Latest news with #Habsburgs
Khaleej Times
17-07-2025
- Khaleej Times
Travel: Plan a trip to Luxembourg, the lesser-known European destination
'This is one of Europe's oldest and most beautiful castles, but sadly not many know about it,' a local told me when I visited the Vianden Castle in Luxembourg. I couldn't agree more. From my multiple travels to various parts of Europe, I have come across many castles, which were built during the medieval era as feudal residences, but I found this one to be exceptional because of its architecture, picturesque setting and excellent state of preservation. Its Europe's first stone-built royal edifice that was constructed in the 11th century on the foundations of an ancient Roman chateau. Unfortunately, not many in the usual tourism circuit know about this mainly because Luxembourg is one of Europe's lesser-known countries. 'But Luxembourg is a gem of a destination, historically significant, architecturally inviting and naturally pleasant', said Anita, a friend of mine who lives in Belgium. Her inspiring comments motivated me to add Luxembourg to my recent European travel plan and my on-site discoveries confirmed her assessment. Nestled between Belgium, France, and Germany in northwestern Europe, every part of this small country is steeped in history. It began journey as a county within the Holy Roman Empire, later evolving into the County of Luxembourg in the 11th century, and eventually becoming a duchy and a principality. The territory has been governed by various European dynasties, including the Habsburgs, Bourbons, Burgundians, and the Prussians until it achieved independence in 1867. The rich tapestry of their legacies makes Luxembourg a paradise for enthusiasts of history and culture. Fast forward several centuries, Luxembourg now exists as the world's only Grand Duchy, where history coexists with modernity. Post World War II, it has achieved notable milestones, including being a founding member of the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, hosting the signing of the groundbreaking Schengen Agreements that facilitate visa-free travel among EU nations for eligible travellers, and winning the Eurovision song contest twice. Currently, it is recognised as the wealthiest country globally, thanks to its thriving steel manufacturing and banking sectors, and it is the only nation in the world that provides free public transportation to both residents and visitors. Luxembourg City is the nation's capital as well as of the EU and the entry point for travellers arriving by air, though rail and road connections are available from surrounding countries to reach the capital conveniently. The contemporary city is established upon the remnants of a robust rocky fortress, constructed a thousand years ago on a promontory that commands a view of a landscape adorned with lush green valleys, rivers, streams, and charming bridges. In its prime, when Luxembourg's strategic position made it a target for various kingdoms, the extensive fortifications offered such an impenetrable defense that it was dubbed the 'Gibraltar of the North'. During the period of independence, as Luxembourg embraced neutrality, the grand fortifications were dismantled, leaving only a few walls to link visitors like me to the historical narrative of the land. History became my companion as I ventured into the UNESCO World Heritage designated Old Town, located at the confluence of the Alzette and Pétrusse rivers, and based around two squares – Place Guillaume II, dominated by the equestrian statue of Duke William II from the 19th century, who established the nation's first parliamentary constitution, and Place d'Armes, often referred to as the 'City's Living Room.' Both areas are filled with numerous historical buildings and monuments, the most notable being the Grand Ducal Palace, the official residence of the royal family, the Hotel de Ville or City Hall, and the Notre-Dame de Luxembourg Cathedral. Luxembourg City is constructed on two levels, and the finest view of the lower town can be enjoyed from the Corniche, a picturesque promenade described by Luxembourg writer Batty Weber as the 'Most beautiful balcony of Europe.' This pedestrian walkway, which hugs the edge of a cliff, meanders along the remnants of the 17th-century city ramparts and provides breathtaking views of the fortification leftovers, bridges, and viaducts that connect the older part of the city to the newer areas and the enchanting suburb of Grund. In stark contrast to the medieval layout of the city, visitors are greeted by an ultramodern urban landscape at the Kirchberg Plateau, where wide boulevards , modern buildings and trendy cafes and restaurants replace the cobblestone streets, the Gothic and Renaissance-style architecture and wayside taverns. This district was developed to serve as the hub of the EU, and many of the buildings there accommodate key EU institutions, such as the European Court of Justice and the European Investment Bank. While exploring this area, I noticed individuals from various nations, their presence contributing to Luxembourg's status as a leading multicultural destination. An Indian gentleman at a café informed me that residents from 160 different nationalities live in Luxembourg for EU and other related employment. There is an abundance of sights and activities beyond the city limits, most of which can be experienced as day trips from the capital. We participated in a tour named 'Nature and Castles,' which took us to the renowned Müllerthal Region, celebrated for its breathtaking mountainous landscapes and waterfalls, as well as Echternach, the nation's oldest commune, the 11th century Beaufort Castle and the small, picturesque village of Vianden where the key attraction is the hill top castle. During my time in Vianden, I discovered that it was a favoured destination for the French author Victor Hugo. He visited this location a few times between 1862 and 1871. While residing there, he remarked, 'Nestled in a breathtaking landscape, Vianden will eventually attract tourists from all over Europe, drawn both by its ominous yet splendid ruins and its joyful and friendly inhabitants.' He was indeed correct, as Vianden has become one of the primary tourist attractions in the Grand Duchy.
NZ Herald
25-05-2025
- Science
- NZ Herald
Jurassic tech: Company claims the dire wolf is ‘de-extinct', but is it ethical?
The biotech company, backed by big-name investors and celebrities alike, has a goal to bring back the likes of the woolly mammoth, the Tasmanian tiger, the northern white rhino and the dodo. But, even if it's successful, is it right? And, have we learned anything from the happenings in Jurassic Park? University of Otago department of zoology associate professor Nic Rawlence told The Front Page he challenges the term 'de-extinction'. 'The technology they've developed is stunning and will have very real-world conservation benefits, but it's not de-extinction. This is a genetically modified, designer grey wolf. 'If you think of all the individual DNA letters in a genome, which are millions and millions of them, they've only done 20 modifications to that genome. It's only a small number of modifications. But, if we think of functional de-extinction, all they've got is something that looks like a dire wolf,' he said. SOUND ON. You're hearing the first howl of a dire wolf in over 10,000 years. Meet Romulus and Remus—the world's first de-extinct animals, born on October 1, 2024. The dire wolf has been extinct for over 10,000 years. These two wolves were brought back from extinction using… — Colossal Biosciences® (@colossal) April 7, 2025 Even if it were possible to bring back a species, Rawlence said, the ecosystem it was part of no longer exists. 'If you try to de-extinct a moa, New Zealand's only got 25% forest cover. At the time of human arrival, it was 80% forest cover... Central Otago, for example, used to be covered in lancewood and kōwhai, which is weird to think of, but there's no analogue of that anywhere. 'So you haven't got the ecosystems for these animals to go back into. A lot of the ecosystems have been highly modified, they're full of predators. But, also, if you are gonna introduce animals into an ecosystem, you need them to be genetically healthy, not inbred. Think Tutankhamun married his sister, the Habsburgs out of Europe, or even Queen Victoria married her cousin. 'For a population to be genetically healthy, you need at least 500 individuals, which is a very tall order indeed,' he said. The technology could instead be used in ongoing conservation efforts, Rawlence said. 'You could use it to reintroduce lost genetic variation back into kākāpō or takahē so that they have the evolutionary potential to respond to ongoing climate change or diseases. In kākāpō, you've got aspergillosis, lung fungus, or crusty bum. 'So we could use that technology to help what we've got rather than, in my view, assuaging human guilt for causing extinctions.' In Colossal Bioscience's efforts to de-extinct the woolly mammoth, it has bred genetically modified mice with mammoth-inspired traits, such as woolly coats and cold tolerance. The company says the loss of these large, cold-tolerant mammoths over the past 10,000 years has stripped the ecosystem of the Siberian tundra – a grassland that once efficiently absorbed carbon. 'If the mammoth steppe ecosystem could be revived, it could help in reversing the rapid warming of the climate and more pressingly, protect the Arctic's permafrost – one of the world's largest carbon reservoirs,' its website says. 'How many hundreds of millions of dollars are you going to have to spend to bring back enough mammoths to trample Siberia? It won't be 500 mammoths, it's probably gonna be thousands. I think the money's better spent elsewhere,' Rawlence said. 'Sometimes conservation can be sexy, kākāpō or takahē, but often the non-sexy species are the ones that are just as highly endangered, and trying to get money is a lot easier if people are investing in something akin to Jurassic Park.' Listen to the full episode to hear more about whether we've learned anything from Jurassic Park and which 'un-sexy' species need the most help.
Daily Mirror
09-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Incurable facial defect in royal family caused by 'too much inbreeding'
A study explored a distinctive facial feature seen in the Habsburg family, known as the 'Habsburg jaw', and found that it was exacerbated by too much gene sharing among the inbred family members The Habsburgs, once the powerhouse behind expansive Spanish and Austrian empires, have become synonymous with the infamous "Habsburg jaw", a severe facial deformation attributed by some to excessive inbreeding within the dynasty. A study closely analysed historical portraits of the family to investigate their distinctive facial features, pairing this visual assessment with genetic analysis to unravel whether these traits were indeed the results of intermarriage. The investigation highlights that the last Habsburg monarch, Charles II of Spain, was plagued by various health issues including infertility - which may have stemmed from centuries of the dynasty keeping it in the family, so to speak. Such genetic entanglements resulted in dire consequences for the Habsburg reign, as Charles II's debilitating conditions left him without a successor, bringing an abrupt halt to the Habsburg legacy. Experts point out the severity of their inbreeding practice by revealing that only half of the offspring survived past the age of 10, a stark discrepancy from the 80% survival rate in other Spanish noble families during that period. Moreover, the European royals faced the rampant spread of haemophilia, often directly traced back to Queen Victoria's lineage, exemplifying another peril of Royal intermarriage. Recessive genes usually remain innocuous unless a matching pair is present—an unlikely circumstance given that most people carry at least one dominant gene to counterbalance any recessive defects. However, when relatives tie the knot, this dilution effect is missing, heightening the likelihood of their children inheriting a faulty gene from both parents and consequently developing the disease. This study sought to determine if the unique chin shape observed in these royals was a result of excessive intermarriage leading to an overabundance of shared genes, reports the Express. A team of 10 facial researchers scrutinised 11 characteristics of the chin feature known as mandibular prognathism, along with seven features of maxillary deficiency (a small upper jaw, with the nose tip hanging over an overly prominent lower lip), using the most accurate depictions available in the 66 portraits of these rulers they studied. Mandibular prognathism is marked by a jutting lower jaw which can interfere with mouth closure if severe, but is invariably due to a significantly larger mandible, or lower jaw, compared to the upper jaw. The surgeons rated each Habsburg for these physical traits and found the least expression in Mary of Burgundy, who became part of the family through marriage in 1477, while it was most noticeable in Philip IV, who reigned over Spain and Portugal from 1621 to 1640. A small upper jaw was notably present in five family members: Maximilian I, his daughter Margaret of Austria, his nephew Charles I, Charles' great-grandson Philip IV, and Charles II. Charles II, the last Habsburg, was born to his father and his father's niece, resulting in a convoluted family tree. His parents were not only closely related but also descended from a long line of closely related couples, making their union, as it were, the final blow. Geneticists believe that medically, Charles II was equivalent to an inbred person. The likelihood of him having two identical copies of the same gene due to his parents' close relation was nearly the same as a child born of incest, which refers to mating between siblings or first-order relatives. Charles II's infamous protruding jawline, known as mandibular prognathism, was not just a distinctive feature of his lineage but also a clear indication of the extensive inbreeding that impacted the family's health. Geneticists explored a family tree spanning 20 generations, featuring more than 6,000 individuals, which highlighted the depth of inbreeding among the Habsburgs. This genealogy set the stage for research into whether inbreeding caused the notorious facial deformity. The findings confirmed that both the Habsburg jaw and the related maxillary deficiency were significantly more common within this inbred group, suggesting a genetic basis for this unique trait. The study found a significant positive correlation between inbreeding and the severity of mandibular prognathism; however, the link between maxillary deficiency and inbreeding only held statistical significance in two out of seven diagnostic features examined. Roman Vilas, the lead researcher, encapsulated the findings by saying, "We show for the first time that there is a clear positive relationship between inbreeding and appearance of the Habsburg jaw." While science is still unravelling the exact link between such traits, it's thought to likely stem from the greater chance of receiving identical gene variants from both parents – this kind of genetic match-up can result in homozygosity. A tell-tale sign associated with such genetic matching is often "genetic unfitness", which means the notorious Habsburg jaw might actually symbolise underlying genetic vulnerability as opposed to regal might. Despite the current understanding, experts remain cautious about completely ruling out genetic drift or the random appearance of mandibular prognathism due to the limited sample size of the study. Nevertheless, these other causes are considered less likely. Revering themselves as anything but ordinary, it would no doubt ruffle the feathers of the Habsburgs to be described as "a human laboratory", a term used by Vilas. Yet, the scientist calls upon this uniquely inbred dynasty as just that – seeking insights into the effects of inbreeding on one's genes and health.
Irish Daily Mirror
09-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Daily Mirror
Devastating inbreeding led to incurable defect in royal family
Once a mighty Royal dynasty at the helm of sprawling Spanish and Austrian empires, the Habsburgs are infamous nowadays for the pronounced "Habsburg jaw", a dramatic facial deformity. According to one study, inbreeding is the culprit behind this peculiar trait. Scientists pored over historical portraits to dissect the distinct facial characteristics of the Habsburg royals, connecting the dots between their physical traits and genetic backgrounds, aiming to confirm if inbreeding caused these features. The investigation pointedly notes that Charles II of Spain, the last effectual Habsburg sovereign, grappled with a myriad of health issues, including infertility—which was likely a side effect of extensive inbreeding through the generations. The various ailments of Charles II inhibiting his ability to sire an heir led to the ultimate extinction of the Habsburg reign. Geneticists point the finger at the incestuous practices of the dynasty, emphasising the harrowing statistic that merely half of the Habsburg offspring survived beyond their tenth year, a sharp discrepancy from the 80% survival rate amongst other Spanish progenies of that era. Not exclusive to the Habsburgs, Europe's Royal bloodlines elsewhere also suffered the spread of pernicious recessive genes linked to haemophilia due to the widespread intermarriage within Queen Victoria's vast progeny. These recessive genes normally only unleash illness when individuals inherit defective versions from both parents, which, thankfully, is infrequent since most carry a robust dominant gene to suppress the said recessive defect. However, when relatives wed, this dilution effect is missing, heightening the chance of children inheriting a faulty gene from both parents and consequently developing the disease. This study sought to determine if the unique chin shape observed in these royals was a result of excessive intermarriage leading to an overabundance of shared genes, reports the Express. To delve into this, a team of 10 facial researchers scrutinised 11 characteristics of the chin feature known as mandibular prognathism, along with seven features of maxillary deficiency (a small upper jaw, with the nose tip hanging over a notably prominent lower lip), using the most accurate depictions available in the 66 portraits of these monarchs they studied. Mandibular prognathism is marked by a jutting lower jaw which can interfere with mouth closure if severe, but is invariably due to a significantly larger mandible, or lower jaw, compared to the upper jaw. The surgeons rated each Habsburg for these physical traits and found the least expression in Mary of Burgundy, who became part of the family through marriage in 1477, while it was most noticeable in Philip IV, who reigned over Spain and Portugal from 1621 to 1640. A small upper jaw was notably present in five family members: Maximilian I, his daughter Margaret of Austria, his nephew Charles I, Charles' great-grandson Philip IV, and Charles II. Charles II, the last Habsburg, was born to his father and his father's niece, resulting in a complicated family tree. His parents were not only closely related but also descended from a long line of closely related couples, making their union, as it were, the final blow. Geneticists estimate that Charles II was medically on a par with an inbred person. As the probability of having two identical copies of the same gene due to related parents, was nearly equivalent to a child born of incest, which refers to mating between siblings or first-order relatives. Charles II's famous protruding jawline, known as mandibular prognathism, was not just an aesthetic hallmark of his lineage but also a clear sign of the extensive inbreeding that took a toll on the family's health. Geneticists delved into a family tree covering 20 generations, showcasing more than 6,000 individuals, which illuminated the depth of inbreeding among the Habsburgs. This genealogy laid the groundwork for research into whether inbreeding caused the notorious facial deformity. Findings confirmed that both the Habsburg jaw and the related maxillary deficiency were significantly more common within this inbred group, suggesting a genetic basis for this distinct trait. The study found a significant positive correlation between inbreeding and the severity of mandibular prognathism; however, maxillary deficiency's link to inbreeding only held statistical significance in two out of seven diagnostic features examined. Researcher Roman Vilas sums up the findings: "We show for the first time that there is a clear positive relationship between inbreeding and appearance of the Habsburg jaw." While the exact link between these traits remains under investigation, researchers suggest that it likely stems from the higher chance of inheriting identical gene variants from both parents, leading to homozygosity at particular genes. Such genetic homogeneity often correlates with reduced genetic fitness, casting the notorious Habsburg jaw as an indicator of inherent genetic weakness rather than strength. The scientific community remains cautious about ruling out genetic drift or the spontaneous occurrence of the mandibular prognathism characteristic, considering the small pool of individuals in the genetic study. Still, they concede that these alternative explanations seem unlikely. To know the Habsburgs by the ignominious title of "a human laboratory" might well have outraged them, yet Vilas uses this term in context to emphasize how this dynasty serves as a model to examine the repercussions of inbreeding on genetic robustness and physical health.
Hindustan Times
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Why AI will not kill creativity
There's an idea doing the rounds that has been repeated so often, it now passes off as the truth. It goes like this: with AI getting smarter every day, it is only a matter of time before those in creative professions—writers, artists, musicians, filmmakers, even coders—will be pushed to the margins. Why pay a human when a machine can generate decent-enough output with the right prompt? The truth is far messier, and far more interesting. Achyut Nayak, a software consultant now living in Mumbai, has been quietly watching this play out. The part-timer musician could lose himself in a loop of improvisation. These days, the music in him feels more like a funeral dirge than a festival beat. Over the phone, we agree on a metaphor that starts like a tangent and ends like a warning. Inbreeding brought down the Hapsburg Empire. At first it sounds like a reach. But then it lands. The Habsburgs, who ruled vast parts of Europe, married within the family to preserve power. It worked for a while. Until it didn't. What followed was disease, deformity, and dynastic decline. Nayak believes generative AI may be following a similar path. Models like ChatGPT are trained on massive datasets built from human-made content. Books, essays, art, music, journalism, software. But as more people begin using AI to generate output, that AI-made content begins to bleed into the datasets that train the next generation of models. Over time, that loop could grow tighter and more self-referential. 'It's like inbreeding,' Nayak says. 'The original pool gets gradually corrupted.' The tragedy, he adds, is not just about degraded data. It's also cultural. 'People who couldn't write are now calling themselves authors. Those who've never held a brush are claiming to be visual artists. What we're seeing isn't the rise of creativity. It's a flood of well-dressed mediocrity.' But not everyone sees it this way. A neuroscientist in Pune, who asks not to be named, offers a counterpoint. 'Humans learn by mimicry too. We absorb what came before us. Language. Logic. Music. Emotion. We connect dots. And when we're lucky, something new emerges.' He doesn't completely reject Nayak's Hapsburg metaphor. He just doesn't think it signals doom. 'Not every mutation is deadly. Some give rise to wings.' Where both men unexpectedly agree is not on data, but on energy. The neuroscientist says, 'The human brain is the most energy-efficient creative engine in the known universe.' He points to how we generate symphonies, code, poetry, and design using the energy equivalent of a light bulb. 'Our brain operates on about 20 watts when at rest.' And that figure doesn't even account for the electricity required to run those servers, or the fossil fuels that power that electricity. We call it the cloud, but clouds don't leave carbon footprints. Data centres do. In a world already staggering under the weight of climate change, what is the real cost of this machine-driven creativity? And can we afford to keep building datacentres that guzzle water, electricity, and minerals at industrial scale just to write emails faster? Nayak and the neuroscientist may differ on where AI is headed. But on this question, they are in quiet agreement. 'The planet cannot afford unthinking AI deployment,' says the neuroscientist. Nayak nods. 'It's not about ethics. It's about entropy.' It bears to keep in mind that AI is a tool. Like processed food was a tool. It ended famines, but gave rise to lifestyle diseases. We fed more people, but paid a long-term cost in public health. Something similar may unfold with AI. It will free up time, unlock scale. It will push the average ceiling higher but at a cost. Maybe it is time we stopped writing obituaries for creativity. Maybe the more urgent task is to examine the kind of creativity we truly value. Do we want a world flooded with content that looks right but feels hollow? Or one where originality, even when imperfect, still carries the scent of human effort? The choices we make now will define the cultural landscape of the future. And those choices cannot be left to algorithms alone. That's where the human hand still matters-- in asking harder questions and in insisting that quality is not just output, but intent. While machines may learn faster, only humans know why something matters. And maybe that's what we need to hold on to. Get 360° coverage—from daily headlines to 100 year archives. ₹124,899 Get This 11% OFF ₹108,999 Get This ₹104,900 Get This ₹139,899 Get This ₹124,900 Get This 3% OFF ₹125,999 Get This 6% OFF ₹118,998 Get This
