half fish in art.
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From Globe, For Globe - Pulse of the Planet
Known for having the largest chest measurement ever recorded at a staggering 124 inches (315 cm), Robert was once crowned the heaviest human alive in 1955.
But Robert’s story goes far beyond the numbers-it’s one of strength, spirit, and the extraordinary power of optimism.
A Normal Beginning Turned Unbelievable
Robert was born in 1926 in Monticello, Missouri, weighing an above-average, but not shocking, 11 pounds, 4 ounces. At just five months old, he contracted whooping cough. Doctors believed the illness ruptured his thyroid gland, triggering the uncontrollable weight gain that would shape his life.
Soon after, his family moved to Fishhook, Illinois, where Robert would grow up alongside his two younger brothers. By age six, Robert weighed over 200 pounds. By age 10, he was nearing 380. His weight climbed rapidly, but so did his heart and hunger for life.
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