Y/R HistoryVille

19/07/2025

The more you read biographies and stories of people in the past, the more in awe you are of their wisdom and intellect. I am reminded of one this morning; a story told to us in secondary school physics.

It is a story that has the great Greek genius called Archimedes in it.

Over 2,000 years ago in ancient Syracuse, King Hiero II had commissioned a beautiful golden crown for his royal court. But he was suspicious as rumors swirled that the goldsmith had cheated him, mixing in cheaper metals like silver. The king wanted the truth, but he didn’t want his crown destroyed in the process.

Destroy because in ancient times, the standard method for testing if a gold item was truly pure was to melt it down and compare its mass to the volume of pure gold or to re-cast it and weigh it against the original gold given to the goldsmith.

Another method was to scrape or cut off pieces of the metal to test its hardness and purity using acids, but that would damage the crown too.

And why destroy a beautiful crown that could turn out to be pure gold?

So, the king called Archimedes. Archmedes was already famous as a mathematician, and the king wanted him to find him the answer without destroying his crown.

It was a difficult, and, to many people, impossible riddle. Even Archimedes was stunned.

For many days, Archimedes mulled it over without getting anywhere. Then one day, according to the ancient story, not thinking of the problem at all, Archimedes went to take his bath, a public bath. As he lowered himself into the warm water, he noticed something so simple yet so profound: his body pushed the water up and out of the tub. The water level rose, exactly equal to the volume of his submerged body.

In that instant, it hit him — if he could find out how much water the crown displaced, he could know its true volume. Gold has a unique density, heavier than silver or bronze. By comparing the crown’s weight to its displaced water, he could calculate whether it was pure or diluted with lesser metals.

Legend says Archimedes was so overwhelmed with excitement that he leapt out of the bath, running naked through the streets shouting “Eureka!” — Greek for “I have found it!”

Using this method, it was discovered that the goldsmith had indeed cheated the king.

The bathhouse “Eureka!” moment is the legendary origin of what we now call Archimedes’ Principle, which states:

“Any object, wholly or partially immersed in a fluid, is buoyed up by a force equal to the weight of the fluid it displaces.”

In simple terms:

An object displaces its own volume of fluid. and the upward buoyant force equals the weight of the fluid displaced.

This principle has done a lot for the world. It is one of the cornerstones of fluid mechanics. It explains why ships float, how submarines dive, how hot air balloons rise, and even how fish use swim bladders. And in practical engineering, it has helped in the designing of floating structures, ships, submarines, and later airships. And of course, as people in quality control know, it is one of the first famous examples of non-destructive testing, as used in engineering and manufacturing.

Eureka! "I have found it."

19/07/2025

Prince Al-Waleed bin Khaled bin Talal Al Saud, famously known as Saudi Arabia’s “Sleeping Prince” due to his prolonged unconscious state, passed away today, Saturday, July 19. He was 36 years old.

The Prince had spent nearly 20 years in a coma, a condition that garnered him widespread attention and concern. His father, Prince Khaled bin Talal bin Abdulaziz, confirmed the heartbreaking news of his son’s passing in an emotional post on social platform X.

In his public announcement, Prince Khaled wrote: "With hearts believing in Allah’s will and decree, and with deep sorrow and sadness, we mourn our beloved son: Prince Al-Waleed bin Khaled bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, may Allah have mercy on him, who passed away today."

12/08/2024

The beautiful girl in front of you is named "Sifan Hassan." She competes in athletics and participated in the Paris Olympics.

Sifan is originally from Ethiopia, but she migrated as a refugee from Ethiopia to the Netherlands in 2008 when she was 15 years old.

Sifan studied nursing in the Netherlands and met other girls from Ethiopia like her who were members of the local athletics club.

Ed Peters, the head coach at Eindhoven Club, said, "We saw that Sifan was very talented, but her problem was that she was so shy that she couldn’t commit to training."

Sifan faced a very difficult situation at the 2023 World Championships in Hungary 👇

Sifan was leading the 10,000-meter race and was about to cross the finish line, but she fell, and the gold medal slipped away from her!! 😮

But just imagine this, despite being shy and having a very tough childhood and adolescence,

she managed to achieve something at the Tokyo Olympics that no other female runner has ever done in history 👇

Sifan won 3 medals at the Tokyo Olympics: two golds and one bronze in the 1500, 5000, and 10,000-meter races, becoming the first female runner ever to do so!! 😮

Sifan entered the current Paris Olympics and managed to win 3 medals as well: 2 bronze medals in the 5000 and 10,000-meter races and a gold medal in the marathon!! 😮

Not only that, but Sifan also broke the Olympic marathon record with a time of 2 hours, 22 minutes, and 55 seconds. Imagine the greatness!! 😮

Sifan Hassan was the last competitor to be crowned at the Olympics, and this happened at the closing ceremony today.

Sifan Hassan went from poverty, shyness, and suffering to the highest peaks of glory ❤️

11/08/2024

Expiration dates on food products are crucial indicators of the last date a manufacturer guarantees the product's optimal quality and freshness. These dates are not necessarily about safety but rather about when the product is expected to be at its peak flavor and nutritional value.

After the expiration date, while the quality might diminish, many foods can still be safe to consume if they have been stored properly. For instance, canned goods and shelf-stable items can remain safe for
years, whereas perishable items like dairy, meat, and produce need more careful consideration.

Interestingly, there is a historical anecdote linking Al Capone, the infamous American gangster, to the implementation of expiration dates on milk bottles in Chicago. It's believed that Capone, who had substantial influence in Chicago during the Prohibition era, pushed for these dates to be printed on milk
bottles. The motivation behind this was reportedly a combination of genuine concern for public health and a strategic business move. Capone was allegedly concerned about the safety of milk for children, including his own relatives, and saw an opportunity to ensure safer consumption while possibly gaining a foothold in the dairy industry. This move to improve milk safety helped standardize the practice of labeling food products with expiration dates, contributing to better public health practices.



Hit share so your friends know too!

11/08/2024

Victoria Island in Lagos, Nigeria was named after her. Queen Victoria (1819-1901).

She was the Queen of the United Kingdom and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901.

Victoria was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901.
While short in stature–she was barely 5 feet tall–Victoria was a giant in shaping the modern monarchy, leaving her mark on
what has come to be called the ‘Victorian Times’ which lasted 63 years and 216 days.

08/08/2024

Did you know that Israel's national carrier, EL AL, is the only commercial airline to equip its planes with missile defensesystems to protect its planes against surface-to-air missiles?

Apart from its missile defence system, EL AL is also considered one of the world's safest airlines because of its stringent security procedures, both on the ground and on board its aircraft

27/07/2024

In 1896, Thomas Edison, the great inventor of the electric bulb, was working on a car design when he learned that a young man in his company had created an experimental car.
Edison met this young man, Henry Ford, at a company party in New York and was thoroughly impressed by his gasoline-
powered car idea.

Edison, who had been considering electricity as a power source, enthusiastically encouraged Ford, saying, "Young man, that's the thing! You have it! I think you are on to something! I encourage you to continue your
pursuits!"

Encouraged by the respected inventor, Henry Ford continued his work, eventually inventing a car that made him wealthy.

On December 9, 1914, Edison's laboratory and factory were destroyed by fire. At 67 years old, the damage was too extensive for insurance to cover. Before the ashes were cold, Henry Ford handed Edison a check for $750,000 with a note saying Edison could have more if needed.

In 1916, Ford relocated his home next to Edison's. When Edison was later confined to a wheelchair, Ford also got a wheelchair so they could race each other.

Thomas Edison made Henry Ford believe in himself, creating a friendship for life.

LESSON:
Don't ever be jealous of others' success. If you can't win a race, help the person in front of you break the record. Your candle doesn't lose its light by lighting another. Let us follow this example of supporting and uplifting each other!

06/06/2023

OJI UKWU EJE ABA

The story of an Igbo hustler:
Joseph Chukwuka Ulasi, hailed from Nnewi in Anambra state. Born in 1890 and died 1944.
He was nicknamed "O ji ụkwụ eje Aba" because of his unflinching hustling spirit as a young Igbo boy determined to make it in life and of which he eventually did by becoming the most successful
transporter from South East.

He regularly traveled on foot from Nnewi to Aba in mid-1920's in search of fortune (O ji ụkwụ eje
Aba).

At Aba he traded in textiles and produce, slowly and painstakingly building a solid asset base by setting up roadside stalls along the popular ABA Road. He would recruit apprentices from Nnewi at
one stage, up to sixty. By 1933, he had built up a fleet of six lorries, which he deployed into a road
haulage business which earned him a mail delivery contract for the Eastern Provinces. He made fortune from the Mail delivery contract which helped him to
up his fleet of lorries from 6 to 14 as at 1935.

The name of his Transport Company is J.C Ulasi Motors, a household name in the 1930s. He
became a Warrant Chief at Aba and died in June 1944.

His kinsman Louis Odumegwu-Ojukwu was to
succeed him as the King of the road haulage business by the formation of his legendary Ojukwu Transport Company in 1937. Chief. J.C Ulasi tremendous success as a transporter also inspired his cousin, Late. Chief Ejikeme Ilodibe of "Ekene Dili Chukwu" to emerge as a transport magnate. JC Ulasi died a wealthy Igbo transporter, he was the first Nigerian to venture into Transport business and it played out well for him. Many others toed his path.

You have now known the story behind that popular
nomenclature "O ji ukwu eje Aba"

27/07/2022