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Awake!

January 22, 2000

LIFE
A PRODUCT
D f DESIGN

f
Average Printing 20,381,000
Published in 83 Languages

LifeA Product
of Design 3-11
Scientists are trying
to copy the brilliant
designs evident in nature.
But who deserves credit
for lifes marvelous designs?

Copying Lifes Marvelous Designs 3


How Can I Avoid It
Dangers on the Learning From Designs in Nature 4
Internet? 19
The Great Designer Revealed 10
Millions of young people
have access to the Internet. Joachim Barrandes Kingly Gift 12
How can they make wise
use of this powerful tool? Bratislava From Ancient
River-Crossing to Modern Capital 15

Mapping the Heavens


Then and Now 25
A Close Shave 22
Every day, men the world Watching the World 28
over remove their facial
From Our Readers 30
hair. What is the history
of shaving? And how can The Changing Faces of War Victims 31
you get a close shave?
We Are So Thankful! 32

2 Awake! January 22, 2000


COPYING LIFES
MARVELOUS DESIGNS
Toddlers tumble and bump their heads. Older children fall from
trees and off bicycles. Athletes crash into one another on the
playing field. Motorists have countless road accidents. Yet, in spite
o f all these falls, bumps, and crashes, we often escape without
serious injury. We tend to take the toughness and resilience o f our
bodies for granted. But as scientists are beginning to discover, from
our bones to our skin, we are the product o f truly brilliant designs.

H E co m bination o f strength principle. So promising is this field o f study that

T and toughnessw ith relative it has led to the creation o f a new science called
ly lig h t w e ig h t p e rm e a te s biomimetics, from the G reek bi'os, m eaning life,
nature. Tender saplings push through
cracks in concrete and rock and force
and mi'me-sis,m eaning im itation.
Biomimetics Promises a Better World
the cracks wide o pen as they grow
Biomimetics is the study o f biological structures
into healthy trees. In turn, trees can
[and] their functions, explains the book Biomimet
w ith sta n d w inds th a t to p p le p o w
er poles and rip houses apart. W ood ics: Design and Processing o f Materials. It adds that
peckers bore into wood and subject this study is for the purpose o f stim ulating new
their heads to forces th at would turn ideas and developing these ideas into synthetic sys
an ordinary brain to pulp. Crocodile tems sim ilar to those found in biological systems.
and alligator hides deflect spears, ar Scientist Stephen W ainwright says th at biomi
rows, and even bullets. (C om pare Job metics will engulf m olecular biology and replace it
41:1, 26.) Such things have both awed as the m ost challenging and im p o rtan t biological
and baffled hum ans for thousands of science of the 21st C entury. Professor M ehm et
years. Sarikaya claims: We are on the brink o f a m ateri
Over the past 40 years, m ajor leaps als revolution that will be on a p ar w ith the Iron
in technology have given scientists Age and the Industrial Revolution. We are leaping
powerful new tools to use in study forward into a new era o f m aterials. W ithin the
ing the secrets behind these designs, next century, I think biom im etics will significant
m ost of which are hidden deep w ith ly alter the way in which we live.
in the living cell. On this m icroscop In fact, it has already begun to alter our world,
ic scale, the quality o f design is truly as we shall see. But first, let us look briefly at a
breathtaking and staggering in com few of the as-yet-unfathom ed m arvels scientists
plexity. The aim o f science, however, are busy studying. We will also examine the so
is not just to crack the secrets under bering im plications behind the word design and
lying n a tu re s rem arkable m aterials see how these give m eaning to the am azing world
but to copy them at least in general around us.

Awake! January 22, 2000 3


LEARNING FROM
DESIGNS IN NATURE
Many o f oar best inventions are copied from, or already in
use by, other living things.Phil G a te s, W ild Technology.

A S M E N T IO N E D in the preceding article, fiberglass, which is com m only used in


/ \ the aim o f the science of biomimetics is to boat hulls, fishing rods, bows, arrows,
/ \ produce m ore com plex m aterials and ma and other sporting goods* Fiberglass
chines by im itating nature. N ature m anufactures is m ade by setting fine fibers of glass
its products w ithout causing pollution, and they in a liquid or jellylike m atrix o f plas
tend to be resilient and light, yet incredibly strong. tic (called a polymer). W hen the poly
For example, ounce for ounce, bone is stron m er hardens, or sets, the end result
ger than steel. W hat is its secret? Part of the an is a c o m p o site th a t is lightw eight,
swer lies in its well-engineered shape, but the key strong, and flexible. If the kinds of
reasons lie deeperat the m olecular level. The fibers and the m atrix are varied, an
success o f living organism s lies in the design and enorm ously broad range of products
assem bly o f their sm allest com ponents, explains can be made. O f course, m an-m ade
G ates. As a result o f peering into these smallest com posites are still crude com pared
com ponents, scientists have isolated the substanc w ith th o se fo u n d n a tu ra lly in h u
es that give natural products from bone to silk mans, animals, and plants.
their envied strength and light weight. These sub In hum ans and animals, instead of
stances, they have discovered, are various forms of fibers o f glass o r carbon, a fibrous
natural com posites. protein called collagen forms the ba
The Miracle of Composites sis o f th e c o m p o s ite s th a t give
C om posites are solid m aterials th at result when strength to skin, intestines, cartilage,
two or m ore substances are com bined to form a ten d o n s, b o n es, and te e th (ex cep t
new substance containing properties that are su * Strictly speaking, fiberglass refers to the glass
p erior to those o f the original ingredients. This fibers in the composite. However, in common usage
the term refers to the composite itself, which is
can be illu s tra te d by th e sy n th etic co m posite made of plastic and fiberglass.
________________________________________ Awake!
W hy Awake! Is Published Awake! is for the enlightenment of the entire family. It shows how to cope with
todays problems. It reports the news, tells about people in many lands, examines religion and science. But it does more.
It probes beneath the surface and points to the real meaning behind current events, yet it always stays politically neutral
and does not exalt one race above another. Most important, this magazine builds confidence in the Creators promise of
a peaceful and secure new world that is about to replace the present wicked, lawless system of things.
Unless otherwise indicated, New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures With References is used.

Awake! {ISSN 0 0 0 5 -2 3 7 X ) is published sem im onthly by W atchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.; Milton G. Henschel, President; Lyman
A. Swingle, Secretary-Treasurer; 25 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, NY 11201-2483. Periodicals Postage Paid at Brooklyn, N.Y., and at additional m ail
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Vol. 81, No. 2 Printed in U.S.A. 2 0 0 0 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania. All rights reserved. Sem im onthly ENGLISH

4 Awake! January 22, 2000


O unce fo r oun ce,
bone is s tro n g e r
th a n s te e l

for the enamel).* One reference work


d e scrib es co llag en -b ased c o m p o s
ites as being am ong the m ost ad
vanced structural com posite m ateri
als known.

P aris , 1 8 1 2 , J e a n -G a lb e rt S alv ag e
F or exam ple, c o n sid e r ten d o n s,
w hich tie m uscle to bone. Tendons
are rem arkable, not ju st because of An Extinct Fly Helps
the toughness of their collagen-based to Improve Solar Panels
fibers but also because of the brilliant W hile visitin g a m useum , a s c ie n tis t saw pictures
way these fibers are woven together. o f an extinct fly preserved in am ber, says a re p o rt in
In her book Biomimicry, Janine Ben- New Scientist m agazine. He noticed a series o f g ra t
yus writes that the unraveled tendon ings on th e in s e c ts eyes and suspected th a t th e se

A n a to m ie d u g la d ia t e u r c o m b a t t a n t ....,
is alm ost unbelievable in its multi- m ig h t have h e lp e d th e fly s eyes to c a p tu re m o re
leveled precision. The tendon in your light, especially a t very o blique angles. He and oth
er researchers began c o n d u c tin g e xp e rim e n ts and
forearm is a twisted bundle of cables,
confirm ed th e ir hunch.
like the cables used in a suspension
bridge. Each individual cable is itself a S c ie n tis ts s o o n m a d e p la n s to tr y to e tc h th e
sam e pattern o f g ratings onto th e glass o f so la r pan
twisted bundle of thinner cables. Each
els. This, th e y hope, w ill in c re a s e th e e n e rg y gen
of these thinner cables is itself a twist
e ra te d by s o la r panels. It m ig h t a lso e lim in a te th e
ed bundle of molecules, which are, of
need fo r th e co stly tra c k in g s y ste m s p re s e n tly re
course, twisted, helical bundles of at quired to keep solar panels pointed a t th e sun. Bet
oms. Again and again a m athematical te r solar panels may m ean less fossil fu e l use and,
beauty unfolds. It is, she says, engi th u s, less po llu tio n a w orthy goal. Clearly, discover
neering brilliance. Is it any surprise ies like th is one help us to app re cia te th a t nature is
* Vegetable composites are based on cellulose a ve ritable m o th e r lode o f b rillia n t designs ju s t w ait
rather than collagen. Cellulose gives wood many of ing to be fo u n d , u n d e rs to o d a n d , w h e re p o ssib le ,
its coveted qualities as a building material. Cellu copied in useful ways.
lose has been described as a tensile material with
out peer.

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Awake! January 22, 2000 5


that scientists speak of being inspired by natures lation against the cold of the ocean.
designs?Com pare Job 40:15,17. And it is also the best possible food
As mentioned, man-made composites pale when reserve during nonfeeding migrations
com pared with those of nature. Still, synthetics are over thousands of miles. Indeed, ounce
remarkable products. In fact, they are listed among for ounce, fat yields between two and
the ten m ost outstanding engineering achievements three times as much energy as protein
of the past 25 years. For example, composites based and sugar.
on graphite or carbon fibers have led to new gen Blubber is also a very bouncy rub
erations of aircraft and spacecraft parts, sporting berlike m ate ria l, according to th e
goods, Form ula One race cars, yachts, and light above-mentioned book. O ur best esti
weight artificial limbsto m ention just a few items mate now is that acceleration caused
in a rapidly growing inventory. by the elastic recoil of blubber that is
compressed and stretched with each
Multifunctional, Miraculous Blubber tail stroke may save up to 20% of the
Whales and dolphins dont know it, but their bod cost of locom otion during extended
ies are wrapped in a miracle tissueblubber, a form periods of continuous swimming.
o f fat. Whale blubber is perhaps the most multi Blubber has been harvested for cen
functional material we know, says the book Biomi- turies, yet only recently has it come
metics: Designand Processing o f Materials. Explaining to light that about half the volume of
why, it adds that blubber is a marvelous flotation de blubber consists of a complex mesh of
vice and so helps whales surface for air. It provides collagen fibers wrapped around each
these warm-blooded mammals with excellent insu- anim al. A lthough scientists are still
trying to fathom the workings of this
fat-com posite mix, they believe th at
Giving Credit Where It Is Due they have discovered yet another m ira
In 1957, S w iss e n g in e e r G eorge de M e stra l no cle product that would have many use
tic e d th a t th e s m a ll, te n a c io u s b urs c lin g in g to his ful applications if produced syntheti
c lo th e s w ere covered w ith tin y hooks. He s tu d ie d cally.
th e s e b u rs a n d th e ir hooks, a n d soon his cre a tive
m in d c a u g h t fire . He s p e n t th e next e ig h t years de An Eight-Legged
Engineering Genius
v e lo p in g a s y n th e tic e q u iv a le n t o f th e b u r. H is
in v e n tio n to o k th e w o rld by s to rm a n d is n o w a In recent years scientists have also
h o u se h o ld n a m e Velcro. been looking very closely at the spider.
Im a g in e how de M e s tra l w o u ld have fe lt had th e They are keen to understand how it
w o rld been to ld th a t no o n e d e sig n e d Velcro, th a t m anufactures spider silk, which is also
it ju s t h a p p e n e d as th e re s u lt o f a s trin g o f th o u a composite. True, a broad range o f in
s a n d s o f a c c id e n ts in a w o rksh o p . Clearly, fa irn e ss sects produce silk, yet spider silk is spe
a n d ju s tic e d e m a n d th a t c re d it be given w h e re it cial. One of the strongest materials on
is due. H um an in ve n to rs o b ta in p a te n ts to e n sure earth, it is the stuff that dream s are
th a t it is. Yes, it se e m s th a t h u m a n s d e se rve cred made of, said one science writer. Spi
it, fin a n c ia l rew ards, and even p ra ise fo r th e ir cre der silk is so outstanding that a list o f
a tio n s, w h ich are o fte n in fe rio r im ita tio n s o f th in g s its amazing properties would seem un
in th e n a tu ra l w o rld . S h o u ld n o t o u r w ise C reator believable.
receive a c k n o w le d g m e n t fo r his p e rfe c t o rig in a ls? Why do scientists use superlatives
when describing spider silk? Besides

6 Awake! January 22, 2000


being five times stronger than steel, it how the spider makes silk so efficientlyand with
is also highly elastica rare com bina out the use of toxic chemicals.
tion in materials. Spider silk stretches
Natures Gearboxes and Jet Engines
30 percent farther than the most elas
Gearboxes and jet engines keep todays world on
tic nylon. Yet, it does not bounce like
the move. But did you know that nature also beat
a tram poline and so throw the spi
us to these designs? Take the gearbox, for example.
ders meal into the air. On the hum an
Gearboxes allow you to change gears in your vehi
scale, says Science N
s,a web resem
ew
cle so as to get the most efficient use out o f the mo
bling a fishing net could catch a passen
tor. N atures gearbox does the same, but it does not
ger plane.
link engine to wheels. Rather, it links wings to wings!
If we could copy the spiders chem And where can it be found? In the comm on fly.
ical wizardrytwo species even pro The fly has a three-speed gearshift connected to its
duce seven varieties o f silkimagine wings, allowing it to change gears while in the air!
how it could be put to use! In vastly
improved seat belts as well as in su
tures, artificial ligaments, lightweight
lines and cables, and bulletproof fab
rics, to name just a few possibilities.
Scientists are also trying to understand

W ha le blub ber
provides flo ta tio n , S p id er s ilk is five tim es
h e a t in s u la tio n , s tro n g e r th a n s te e l ,
an d food reserves y e t high ly e la s tic
Dave B. F le e th a m /
V is u a ls U n lim ite d

C rocodile and a llig a to r hides can


d e fle c t spears, arrow s,
an d even b u llets
A w o o d p e c k e rs brain
Is p ro te c te d by very
dense bone th a t acts
as a shock ab s o rb e r

The n au tilu s has s p e c ia l


ch am b ers th a t e n a b le It to
re g u la te its buoyancy

C ham eleons ch an g e
to b len d w ith
surroundings

The squid, the octopus, and the nautilus all have under the water for long periods w ith
a form of jet propulsion that drives them through out a breathing apparatus? And how
the water. Scientists view these jets with envy. Why? do they repeatedly dive to great depths
Because they are com posed of soft parts that can w ithout getting decom pression sick
not break, that can w ithstand great depths, and ness, commonly called the bends? How
that run silently and efficiently. In fact, a squid can do chameleons and cuttlefish change
jet along at up to 20 miles an hour when fleeing color to blend with their surroundings?
predators, sometimes even leaping out of the water How do hummingbirds cross the G ulf
and onto the decks of ships, says the book Wild of Mexico on less than one tenth of an
Technology. ounce of fuel? It seems that the list o f
Yes, taking just a few moments to reflect on the questions could go on endlessly.
natural world can fill us with awe and appreciation. Truly, hum ans can only look on and
N ature truly is a living puzzle that prompts one w onder. S cientists develop an awe
question after another: W hat chemical marvels ig bordering on reverence when they
nite the brilliant, cold light in fireflies and certain al study nature, says the book
gae? How do various arctic fish and frogs, after be Behind the Design A Designer!
ing frozen solid for the winter, become active again Associate professor of biochemistry
when they thaw out? How do whales and seals stay Michael Behe stated that one result

8 Awake! January 22, 2000


of recent discoveries within the living In D arw ins tim e the living cell the foundation
cell is a loud, clear, piercing cry of de of lifewas thought to be simple, and the theo
sign! He added that this result of ef ry o f evolution was conceived in that era o f rela
forts to study the cell is so unam bigu tive ignorance. But now science has gone past that.
ous and so significant that it m ust be M olecular biology and biom im etics have proved
ranked as one of the greatest achieve beyond all doubt th at the cell is an extraordinarily
ments in the history of science. complex system packed with exquisite, perfect de
Understandably, evidence of a D e signs th at make the inner workings o f o u r m ost so
signer creates problems for those who phisticated gadgets and m achines look like childs
adhere to the theory of evolution, for play by com parison.
evolution cannot account for the so Brilliant design leads us to the logical conclu
phisticated design within living things, sion, says Behe, th at life was designed by an intel
especially at the cellular and molec ligent agent. Is it not reasonable, therefore, that
u lar levels. T h e re are co m p ellin g this Agent also has a purpose, one th at includes
reasons, says Behe, to think that a humans? If so, w hat is th at purpose? And can we
Darwinian explanation for the mech learn m ore about our D esigner him self? The fol
anisms of life will forever prove elu lowing article will examine those im p o rtan t ques
sive. tions.

Awake! January 22, 2000 9


THE GREAT DESIGNER
REVEALED
VEN m any scientists would agree that the thor has revealed him self in another

E so-called book o f nature leaves a reasonable


m ind w ith no doubt th at there is a Design-
er, a Creator. Long ago the C hristian apostle Paul
w rote th at G o d s invisible qualities are clearly
bookhis inspired Word, the Bible,
2 Timothy 3:16.
Though not a science book, the Bi-
ble answers all the vital questions th at
seen from the w orlds creation onward, because the natural world does not. It answers
they are perceived by the things made, even his one o f the first questions m ost people
eternal pow er and G odship. (Romans 1:20) But ask when studying a brilliant piece o f
the book of nature is not a com plete revelation of handiw orkW ho m ade it? Regard-
G od and of his will. It does not, for example, re- ing creation, note what the Bible says
veal the purpose of life. Thankfully, creations Au- at Revelation 4:11: You are worthy,
Jehovah, even our G od, to receive the vah as the waters are covering the very sea. In
glory and the honor and the power, fact, the knowledge o f Jehovah is the key to end
because you created all things, and less life, peace, and happiness. Jesus confirm ed
because of your will they existed and this when he said: This m eans everlasting life,
were created. Yes, the G reat D esign their taking in knowledge o f you, the only true
er is Jehovah G od, and his nam e ap God, and o f the one whom you sent forth, Jesus
pears some 7,000 tim es in the original C hrist.John 17:3.
m anuscripts o f the Bible. In gaining everlasting life, hum ans will at last be
About 3,500 years before our scien able to enjoy the earth as G od originally intended.
tific era, a m an by the nam e o f Job, And far from being boring, eternal life will be an
obviously a keen observer o f nature endless adventure of discovery and joy.
and a thinking person, associated Je
A Thrilling Challenge!
hovahs nam e with creation. Job said:
Ecclesiastes 3:11 says: Everything [God] has
Ask, please, the dom estic anim als,
made pretty in its time. Even tim e indefinite he has
and they will in stru ct you; also the
put in their heart, th at m ankind may never find
winged creatures o f the heavens, and
out the work th at the true G o d has m ade from the
they will tell you. O r show your con
start to the finish. Soon, w ith the natural hum an
cern to the earth, and it will instruct
desire to live to tim e indefinite, or forever, com
you; and the fishes o f the sea will de
pletely satisfied, we will be able to try to find out
clare it to you. W hat do they all teach
the work G od has m ade from the start to the fin
about creation? Job answers w ith a
ish. Yes, the whole earth will be our classroom , Je
question: W ho among all these does
hovah will be our Teacher, and life will be a thrill
not well know th at the hand of Jeho
ing, unending voyage of discovery.
vah itself has done this?Job 12:7-9.
Picture yourself in Paradise, perfect in m ind and
Jehovahs Purpose for Humans body. You em brace challenges th at you would not
T he Bible also reveals Jeh o v ah s even dream o f accepting nowand you know that
purpose for hum ankind. W hat is that you will be able to see them through to the very
purpose? It is th at righteous hum ans conclusion, w hether th a t takes a hundred years
enjoy the gift o f everlasting life in or a thousand. Perhaps you may even be able to
Paradiseright here on earth. The use your perfect faculties to copy some o f Jeho
righteous themselves will possess the vahs designsbu t in ways th a t are far su p e ri
e a rth , and they w ill reside forever or to m ankinds present efforts, which often harm
upon it, says Psalm 37:29. Similarly, and pollute. Yes, like Jehovah, you will be gov
Jesus said: Blessed are the meek: for erned by love in all th at you do.Genesis 1:27;
they shall inherit the earth . M at 1 John 4:8.
thew 5:5, King James Version. Why do we know th at this is not ju st fanciful
F urtherm ore, thanks to a special dreaming? Because of Jehovahs two m agnificent
kind of knowledge, the earth will re books. Yes, the Bible and creation furnish irre
m ain a peaceful paradise. Says Isaiah futable proof th at nothing is im possible for our
11:9: They will not do any harm or G rand D esigner and C reator. So why not get to
cause any ruin in all my holy m oun know him and his Son, Jesus C hrist, better now?
tain; because the earth will certainly You could not engage in a m ore interesting, w orth
be filled with the knowledge o f Jeho while, and promising endeavor.

Awake! January 22, 2000 11


Joachim Barrandes
K ingly G ift
By A w a k e ; c o r r e s p o n d e n t in th e C zech R e p u b l ic

((A / O R E th an a kingly A p a le o n to lo g is t is a
iV JL gift, the m ost gal scientist who uses fossil re
lan t hom age to have been m ains to study life in past
paid to the Czech nation! geologic periods. Paleontol
T hat is how a journalist de ogy is a re la tiv e ly new
sc rib e d th e legacy th a t science. D uring the M iddle
th e C zech N a tio n a l M u Ages, fossils were dism issed
seum received from J o a as jokes of nature or were
chim B arran d e, th e n o ted th o u g h t to be rem a in s o f
19th-century paleontologist. dragons. By the 18th cen tu
B arrandes kingly gift to ry, however, people in the
th e C zech p eople c o n sist u p p e r classes w ere b e g in
ed o f an im p o rta n t c o l ning to take an interest in
lection o f m ore th an 1,200 collecting fossils. Scientists
crates full o f fossils, which in m any countries also be
he had sp e n t decades co l P o rtra it: Z knihy Vyvoj cesk e priro d o ved y, 1 9 3 1 gan to take an in te re s t in
lecting, studying, and clas the study o f fossils. Joachim
sifying. W hile you m ight not be inclined B arrande was one o f them . W hat do we
to rhapsodize over a collection of old fossils, know about Barrande, and what did he con
Barrandes gift is far m ore valuable to pa tribute to the field of paleontology? Since
leontologists than a treasure trove! he was a contem porary o f C harles Darwin,
w hat were B arrandes views on D arw ins
theory of evolution?
Barrande Makes a Career Change passion for the natural sciences rekindled,
Joachim B arrande was born in 1799 in Barrande ultim ately quit engineering and,
Saugues, a small town in southern France. for the next 44 years, devoted his life to the
He studied engineering in Paris, special study of paleontology and geology.
izing in road and bridge construction. At B arrandes classroom was the fossil-rich
the same time, he took courses in natural c o u n try sid e o f c e n tra l B ohem ia. E ach
science. It soon becam e apparent th at he day brought new discoveries o f exceptional
was gifted in th a t field. A fter graduation beauty and variety. By 1846 he was ready to
Barrande began working as an engineer, but publish the initial results o f his research. In
when he caught the eye of the French royal this work he described and classified new tri-
family, he was invited to tu to r the grandson lobite species, which once inhabited the bot
of King C harles X. The subjectnatu ral tom of the sea.
science. In 1830, as a result of a revolution in Barrande continued collecting and study
France, the royal family was exiled and even ing fossils. Then, in 1852, he published the
tually went to Bohem ia. B arrande joined first volume of a m onograph, or treatise, en
them there. It was in Prague, the capital of titled The Silurian System o f Central Bohe
Bohemia, that Barrande again took up engi mia* Volume I discussed the trilobites. This
neering. was followed by volumes devoted to crusta
As an expert in road and bridge construc ceans, chondrichthyes, cephalopods, lamelli-
branchs, and o th e r fossilized organism s.
tion, Barrande was assigned to survey the
During his lifetime he published 22 volumes
c o u n try sid e a ro u n d P rag u e fo r a p ro
in which he described in detail m ore than
posed horse-draw n railway. W hile he was
3,500 species. The work is one of the largest
going about his work, Barrande noticed that
m onographs in the field of paleontology.
there was an abundance
of fossils in the area. Tak Meticulous and Disciplined
ing a closer look, he was B arrandes m ethods set him apart from
am azed to discover strik other researchers. To his work as a naturalist,
ing sim ilarities betw een * Silurian is the geologic designation of what is thought
to be one of the oldest periods of our planet.
the strata of Bohemia and
the strata of Britain. His
B a rra n d e s draw ings o f trilo b ite s , 1 8 5 2
S k e tc h e s : S lask avym sv o le n fm N a ro d n f knih o vn y v P raze
he brought the discipline o f an engineer. research, there is no room for speculation or
As a designer, he would not tolerate inaccu guessing or for general theories either.
rate calculations or drawings. As a paleon A Humble Man Gives a Kingly Gift
tologist, he strove to attain a very high de
Despite his great success, B arrande did
gree of precision in his drawings, taking great
not fall prey to the snare of pride or dishon
pains to ensure that they were accurate down
esty. A lthough he was at ease with the in
to the finest detail. He personally retouched telligentsia o f Europe and spoke several lan
many of the drawings th at were included in guages, he never lost the com m on touch.
his monograph, although the originals had He learned Czech in order to be closer to
been sketched by a professional artist. the people. This helped him in his work,
Barrandes meticulousness, however, was as it allowed him to com m unicate with the
not confined to his drawings. After each vol stone quarriers who helped him acquire new
ume o f his monograph had been typeset, he specimens for his collection.
personally checked the text. If he was not Barrande was a religious man, and what
satisfied, he sent the offending parts back to he found in nature strengthened his faith
be reset. Barrandes goal was to ensure that in God. He called fossils medallions o f the
every work he published was as accurate as first creations. M oreover, in the introduc
possible. He succeeded admirably. Today, al tion to his work, he referred to the emotions
m ost 150 years later, researchers still use the that moved him to keep studying: It is a
Silurian System as a reference work. feeling of adm iration, satisfaction, and rec
What About Evolution? ognition that pervades and charm s the one
W hen Charles D arw ins book The Origin who discovers or contem plates a p a rt of the
o f Species was published in 1859, many scien works of the C reator.
tists jum ped on the evolution bandwagon. Joachim B arrande died in 1883, leaving
B arrande, however, did not. From the be behind scientific m aterial of uncom m on val
ginning, he rejected the evolution theory be ue. His meticulous approach to his work is
cause he saw nothing in the fossil record appreciated by scientists the world over. Be
to convince him that the theory was true. cause o f the realistic, factual approach he
Barrande said that the purpose of his work took, Joachim B arrandes carefully do cu
was to find out reality and not to construct mented discoveries are still serving research
ephem eral theories. (Italics ours.) Indeed, ers today. From a scientific standpoint, it
on the title page of each volume of the Siluri was not an exaggeration to describe B ar
an System, he inscribed the motto: Cest ce randes legacy as m ore than a kingly gift.
quejai vu(This is what I have seen).
B arrande did notice th a t the bodies of IN OUR NEXT ISSUE
m any an im als w ere in d ifferent stages
of development. However, he correctly con Fatherless Families
cluded that they were of the same species Breaking the Cycle
but o f different age. He saw no evidence
that one kind of animal had evolved into an The Black Death Scourge of
other. Summing up Barrandes philosophy, Medieval Europe
the book A Petrified World says: Barrandes
whole work i s ... built on facts, and that is its Lying Is It Ever Justified?
m ost precious feature. At this stage of basic

14 Awake! January 22, 2000


BRATISLAVA
From Ancient River-Crossing
to Modern Capital
BY A W A K E ! C O R R E S P O N D E N T IN S LOVAKI A

M A G IN E that you can travel back in time ists admire M aria T heresas royal palace, nor

I to the year 1741. The air is electric with an to Budapest, the capital of modern-day Hunga
ticipation. Festive fanfares can be heard as ry. You would have to visit Bratislava, a city lo
people push and shove to get as close as possi
ble to the street where a procession is about to
cated on the D anube River, some 35 miles east
of Vienna.
pass. Peasants in their Sunday best and proud Todays B ratislava, a city o f a b o u t h a lf a
burghers attired in the latest fashion are here, m illion p e o p le , is th e c a p ita l o f p ic tu r
along with noblemen who have come to see and esque Slovakia. W hen c o m p a re d w ith its
to be seen. Royal envoys are distributing gold neighboring capitals Budapest, Vienna, and
and silver coins bearing the portrait of Prague Bratislava now seems like a
a young lady, while people shout in little sister. Yet, for over two centu
excitement. W hy all the com m o ries, it was the capital o f Hunga
tion? M aria Theresa, the arch ry and enjoyed all the glory at
duchess o f Austria, is heading ta c h e d to su ch a p riv ileg ed
into the city to be crowned as status. Indeed, the coronations
the new queen o f Hungary. o f 11 H ungarian rulers took
Back to the present. If you place in th is city. B ut w h at
wished to visit the lo c a tio n m ade it so special?
of this im portant coronation, An Ancient Settlement
where w ould you go? N o t to Bratislava boasts an advanta
Vienna, where today m any tour geous p osition on the D anube,
N o rth W ind P ic tu re A rchives M a ria Theresa 15
E uropes second-longest river. In the past, the hom e to th e s o u th and had
D an u b e slowed down at this p o in t and be also penetrated into the region of
cam e shallow, creating a natural crossing. Peo Bratislava. But somehow the Slav
ple, along with their animals and carts, forded ic elem ent prevailed. Evidence
the river there long before bridges connected of this is the Slavic name of the
its banks. Thus, from ancient times the area areas first real castle, which was
around what is now Bratislava was a busy cross built in the tenth century. It was
roads. As early as 1500 B.C.E., one of the Am known as Brezalauspurc, m ean
ber Routes, im portant trade ways connecting ing Castle of Braslavthought
the n o rth and the south o f E urope, passed to have been named after a high-
through the city. Later, traffic across the ford ranking arm y officer. From this
was controlled by a fortress on the nearby hill d e sig n a tio n , th e Slovak n am e
where Bratislava Castle is now located. Bratislava was derived.
If you could go back in time, whom might
The Medieval City
you bum p into at this crossing? Well, if you
arrived about the fourth century B.C.E., you In time, the country now called
would be welcomed by the Celtic people who Slovakia becam e part o f Hunga
made this area a center o f their culture. The ry. A historical account dating from 1211 C.E.
hill served as a kind of acropolis for the local calls Bratislava Castle the best-fortified castle
Celtic com m unity, who produced pottery and in Hungary. Thirty years later, this assessment
struck coins. was proved correct when the castle w ithstood
W hat if you visited at the beginning of our attack by Tatar invaders. T hat success boosted
C om m on Era? If you knew some Latin, you the growth of the settlem ent around the castle,
might have been able to converse with the lo and in 1291, H ungarian King Ondrej III grant
cals, for by then the Romans had pushed their ed the town full privileges as a m unicipality. Its
northern borders to the D anube. At the same citizens thus gained the right to elect their own
tim e, however, you m ight also have m et up mayor, to transport their goods on the D anube
with Germ anic people arriving from the west. River, and to trade freely both on water and
If you scheduled your visit more toward the land. Since vineyards flourished on the citys
Middle Ages, say in the eighth century, you sunny slopes, the citizens right to sell wine out
would find yourself entering an ethnic m elt of their own hom es was especially appreciated.
ing pot. By this time, what came to be called Later Hungarian kings granted the city addi
the G reat M igration had occurred, and Slav tional privileges, which contributed to further
ic people from the east had begun to settle in expansion. In 1526, Bratislava began its long
the territory. The H ungar reign as the capital of Hungary, a position it
ians had established their held until 1784. Meanwhile, Bratislavas ethnic
Slovak N a tio n a l
m ixture becam e ever m ore varied. Its mostly T h eatre
Slavic and Hungarian population was enriched
by an influx o f G erm an and Jewish people. In
the 17th century, as Turkish dom ination ex
panded westward and northw ard, many Croats
sought refuge in the area o f Bratislava, as did
A s tre e t In
Czech exiles fleeing the Thirty Years War be
th e Old C ity
tween Catholics and Protestants farther west
in Europe.
Bratislava in the 20th Century
By the beginning o f the 20th century, Brati
slava had become a m ultinational, m ulticultur
al city. At that time the surest way to get what
you needed in a shop was to request it in G er m ost num erous o f the citys many nationali
man or Hungarian. But Czechs and Romanies ties.
(Gypsies) also played an im portant role, as did Soon th e d a rk clo u d s o f W orld W ar II
the Jewish com m unity. Before World War I, loomed over Europe. Thus began a sad p art
only about 15 percent o f the population was of Bratislavas history, which upset the citys
Slovak. But by 1921, Slovaks had become the ethnic harm ony. First, the Czechs were forced
The N ew B ridge
a n d th e le a n in g to w e r

to leave. Then, the Rom a


nies and the Jewish inhab
itants were deported, and
thousands eventually died
in c o n c e n tra tio n cam ps.
After World W ar II ended,
the m ajority o f the German-speaking residents along the banks of the D anube next to the Old
were also deported. Eventually, members of City. Here they cannot miss a symbol of m od
each o f these ethnic groups made their way ern Bratislavathe New Bridge with its restau
back to their old hometown, and their presence rant atop a leaning tower. The design gives the
still enriches the atm osphere of Bratislava. impression th at the restaurant is hovering over
A Visit to Bratislava Today
the Petrzalka housing area on the other side o f
the river.
W hy not join us on a short walk through to
days Bratislava? First, we tour the beautifully If you get the feeling th at there is a lot of
reconstructed Bratislava Castle. From the cas building going on in Bratislava, you are right.
tle garden, we enjoy a panoram ic view of the Besides the recently reconstructed parts of the
city spreading out on both sides of the D an Old City, attractive steel-and-glass structures
ube River. m ushroom ed during the 1990s, with m ore to
come. It is these offices, business centers, and
D ow n the hill, just below the castle area, we
banks that give the city its m odern look.
find ourselves in the Old City, the historic cen
ter of Bratislava. Walking through the colorful, Naturally, you would like to have an attrac
narrow streets, we feel as if we were breathing tive souvenir of your visit. So we can drop by
the air of past centuries. We admire the attrac the shops selling handm ade products, such as
tive architecture of the palaces and burgher beautiful lace tablecloths or dolls dressed in
houses. If you wish, we can also stop at one of the national costume. Or if you prefer, we can
the historic cafes for a cup of colfee or tea and go to the open-air M ain Square M arket, where
some of Bratislavas famous pastries filled with you can shop just as the residents o f Bratisla
walnuts or poppy seeds. va have been doing for centuries. Perhaps you
All year round, visitors delight in strolling may also want to visit the attractive branch of
fice of the Watch Tower Society located in this
city.
Maybe one day you will really visit Bratisla
va. And if you do, you will no doubt enjoy
this colorful m odern capital th at grew
from an ancient river crossing.

B ranch o ffic e a n d
K ingdom H a ll o f
Jeho vahs W itnesses
ICTU RE yourself in the
P w orlds biggest library.
B ooks, new sp ap ers, c a ta
logs, photographs, and re
cordings o f every so rton
virtually every subjectsur
round you. All the latest in
form ation as well as m uch
of the literature o f past cen
turies is at your fingertips.
W ell, th e I n te r n e t can
place such in form ation at
your fingertips. It enables a
person to sit at his com put
er and exchange in fo rm a
tion with oth er com puters
How Can I Avoid Dangers
and c o m p u te r u se rs a n y
where in the world.* It al on the Internet?
lows users to sell products,
to make purchases, to make banking trans you can buy books, c a r p arts, and o th er
actions, to converse, to listen to the latest things. M any use it for schoolwork.
music recordingsall in the privacy of their Although the Internet can be useful, it can
own home. also seem like a library w ithout librarians or
Little wonder, then, th at some experts pre other observers. One can browse it with the
dict th a t over 320 m illion people will be feeling that no one else is around. But this
using the Internet by the end of this year. is one of the greatest dangers o f using the
Use o f the Internet is thus becoming com Internet. Why? Because countless Web sites
co n tain m aterial th a t is m orally c o rru p t
m onplace in m any parts o f the world. With
and spiritually destructive. Thus, the Inter
schools and libraries aggressively prom ot
net can expose young C hristians to tem pta
ing its use, millions o f young people have ac
tion. After all, hum ans are naturally curious
cess to it. In the U nited States, nearly 65 per
a tendency that Satan the Devil has long
cent of youths betw een the ages of 12 and 19 exploited. Satan certainly took advantage of
have already used or subscribed to on-line Eves curiosity and seduced her by his cun
services. ning.2 C orinthians 11:3.
P ro p e rly u sed, th e I n te r n e t ca n be a Similarly, a young C hristian could easily
source o f helpful inform ation on the w eath be seduced by unwholesom e inform ation if
er, travel, and o th er subjects. T hrough it, he is not determ ined to safeguard his spiri
* See the series The InternetIs It for You? appearing in
tuality. An article in Better Homes and Gar
the July 22, 1997, issue of Awake! dens explained: The Internet is a bustling

Awake! January 22, 2000


frontier where brilliant pioneers hawk the Christian should do: Leave the site immedi
latest information; but pedophiles, scam art atelyor even shut down the Internet brows
ists, bigots, and other unsavory characters er! Be like the psalm ist who prayed: Make
wander cyberspace too. my eyes pass on from seeing what is w orth
A youth nam ed Javier* says: Some Web less. (Psalm 119:37; c o m p a re Job 31:1.)
sites are shocking. They can pop up without Remember that even if no other hum an is
warning. He adds: They are trying to pull monitoring us, we are not unobserved. The
you in. They w ant to entice youto get your Bible reminds us that all things are openly
money. A young C hristian named John ad
mits: Once you start looking at im proper
m aterial, its hard to stopits so addictive.
Some Christian youths have frequented un Some Web sites are
wholesome Web sites, and this has led them
into m ore serious trouble. Some have even shocking. They can pop
dam aged their relationship w ith Jehovah. up without warning
How can this be avoided?
Seeing What Is Worthless
Sometimes a Web-site address itself clear
exposed to the eyes of him with
ly indicates that the site contains objection
whom we have an accounting. Hebrews
able material.* Proverbs 22:3 warns: Shrewd
4:13.
is the one that has seen the calamity and pro
Talking to your parents or to other m ature
ceeds to conceal himself, but the inexperi
Christians can strengthen your resolve not
enced have passed along and m ust suffer the
to revisit unwholesome sites. After all, if you
penalty.
fell into quicksand, would you struggle until
M ore commonly, though, the problem is
you were in it up to your neck before calling
that people may stumble upon an objection
for help?
able site purely by accident. The home page
may contain lurid images th a t have been What About Association On-Line?
carefully designed to entice you into explor Chat allows Internet users from all over
ing the siteand returning to it over and the world to com m unicate instantaneously
over again!A with one another. Businesses use it for on
Kevin describes what happened to one of line conferences and to provide c u sto m
his friends: He had time on his hands and er service. Some chat rooms allow users to
was curious. Viewing pornography soon be share information on technical matters, such
cam e a p a tte rn . F o rtu n ately , this young as auto repair or com puter program ming.
Christian sought out an elder and received Some forms of chat allow friends and family
help. members to com m unicate privately without
Have you resolved what you will do if you the expense of long-distance telephone calls.
stumble upon such a site? It is clear what a Though there may be legitimate uses for this
medium, are there any dangers?
* Some names have been changed.
# The Web-site address is the string of characters that is There is a real need for caution when it
used to access the Web site. Sometimes addresses contain comes to public chat rooms, for these can
words that identify the purpose of the site.
AThe home page is like an electronic storefront window. It
pose certain dangers. W riter Leah Rozen ob
explains what a site offers, who created it, and so on. served: Techno-sawy teenagers are spend-

20 ] Awake! January 22, 2000


ing hours chatting online with anonymous Safeguards
strangers all over the country and, even, the In view of the dangers th at the Internet
world. Unfortunately, some of those strang presents, it m ust be used with caution. Some
ers with whom teens may be talking online families, for example, place the com puter in
also happen to be adult perverts looking for a well-traveled area, such as the living room.
sexual trysts with kids. An article in Pop They may also establish the rule that the In
ular Mechanics warned that you have to be ternet only be used when others are at home.
extremely careful when using public chat If your parents establish such restrictions,
cooperate. (Proverbs 1:8) Clear guidelines
are an evidence of their love.
If schoolwork requires th at you use the
Internet, why not keep track of how m uch
time you spend on-line? Try to decide in ad
vance how much time you will spend, using
an alarm clock to rem ind you when the time
is up. Tom suggests: Plan ahead, know exact
ly what youre looking for, and stick to itno
m atter how interesting other things look.
Caution is also needed when it comes to
the use of E-mail. Christian youths are care
ful not to get caught up in reading vast quan
tities o f E-mail, especially if m uch of the
information is frivolous or unfounded. Ex
Some fa m ilie s p la c e th e hom e com p uter
cessive use o f E-mail can eat up valuable
In a n open a re a
time needed for schoolwork and spiritual ac
tivities.
rooms. Giving out your name or address to King Solom on said: To the m aking of
a stranger could be an invitation to serious many books there is no end, and much devo
trouble! Why subject yourself to that danger? tion to them is wearisome to the flesh. (Ec
A more subtle danger, though, lies in get clesiastes 12:12) Those words could well ap
ting caught up in im proper fellowship with ply to the Internet. D ont get so involved in
strangers who do not respect Bible princi the search for facts and figures that you ne
ples* Researchers say that much of the teen glect personal study of the Bible and partici
talk in chat rooms focuses on sexual issues. pation in the Christian ministry. (M atthew
The Bibles counsel at 1 Corinthians 15:33 24:14; John 17:3; Ephesians 5:15,16) Remem
is thus appropriate: Do not be misled. Bad ber, too, that while com m unicating via the
associations spoil useful habits. Bad asso com puter may have its place, there is no sub
ciations via a com puter link are dangerous. stitute for having face-to-face contact with
Should a God-fearing youth recklessly ex fellow Christians. So if you really need to
pose him self or herself to such risks? use the Internet, m ake a firm decision to
* Such dangers can exist in public chat rooms established
use it wisely. Avoid dangerous sites, and do
by well-meaning Christians for the purpose of discussing not spend excessive tim e on-line. Safeguard
spiritual issues. Dishonest people and apostates have some your heart, and never become a slave of the
times joined these discussions and insidiously attempted to
persuade others to accept their unscriptural ideas. Internet.Proverbs 4:23.

Awake! January 22, 2000


A C lose S h av e
BY A W A K E !CORRESPONDENT IN AUSTRALIA

I
F A m an spends five m inutes a day shav ety of designs, including razors with silver-
ing and does so every day for 50 years, he or gold-plated handles. Recent developments
will have spent just over 63 days of his include totally disposable razors, razors with
life removing hair from his face! How do men twin or even triple blades, and razors with
feel about this daily ritual? flexible, pivoting heads.
A recent inform al survey yielded these N ot to be forgotten, of course, are elec
com m ents about shaving: I dont like it. I tric razors, which first appeared on the m ar
hate it. One of the hazards of life. Some ket in 1931. Their efficiency and popularity
thing to be avoided whenever you can get have steadily increased, but the keen edge of
away with it. If some men feel so strongly a blade is still preferred by many who want a
about removing their facial hair, why do they truly close shave.
do it? Lets learn a little more about shaving.
Perhaps well find the answer. An On-Again, Off-Again History
From earliest times m ankind has had an
From Clamshells on-again, off-again relationship with beards.
to Disposable Razors
Ancient Egyptians, says the book
Can you imagine shaving with
Everyday Life in Ancient Egypt,
a clamshell? A sharks tooth? Per
were n o t rem ark ab le for
haps a sharp sliver of flint? H u
body hair and prided themselves
mans have shown remarkable in
on being clean-shaven, using well-
g enuity in choosing im p lem en ts for
made razors which they kept in neat
shaving! In ancient Egypt men shaved us
leather cases. This custom may explain
ing a c o p p e r ra z o r th a t resem bled a
why the Hebrew prisoner Joseph shaved pri
small axhead. M ore recently, in the 18th
and 19th centuries, what becam e known as or to appearing before Pharaoh.Genesis
cutthroats were m anufactured, primarily in 41:14.
Sheffield, England. Often ornately decorated, Assyrians were a race of splendidly beard
these razors had a hollow-ground steel blade ed men. To the point of vanity, they lavished
that folded safely into the handle when not in care and attention on their beards, having
use. These devices had to be handled with them elaborately curled, plaited, and a r
great care, and learning to m aster them no ranged.
doubt cost more than a little skin and blood. Israelite men of old wore beards of m od
For the less dexterous, initiation m ust have erate length, and they used a razor to keep
been traumatic. However, the 20th century them well trimmed. So, what did G ods Law
promised relief. m ean w hen it com m anded Israelite m en
In 1901 a man in the United States named not to cut th e ir sidelocks sh o rt a ro u n d
King Cam p Gillette patented a safety razor or destroy the extremity of their beards?
with a disposable blade. His idea took the This was not a command against trim m ing
world by storm and eventually led to a vari ones hair or beard. Rather, it discouraged

22 Awake! January 22, 2000



Tips for Shaving W ith a Blade
The b o o k Men's Hair m a k e s th e fo llo w in g 3. Using the right razor in the right manner:
suggestions fo r e ffe ctive sh a vin g w ith a blade * The rig h t razor is a s h a rp razor. B lu n t razors
1. Softening your whiskers: The only way to can dam age your skin. C ut w ith th e grain o f hair
softe n fa cia l h a ir really w ell is to apply plenty grow th. S h aving a g a in s t th e grain m ay give a
of hot w ater. If possible , shave a fte r ta k in g a close shave, but it can c u t w h iske rs below skin
shower, as th is allow s m ore tim e fo r th e w ater level and cause th e m to grow into s u rro u n d in g
to so fte n th e w hiskers. tissu e instead o f o u t th roug h th e pores o f th e
2. Applying preshave products: All th e var skin. A ccording to som e sources, careless shav
ious soaps, la th e rs, cre a m s, a nd gels a cco m ing habitsby m en and w om encan cause viral
p lis h e s s e n tia lly th re e th in g s . (1 ) They lo c k infections leading to w arts.
m o is tu re in to th e w h is k e rs , (2 ) th e y k e e p 4. After-shave skin protection: Each tim e
th e m e re c t, a n d (3 ) th e y lu b ric a te th e s k in you shave, you rem ove a m icro sco p ic layer o f
so th a t th e ra z o r s lid e s o v e r it m o re e a s ily. skin , leaving your s k in v u ln e ra b le . T h e re fo re ,
Choose th e p ro d u ct th a t w orks it is im p o rta n t to rinse all res
best fo r you. Oh, have you trie d idues o ff your fa ce w ith clean
hair co n d itio n e r? It is also de w aterw arm a t firs t, th e n cool
signed to s o fte n hair. to c lo s e y o u r p o re s a n d se a l
* This article discusses shaving in m o is tu re . If you w is h , you
for m en. In m any countries w om en can apply a m o istu rizin g a fte r
also shave parts of th e ir bodies, and
so th e y too m ight find s o m e of th e
shave lotion to p rotect and re
points m en tio n e d to be helpful. fresh your skin.
W hat Are W hiskers?
W h is k e rs a re h a irs th a t g ro w on th e fa c e . w h is k e rs a re a m o n g th e to u g h e s t a n d m o s t
T h e y a re m a d e o f k e r a tin a n d re la te d re s ilie n t, b e in g as hard to c u t as a c o p p e r w ire
p ro te in s . K e ra tin is a fib ro u s , s u lfu r- o f e q u iv a le n t th ic k n e s s . T h e re a re a s
c o n ta in in g p ro te in m a n u fa c tu re d m a n y as 2 5 ,0 0 0 on th e fa c e o f th e
by th e b o d y o f m a n a n d a n im a l a v e ra g e m a n , a n d th e y grow a t
a n d is t h e b a s ic b u ild in g th e ra te o f a b o u t h a lf a m illi
b lo c k o f h air, n a ils , fe a th e rs , m e te r every 2 4 h o u rs.
hooves, a n d h o rn s. O f a ll th e M e n : A P ic t o r ia l A r c h iv e fr o m
N in e te e n th -C e n tu r y S o u r c e s /
h a ir on th e h u m a n body, th e D over P u b lic a tio n s , Inc.

Israelite men from imitating mid-to-late 19th century, the


the extreme religious practices pendulum began to swing the
o f neighboring pagan nations.* other way. Hence, photographs
Leviticus 19:27; Jerem iah 9:25 of C. T. Russell, the first president
26; 25:23; 49:32. of the Watch Tower Society, and fel
In ancient Greek society, beards were nor low Christian W. E. Van Am burgh show both
mally worn by all except the nobility, who men wearing stylish, well-trim m ed beards
were often clean-shaven. In Rome the habit that were dignified and appropriate for their
of shaving seems to have started in the sec time. In the early p a rt of the 20th cen tu
ond century B.C.E., and for several centu ry, however, shaving enjoyed a resurgence of
ries thereafter, a daily shave remained the popularity that has endured in most coun
custom. tries to our day.
With the fall of the Roman Empire, how Are you one of those millions of men who
ever, the beard once again prevailed, do use a blade to go through that daily ritual
ing so for 1,000 years until the second half before the m irror? If so, you no doubt want
of the 17th century, when shaving became to make it as painless, bloodless, and effec
the vogue. The clean-shaven look continued tive as possible. To that end, you might like
through the 18th century. But then, by the to consider the suggestions in the box Tips
for Shaving With a Blade. Likely you already
* See Insight on the Scriptures, Volume 1, pages 266 and
1021, published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society employ some of these suggestions. W hatever
o f New York, Inc. the caseenjoy clean, close shaving!

24 Egyptian R om an
MAPPING THE HEAVENS
THEN AND NOW
BY AWAKE!CORRESPONDENT IN THE NETHERLANDS

HE sight of stars sprinkled across the man wanted to bring some order to those

T black, velvety sky has often filled


man with awe, and throughout his
tory it has moved him to express his admi
ration for the C reator o f such beauty. Long
countless points o f light, he connected stars
into groups. W ith a little imagination, these
groups resembled animals, people, or inani
m ate objects. In this way the practice of re
ago, a poet exclaimed: The heavens are de garding set configurations of stars as con
claring the glory of G od; and of the work stellations came about.
of his hands the expanse is telling. (Psalm Some of the constellations we know to
19:1) H ow ever, a n c ie n t o b serv ers o f the day w ere first d e scrib ed in a n c ie n t B ab
night sky saw m ore than beauty. ylon. A m ong th ese are the 12 c o n ste lla
Finding Figures in the Sky tions representing the signs o f the zodiac.
A stronom ers in tim es past noticed that T hese played and still playan im p o r
the entire body of stars appeared to be mov ta n t role in astro lo g y , th e d iv in a tio n o f
ing in an orderly way. A lthough stars passed the supposed influence of the stars on hu
along the sky from east to west, they did not man affairs. Looking for omens in the stars,
change their positions in relation to one an though, is condem ned in the Bible. (D eu
other* In other words, each night the same teronom y 18:10-12) Yet, w orshipers o f Je
specific groupings o f stars were visible. Since hovah G od were aware o f the existence of
constellations. The Bible book o f Job, for
* Unknown to ancient peoples, this apparent movement of instance, speaks about Jehovah as the one
stars is caused by the rotation of the earth around its axis.
For the same reason, the sun seems to rise and set. m aking the A sh constellation, the Kesil
constellation, and the K im ah constellation. tail, and the location of a comet is given
Job 9:9. as to the left of A ndrom edas right knee.
The names of m any o f the constellations Thus, every good astronom er, notes one
that we know today are from G reek mythol textbook, had to know his celestial anato
ogy. N am es like Cepheus, Cassiopeia, A n my!
dromeda, and Hercules can still be found on Why, though, are m ost ancient constel
modern-day star charts. lations located in the no rth ern sky? T h a t
is because the practice o f regarding c e r
Star Charts From the Past tain groups of stars as constellations orig
A bout 150 C.E., the G reek astronom er inated in the M ed iterran ean area, w here
Ptolemy produced a sum m ary of the astro the northern sky is visible, explains a ura-
nom ical know ledge o f 1 9 9 8 V isu al Language nographer, or cartogra
his time. This summary, pher of the sky. Only lat
e n title d Almagest, c o n er, w hen m an beg an
tains a list of 48 constel to explore the southern
lations. C harts and atlas sky, were new c o n ste l
es of the sky that were lations identified. Some
made in the centuries af of these newer constella
ter Ptolemy usually fea tions have names such as
tured the same 48 con Chemical Furnace, Pen
stellations. In fact, until d u lu m C lock, M ic ro
about the 16th century, scope, and Telescope.
the n u m b er o f constel The Christian
lations did not change* Starry Sky
Later, 40 other constel In 1627, G e rm a n
lations were added. In sch o lar Ju liu s S ch il
1922 the In te rn a tio n a l ler p u b lish e d a sta r
Astronom ical Union of atlas with the title Coe-
ficially adopted the list lum Stellatum
Southern H em isphere as
o f th ese 88 c o n s te lla m app ed in the 1 9 th cen tu ry num (The C hristian Star
tions. ry Sky). He felt th a t it
Besides constellations, Ptolemys publica was about time to depaganize the heavens.
tion includes a list of m ore than a thousand Thus, he set out to remove the pagan fig
stars, with inform ation about their bright ures from the sky and replace them with fig
ness and their position in the sky. N ot only ures from the Bible. The book The Mapping
does Ptolemy give the position of a star in o f the Heavens explains that he allotted the
celestial longitude and latitude but he adds northern heavens to the New Testament and
m ore detail. For instance, one star in the the southern to the Old Testament. Schil
lers southern hemisphere was transform ed
Ursa Major, or G reat Bear, constellation is
into a cavalcade of Old Testament subjects
described as the star at the beginning of the Job takes the place of the Indian and the
* These 48 constellations were known in Mesopotamia, the Peacock, the C entaur is transform ed into
Mediterranean, and Europe. Later, they were also known Abraham and Isaac. In the N orthern Hemi
by those who immigrated to North America and Australia.
However, other peoples, such as the Chinese and the North sphere, Cassiopeia becomes M ary M agda
American Indians, went by a different division of the sky. len, Perseus St Paul, while the twelve Zodiac
signs are conveniently replaced by the twelve tants. He m apped the stars o f the southern
apostles. sky and published his work as the
Only one small constellation survived this Bonner D urchm usterung (B onn S o u th e rn
cleanup. T hat was Colum ba (Dove), which Overall Survey). The final survey was pub
supposedly represented the dove that Noah lished in 1930. It was issued at Cordoba, A r
sent out to find dry land. gentina. These catalogs have retained their
value to the present day.
Maps in Transition
In tim e, th e a p p e a ra n c e o f s ta r ch arts Today and Tomorrow
changed. In the 17th century, after the in The work of Argelander and his succes
v ention o f the tele sco p e , a need aro se sors was follow ed by even b e tte r c a ta
for charts th at provided logs. However, in m ore
-----------; . ( > ------------ 3* ----------------------------------------------------- F
more accurate positions m recent years, after the ar
& !
- | ..... * K M .J O R IO N
of the stars. In addition, rival o f space telescopes,
* #
the e la b o ra te d e c o ra unheard-of m apm aking
___ A * _______________________________ i...
tions that cluttered earli * * feats becam e possible.
. 4
\ - bt*
er c h a rts b ecam e less \
W ith th e help o f the
Betel g eu se \
6

prom inent and ev en tu Hubble Space Telescope,


-0-52 ----- --
WY 32- # -
ally disappeared. Today,
\
69
/
a stro n o m e rs have now *

m o st s ta r a tla se s c o n 66
compiled a catalog that
tain only stars, star clus * \ contains approxim ately *

ters, nebulas, galaxies, 60


15 million stars!
X
.
-
.

C?
/ .

-
*
OJ.......................n \ .............. ................. ......
and other objects o f in M \ A recent development
78 - **- .

terest to the observer of in th e m apping o f th e


the night sky. heavens is the pu b lish
Oh Ti'kA ......... ...........................
&Ltmtn \ \ ing o f two new catalogs
In the m iddle o f th e * ^m \
I,

* /
46.42
,77 *
^ 66

; ;
19th c e n tu ry , c a ta lo g s GreatOrionNebula
MO. V by the E uropean Space t \ 1
; E R ID A N U S

that were more com pre " 1 V Agency. These are based
1



5 *
^
W
T :
:

M ONOCERO
hensive beg an to be on o b se rv a tio n s m ade .......

m * \x j ....
m ade. O ne o f th e p io -h *34 i w ith th e space te le
* *
"'""""IT*.........
neers in th is field was scope o f the Hipparcos
C o n s te lla tio n Orion as It ap p e a rs on a
G e rm a n a s tro n o m e r satellite. The accuracy of
m odern s ta r c h a rt
Friedrich Wilhelm Arge- these catalogs is as yet
lander. Together w ith a n u m b er o f assis unequaled. Based on these catalogs, new
tants, he began the huge u n d ertak in g o f printed star atlases have been created. One
making a catalog of the stars in the north is a comprehensive atlas in three volumes
ern sky. W ith a telescope, they located about called the Millennium Star Atlas.
325,000 stars and m easured the position and T hat title may rem ind Bible readers of
the degree o f brightness o f each o f them. the M illennium, or C hrists Thousand Year
Since the observatory in which they worked Reign o f peace, m en tio n e d in th e Bible.
was located in the G erm an city o f Bonn, the (R evelation 20:4) D u rin g th a t tim e m an
catalog becam e known as the Bonner Durch- will undoubtedly learn m uch m ore about
musterung (B onn O verall Survey). It was the awesome universe, of which even todays
published in 1863. After Argelanders death, largest star atlases can chart only a m inor
his work was continued by one of his assis- part.
B a ck g ro u n d on p ages 2 5 -7 : C o u rte s y of R O E /A n g lo -A u s tra lia n O b s e rv a to ry , p h o to g ra p h by D avid M a lin
W A T C H I N G THE WO RL
Jesuits Denied cidents, reports Reuters news to store data changes so rapid
Registration in Russia service. According to a study ly that systems quickly become
The Russian Ministry of Jus by the World Health Organiza obsolete. Says Abby Smith, of
tice has denied the application tion, 21,000 people in Austria, the Council on Library and In
of the Society of Jesus for regis France, and Switzerland die formation Resources: Infor
prematurely every year from re mation doesnt have much of a
tration as an independent reli chance, unless you keep a mu
gious organization, reports the spiratory or heart diseases that
seum of tape players and PCs
National Catholic Reporter. The are triggered by air pollution. [personal computers] around.
Society of Jesus, commonly In a separate report, it is es
known as the Jesuits, was estab timated that in 36 Indian cit Indias Population
lished in 1540. Under Russias ies, 110 people die prematurely Passes One Billion
new religion law, most religious every day as a result of air pol According to the United Na
organizations are required to lution. tions Population Division, In
reregister in order to receive dias population passed the
legal recognition. Groups that Digital Data Fading Fast one billion m ark in Au
are denied registration cannot gust 1999. Just over 50 years
print or distribute religious lit ago, Indias population was one
erature, invite foreign citizens third of what it is now. If it con
for religious activities, or set up tinues to grow at its present rate
educational facilities. Jehovahs of 1.6 percent a year, in about
Witnesses were reregistered na four decades, India will over
tionally on April 29, 1999. take China as the worlds most
populous nation. India and
Suicides Soar in Japan China already account for more
In Japan more people com For years computer scientists than one-third of the worlds
mitted suicide in 1998 than in said that storing information people, reports The New York
any previous year, reports The Times. In less than half a centu
in digital form was more reli ry, life expectancy in India has
Daily Yomiuri. According to Ja able than storing it on paper.
pans National Police Agency, increased from 39 years to 63
Now, however, librarians and years.
32,863 people killed themselves archivists are starting to tell
in 1998more than three times a different story. Were los U.S. Marriage Rate Dropping
the number killed in traffic ac ing vast amounts of important
cidents in Japan. Much of the scientific and historical ma A study by Rutgers Univer
increase has been attributed terial because of disintegration sitys National Marriage Proj
to financial problems caused ect found that the U.S. mar
or obsolescence, says News riage rate has dropped to its
by unemployment, which has week magazine. Digital stor
gripped the nation following a lowest point in recorded histo
age systems such as disk drives ry, reports The Washington Post
recent economic slump. Suicide are sensitive to heat, humid
is the sixth leading cause of on its Web site. The study also
ity, oxidation, and stray mag noted that immediately follow
death in Japan. netic fields. And depending on ing World War II, 80 percent of
Deadly Air Pollution
storage conditions, the magnet the nations children were be
ic tape used to store digital ing raised in a family with two
Road traffic is the fastest data might last only a decade, biological parents. Today, how
growing source of pollution in says the magazine. Another ever, the figure has dropped to
Europe and in some countries challenge for those trying to 60 percent. The percentage of
more people are dying as a re preserve digital information is teenage girls who said having a
sult of this air pollution than the rapid change in technolo child out of wedlock is a worth
are being killed in [traffic] ac gy. The hardware that is used while lifestyle increased from

28 Awake! January 22, 2000


33 percent to 53 percent in the is, is described by Dr. Nicholas is for patients to stop taking
past two decades, says the re Reeves as a sophisticated pro them, reports The Sunday Tele
port. Little wonder that the re duction, beautifully designed, graph of London.
port said: The institution of skilfully and strongly made, and
marriage is in serious trouble! clearly a special order. The Tongue Care
toe came fitted with a toenail Bacteria that hide on the back
Education Woes in Africa and was coated with a flesh of your tongue can produce sul
Over 40 million school-age like tint. A series of eight holesfur gases that cause bad breath,
children in sub-Saharan Af were drilled in the toe for at says a report in the Prince
rica do not go to school, re tachment. The holes closely fol George Citizen newspaper. Bac
ports All Africa News Agen low the line of a Y-thong sandal teria thrive in a dry, oxygen-
cy. A number of problems have strap so that when the toe was free environment which is why
plagued the regions school sys in place, the holes would have they live in the crevices and
tems. For example, as a result been concealed by the sandals pits away from the air we send
of economic problems, many strap. down to our lungs, states the re
schools have no water and few port. Brushing and flossing your
or no toilets. There are short Headaches From Painkillers! teeth will help, but only about
ages of textbooks, and teach 25 percent of bacteria are elim
ers are poorly trained. In addi inated by brushing. Dentist Al
tion to economic woes, there is lan Grove believes that tongue
a high incidence of pregnancy scraping, an ancient tradition in
among teenage girls, which is a Europe, is the single most im
major cause of their high drop portant thing you can do to pre
out rate. AIDS has also had a vent bad breath. Using a plas
negative impact on school at tic scraper is far better than a
tendance. Early sexual activity brush for keeping the tongue
among adolescents has led to Those who take medication clean and pink, says the Citizen.
higher AIDS infection among for headaches three or more
adolescents, says Africa News. A New Eye on the Universe
times a week may be suffering
In some cases girls who have not from medication misuse head The Gemini North telescope,
contracted AIDS are required ache (MMH). Thought to affect based on Mauna Kea, in Hawaii,
to stay home to care for rela 1 in 50 persons, MMH is caused opened its eye on the universe
tives who are stricken with the by simple remedies, such as as in June 1999. Its light-collecting
disease. Says Dr. Edward Fiske, pirin, as well as by prescription mirror, which is 26.5 feet in di
a primary education specialist painkillers. When the analge ameter, will enable astronomers
for the United Nations Educa sic effect wears off, the med to view the faintest objects in the
tional, Scientific, and Cultural ication can cause a headache distant reaches of deep space, re
Organization: With no school, that the patient mistakes for a ports the Independent newspa
the future for most countries normal headache or a migraine. per of London. Both the Gemi
in Sub-Saharan Africa hangs on The patient takes more pain ni North and the space-based
balance. killers, thus repeating the cy Hubble telescopes aid astron
cle. Dr. Tim Steiner, of Imperial omers to see events that hap
Mummy Found to Have College, London, explains that pened long ago and thus to
Prosthetic Toe
any patient complaining of look back in time. The advan
A prosthetic toe found at chronic daily headache should tage of the Hubble telescope is
tached to a mummy seems to be assumed to have MMH. that it is located in space. Gemi
have been used in life before be He also notes that although the ni, though ground-based, relies
ing buried with its owner 2,500 condition has been recognized on computer equipment to sub
years ago, reports The Sunday for some years, most family doc tract distortion caused by atmo
Times of London. The fake toe, tors are unfamiliar with it and spheric disturbance, and it pro
made of linen impregnated with simply prescribe stronger pain duces images as distinct as those
animal glue and plaster of Par killers, when all that is needed from Hubbleif not more so.

Awake! January 22, 2000 29


F R O M OUR R E A D E R S

Weight I want to thank you from the bot Value in Gods Eyes I often feel depressed
tom of my heart for the article Young Peo and worthless, sometimes thinking that I
ple Ask . .. How Can I Conquer My Obses shouldnt be a full-time evangelizer because
sion With Weight? (May 22, 1999) For my efforts arent good enough. The article
some time now, all I have been able to The Bibles Viewpoint: You Have Value in
think about is my physique and my weight. G ods Eyes! (June 8, 1999) made me feel a
I am ashamed of myself when I look in the lot better. It helped me to see that Satan
m irror, and I hardly get on the scale any tries hard to make us feel that way in order
more. After reading this article, though, I to stop us from serving Jehovah.
realize that its w hats inside that counts. L. W., Canada
L. R., France
The article was very comforting. Until now,
Disabilities I spend most of my time in I have felt as though Jehovah were not listen
a wheelchair. My wife has chronic fatigue ing to my prayers. But since reading your arti
syndrome and suffers from deep depression. cle, I have more confidence in Jehovah and in
The series Hope for the Disabled (June 8, myself. Please continue printing comforting
1999) brought out that grieving is a normal articles like this.
reaction to serious loss. Also, the pictures R.VT., Belgium
in the article W hen All Disabilities Will
Disappear helped make the future repair I bear the scars o f pain fu l experiences
of our infirmities more of a reality to me. mistakes that robbed me of my self-esteem.
C. W, United States Today my relationship with Jehovah and the
knowledge th at his love is beyond hum an
I lost my left foot in an accident when I was comprehension give me a feeling of happi
just four years old. Your series helped me to ness and security.
deal with my frequent bouts of depression. V.S.C., Brazil
Please keep up the good work of combating
prejudice. I have just finished listening to the article
A.J.T.P., Brazil on audiocassette. I have been blind for about
44 years, and even after getting baptized as a
People need to know that disabled individ Christian, I never thought that I was worth
uals have feelings and emotions like everyone very much. This article moved me deeply. I
else and that we can and do get hurt. People thank God so much that he does not see us
sometimes look at you as if you were a freak the way we see ourselves.
and make rude comments, or they act as if A. K Italy
you did not even exist. Disabled people are
neither stupid nor lazy nor helpless. Given I have been plagued with negative emo
a chance, many o f us can cook, clean, shop, tions. But as I read the article, it was as if Je
raise families, hold a job, and even operate a hovah were gently talking to me. It is very
vehicle. One thing that has helped me to car hard to change thinking patterns, but I will
ry on is my learning about Jehovah and his try not to forget what the article said: Je
loving and tender ways. I am not one of Jeho hovah, like a loving p a re n t, is n e a r
vahs Witnesses yet, but I hope to become one ever watchful, attentive, and ready to help.
in the future. Psalm 147:1,3.
A. G., United States K. F., Japan

30 Awake! January 22, 2000


U N secretary-generals Special Representa
The C h an g in g tive for Children and Arm ed Conflict, an
estimated two million children have been
Faces of killed in situations of arm ed conflict since
1987. T hat am ounts to more than 450 child

War Victims war-victims per day over the past 12 years! In


addition, during that same period, more than
six million children have been seriously in
jured or perm anently disabled.
One way the U N could com bat the grow
ing num ber of child war-casualties, suggest
ed Mr. O tunnu, is by promoting zones of
< i m <lODAYS w ars are different from
those of the p a s t . . . It is ordinary peace. Locales where children predom i
JL citizens, rather than soldiers, who nate, such as schools, hospitals, and play
are increasingly the victims, reported Per grounds, should be regarded as battle-free
spective, a program broadcast by U N Ra zones. However, added U N Radio, pre
dio. For instance, during the first world war, venting conflicts in the first place is the
only 5 percent of all casualties were civil most effective way for the U N to make sure
ians. However, during the second world war, that ordinary citizens do not become war ca
the num ber of civilian casualties jum ped sualties. Indeed, eliminating war casualties
to 48 percent. And today, noted U N Radio, really requires that war itself be eliminated.
almost all casualties in conflicts are civil Will that ever happen?
ians90%and most of Because of h u m an ity s long record of
these are women, chil wars, most people rightly feel that humans
dren and the elderly. will never bring earth-w ide peace. G ods
According to Olara Word, the Bible, promises, however, that Je
O tunnu, who is the hovah God will do so: He is making wars to
cease to the extremity of the earth. (Psalm
46:9) W hen will this take place? And why
can you be sure that G ods promise of world
wide peace will come true? If you would
like to receive an answer
to these questions, please
write to the publishers
of this magazine, using
the nearest address list
ed on page 5, or call
a Kingdom Hall of Je
hovahs W itnesses lo
cated near you. There
are no obligations
and no c o stju s t
straight answers.
We Are So Thankful!
44 T AM sure that the Awake! articles on
strokes [February 8, 1998] played an
J - im p o rta n t p a rt in sustaining my
m others life, wrote Carol, in a letter to the
branch office of Jehovahs Witnesses in Cana
da. Her mother had felt a numbness in her left
arm, and by the next morning, she had begun
having vision problems. She wanted to wait
until the next day to see her physician, Car
ol explained, so I strongly urged her to read
the Awake! articles dealing with strokes. With
in 15 minutes she called me back, saying that
she had better go to the hospital. The doctors
kept her overnight for observation. The next
day they confirmed that she had had a couple
of warning strokes, and they stated that it was
wise th at she went to the hospital when
she did. We are so thankful for this
series of articles!
gOO-E 1 / 2 2

_.
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