On myths and fairytales
2024-12-31 15:03 Ancient peoples tried to explain what was outside of human control. They were used to think in terms of human interactions. Phenomena were anthropomorphised into gods to be more easily thought about.
How demographics works
2024-12-12 15:58 Demographics is about the size of a population and how it is composed.
The myth of the uninhabited habitable area
2024-11-28 17:09 Many seem to have trouble grasping how populated the world is.  Areas not built up or clearly fenced in are mistaken for unpopulated.  At worst parts of countries are believed to be entirely uninhabited. 
The ice ages’ effects on geography
2024-11-27 13:56 One should not overestimate how much geography has changed during the human era.  The largest differences are caused by the ice ages.  The three last in particular I find interesting.  Not only were they particularly cold.
Getting across the sea low-tech
2024-11-26 13:34 Today it is outright easy to get across the world.  In a time of motorised transports it is easy to not think about how hard it has been.  Getting there at all can’t be taken for granted.
Denying the past is denying the existence of data
2024-11-08 12:59 Many people are ignorant on earlier conditions.  Then people tend to take it for granted it was like when they grew up.  This includes both standard of living and how people treated each other.
On nationalistic archaeology denial
2024-11-02 19:53 One expression of misplaced nationalism is claiming all they can come up with would come from their own country.  Or at least the country which they see as precursor.
Language as indication of culture
2024-10-29 13:12 I see language as a practical way of classifying cultures.  Language is relatively easy to compare systematically.  One may compare phonotactics, vocabulary and grammar.  I think all three should be given equal weight.
The distribution of large and small languages
2024-10-24 17:39 I just want to make it clear what is meant by the size of languages.
How many languages are there?
2024-10-18 13:03 There are plenty of people thinking there are only a few dozen languages in the world.  Either they are the only languages one can come up with oneself.  Or people count how many countries there are.