Month: February 2017

When Hurricane Matthew roared through St. Augustine, Florida, in October 2016, many of the town’s historic buildings were damaged. But it wasn’t until a building owner decided to tear up a flooded floor to mitigate water damage that an historic discovery was made—what may be the skeletons of the earliest European colonists in the United States.

The city of St. Augustine was founded by admiral Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, who had sailed from Spain and spotted land in what is now Florida on August 28, 1565. Menéndez became the first governor of Florida, and St. Augustine was its capital for two centuries. Although Pensacola, Florida, is the oldest multiyear European settlement, founded by Tristán de Luna in 1559, St. Augustine, located in the northeast part of the state, wins the title for being the oldest continuously occupied European settlement in the contiguous U.S.

Given the age of the city, St. Augustine’s archaeological team has worked for decades to shed light on various phases of occupation. In 1572, the town was relocated from a barrier island onto the mainland, following difficulties defending it from the Timucua Indians. Shortly after this move, the first parish churches were established: Nuestra Señora de la Soledad and, slightly earlier, Nuestra Señora de los Remedios, the parish church of St. Augustine.

The sites of both churches, which were in use between the 16th and 18th centuries, have seen archaeological excavations over the years, including the discovery of numerous burials. La Soledad produced evidence of European, African, and Native American individuals buried in Spanish and British styles, while Los Remedios has European and Native American burials in Christian style.

New graves discovered during flood mitigation in January are being excavated this week by city archaeologist Carl Halbirt due to a planned expansion of a water main through St. Augustine’s Charlotte Street. Halbirt and his team found burials both under the cobblestone street and within what is now the Fiesta Mall, a small building in downtown.

Based on the majolica pottery inclusions, the burials date to 1572–1586 and were therefore almost certainly among the earliest made in St. Augustine. The style of burial is Christian, with the skulls oriented to the east and the arms crossed over the front of the body. The discovery of these graves also means that archaeologists have further physical evidence from Los Remedios, cementing its label as the oldest known parish church in the United States.

John Worth, an archaeologist at the University of West Florida who was not involved in the study, tells mental_floss that this discovery is immensely significant. “Not only do they contribute to an understanding of the church itself, the burials may provide an opportunity to learn more about Florida’s earliest European permanent residents, including perhaps where they originally came from,” Worth says. If the people unearthed were indeed founders of St. Augustine, Worth notes, their skeletons may reveal “the struggles of life during the first two decades of the city’s earliest history.”

Analysis of the remains themselves is only just beginning, but preliminary work by University of Florida anthropologist John Krigbaum suggests the people who were just found appear to be European adults. If the state allows destructive testing, further research will be done on samples from the skeletons to potentially investigate their geographic origins, diets, and any diseases they had. The burials themselves, though, may stay put under the floor or may be reburied at the historic Catholic Tolomato Cemetery.

For a look inside the excavation, check out the segment below from First Coast News.

With competition like this, we need to do better than “At Sign.”

Humans don’t have the luxury of hibernating through the winter. So when the weather outside gets frightful, turn to one of these eight delightful warming products.

1. HONEYWELL UBER CERAMIC HEATER, $35

This chic-looking device is small, but it packs serious heat: Even on low, it keeps several desks in the mental_floss offices warm. Its dual settings—low for personal spaces, and max for bigger areas—as well as an adjustable thermostat allow users to tailor the temperature to their needs.

Find it: Amazon

2. THERMACELL PROFLEX HEATED INSOLES, $136

Pop these rechargeable insoles in your shoes and never have cold feet again. The insoles—which can be trimmed to fit into your shoes—have three temperature settings and are controlled via Bluetooth using a smartphone app. The battery lasts for 8.5 hours of non-stop use and can be recharged in just two.

Find it: Amazon 

3. VASQUE COLDSPARK ULTRADRY BOOTS, $140

You don’t have to choose between warm feet and good traction with these insulated hiking boots from Vasque. Available for both men and women, the Coldspark UltraDry boots feature waterproof coated leather uppers and a rubber outsole molded to take on winter terrain. They perfectly weathered a New York City snowstorm, and we’re excited to pack them for an upcoming trip to Alaska.

Find it: Men’s, Women’s

4. NAP FOOTED THROW BLANKET, $40

A pocket built into the bottom of this ultra-plush throw keeps your tootsies toasty warm when you snuggle into your favorite chair with a good book. Or, as one clever reviewer recommends, bring it to your chilly office so you can surreptitiously slip your shoes off and pop your feet into the blanket under your desk.

Find it: Brookstone

5. MOUNTAIN HARDWEAR GHOST WHISPERER DOWN JACKET, $200+

At 6.4 ounces, this down-filled jacket is ultra light and packs down small. It’s not super puffy, so it can be worn inside when the heat isn’t cutting it—but thanks to its quilting pattern, which helps to trap warmth, it’s also great to take outside. We wore it on a trip to Iceland, where it kept us cozy on a hike up a glacier and when we got drenched by Geysir and the spray from waterfalls. It’s available in a number of colors and in a hooded version.

Find it: Men’s, Women’s

6. ICEBREAKER LEGGINGS, $110

These leggings are made of breathable merino wool, which resists odor and keeps the wearer super cozy when playing in the snow. (The fabric also wicks away moisture when the user gets too hot.) We wore them daily as a base layer on a trip to Iceland and break them out on snowy days to make the trek to the subway more bearable.

Find it: Men’s, Women’s

7. PAJAMAS WARMING POUCH, $40

What’s nicer than slipping into a comfy pair of PJs at the end of a long day? Slipping into a comfy and warm pair of PJs at the end of a long day. Interior heating elements and a thermal satin lining allow this pouch to heat your pajamas—or towels, gloves, or socks—to a balmy 118 degrees.

Find it: Hammachler Schlemmer

8. BED WARMER, $70

The only person who hates your icy toes more than you do might be the person sharing your bed. Banish cold feet with this electric warming pad. It has two temperature settings, is made of machine-washable micro-plush fabric, and shuts off automatically after eight hours so you stay safe while you warm up. And did we mention it comes with a lifetime guarantee?

Find it: Hammachler Schlemmer

A London-based research project has produced the most detailed ultrasound image yet of a 20-week-old fetus, The Telegraph reports. iFind (intelligent fetal imaging and diagnosis), an initiative led by researchers at King’s College London, is working on computer-guided ultrasound technology so that scans can be automated and uniform as well as more accurate.

Typically, a 20-week ultrasound (also called a mid-pregnancy scan) helps detect fetal abnormalities like spina bifida, but current scans can’t catch everything. One researcher The Telegraph spoke to estimated that only about half of all congenital abnormalities show up on the 20-week scan.

One issue with current ultrasound systems is that technicians can only use one probe for imaging because they need their other hand to work the settings on the machine. The iFind researchers want to create a robotic system that can take ultrasounds with multiple probes. By collecting a large dataset of high-quality 3D ultrasound images, the algorithm will learn to recognize organs and detect normal versus abnormal development.

The high-definition video recently captured by iFind is clearer than typical ultrasounds because the new algorithm can correct for the fetus’s normal movement during the scan, creating a more focused image (similar to steadying your camera in low-light conditions). The result is an unprecedented look at a fetus in the womb that could give parents and doctors a much better idea of the baby’s condition.

[h/t The Telegraph]

A newly discovered photograph of Harriet Tubman is going up for sale at Swann Auction Galleries in New York City, according to Jezebel.

The previously unrecorded image is part of an 1860s carte de visite collection, a type of miniature photo album that was popular at the time. Tubman’s photo is one of 44 photo cards of abolitionists and politicians collected by Emily Howland, a Quaker abolitionist.

The photo (left) is a particularly rare find because of how young Tubman was when it was taken. It dates back to just after the Civil War when she was in her early forties. (Tubman was born sometime between 1819 and 1823, but the exact date is unknown.) Many of the known photos of the abolitionist and suffragist show her later in life. The famous photo on the right was taken sometime in the 1870s when she was in her early fifties.

The photograph is going up for auction on March 30.

[h/t Jezebel]

All images courtesy Swann Auction Galleries

What do a brothel token, ice cream trucks, and an ancient Egyptian portico have in common? They’ve all been found at the bottom of some of the world’s most famous rivers. But the treasure trove doesn’t end there. Here are nine unusual items that have surfaced from well-known rivers across the globe.

1. A SHIPWRECK ON TOP OF ANOTHER SHIPWRECK // NEW YORK CITY’S WATERWAYS

A cabin cruiser located at the bottom of the Hudson River near Yonkers (the exact location is kept secret) sits atop an older, flattened shipwreck—”probably a nineteenth century sailing ship,” according to New York Magazine.

Other bizarre NYC discoveries include “gribbles” (Limnoria tripunctata), wood-eating isopods that gnaw on the pilings holding up the FDR Drive, ice cream trucks, and just a little further out, the remnants of an early 20th century amusement park. There’s also a $26 million collection of silver bars from a 1903 shipwreck lying in the Arthur Kill area, but those have yet to be recovered.

2. ROMAN BROTHEL TOKEN // THAMES RIVER

In 2012, an amateur archaeologist discovered a Roman brothel token near the Thames’s Putney Bridge. The bronze token depicts a graphic act of passion; experts believe this “sex token” was hidden beneath the mud for around 2000 years. 

3. NILE CROCODILE // RIVER SEINE

In case the grit and grime doesn’t deter you, here’s another reason to forgo a dip in the Seine: In 1984, a 31-inch Nile crocodile was found crawling in a sewer near the popular Pont Neuf bridge. Sanitation workers stumbled upon the reptile while on the job, and called in a zoo vet. It eventually found its way to the Aquarium de Vannes. While its life pre-sewer remains a mystery, the veterinarian estimated the croc spent one to two months living in France’s sewer systems before its discovery.

Over the years, the Seine has seen its fair share of terrifying creatures. Sightings of snapping turtles, snakes, and pacu—relatives of piranhas with an almost uncertainly undeserved reputation for biting off testicles—have all been reported.

4. 15,000 BICYCLES // AMSTERDAM CANALS

Amsterdam, a city of 780,000, has been estimated to have around 2 million bicycles. But as canal cleaners have discovered, bicycles fill more than just streets: Approximately 15,000 bikes are pulled up from Amsterdam’s canals each year.

“Bike fishing” has actually become a popular Amsterdam tourist attraction. The local water company (Waternet) has perfected the activity with a claw and crane device that sits atop a barge.

5. ANCIENT EGYPTIAN PORTICO // NILE RIVER

In 2007, a team of Egyptian archaeologists embarked on the Nile River’s first underwater excavation, hoping to uncover antiquities and shipwrecks from the river’s deep past. Surveying the Nile’s dense, intensely muddy waters wasn’t easy, and required specific gear, including side scan sonar to find artifacts beneath the mud and a GPS, according to Daily News Egypt.

Despite the tough conditions, the historic dive did not disappoint. Archaeologists discovered a portico (covered entryway) for an ancient Egyptian temple. According to a 2008 National Geographic report, the entryway led to the temple of fertility god Khnum. The stone featured inscriptions that date back anywhere from 945 to 525 BCE. The archaeologists also found parts of an ancient Christian church during their dives.

6. SOVIET FIGHTER PLANE AND PILOTS // VISTULA RIVER

In 2015, Poland’s Vistula River reached historically low levels, which unearthed rare World War II artifacts, including a Soviet fighter plane and the remains of its pilots. According to the Associated Press, the plane crashed in January 1945 when Germany’s army was retreating back toward Berlin. The plane was hit while flying low across the Vistula, and ultimately crashed through the ice into the river.

Explorers also found parts of the pilots’ uniforms, boots, parachutes, a sheepskin coat collar, and radio equipment with Cyrillic controls.

7. COMPUTER TOWER // RIVERS OF AMERICA

When Disneyland visitors raft over to Tom Sawyer Island, they don’t just drop gum or cellphones in the river (although hundreds do that every year). In 2010, Disneyland employees uncovered a desktop computer tower during a routine maintenance draining.

8. MACHETES AND A SAUNA // LOS ANGELES RIVER

Every spring, the Friends of the Los Angeles River organization hosts a city-wide river cleanup that draws thousands of volunteers, who pick up 70-plus tons of trash and an assortment of unusual trinkets and treasures. Findings from the group’s more than two decades of cleanups include machetes, a sauna, and a phone booth.

9. 18TH CENTURY CANNONS // DETROIT RIVER

According to experts, the Detroit River’s muddy waters obscure numerous museum-worthy relics. Between 1980 and 2011, divers pulled up six separate cannons dating back to the 1700s, according to a recent story in the Detroit Free Press. And those cannons, which were likely part of a stash kept by British soldiers before the War of 1812, represent just a small portion of the treasures on the river’s bottom (which, given the visibility issues, divers can usually only locate by touch). In November, a 6000-pound anchor belonging to Greater Detroit—a 2100-passenger steamship which traveled the Great Lakes from 1924 to 1950—was recovered; there are also rumors of Prohibition-era vehicles, like a Model T, on the river’s Canadian side. (Divers need a federal permit to explore there.)

Facebook is more than just a place for finding cat videos and political rants. Starting this week, the social network is expanding its “weather greetings” updates into fully developed forecasts.

According to TechCrunch, the new feature is now accessible through News Feed on the desktop site and through the “More” menu on the Facebook app. Users will see a typical forecast powered by Weather.com. It includes highs and lows, current conditions, hourly forecasts, and forecasts for the week. Situated above that information is a playful header that varies based on the weather. Rain might bring up a cartoon deer ducked under a tree, while overcast weather displays a bird poking out from a bush beneath a partly cloudy sky. The forecast defaults to the user’s current location while giving them the option to add more places to follow (though it doesn’t let users swipe through them like some other apps do).

Facebook started experimenting with placing casual weather updates at the top of News Feed last year, but this is their first serious attempt to compete with established weather apps. The launch is one of several recent moves from the website to branch outside the social media bubble. In September, Facebook announced plans to make it easier for customers to purchase products from businesses within Messenger. Not long after that, the site rolled out job-recruiting features that put them in direct competition with services like Monster and LinkedIn.

[h/t TechCrunch]

Tidying up is currently trendy, but professional organizers have long promoted the benefits of getting rid of unnecessary possessions and organizing your space. Whether they’re tackling a messy car, chaotic closet, or cluttered bedroom, professional organizers help people simplify and unclutter—and no, they won’t judge you while they’re doing it. We spoke to a few professional organizers about the realities and misperceptions of the job.

1. THEY’RE NOT TRYING TO MAKE YOU GET RID OF ALL YOUR STUFF.

People often think organizers want you to pare down your possessions to as few items as possible. While some people subscribe to extreme minimalism—and challenge themselves to limit their belongings to just 100 items, for example—most organizers care more about how your stuff complements your life than how many items you have.

“Some people believe that an organizer is going to come in and make them get rid of everything,” professional organizer and productivity consultant Jennifer Lava tells mental_floss. “The truth is I just want people to be able to not be overwhelmed and to get to a level of stuff that is right for them.”

2. HOARDERS ARE THE EXCEPTION, NOT THE RULE.

According to Lava, people with hoarding tendencies make up only two to five percent of the population. “Many people seem to think all we do is work with people who have a hoarding disorder, when in fact, it is only a small part of the population,” she tells mental_floss.

Rather than wade through ceiling-high piles of old magazines and mounds of dirty clothes, most professional organizers work with non-hoarders who are simply overwhelmed by their possessions. “Americans tend to have a lot of stuff and feel like they don’t have a lot of time. But by reducing the stuff they have to what they need, use, or love, and then creating an effective system to manage these things, they spend less time dealing with their stuff and more time doing the things they want to do,” Lava explains.

3. THEY BURN A LOT OF CALORIES.

Organizing is a physically demanding job. As professional organizer Rachel Seavey of Collector Care tells mental_floss, organizers spend a good chunk of their time lifting, bending, carrying heavy items, and building cabinets or shelves. “New organizers are always exhausted when they first start out. Clients are usually tuckered out as well! It’s not easy work,” Seavey says.

Suzanne O’Donnell of My LA Organizer echoes Seavey, adding that organizers can expend a lot of calories. “I’m constantly moving during a session, and because I track my heart rate and calories burned, I know I am getting a great workout,” she says.

4. DRAWERS ARE THEIR NEMESIS.

No matter how neat your home may appear, you probably have a few messy drawers where you stash random trinkets that you’re not sure where else to put. Because drawers help people conceal messiness, organizers detest them.

To keep drawers orderly, organizers suggest that you clear out unnecessary stuff and insert drawer dividers. “Whatever tool you use to divide the drawer, put like things together in those dividers. If you need extra help getting things back in the right divider, you can label them too,” Lava suggests. That way, drawers have designated spots for specific items, and you’ll be able to quickly locate what you need.

5. THEY’RE NOT JUDGING YOU.

According to professional organizer June Bell, most people think their homes are messier than they actually are. “It’s kind of funny, but every time I enter a new client’s home or business for our first appointment, they always say, ‘Oh, my home/office must be the worst you’ve ever seen. I’m so embarrassed because it’s so messy!’” she says in a Reddit AMA. But good organizers leave their judgments at the door, so don’t feel bashful about your messy home on their account.

Bell admits that even some of her friends worry that their homes aren’t orderly enough for her to come over for a social visit. “I tell [my friends] that when I visit them, I’m there to see them. I value them for who they are, not the tidiness of their stuff.”

6. THEY STRIKE A BALANCE BETWEEN PRACTICALITY AND STYLE.

Unlike most interior designers, who focus more on aesthetics than function, professional organizers put more emphasis on their clients’ specific lifestyle needs. For example, organizers may put commonly used items in shelves that are easily accessible and stash bulkier or rarely used items out of reach.

But while function is key, organizers don’t completely ignore design. As professional organizer Jeffrey Phillip explains, making a room stylish yet also practical requires a balancing act. “I bring in my influence of blending style and efficiency, so everything has the right flow and function and sings as one cohesive space,” he tells Brit + Co.

7. THEY HAVE A VARIETY OF SPECIALITIES, SOME OF WHICH YOU MIGHT NOT EXPECT.

While some organizers are generalists who work in typical home and office spaces, others specialize in emergency preparedness, genealogy research, digital clutter, or collections and memorabilia. Some organizers also get extra training to help clients who suffer from physical disabilities, ADHD, OCD, or hoarding. Still others—who often refer to themselves as productivity consultants or time-management coaches—help people organize and manage their time more effectively. These professionals encourage their clients to avoid procrastination, plan their tasks for the next day, and take enough breaks.

8. THEY OFTEN HELP PEOPLE UNDERGOING MAJOR LIFE CHANGES.

Many people hire professional organizers during times of stress and upheaval, such as a divorce, death in the family, or move to a new residence. Even positive life changes—a child moving away for college, the arrival of a new baby, or someone losing a large amount of weight—can be stressful times that prompt people to call on a professional organizer. Good organizers are empathetic and encouraging, knowing that in some cases clients may be grappling with feelings of frustration, shame, or anxiety. As they help clients tackle an empty bedroom or redo a closet, organizers also help clients sort through their emotions and adjust to life changes.

9. CAMERAS HELP THEM DO THEIR JOB.

While organizers certainly use their keen eye for detail to assess a space and figure out how to improve it, they rely on cameras more than you might think. Cameras come in handy in a variety of organizing situations, from encouraging people to donate old stuff to making shopping trips easier. For example, organizers may encourage clients to take photos of sentimental items (and then donate them) rather than keep them in a closet. Additionally, some organizers take photos of the space they’re working on. Referring to the photos while shopping for boxes and bins helps organizers pick the right size and quantity of organizational tools.

10. THEY CAN HELP YOU SAVE MONEY.

Because of their insider knowledge and relationships with vendors, professional organizers can save you dollars on everything from junk pickup to closet shelving. They can also help you find reputable appraisers for the paintings in your attic or the coin collection in your closet. Organizers may even help you find forgotten cash. When Bell and a client were organizing files in her office, they found a forgotten bank account worth $7000!

11. THEY WISH YOU’D HOLD OFF ON BUYING STORAGE CONTAINERS.

At the beginning of a big organizing project, most people rush to a store to buy containers, bins, and dividers. While these tools are useful, organizers wish you’d wait to purchase tons of containers. Their advice: Before bringing more stuff into your home, first go over the stuff you currently have and determine what you can get rid of. Once you know how much stuff you want to keep, you can shop for the appropriate number (and size) of containers.

12. WHEN THEY BECOME CERTIFIED, THEY’RE CALLED CPOs.

Forget CPAs and CFOs. CPOs—Certified Professional Organizers—are professional organizers who have completed 1500 hours of paid work and passed the Board of Certification for Professional Organizers exam. CPOs must also renew their credential periodically by participating in continuing education courses or attending conferences. Four thousand professional organizers and CPOs belong to The National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), an organization that provides education, networking, and professional development opportunities to organizers across the U.S.

13. YOU PROBABLY WON’T FIND THEM WITHOUT A LABEL-MAKER.

Because electronic label-makers are lightweight, portable, affordable, and versatile, they’re a must-have tool for the majority of organizers. Label-makers also print labels quickly, making them a handy tool for labeling boxes, office supplies, and items in kitchen cupboards. Besides label-makers, organizers often travel with soft tape measures so they can easily determine the dimensions of the space in which they’re working.

14. THEY LOVE HELPING PEOPLE.

Although organizing a space gives them a sense of satisfaction, organizers ultimately love working with people and helping them achieve greater productivity and peace of mind. “I love seeing the relief on my clients’ faces at the end of a session. They are already feeling more at ease in their home or office knowing that they can find their stuff,” Lava says. Good organizers also teach people the skills and knowledge to be able to organize their stuff on their own. “There is nothing like doing something that I enjoy and comes easy to me, and sharing all the wonderful benefits with others,” Lava adds.

All photos via iStock.