Latest news with #Babylon
Zawya
10 hours ago
- Business
- Zawya
Iraq's ambassador to Jordan and Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh discuss means of enhancing economic cooperation
AMMAN – HE Mr. Omar Al-Barzanji, ambassador of the Republic of Iraq to Jordan, has hosted a dinner in honor of HE Dr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, founder and chairman of Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Global Digital ( in the presence of a delegation from Fabyab Company. During the gathering, the two parties discussed ways and means of enhancing and strengthening economic collaboration between Iraq and Jordan. As a gesture of appreciation, Ambassador Al-Barzanji presented Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh with a statue of the iconic Lion of Babylon; an ancient symbol of Iraqi heritage located in the city of Babylon and dating back to 500 BC. For his part, Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh commended the investment opportunities available in Iraq, particularly in Ebril, stating that prides itself on having offices in Baghdad and Erbil that offer all its professional services.
News.com.au
3 days ago
- General
- News.com.au
Suspected Gilgo Beach serial killer made pass at ‘creeped out' woman on train days before arrest
It was a killer commute. Accused Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann made an unwanted pass at a 'creeped out' New York train-goer just days before his shocking arrest for the infamous murders, according to the commuter, who took secret videos of the chilling encounter. Kaylin Morales was on her way home from a dinner date in the Big Apple, riding a nearly empty Babylon-bound LIRR train around 7.45pm on July 1, 2023, when things took a chilling turn – when Mr Heuermann, 61, plopped down in the seat right next to her, despite the rest of the car being deserted. 'I just thought he was this big, fat, ugly white man … I obviously didn't know who he was at the time,' Ms Morales, 21, told The Post. 'It was just so weird that the rest of the seats were empty and he had to sit right next to me. I was on high alert at that point.' Ms Morales, who had her legs stretched out onto the seat across from her own, recalled the hair-raising comment Mr Heuermann made to her as he sat down. 'He said, 'Oh, you don't have to move your pretty legs. I won't bother you,'' she said. Feeling 'uncomfortable', the Bay Shore resident started secretly recording videos and pictures of Mr Heuermann as they pulled out of Penn Station. 'Just in case, for my own safety, I was like, 'Let me just get evidence of who this person is,'' she explained. One Snapchat clip — which Ms Morales captioned at the time, 'Like why the f**k is there mad open seats and this guy sits right next to me and can't stop talking to me, like i literally can't ever catch a break' — shows Mr Heuermann, wearing khaki cargo pants, holding a Miller Lite can. The video then cuts to a close-up of Ms Morales's face, which shows her frowning. Another vid, captioned 'the cracking of a new drink is crazy [crying emoji] i simply cant', shows Mr Heuermann's stubby fingers cracking his second beer, while the phone sitting on his thigh appears to show a New York Post article. 'I could have moved but I was like, 'Is he going to say something else to me?' Like, I just don't want to interact with this man any further — everything about him was sussing me out. So I thought the best thing to do was ignore him and put my AirPods in and look out of the window,' explained Ms Morales, who also said she felt 'boxed in' by Mr Heuermann's 'large body.' Although she could 'see and feel' Mr Heuermann talking to her more, the music in her AirPods intentionally drowned his voice out, she recalled. Another clip she took shows Mr Heuermann exiting the train at Massapequa, where he lived for years before getting nabbed for the infamous murders. When news of Mr Heuermann's arrest broke nearly two weeks later, Ms Morales was aghast. 'My heart immediately sank to the floor … it was literally the craziest feeling. I couldn't even believe it,' she recalled. She decided to submit the clips she'd taken of Mr Heuermann to Suffolk County Crime Stoppers 'in case it could be of use', and ended up getting interviewed by a detective on the case, who confirmed it had been Mr Heuermann sitting next to her on the train, she said. A spokesperson for the Suffolk County District Attorney said their office could not confirm or deny details of ongoing investigations, and the Suffolk County Police Department declined to comment when asked about Ms Morales's claims. Nearly two years after the creepy encounter, Ms Morales finally felt it was safe enough to post them on her TikTok account on May 5. 'I was worried if I posted right after his arrest, if he had a partner, I didn't want them coming after me, so I waited. After I watched the Netflix documentary and see that he did this alone, I felt more comfortable sharing my experience,' she explained. 'God was with me that day,' she told The Post. Mr Heuermann – who has pleaded not guilty to murdering seven women — will return to Suffolk County Criminal Court on June 17. A trial date for the murders has not yet been set. Mr Heuermann is being held in Riverhead Correctional Facility. Mr Heuermann's lawyer did not return a request for comment from The Post.
Gizmodo
3 days ago
- General
- Gizmodo
A Brief History of Our Obsession With Prime Numbers—and Where the Hunt Goes Next
A shard of smooth bone etched with irregular marks dating back 20,000 years puzzled archaeologists until they noticed something unique – the etchings, lines like tally marks, may have represented prime numbers. Similarly, a clay tablet from 1800 B.C.E. inscribed with Babylonian numbers describes a number system built on prime numbers. As the Ishango bone, the Plimpton 322 tablet and other artifacts throughout history display, prime numbers have fascinated and captivated people throughout history. Today, prime numbers and their properties are studied in number theory, a branch of mathematics and active area of research today. A history of prime numbers Informally, a positive counting number larger than one is prime if that number of dots can be arranged only into a rectangular array with one column or one row. For example, 11 is a prime number since 11 dots form only rectangular arrays of sizes 1 by 11 and 11 by 1. Conversely, 12 is not prime since you can use 12 dots to make an array of 3 by 4 dots, with multiple rows and multiple columns. Math textbooks define a prime number as a whole number greater than one whose only positive divisors are only 1 and itself. Math historian Peter S. Rudman suggests that Greek mathematicians were likely the first to understand the concept of prime numbers, around 500 B.C.E. Around 300 B.C.E., the Greek mathematician and logician Euler proved that there are infinitely many prime numbers. Euler began by assuming that there is a finite number of primes. Then he came up with a prime that was not on the original list to create a contradiction. Since a fundamental principle of mathematics is being logically consistent with no contradictions, Euler then concluded that his original assumption must be false. So, there are infinitely many primes. The argument established the existence of infinitely many primes, however it was not particularly constructive. Euler had no efficient method to list all the primes in an ascending list. In the middle ages, Arab mathematicians advanced the Greeks' theory of prime numbers, referred to as hasam numbers during this time. The Persian mathematician Kamal al-Din al-Farisi formulated the fundamental theorem of arithmetic, which states that any positive integer larger than one can be expressed uniquely as a product of primes. From this view, prime numbers are the basic building blocks for constructing any positive whole number using multiplication – akin to atoms combining to make molecules in chemistry. Prime numbers can be sorted into different types. In 1202, Leonardo Fibonacci introduced in his book 'Liber Abaci: Book of Calculation' prime numbers of the form (2p – 1) where p is also prime. Today, primes in this form are called Mersenne primes after the French monk Marin Mersenne. Many of the largest known primes follow this format. Several early mathematicians believed that a number of the form (2p – 1) is prime whenever p is prime. But in 1536, mathematician Hudalricus Regius noticed that 11 is prime but not (211 – 1), which equals 2047. The number 2047 can be expressed as 11 times 89, disproving the conjecture. While not always true, number theorists realized that the (2p – 1) shortcut often produces primes and gives a systematic way to search for large primes. The search for large primes The number (2p – 1) is much larger relative to the value of p and provides opportunities to identify large primes. When the number (2p – 1) becomes sufficiently large, it is much harder to check whether (2p – 1) is prime – that is, if (2p – 1) dots can be arranged only into a rectangular array with one column or one row. Fortunately, Édouard Lucas developed a prime number test in 1878, later proved by Derrick Henry Lehmer in 1930. Their work resulted in an efficient algorithm for evaluating potential Mersenne primes. Using this algorithm with hand computations on paper, Lucas showed in 1876 that the 39-digit number (2127 – 1) equals 170,141,183,460,469,231,731,687,303,715,884,105,727, and that value is prime. Also known as M127, this number remains the largest prime verified by hand computations. It held the record for largest known prime for 75 years. Researchers began using computers in the 1950s, and the pace of discovering new large primes increased. In 1952, Raphael M. Robinson identified five new Mersenne primes using a Standard Western Automatic Computer to carry out the Lucas-Lehmer prime number tests. As computers improved, the list of Mersenne primes grew, especially with the Cray supercomputer's arrival in 1964. Although there are infinitely many primes, researchers are unsure how many fit the type (2p – 1) and are Mersenne primes. By the early 1980s, researchers had accumulated enough data to confidently believe that infinitely many Mersenne primes exist. They could even guess how often these prime numbers appear, on average. Mathematicians have not found proof so far, but new data continues to support these guesses. George Woltman, a computer scientist, founded the Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search, or GIMPS, in 1996. Through this collaborative program, anyone can download freely available software from the GIMPS website to search for Mersenne prime numbers on their personal computers. The website contains specific instructions on how to participate. GIMPS has now identified 18 Mersenne primes, primarily on personal computers using Intel chips. The program averages a new discovery about every one to two years. The largest known prime Luke Durant, a retired programmer, discovered the current record for the largest known prime, (2136,279,841 – 1), in October 2024. Referred to as M136279841, this 41,024,320-digit number was the 52nd Mersenne prime identified and was found by running GIMPS on a publicly available cloud-based computing network. This network used Nvidia chips and ran across 17 countries and 24 data centers. These advanced chips provide faster computing by handling thousands of calculations simultaneously. The result is shorter run times for algorithms such as prime number testing. The Electronic Frontier Foundation is a civil liberty group that offers cash prizes for identifying large primes. It awarded prizes in 2000 and 2009 for the first verified 1 million-digit and 10 million-digit prime numbers. Large prime number enthusiasts' next two challenges are to identify the first 100 million-digit and 1 billion-digit primes. EFF prizes of US$150,000 and $250,000, respectively, await the first successful individual or group. Eight of the 10 largest known prime numbers are Mersenne primes, so GIMPS and cloud computing are poised to play a prominent role in the search for record-breaking large prime numbers. Large prime numbers have a vital role in many encryption methods in cybersecurity, so every internet user stands to benefit from the search for large prime numbers. These searches help keep digital communications and sensitive information safe. Jeremiah Bartz, Associate Professor of Mathematics, University of North Dakota. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Times
What does it take to become a top nose?
Since the dawn of time — or at least 5,000 years ago — people have been spritzing perfume. Whether to seduce with scent (like Cleopatra, who, legend has it, infused the sails of her ship with sweet fragrance) or to ward off malign spirits with incense. But what about the people who conceived the scents, aka the 'noses'? Etchings on an ancient clay tablet show that the first recorded nose dates back more than 3,000 years. A female chemist named Tapputi is credited with discovering the first distillation techniques, creating fragrances that included ingredients such as myrrh and balsam for the royal family in Babylonian Mesopotamia. We don't know much about Tapputi's background, but modern noses — of which there are thought to be fewer than 500 in the world — must undergo years of training. It all starts with an innate curiosity about scent. 'It happened when I went to Paris when I was eight years old … I really enjoyed being in the Metro to smell people,' says Sophie Labbé, known for her work on Versace Dylan Turquoise and Estée Lauder Pure White Linen. • Read more luxury reviews, advice and insights from our experts Likewise, Roja Dove of Roja Parfums knew his calling from the time he was a young boy and his glamorously dressed — and spritzed — mother would come in to kiss him goodnight. He admits to occasionally stealing perfumes from her drawer. 'Then as I got a little older, I used to spend all my pocket money on perfume,' he says. Carlos Benaïm (the in-house nose for Sana Jardin and creator of Ralph Lauren Polo) spent summers with his botanist father, who would extract and distil natural ingredients as a hobby. 'He was a sort of amateur perfumer,' he says. Benaïm would travel with his father by Jeep from field to field, learning to love plants and the natural ingredients used for perfumes. The creative genius behind Bibbi Parfum, Jérôme Epinette, spent much of his boyhood in the boutique where his mother sold perfumes. While the selling side bored him, he found himself engrossed in the stories she shared with customers about the creative process behind perfumes. Olivier Cresp (the famous nose whose creations include Dolce and Gabbana's Devotion and Light Blue collections) was born and bred in the city of perfume — Grasse, so called because of the native abundance of wild grasses, herbs and flowers. Crest grew up surrounded by scents. 'My entire family was immersed in this universe: it wasn't uncommon for my parents to invite perfumers over for dinner,' he says. Once the spark of curiosity is ignited, the hard work begins. It takes about ten years of training to become a nose. 'I wish I could tell you that genetics play a major role, but I don't think so,' says Olivier Polge, Chanel's in-house perfumer. 'The excellence of a perfumer's nose is not determined by its innate physical attributes, but by its creativity, curiosity and state of mind.' Wannabe noses must start off with a science degree, ideally chemistry. With a foundation in molecular structures, chemical reactions and formulations, they can move on to their postgraduate training at a perfumery school. For top noses, this usually means the Grasse Institute of Perfumery (GIP), which accepts a maximum of 12 students at a time per course, or ISIPCA in Versailles. Aspiring perfumers not only do a multitude of tests to secure their place, from calculation and logic to olfactory recognition to creativity, they are also interviewed by perfumers. Courses like this last one to three years. Students learn the smells of raw materials — flowers, types of wood, spices — before learning to combine them. Epinette was one of those students, smelling every day 8am to 5pm: 'The first six months is just really smelling raw material ingredients … thousands of them.' Dora Baghriche (the nose behind Mon Paris by Yves Saint Laurent) recalls learning ten new scents a week and being tested on them the following week. She was taught to associate the smell with a memory, colour or emotion. Students finish the course with an internship for a big perfume company. By this point, they should be a dab hand at identifying each individual ingredient in the perfume of any passer-by. Fresh graduates will be on the hunt for jobs as junior perfumers, lab technicians or even sales representatives. They begin working their way up the ladder until they reach nose level (or master perfumer). It wasn't always so regimented. Some of the best noses in the world followed in the footsteps of their fathers. Olivier Polge, the man who created Chanel Chance Eau Tendre and Dior Homme, is his father's successor. Jacques Polge served as Chanel's in-house perfumer for 37 years. Polge Jr learnt much of what he knows through an internship with his father. 'It was only the direct contact with the profession that led to a greater understanding of the field,' he says. Training during this time (the 1980s and 90s) was, as Dove puts it, more 'on the hoof'. Perfumers learnt by watching their fathers or mothers or mentors. 'I had absolutely no formal training,' he adds. Dove went against the grain by being the first in his family to enter the industry. After pestering Guerlain for a job, in 1981 he got his wish: 'They created a sort of totally hybridised job around me — the job evolved but one of my fundamental things was to go and learn about the raw materials,' he recalls. Dove's first role was to create a training programme for perfumers (without having ever trained himself). So he was shipped off to France where he was taught the intricacies of perfume ingredients at the fragrance and flavour manufacturer Robertet, 'the Rolls-Royce of luxury naturals [natural ingredients used in perfume]'. Mentorships are important in this field. 'I think our industry is very kind. People are really very supportive and will always try to help,' he says. Large fragrance houses now have programmes set up mimicking this traditional watch-and-learn method. A handful of students each year get to spend time with the world's most esteemed noses. Roja Parfum has four forthcoming fragrances, created by very young perfumers at the start of their career. So what makes a successful nose? 'You have to listen a lot,' Labbé says. Not just to mentors but to the brands that brief them. Noses 'translate what [the brands] have in mind to become a perfume'. Inspirations for these projects can come from absolutely anything. Labbé says something she sees at the theatre or travelling or even gardening might blossom into an idea. Similarly, for Epinette, 'just by listening to [the brand], I have a scent popping in my head or my nose. I throw ideas on paper and then they compound it in the lab and I smell it.' What is clear is that noses love their jobs. 'It's like a parallel world that nobody sees but you feel,' Labbé says. It is their livelihood, yes. But it is also often their lives. Labbé sums it up in one sentence (which, naturally, sounds far nicer in French): 'Je suis née lorsque je suis devenue nez,' meaning her life began when she became a nose.
The National
22-05-2025
- The National
Once smuggled, now reclaimed: Iraq retrieves ancient artefacts from New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art
For decades, three prized items told stories of ancient Mesopotamia from behind museum glass in foreign lands. Now, they are heading home to Iraq as part of a global push to retrieve antiquities that were looted and sold around the world over the centuries. The Iraqi embassy in Washington announced it has recovered three rare artefacts dating back to the Sumer and Babylonian civilisations millennia ago. It hailed the transfer from New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art as a 'new milestone in the country's ongoing diplomatic efforts to protect its cultural heritage'. Museum officials say the artefacts include a Sumerian container, depicting two rams, that is made of gypsum alabaster, a type of mineral and soft rock. The other items are Babylonian ceramic sculptures of the heads of a man and a woman. They date from the third to second millennium BC, a museum statement said. The two rams sculpture originates from between 2600 BC and 2500 BC, while the carving of the woman's head dates from 2000 BC to 1600 BC. Both were given to the museum in 1989 by the Norbert Schimmel Trust. The head of the male, dating back to around 2000 BC to 1600 BC, was bought by the museum in 1972. The male head and container with rams were previously sold by notorious British antiquities dealer Robin Symes, who in 2016 was accused by Italian authorities of being involved in an international criminal network trading in looted archaeological treasures. He died in October 2023. Both the heads are thought to be from Isin, an archaeological site in southern Iraq, while the ram sculpture is not known to be associated with a particular area. The latter appeared on the Baghdad art market and was bought by Swiss dealer Nicolas Koutoulakis in 1956 before being acquired by Cecile de Rothschild. The return to Iraq is part of the Met museum's Cultural Property Initiative which was launched in 2023 and includes a review of works in its collection. Several artefacts have been returned to their places of origin in various countries since. 'The Met is committed to the responsible collecting of art and the shared stewardship of the world's cultural heritage and has made significant investments in accelerating the proactive research of our collection,' said Max Hollein, museum director and chief executive. 'The museum is grateful for our ongoing conversations with Iraq regarding future collaborative endeavours, and we look forward to working together to advance our shared dedication to fostering knowledge and appreciation of Iraqi art and culture." The Iraqi embassy said the return of the artefacts "is seen as a contribution to safeguarding Iraq's historical memory and a reflection of both Iraqi and global pride in this unique human heritage". Decades of war, instability, lack of security and mismanagement have taken their toll on Iraq's heritage, art and culture. After the 1991 Gulf War, when a US-led international coalition repelled Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait and the UN imposed economic sanctions, illegal archaeological digs became widespread, mainly in remote areas that troops were unable to secure. With the fall of Baghdad during a similar invasion that ended Saddam's regime in 2003, looters broke into the Iraqi National Museum and made off with priceless artefacts, only a few thousand of which have been recovered. Looters continue to dig at unprotected archaeological sites in Iraq, leading to hundreds of artefacts showing up on the worldwide market. But with the help of the international community, Iraq has managed to retrieve thousands of items of stolen heritage from around the world in recent years, mainly from the US.
