Select letters of Pliny the Younger.

Mode of access: Internet.

Lives of eminent zoologists, from Aristotle to Linaeus : with remarks on the study of natural history, and occasional observations on the progress of zoology /

Contents: Aristotle -- Pliny the Elder -- Gesner, Belon, Salviani, Rondelet, and Aldrovandi -- Jonston, Goedart, Redi, and Swammerdam -- Ray -- Reaumur -- Linnaeus.

The letters of Pliny the consul: with occasional remarks.

Mode of access: Internet.

The letters of Pliny the consul: with occasional remarks.

Mode of access: Internet.

Select letters of Pliny the younger /

Mode of access: Internet.

The letters of Pliny, the Younger : with observations on each letter /

Mode of access: Internet.

Adverse health effects to air pollution and guidelines to prevent them

This is the first in a series of four articles which will explore different aspects of air pollution, its impact on health and challenges in defining the boundaries between impact and nonimpact on health. Hardly a new topic one might say. Indeed, it’s been an issue for centuries, millennia even! For example, Pliny the Elder (AD 23-79), a Roman officer and author of the ‘Natural History’ recommended that: “…quarry slaves from asbestos mines not be purchased because they die young”, and suggested: “…the use of a respirator, made of transparent bladder skin, to protect workers from asbestos dust.” Closer to modern times, a Danish Proverb states: "Fresh air impoverishes the doctor". While none of these statements are an air quality guideline in a modern sense, they do illustrate that, for a very long time, we have known that there is a link between air quality and health, and that some measures were taken to reduce the impact of the exposure to the pollutants. Obviously, we are much more sophisticated now!

Nombres de moluscos en la obra de Ateneo de Náucratis

[ES] El léxico griego relativo a los animales marinos constituye un campo muy extenso, al que en pocas ocasiones han dedicado su interés los estudiosos de la antigüedad. En el presente artículo ofrecemos un acercamiento a uno de los grupos que lo constituyen, el de los moluscos, junto con un intento de identificación de todas aquellas especies que lo permiten, partiendo de la obra de Ateneo de Náucratis y completando su información con otros datos obtenidos de Aristóteles, Eliano, Opiano y Plinio el viejo.

Nombres de moluscos en la obra de Ateneo de Náucratis

[ES] El léxico griego relativo a los animales marinos constituye un campo muy extenso, al que en pocas ocasiones han dedicado su interés los estudiosos de la Antigüedad. En el presente artículo ofrecemos un acercamiento a uno de los grupos que lo constituyen, el de los moluscos, junto con un intento de identificación de todas aquellas especies que lo permiten, partiendo de la obra de Ateneo de Náucratis y completando su información con otros datos obtenidos de Aristóteles, Eliano, Opiano y Plinio el Viejo.

Blind River Dolphin: First Side-Swimming Cetacean

The blind river dolphin (Platanista gangetica), first written about by Pliny the Elder in A.D. 72, was found (10 November 1968) to be the first known side-swimming cetacean. The rudimentary eye lacks the lens, but anatomical evidence suggests that the eye may serve as a light sensor. The underwater sound emissions of this species, although similar to those of the Amazon River dolphin (Inia geoffrensis), appear to be produced constantly.

Memoria del mundo clásico en Funes el Memorioso

El presente estudio tiene por objetivo comprobar la gravitación de determinados referentes de la cultura clásica en “Funes el memorioso". Estos referentes se incorporan estratégicamente en la versión definitiva del relato. Los elementos fundamentales son la articulación retórica y mnemotécnica, el latín como lengua de cultura y los libros que hacen posible su aprendizaje, el capítulo XIV del libro VII de la Historia natural de Plinio el Viejo y el inicio de la “Oda XXX" del Libro tercero, de Horacio. Estos elementos no operan sólo como fuentes sino que inciden los dos momentos básicos de la enunciación, en la construcción de la fábula, en la configuración de los personajes y en la organización del discurso. A la vez, proveen ciertas incitaciones en cuanto a la correlación de los contenidos y determinan la comprensión de la memoria por contraste a la del protagonista. La presencia de determinados referentes de la cultura clásica está relacionada con experiencias del propio Borges quien las transforma ficcionalmente y las pone en boca del narrador, para generar un pacto de lectura autobiográfico con efectos específicos de realce de lo fantástico.

Researching in ancient engineering physical and chemical analysis in hidraulic roman mortars

Around ten years ago investigation of technical and material construction in Ancient Roma has advanced in favour to obtain positive results. This process has been directed to obtaining some dates based in chemical composition, also action and reaction of materials against meteorological assaults or post depositional displacements. Plenty of these dates should be interpreted as a result of deterioration and damage in concrete material made in one landscape with some kind of meteorological characteristics. Concrete mixture like calcium and gypsum mortars should be analysed in laboratory test programs, and not only with descriptions based in reference books of Strabo, Pliny the Elder or Vitruvius. Roman manufacture was determined by weather condition, landscape, natural resources and of course, economic situation of the owner. In any case we must research the work in every facts of construction. On the one hand, thanks to chemical techniques like X-ray diffraction and Optical microscopy, we could know the granular disposition of mixture. On the other hand if we develop physical and mechanical techniques like compressive strength, capillary absorption on contact or water behaviour, we could know the reactions in binder and aggregates against weather effects. However we must be capable of interpret these results. Last year many analyses developed in archaeological sites in Spain has contributed to obtain different point of view, so has provide new dates to manage one method to continue the investigation of roman mortars. If we developed chemical and physical analysis in roman mortars at the same time, and we are capable to interpret the construction and the resources used, we achieve to understand the process of construction, the date and also the way of restoration in future.

C. Plinii Secundi. Natulalis historiae libri XXXVII /

Volume 6 pub. at Gotha.

Morceaux extraits de l'Histoire naturelle de Pline l'ancien /

Mode of access: Internet.