Yale to Hand Back 4000 Artifacts to Machu Picchu

by Iva Skoch on

After years of battling over the thousands of pieces of pottery, jewelry and bones, taken from Machu Picchu 90 years ago, Peru is winning the war. The artifacts were lent to Yale University for 18 months but the university has apparently kept them ever since one of its alumni, U.S. explorer Hiram Bingham, rediscovered Machu Picchu in the Andes in 1911.

Like museums in Greece or Egypt trying to get the United Kingdom and other countries to return their ancient treasures, Peru has been fighting to get back theirs from the US. Since we officially frown on imperialism, why do we drag our feet returning that stuff?

Top 10 “Worst Polluted Places” of 2007

by Justin Glow on

The Blacksmith Institute yesterday released a new list of the “Worst Polluted Places” in the world. This year the places spread out over 7 countries and effect over 12-million people. In Vapi, India, for instance, “Local produce has been found to contain up to 60 times more heavy metals (copper, chromium, cadmium, zinc, nickel, lead, iron) than non-contaminated produce in control groups,” according to the Blacksmith Institute. Appetizing. Here’s a list of the top 10 sites, along with a map containing the “dirty thirty.”

  • Sumgayit, Azerbaijan
  • Linfen, China
  • Tianying, China
  • Sukinda, India
  • Vapi, India
  • La Oroya, Peru
  • Dzerzhinsk, Russia
  • Norilsk, Russia
  • Chernobyl, Ukraine
  • Kabwe, Zambia.


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Photo of the Day (8/17/07)

by Neil Woodburn on

You know it must be a great view when even the llamas stop to admire it.

I love the way this particular one is wistfully gazing into the distance and soaking up the amazing Peruvian panorama which surrounds Machu Pichu.

Congrats to out to Epicxero for so skillfully capturing both the llama and the view beyond.

If you’d like one of your llama gems gracing the pages of Gadling, pop on over to our Gadling Flickr Pool and upload your favorites.

More Independence Days to Celebrate

by Jamie Rhein on

August is another Independence Day bonanza. The shifts of power didn’t happen all at once, but 1960 was a big year. If you’re in any of these countries expect a holiday. Maybe there will be fireworks or a parade or a speech or two.

  • August 1 – Benin gained independence from France
  • August 3– Niger gained its independence from France
  • August 5 –Burkina Faso also gained independence from France.
  • August 11–Guess which country Chad gained independence from? That’s right, France.
  • August 13–Central African Republic also gained independence from–you guessed it–France.
  • August 14- Pakistan from the U.K. in 1947.
  • August 15- India from the U.K. in 1947.
  • August 17- Gabon. Can you guess the country and year? If you said France and 1960, ***ding ding ding ! [Did you hear the you win bells?]
  • August 19- Afganistan from the U.K. in 1919. Wow, that’s early.
  • August 24- Ukraine in 1991.
  • August 25- Uruguay from Brazil in 1825.
  • August 27- Moldova from U.S.S.R. in 1991
  • August 31- Kyrgystan from the U.S.S.R in 1991 and Trinidad and Tobago from the U.K. in 1962.

*The information is from the International Calendar published by the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Madison, Wisconsin. They put this calendar together every year and other Peace Corps groups sell it as a fundraiser.

Amazon Trip of a Lifetime: Unless You Do it Again

by Jamie Rhein on