February 10 is World Legume Day and International Epilepsy Day.
This day at different times also left a significant mark in world history thanks to a series of events that influenced the development of civilization, science, culture and politics.
World Pulses Day
Today draws attention to the value of these crops for nutrition, the environment and sustainable agriculture. This initiative was launched by the United Nations to promote pulses as a nutritious, environmentally friendly and affordable food source.
Pulses, including peas, beans, lentils, chickpeas and soybeans, play a key role in global food security. They are an excellent source of vegetable protein, which is becoming increasingly important against the backdrop of global population growth and climate change. Thanks to their ability to fix nitrogen from the air, these plants improve soil fertility, reducing the need for chemical fertilizers and promoting environmentally sustainable agriculture.
In addition to their nutritional value, pulses help fight hunger and malnutrition, especially in developing countries. They contain fiber, antioxidants, and trace elements needed to support cardiovascular health and prevent diabetes.
World Pulses Day not only reminds us of the importance of these products in our diet, but also encourages producers, scientists and consumers to use these crops more widely in our daily diet.
Interesting facts
Legumes are one of the oldest crops on the planet — archaeologists have found their remains in settlements that existed more than 10,000 years ago.
Chickpeas, also known as “turkey peas”, are used in the preparation of hummus, a popular dish in the Middle East.
Red lentils only take 15 minutes to cook, making them one of the fastest legumes to cook.
Leguminous plants can grow even in adverse conditions, so they are grown in regions where other crops do not survive.
Eating only 100 grams of lentils provides a person with almost half of the daily requirement of iron.
International Epilepsy Day
This is a special day to raise awareness of this neurological disease, debunk myths and support people living with this disease.
Epilepsy is one of the most common chronic diseases of the nervous system, affecting approximately 50 million people worldwide. It is characterized by repeated seizures caused by sudden electrical impulses in the brain. Despite the fact that modern medicine allows seizures to be controlled with medication or even surgery, social stereotypes about this disease still exist.
It is important to understand that epilepsy is not a sentence, and people who have it can lead a full life, study, work and play sports. However, they often face discrimination due to widespread myths, including misconceptions about the disease being contagious or linked to mental disorders.
The symbol of support for people with epilepsy is the color purple, so on this day many monuments are illuminated with purple light, and activists organize awareness and support campaigns.
Interesting facts
Seizures can take different forms: from short-term blackouts to full-body convulsions.
In many cases, the cause of epilepsy cannot be determined, but possible factors include head trauma, brain infections, or genetic predisposition.
About 70% of people with epilepsy can live without seizures thanks to the right therapy.
In ancient times, epilepsy was considered a “sacred disease” because of its mysterious nature.
Famous people who have had epilepsy include Julius Caesar, Van Gogh and Fyodor Dostoyevsky.
Historical events on this day
1258 year the Mongols captured Baghdad, dealing a crushing blow to the Abbasid Caliphate. This led to the destruction of the city, the death of thousands of residents and the collapse of one of the largest centers of Islamic science and culture.
1635 year in France, they founded the French Academy — an influential institution that became the center of the development of the French language and literature.
1810 year in Odesa, the grand opening of the opera theater took place, which later became one of the most prominent cultural institutions of Ukraine.
1837 year the world lost the great writer Alexander Pushkin, who died from a wound received in a duel. He received worldwide fame for his work.
1840 Britain’s Queen Victoria married Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, marking the beginning of one of the most famous royal love stories.
1947 peace treaties were signed in Paris between the victorious states of the Second World War and the countries that previously supported Nazi Germany. This became one of the key moments of the post-war settlement in Europe.
1957 year In Sudan, the first African Nations Football Cup started, which became an important event for the continent and the development of its sports culture.
1962 one of the most famous exchanges of spies took place: the American pilot Francis Powers, shot down over the USSR, was exchanged for the Soviet intelligence officer Rudolf Abel.
1990 the troops of the People’s Liberation Front of Eritrea stormed the city of Massawa, which became a decisive moment in the struggle for the independence of Eritrea.
1992 the world saw a cult film “Basic Instinct”, which became a landmark event in the cinema of the 1990s.
In 2015, the war in Donbass left a bloody mark: pro-Russian militants launched a rocket attack on Kramatorsk, as a result of which 17 people died and another 60 were injured.
Outstanding personalities born on February 10
- Vasyl Karazin was born in 1773, an outstanding Ukrainian educator, meteorologist and agronomist who initiated the creation of Kharkiv University.
- In 1881, Giuseppe Ungaretti was born, an Italian poet who made a significant contribution to modern European literature.
- Boris Pasternak was born in 1890, an outstanding poet and novelist who won the Nobel Prize for his novel “Doctor Zhivago”.
- Vasyl Vysyvany (Archduke Wilhelm von Habsburg) was born in 1895, a Ukrainian military figure who supported the Ukrainian national idea.
- In 1897, John Enders, an American virologist, was born, thanks to whom the world received a vaccine against measles.
- Bertolt Brecht was born in 1898, an outstanding German playwright who changed the theater art of the 20th century.
- In 1902, Walter Brattain was born, an American physicist, one of the inventors of the transistor, which revolutionized electronics.
- In 1922, Árpád Genz was born, a Hungarian playwright who later became the president of Hungary.
- In 1931, the world saw Thomas Bernhard, an Austrian writer whose work left a deep mark on European literature.
- Mark Spitz, a legendary American swimmer who won nine Olympic gold medals, was born in 1950.
- In 1962, Cliff Burton was born – a talented bass guitarist of the band Metallica, who made a significant contribution to the development of heavy music.
Student massacre in Oxford
On February 10, 1354, on the day of St. Scholastica, a large-scale fight took place between students of Oxford University and local residents in a tavern with the promising name “Rogue’s Refuge”.
Scholastica herself was a Christian ascetic and the founder of the first women’s monastery in Western Europe, as well as the sister of Benedict of Nursia, who founded the Benedictine order and laid the foundations of Western monasticism. Although the name “scholasticism” today is associated with dry, disconnected from life reflections, in the 14th century it had a different meaning.
So, on the day of her holiday, the students, who already had a bad reputation among the local residents, rested in a tavern. They did not drink alone, but together with the teachers (the customs at that time were very democratic). And here the story began. The beer turned out to be so bad that the company expressed its displeasure to the owner of the establishment and demanded to bring something better. But the host obviously refused in a rude manner. The conversation ended with his head being smashed with a jug, and then a real medieval battle began – with fists, knives and swords.
For two days, students and townspeople loyally beat and cut each other. As a result, 63 students and 30 townspeople died in the battle. This incident was carefully documented, with the names of the perpetrators and the victims.
And here is the most interesting thing. The case reached King Edward III, and his decision was very unexpected. The university, in fact, took control of the city. He was given the right to manage the market, set prices for bread, wine and ale, control weights and measures. In addition, the university received its own court and the right to separate taxation.
But that’s not all! To emphasize the townspeople’s obedience to the university, the king introduced a symbolic punishment. Every year on February 10, the mayor, magistrates and 60 of the most respected citizens of Oxford had to come to the university church with their heads uncovered, defend the service and pay a penny for each student who died. The total amount is 5 shillings 3 pence. This punishment was effective for 470 years – until 1825, when the mayor refused to participate in it.
The final reconciliation between the university and the city took place only in 1955, when, on the occasion of the 600th anniversary of the massacre, the university “pardoned” Oxford. It was not without petty corruption: the mayor received an honorary degree from the university, and the vice chancellor of the university was elected an honorary citizen of the city.
