Human Behavior, features and articles | Educational Science

Jan 22, 2018

Could This Newfound Cave Hold More Dead Sea Scrolls?

Archaeologists are excavating a newfound cave in Qumran, with the hope of finding new Dead Sea Scrolls. The Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in 12 caves and date back around 2,000 years and consist of thousands of fragments from more than 900 manuscripts, including numerous copies of texts from the...

Feb 21, 2018

Is This Seal the Earliest Evidence of Biblical Prophet Isaiah?

Some 2,700 years ago, someone pressed a seal bearing the name Isaiah into a soft piece of clay, which hardened over time, say archaeologists who discovered the impression in Jerusalem. If the seal was for the prophet Isaiah, it would be the first archaeological evidence of the Jewish prophet, who...

Feb 27, 2018

What Did Jesus Really Look Like? New Study Redraws Holy Image

A quick Google search of Jesus will pull up an assortment of images showing a tall, white guy with long, blondish hair and a beard. But what did Jesus really look like? In her new book, a scholar says Jesus probably didn't look anything like this modern picture. The Gospels...

Mar 25, 2018

Why Is Easter Called 'Easter'?

This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Live Science's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. This April 1, Christians will be celebrating Easter, the day on which the resurrection of Jesus is said to have taken place. The date of celebration changes from year...

Mar 29, 2018

Jesus' Baptism Site Surrounded by Bombs and Booby Traps (But Not for Long)

You'll know you're getting close to Jesus' baptism site in the West Bank when you see the bright yellow signs warning, DANGER, MINES! Officially known as Qasr Al Yahud (literally, Castle of the Jews), the supposed site of Jesus' baptism in the Jordan River Valley is surrounded by some 3,000...

Mar 29, 2018

Are Angels Real?

Angels surround us all the time — figuratively if not literally — especially during the holidays. They appear in paintings, etchings, figurines, T-shirts, posters and just about everything else. Angels appear in several religions; for example, in Islam, angels are said to be made of light, while Christian angels were...

Apr 20, 2018

Exorcisms Enter 21st Century with Cellphone-Enabled Demon Busting

This might make your head spin — officials of the Roman Catholic Church are offering a week-long course in exorcism, and dozens of Catholic priests have flocked to Rome to partake of the Holy See's demon-banishing tips and strategies. Titled Exorcism and Prayer of Liberation, the course is now in...

Jun 12, 2018

US Christians Think God Looks a Lot Like Them

What does God look like? U.S. liberals and conservatives may perceive the Almighty differently, as do young and old people, a new study finds. Psychologists asked more than 500 U.S. Christians how they perceived God using a new technique. The researchers showed participants hundreds of paired faces and asked the...

Jun 13, 2018

Could God Help You Live Longer?

Being religious may come with a longevity boost, a new study suggests. The study, which analyzed the obituaries of more than 1,000 people across the United States, found that people with a religious affiliation lived nearly 4 years longer, on average, than those without a religious affiliation. The findings held...

Jul 18, 2018

Shroud of Turin Is a Fake, Bloodstains Suggest

The Shroud of Turin is said by some to be the burial cloth of Jesus and by others a medieval forgery. Now, a new study using modern forensic techniques suggests the bloodstains on the shroud are completely unrealistic, supporting arguments that it is a fake. The Shroud of Turin is...

Jul 23, 2018

What's Behind 'Weeping' Virgin Mary Statues?

In a Catholic parish in Hobbs, New Mexico, a statue of the Virgin Mary has been weeping. Onlookers have gathered out of curiosity, and also for prayer and healing. The liquid on the statue has been found to be olive oil and balsam – the same mixture that is used...

Jul 24, 2018

Rare 'Lunar Bible' That Visited the Moon Is Up for Auction

How much would you pay for a Bible that flew to the moon? A rare, miniature Bible that traveled on board NASA's Apollo 14 mission in 1971 is up for auction, with bidding — currently underway — starting at $50,000. Along with the microform King James Bible, which is mounted...

Aug 7, 2018

Rare Medieval Bible Returned to Canterbury Cathedral 500 Years After It Was Lost

A pocket-size, 13th-century Bible was just returned to the library of England's Canterbury Cathedral, after being lost for 500 years. The medieval Bible was lost during the 16th century, when Henry VIII ruled England and led the English Reformation that divided the Church of England from the Roman Catholic Church....

Sep 5, 2018

Ancient Church Hidden in Turkish Lake. And a Pagan Temple May Lie Beneath It.

When Mustafa Şahin first saw photographs of the submerged ancient church under the waves of Turkey's Lake Iznik, he couldn't quite believe what he was seeing. The head of archaeology at Bursa Uludağ University had been searching the shores of the lake for several years, but it wasn't until local...

Sep 16, 2018

Legends of a Medieval Female Pope May Tell the Truth

Medieval legends claim that Pope Joan was the first and only female pope. And now, an analysis of ancient silver coins suggests that the ordained woman may have actually lived. According to legends from the Middle Ages, a pope named John, or Johannes Anglicus, who reigned during the middle of...