Russia

In the early 20th century, a group of scientists…

Weirdo

In the early 20th century, a group of scientists and engineers in the Soviet Union attempted to reverse the course of a major river and redirect it to a new location. The project, known as the “White Sea-Baltic Canal,” involved the construction of a massive canal that would connect the White Sea in the north to the Baltic Sea in the west, bypassing the lengthy and treacherous route around the Kola Peninsula.

The project was conceived by Joseph Stalin as a way to improve transportation and communication between the western and eastern parts of the Soviet Union. It was also seen as a way to increase the country’s access to the Arctic Ocean and to tap into the resources of the region. The construction of the canal was carried out by forced labor, and it is estimated that tens of thousands of prisoners died during the project due to the harsh conditions and mistreatment. Despite the enormous effort and resources that were poured into the project, it was eventually abandoned due to technical difficulties and the onset of World War II.

In the early 20th century, a group of scientists…

Weirdo

In the early 20th century, a group of scientists in Russia carried out a series of experiments in which they attempted to communicate with plants. They believed that plants were sentient beings that were capable of feeling emotions and responding to stimuli, and they attempted to communicate with them using various methods, including talking to them, playing music for them, and even attempting to transmit thoughts telepathically.

One of the most famous of these experiments was carried out by a scientist named Elena Blavatsky, who claimed that she had successfully communicated with a plant and had even received messages from it. Although these experiments were met with widespread skepticism at the time, they continue to be a source of fascination and have inspired a number of popular books and movies. It is still a matter of debate among scientists whether or not plants are truly sentient, but the idea that they might be has captured the imaginations of people for decades.

When Maxim Gorky arrived in the US in 1906…

Weirdo

When Maxim Gorky arrived in the US in 1906, he initially received a warm welcome. President Roosevelt, Mark Twain planned to meet him. But when it was reported that Gorky was accompanied not by his wife, but by his mistress, his hotel threw him out and he got cancelled. Gorky on a goodwill and fundraising mission for the Bolsheviks. But in 1906 this didn’t mean much to Americans.

It turned out the woman accompanying Gorky was not, in fact, Mrs. Gorky. She was Maria Andreyeva, a star of the Moscow Art Theatre. Sure, she was another ardent Bolshevik, but apparently that wasn’t the problem. She and Gorky weren’t legally married. That was the problem, considered by the media to be a moral blemish worse than anarchism. American morality, was made of different stuff.