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THE HELLISH HISTORY OF THE DEVIL

Saturday, February 24, 2024

In today’s newsletter, we trace the increasing focus on Satan over the centuries, portray three years of Ukrainian resistance to Vladimir Putin, tackle the devilish advent of big hair ... and visit a home that could resist hellish hurricane winds.

Seated on a fiery throne, Satan devours a damned soul in this detail from 13th-century mosaics adorning the Baptistry of Florence, Italy.

PAUL WILLIAMS/GETTY IMAGES

The tempter of sinners. The master of witches. The foe of God and humanity.

The Bible devotes few passages to Satan, but three centuries after Jesus, a translation connected Lucifer through the Old and New Testaments. The devil’s appearance grew more fearsome and elaborate throughout the Middle Ages (above, shown devouring a damned soul). Satan became “an aggressive, malignant force set on tormenting as many human souls as possible.” Here’s how—and why—depictions of The Evil One became even more terrifying.

Related: Spirit in the Night: The New Jersey Devil

STORIES WE’RE FOLLOWING

Fighting during this period was often done on foot, so warriors preferred a lighter and more form-fitting style of armor. The Dō-maru shown here is from the late Muromachi period (1392-1573).

PHOTOGRAPH BY THE MET, GIFT OF BASHFORD DEAN

Preparing for Shōgun: The three samurai who unified a nation (Pictured above, armor from the late Muromachi period, circa 1392-1573.) See the trailer.

One down, more to go: How this private spacecraft can change space travel

The ancient diary that reveals how the Egyptians built the Great Pyramids

What is a leap second? Are we just going to quit doing it?

This 2,200 year old decree is the first mention of Leap Year

What is a Gila monster? Related: Wild animals make terrible—and often dangerous—pets

The real ‘Dial of Destiny’

How vaccines rev up the immune system

When the world went wild for talking to spirits

How do whales even sing underwater?

PHOTOS OF THE DAY

A caretaker at a rescue center holds a pangolin in his arms

PHOTOGRAPH BY ANASTASIA TAYLOR-LIND

Two years of all-out war: On this day in 2022, Russia’s Vladimir Putin began the biggest war in Europe since World War II, his ill-conceived invasion of democratic neighbor Ukraine, which has refused to give up. Since then, Putin’s weapons have killed tens of thousands of people, ruined many areas, and forced mass evacuations. The refugees include (clockwise from top left): Anna Blanova and her son and nephew; Iryna Butenko and her daughter; Kateryna Falchenko with her three daughters and mom; and sisters Ludmyla and Nelya Tkachenko. “We don’t need much,” said one refugee, Lidiya Ivanenko. “A warm corner is enough.”

REFUGEE STORIES

Related: A timeline of Ukraine’s independence struggle
Also: In the ballet, another show of Ukraine’s resistance

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Winds blowing at 140 mph tear the walls and roof of a model home as part of an experiment at Florida International University's "Wall of Wind" facility.

NSF-NHERI WALL OF WIND, FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY, MIAMI, FLORIDA

Rebuilding Paradise … in California. After the 2018 Camp Fire burned through the town of Paradise, California, claiming more than 18,000 structures, one resident has made it his mission to build weather-resistant designs. Here’s how he does it. (Pictured above, a test structure in Florida is blown apart by 140 mph winds as reasearchers try to develop homes resistent to increasingly extreme weather.)

DISASTER-RESISTANT HOUSING

LAST GLIMPSE

Painting showing Prince Elector of Saxony meeting Louis XIV in a silver wig among his court

BRIDGEMAN/ACI

The bigger the better … at least that’s how Louis XIV (in the silver wig above) felt about his hair. Famous for his extravagant dress, the French king made his mark with wigs that featured flowing locks. This is how he created a craze.

THE BIGGER THE HAIR

Today's soundtrack: One Love, Bob Marley

This newsletter has been curated and edited by Nancy San Martín, Nishita Naga, Jen Tse, and David Beard. Other contributors included Amanda Williams-Bryant, Alec Egamov, and Susie Murphy. Know someone who might want our newsletter in their inbox? Here’s the signup.

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