As a teenager in Ghana, George Mwinnyaa fell seriously ill. After sacrificing three chickens to the gods, he miraculously healed. Now a student of public health at Johns Hopkins University, he doesn’t think it was the sacrifice itself that saved him. He thinks it was the act of giving thanks.
Female Power
Worldwide, it’s estimated that one out of every three women has been a victim of violence. Also, women are paid less than men, and they are less likely to hold positions of leadership. Female babies are even aborted at a higher rate than male babies. This phenomenon is so common in some countries that it even has a name: femicide.
The Power Of Belief
Eighty-five-year-old retired doctor Roger Bannister sold his old leather shoes for 266,500 pounds. This was no ordinary pair of shoes. They are a piece of history and a symbol of the power of belief to break down barriers. Roger was wearing these shoes when he did what people in the 1950’s thought was impossible: he ran a mile in under 4 minutes. 3 minutes 59.4 seconds, to be exact.
Lionesses Grow Manes And Start Acting Like Lions
Lions are the kings of the jungle, but in Botswana a gang of lionesses are turning gender roles upside down in the name of female power. Scientists are confused about why five lionesses in Botswana have grown manes and are acting like males. These females are roaring like lions, scent marking like lions and even trying to mate with other females. The experts are baffled.
Joan d’Arc
At the age of 13, a French peasant girl named Joan D’Arc began hearing voices and having visions. The voices told her to go on an important mission to save France. It was the 1400s, and England was occupying much of France, forcing many French people to leave their homes.
Unsung Heroes
In 1986, three men volunteered to die in order to save hundreds of thousands of people, but most of us have never heard of these unsung heroes. When a nuclear power plant in Chernobyl, Ukraine began releasing deadly radioactive material, workers didn’t know what to do.
A Man For All Seasons
Throughout his life, Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus wore many hats. He was a humble farmer, an aristocrat, and a member of the patrician class. He was given absolute power over the people of ancient Rome on two occasions and voluntarily gave it up each time. What made Cincinnatus famous in his time – and a legend in ours – is the fact that he was an honorable man.