Podcasts about Northern Lights

This episode we look at many of the natural events and talk about those observing and writing things down, and why they may have wanted to do so. For more, check out our podcast blogpage:  https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-139   Rough Transcript: Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  My name is Joshua and this is episode 139: Observing the "Natural" World. Members of the Onmyou-ryou, dressed in the official robes of their office, sat around in their observation tower, measuring the location of the stars.  They kept their light to a minimum, just enough so that they could write down their observations, but not so much that it would destroy their vision.  As they looked up, suddenly they saw a strange movement: a streak through the sky.  They waited, and observed, and then there was another, and another after that.  It was as if the stars themselves were falling from the heavens.  They watched as it seemed that the constellations themselves were melting and falling apart.  Quickly they scribbled down notes.  Tomorrow, with the light of day, they would consult various sources to see just what it could mean.  For now, their role was simply to observe and record.   Welcome back, everyone.  It is the height of holiday season in the US as I record this, and in our narrative we are in the middle of the reign of Ohoama, aka Temmu Tennou, who came to power in 672 and who has been shoring up the Ritsuryo state instigated by his late brother, Naka no Oe, aka Tenji Tennou.  We have talked in recent episodes about how Ohoama put a lot of the state under the control of members of the royal family, or at least those with claims to royal blood, and how he had also begun work on the Chronicles—the very works that we have been using to try and understand the history of this and earlier periods.   It seems clear that Ohoama and his cohorts were doing their best to solidify their control and, in the process, create what they felt was a modern state, leveraging the continental model, but not without their own local flavor.  After all, they were also investing in the kami based rituals of state and specifically in Ise shrine, which they claimed as an ancestral shrine for their lineage. This episode, let's dig into another thing that was getting reported around this time.  And that is… science!  Or at least observations of the world and indications of how people were interacting with it. Before going into the subject, I want to acknowledge that "science", or "Kagaku" in modern Japanese, may not look like what we think of as "science" today.  The word "Kagaku" itself appears to come about in the late Edo period, and became associated with the western idea of "Science" in the Meiji period.  Today we think of it as observations, yes, but also testing via the scientific method. I think it might be more appropriate to categorize a lot of earlier science under a term like "learning" or "study", and it seems to have encompassed a wide range of topics of study, some of which we would include as "science" and some which we might refer to more as "arts".  There is also a very fine line with religion and philosophy as well. From a modern perspective, I think one could fairly argue that "science"—particularly the so-called "hard" sciences—refers to something that can be empirically tested via the scientific method.  So you can see something, form a hypothesis, create a test, and then that test should produce the same results no matter who conducts it, assuming you account for the variables. And please don't @ me about this… I know I am simplifying things.  This isn't a podcast about science unless we are talking about the social sciences of history and archaeology. In contrast to our modern concept of science, much of what we see in the Asuka era is built around using our reasoning to arrive at the truth of something.  In cases where we are dealing with clearly physical phenomena that have observable causes and effects, this can lead to remarkably reliable results.  One example of this is calendrical science—it isn't that hard to observe the passing of days and seasons.  Even the rotation of the earth and the movements of stars and even something with as large a period as comets could be observed and tracked, especially if you had centuries of data to comb through.  In fact, they often would predict things that it turns out they couldn't, themselves, see.  They could predict that an eclipse would occur, for example, even when that eclipse was only visible somewhere else.  And they didn't have to calculate gravitational pull, mass, or distances between different heavenly bodies for that to occur. Similarly, in the agricultural sphere: you had so many people who observed the seasons and would figure out new ways of doing things.  It doesn't take an understanding of chlorophyl to know that plants generally do better when exposed to sunlight. I believe the leap happens when you get to things that go beyond purely observable means.  Sickness, for example—how do you explain viruses or germs without equipment like microscopes to see what our eyes alone cannot?  And if such "invisible" things could cause so much damage, then why could there not be other "invisible" elements, such as kami and boddhisatvas?  And as humans we are driven to make connections.  It is one of the things that has driven our technological innovation and rise, but it is also something that can easily go awry.  Like when you are sitting in a dark house, alone, and you hear a noise.  Rationally, you might know that houses settle and creak, but that doesn't necessarily stop your brain from connecting it with thoughts that someone must be in the house making that noise. Or even how we make judgments based on nothing more than how someone talks or what they look like, because our brains have made connections with those things, for good or ill. A large part of the rationalization that was accomplished in Asian thought had to do with concepts of Yin and Yang, the negative and the positive, the dark and the light.  This was thought of as a kind of energy—qi or ki—that was embedded in things.  We discussed this somewhat back in episode 127, because yin yang theory, along with the five element theory, known as Wuxing or Gogyou in Japanese, became embedded in the idea of the calendar.  Why was summer hot, except that it was connected with an excess of fire energy?  And the cold, dark days of winter would be associated with an excess of water, naturally. I should note that while this is one of the more comprehensive philosophical systems in use, it was not the only means by which various phenomena and effects were rationalized.  After all, it had to be imposed on a framework of how the world otherwise worked, and descriptions of the world came from a variety of places.  There was, for example, the Classic of Mountains and Seas, or Sanhaijing, which detailed the world as envisioned in the period before the Qin dynasty, although there were occasional updates.  The Sanhaijing  described regular plants and animals in the same breath as gods and monsters.  There were also various buddhist sutras, which brought their own cosmological view of the universe that had to be squared with other visions, including those passed down locally describing the archipelago as the "Reed Plain" and giving particular importance to eight of the islands—though which eight depends on which variant of the creation myth you are referencing. To categorize the study of the natural—and what we would consider the supernatural—world around them, the Ritsuryou set up specific bureaus.  One of these was the Onmyou-ryou, the Bureau of Yin-yang, also known as the Onyo no Tsukasa.  This Bureau oversaw divination, astronomy, time, and calendars.  At its head was the Onmyou-no-kami.  Below them were the various scholars studying the core subjects, as well as technical practitioners to carry out the rites and divination. On the continent, priority was generally given to astronomical and calendrical studies, and many of the more magical practices or rituals would fade away, likely because there were local Taoist institutions who could take up much of that work.  In Japan, however, it seems that the calendrical studies tended to ossify, instead, while onmyoji came to fill a role not just for the state but also among the population for divination and other such practices.  Even into the Edo period one could find private onmyoji, and the Bureau itself lasted until the very beginning of the Meiji period. Another important institution of the Ritsuryo government for learning was the Daigakuryou, the Bureau of Great Learning.  Students of Japanese may recognize the term "Daigaku" referring, today, to universities. The original concept for the Daigaku-ryou, or Daigaku no Tsukasa, was focused on the study of those things that were considered perhaps a bit more practical and necessary to anyone who might want a political career.  Since this was founded on concepts of Confucian government, it is little wonder that it was originally designed to focus on Confucian studies, among other things.  This fits into the idea of a supposed meritocracy, where one's education was part of the examination.  You may recall from Episode 115 we talked about the National University in Chang'an, which is likely something that the Daigaku Ryou could only ever dream of becoming. Early arts taught at the Daigaku Ryou included the Confucian classics, mathematics, writing, and Chinese pronunciation.  These were all things that you would need to know to become a part of the bureaucracy The idea of a school may have been born along with the early institution of the government, with mention as early as 671, in the last year of Naka no Oe's reign, but we don't have it clearly established in the code until later.  Full operations may have been somewhat delayed due to the tumultuous events of Ohoama's accession to power in 672, but we do see it explicitly mentioned in the year 675.  On the first day of the year we are told that Students from the Daigaku Ryou, along with students from the Onmyou-Ryou and from the Gaiyaku Ryou, the Bureau of External Medicine; along with the Woman of S'ravasti, the Woman of Tara, Prince Syeonkwang of Baekje, and Silla labourers offered presents of drugs and various rarities. We talked about the first two, the Daigaku-ryou and the Onmyou-ryou, but the Gaiyaku Ryou doesn't seem to have a lot of information out there beyond this mention.  Later there would a "Ten'yaku Ryou", or Bureau of Medicine, established in the code.  Since we don't have any extant codes from this period beyond what was written down in the Nihon Shoki, we don't know for certain what the Gaiyaku-ryou was , and it is possible that the Gaiyaku-Ryou was a precursor to the Ten'yaku Ryou.  "GAI" means "outside" or "external", leading me to wonder if this referred to external medicine in contrast to internal medicine, or if it meant medicine or drugs from outside teh archipeloago. I would point out that these students are found with the Woman of S'ravasti, or Shae; the Woman of Tara; a Baekje prince and Silla labourers.  In other words, they were all people from outside of the archipelago.  This is not entirely surprising as it was from outside that much of the learning was coming into the country. "Yaku" or "Kusuri", which can be translated as either "Drugs" or "medicine", could refer to a number of things.  How effective they were is somewhat questionable. Almost certainly some of them had confirmed medicinal efficacy, but others may have been thought to have been effective due to things like their connection to the five elements, or wuxing, theory. For example, something red might be assumed to have a warming effect because of the presumed presence of the fire element.  And the power of the placebo effect no doubt made them seem at least partially effective.  Consider, for example, how many people will swear by certain remedies for the common cold when all it really does is distract you, or perhaps make you a bit more comfortable, until the symptoms pass on their own. A more certain science was probably that of Astronomy, which we've mentioned a few times.  The passage of the stars through the sky was something that could be easily observed.  There is a theory that some of the first lines in the Yijing, or book of changes, may actually be a description of the changing of seasons as different aspects of a given constellation rise over the horizon, and the placement of certain stars would help in the adjustment of the lunar calendar, since the moon's orbit does not match up exactly with the solar year, and year the solar year was quite important to things like agriculture and even sailing to the mainland. This all makes 675 a seemingly banner year for science, as four days after the presentation of medicine to the throne, the government erected a platform by which to observe the stars.  This wouldn't need to be much—it could have been an earthen mound, or just a tower, from which one could get above the ground, presumably see over any buildings, to the horizon.  Granted, Asuka might not be the best place for such observations, with the nearby mountains meaning that the true horizon is often obstructed.  Nonetheless, it may have been enough to make calculations. Astronomy platforms, or Tenmondai, would continue to be used up until at least the Meiji period.  Without a telescope, observations were somewhat limited—though they also didn't have the same level of light pollution that we have today.  Remember, many woke just before dawn and went to sleep not too long after the sun went down, which only makes sense when you are living in a place where creating light, while doable, also ran the risk of burning your entire house to the ground. It is worth noting that the sky for the ancient Japanese was likely quite different than what most of us see when we look up, unless you are fortunate enough to live in a place with very little light pollution.  For many of those living today in the cities and suburban landscape, go outside at night and you might see the moon and some of the brightest stars, but for most of the ancient Japanese, they would look up and see the heavenly river, the Amakawa, or Milky Way.  They would have looked up at a sky glittering with myriad dots of light, as well as planets and more.  It was both familiar and strange—something one saw regularly and yet something that was also extremely inaccessible. Astronomical observations would have been important for several reasons, as I've mentioned.  They would have been used to keep the calendar in check, but they would also have likely been used to help calibrate the water clock, which helped to tell time.  Of course, going back to the five elements and yin yang theory, it is also believed that the energy, the qi or ki, changed with the seasons and the movements of the stars and planets—planets were not known as such, of course, but their seemingly erratic movements compared to bright lights in the sky meant they were noticed and assigned values within the elemental system. One of the things that came with the changing seasons, the heavenly movements, and the flow of ki was a concept of "kata-imi", literally directional taboos.  There were times when certain directions might be considered favorable or unfavorable for various actions.  This could be something as simple as traveling in a given direction.  In the centuries to come this would spawn an entire practice of kata-tagae, or changing direction.  Is the north blocked, but you need to travel there, anyway?  Well just go northwest to say hello to a friend or visit your local sake brewery, and then travel due east.  Ta-da!  You avoided going directly north!  There were also mantra-like incantations that one might say if they had to travel in an inauspicious direction to counteract the concept of bad influences. This also influenced various other things, and even today you will often see dates where a year and month might be followed by simply the character for "auspicious day" rather than an actual day of the month. So observing the heavens was important, and it was also important that they tostudy the works of those on the continent, whose records could help predict various astronomical phenomena.  Except that there was one tiny problem:  I don't know if you've noticed, but Japan and China are in two different locations.  Not all astronomical phenomena can be observed from all points of the globe.  The Northern Lights, for example, are rarely seen in more southerly latitudes, and while eclipses are not too rare, a total eclipse only impacts certain areas of the earth, along relatively narrow paths. I mention this because it isn't always clear if the records we get in the Nihon Shoki are about phenomena they directly observed or if they are taking reports from elsewhere and incorporating them into the narrative.  One such event is the comet of 676. The entry in the Nihon Shoki tells us that in the 7th lunar month of the 5th year of Temmu Tennou, aka 676 CE, a star appeared in the east that was 7 or 8 shaku in length.  It disappeared two months later. We've mentioned some of this before, but the sky was divided up into "shaku", or "feet", though how exactly it was measured I'm not entirely sure.  It appears to be that one foot was roughly 1.5 degrees of the sky, give or take about a quarter of a degree, with 180 degrees from horizon to horizon.  So it would have been about 10 to 12 degrees in the sky.  Another way to picture it is if you hold out your arm towards the object, and spread your index and little finger, it would probably fit between those two points.  This comet hung around for some time, and a great part about a comet like this is that it was viewable from multiple locations.  After all, as the earth turned, different areas were exposed to the comet as it passed through our part of the solar system.  Thus we have records of it from not just the Nihon Shoki:  We also find it in the Anglo-Saxon chronicles, where it was thought to have foretold the end of Bishop Wilfred's control of Northumbria.  We also see it in Tang, Silla, and Syrian sources. These sources aren't always in complete agreement.  For one thing, they noted when they first saw it, which might have been impacted by local conditions.  And then conversion between lunar and solar calendars can also sometimes get in the way.  Roughtly speaking, we have the Nihon Shoki providing dates of somewhere from about August or September of 676, on the Western calendar, to October or November. Tang sources put it from 4 September to 1 November.  Silla Chronicles claim that it first appeared in the 7th lunar month, so between August and September.  A Syrian Chronicle notes a comet from about 28 August to 26 October in the following year, 677, but this is thought to have been a mistake.  European sources generally seem to claim it was seen in August and lasted for three months.  All of these sightings put it at roughly the same time. Working with that and with known comets, we think we actually know which comet this is:  The Comet de Cheseaux also known as the Comet Klinkenberg-Cheseaux.  And I should mention this is all thanks to a research paper by M. Meyer and G. W. Kronk.  In that paper they propose that this is the comet with the designation of C/1743 X1, or the common names I just mentioned.  If so, based on its trajectory, this comet would have been visible in 336, 676, 1032, 1402, 1744, and is next predicted to show up in 2097.  And no, those aren't all exactly the same amount of time.  It is roughly every 350 years or so, but with the movements of the solar system, the planets, and various gravitational forces that likely slow or speed up its movement, it doesn't show up on exactly regular intervals.  Still, it is pretty incredible to think that we have a record of a comet that was seen the world over at this time, by people looking up from some very different places. Comets were something interesting for early astronomers.  They may have originally been seen as particularly ominous—after all, in the early eras, they were hardly predictable, and it would take years to get enough data to see that they were actually a somewhat regular occurrence.  In fact, it is likely that early astronomers were able to figure out eclipse schedules before comets.  Still, they seem to have come to the realization that comets were in fact another type of natural and reoccurring phenomenon.  That isn't to say that they didn't have any oracular meaning, but it did mean they were less of an obvious disturbance of the heavenly order. We have another comet mentioned in the 10th lunar month of 681, but that one seems to have had less attention focused on it, and we don't have the same details.  Then in the 8th lunar month of 682 we have an entry about a Great Star passing from East to West—which was probably a shooting star, rather than a comet.  Comets, for all that they appear to be streaking across the sky thanks to their long tails, are often relatively stable from an earthbound perspective, taking months to appear and then disappear again. Then, on the 23rd day of the 7th month of 684 we get another comet in the northwest.  This one was more than 10 shaku in length—about 15 degrees, total, give or take.  Given the date, we can be fairly confident about this one, as well: it was the famous Halley's comet.  Halley's comet is fascinating for several reasons.  For one, it has a relatively short period of about 72 to 80 years, though mostly closer to 75 to 77 years in between sightings.  The last time it visited the earth was in 1986, and it is expected back in 2061.  Halley's comet has been recorded since the 3rd century BCE, and, likely because of its short period, it was the first periodic comet to be recognized as such.  There are other periodic comets with short periods, but many of them are not visible with the naked eye.  Halley's comet is perhaps the most studied comet, given its regular and relatively short periodicity.  It is also connected to the famous writer, humorist, and essayist, Samuel Langhorne Clemens, aka Mark Twain.  He was born only a few days after the comet reached perihelion in 1835 and died a day after it reached the same point again in 1910, and while he may not have visited Japan in his lifetime, it was a period of great change both in his home country of America and in Japan.  America, of course, would undergo a Civil War over the issue of slavery in the early 1860s, and shortly after that Japan would have its own civil war in the form of the Meiji Revolution.  And while he never visited—and translation could only do so much to capture the art of his prose—Mark Twain's works were apparently quite influential in Japan in the early 20th century. Of course, comets were just one of the celestial phenomena to be observed.  The astronomers were interested in just about anything happening in the sky.  We have accounts of both solar and lunar eclipses, and not necessarily full eclipses either.  We even have notice of the movement of some planets, such as in 681, when they noted that the planet mars "entered" the moon. Obviously the astronomers weren't recording every raincloud that came through—at least not in the main chronicles—but they did capture a fair number of events.  They did record particularly memorable storms.  For instances, in the 8th lunar month of 675 there was a storm that is said to have caused sand to fly and which then damaged houses.  This sounds like a wind storm without rain—after all, if there was rain, you would expect that the sand would have been wet and tamped down.  It is possible to have hurricane level winds without the rain.  While typhoons typically bring rain, especially as they usually build up their strength at sea, it is possible to have the winds alone, as I've experienced, myself, in Tokyo.  This most likely happens in an isolated area—there is water and rain somewhere, but the typhoon can be large, so parts of it may only get the wind and little or no rain.  I wonder if something like that happened in this instance.  It is also possible that this record refers to actual sand being brought across from the continent.  In some instances, sand can be lifted up from as far away as Mongolia and carried all the way to Japan, though it is pretty rare. And it wasn't just wind and sand.  We get accounts of hail coming down as large as peaches, torrential rainstorms, and even ash, likely from a volcanic eruption that was otherwise unrecorded.  There are also accounts of snow, though typically recorded in times where you wouldn't expect to see it, such as the third lunar month, which would mean snow in late April or early May. Mostly these storms are mentioned in terms of how they affected the immediate fortunes of the living, but sometimes storms did even more damage.  In 682, for example, a hoar-frost was reported in both Shinano and Kibi in the 7th lunar month.  On its own, this probably wouldn't have been worth mentioning, but the chroniclers add that because of storms the "five grains had not formed".  So storms had diminished the crops and the hoar-frost was apparently the killing blow.  The harvest that year would be lean, and it would not be a happy time for many that winter. And then, just as important as what was happening was what was not.  There are several mentions of droughts, particularly towards the end of Spring, early Summer.  This is traditionally a drier period, and if it is too dry it could harm the harvest.  And so the government was expected to find a way to bring the rain—a tall order, the general resolution to which seems to be prayers and rituals designed to bring rain.  In a place like Japan, I suspect that it was usually just a matter of time before the prayers were "successful", thus reinforcing their presumed efficacy. Some of the things that they recorded were a bit more mysterious.  For example, in the second lunar month of 680 we are told that a sound like drums was heard from the East.  There are many things this could theoretically be, from rumbles of thunder to some other phenomenon, though the following year we have a note about thunder in the West, so theoretically they knew the difference between thunder and drums.  Later that same year, 680, we are told that there was a "brightness" in the East from the hour of the dog to the hour of the rat—about 8pm to midnight.  Was this some kind of aurora?  But wouldn't that have been in the north, rather than the east?    Could it have been some kind of lightning?  But that is a long time for a lightning storm to hang around.  And there are other strange things, some of which seem impossible and we have to doubt.  For example, in 684 they said that, at dusk, the seven stars of the Big Dipper drifted together to the northeast and sank.  Unless they are just recording the natural setting of the stars of the big dipper.  Certainly, over time the constellation appears to rotate around the north star, and it dips down to or below the horizon in the autumn months.  So were they just talking about the natural, yearly setting of the stars, or something else? There may be some clues in that the 11th lunar month, when that was recorded, we see several other heavenly phenomena recorded.  Two days after the Big Dipper set, at sunset, a star fell in the eastern quarter of the sky that we are told was as large as a jar.  Later, the constellations were wholly disordered and stars fell like rain.  That same month, a star shot up in the zenith and proceeded along with the Pleiades until the end of the month.  While this sounds like shooting stars and a possible meteor shower, a later commenter suggested that this was all a heavenly omen for the state of the court, showing the "disordered" state of the nobility at this time.  Of course, this was also a year and change before the sovereign's eventual passing, so there is also the possibility that the Chroniclers were looking at events later and ascribing meaning and importance after the fact. In another account of something seemingly wonderous: in 682 we are told that something shaped like a Buddhist flag, colored like flame, was seen by all of the provinces and then sank into the Japan sea north of Koshi.  A white mist is also said to have risen up from the Eastern mountains. There are various things that could be going on here.  It strikes me that the white mist could be a cloud, but could also be something volcanic.  And the flame colored prayer flag makes me think about how a high cloud can catch the light of the rising or setting sun.  That could look like a flag, and can seem extremely odd depending on the other conditions in the sky. Or maybe it was aliens. Okay, it is unlikely that it was aliens, but I think that these do give an idea of the kinds of records that were being made about the observed phenomena.  Obviously the Nihon Shoki is recording those things that were considered particularly significant for whatever reason.  This could just be because it was something odd and unexplained, or perhaps it was more well known but rare.  It may have even had religious connotations based on some aspect, like evoking the image of Buddhist flags.  And it is possible that it was thought to have had significant impact on events—perhaps even an impact that isn't clear to us today, many centuries removed from the events. Some things were clear, however.  Lightning strikes are often mentioned specifically when they strike something of note.  In 678, we are told that a pillar of the Western Hall of the New Palace was struck by lightning, though apparently the building itself survived.  Then, in 686, Lighting appeared in the southern sky with a large roar of thunder.  A fire broke out and caught the tax cloth storehouse of the Ministry of Popular affairs, which immediately exploded in flames.  After all, a thatched roofed, wooden building filled with kindling in the form of cloth—and likely a  fair amount of paper and writing supplies to keep track of it all—sounds like a bonfire waiting to happen.  There were reports that the fire had actually started in Prince Osakabe's palace and then spread to the Ministry of Popular Affairs from there. It is also worth noting that recording of such events was still somewhat new to the archipelago as a whole. They were learning from the continent, but also defining their own traditions. Observations of natural phenomena weren't just relegated to celestial occurrences or weather.  After all, there was something else that one could observe in the sky:  birds.  Now this wasn't your average bird-watching—though I'm not saying that there weren't casual birders in ancient Japan, and if we ever find someone's birding diary from that era I think that would be so cool.  But there were some things that were significant enough to be mentioned. For example, in 678 we get a report of "atori", or bramblings.  Bramblings are small songbirds which are found across Eurasia.  Notably they are migratory, and are known to migrate in huge flocks especially in the winter time, and sure enough on the 27th day of the 12th month we are told that the bramblings flew from the southwest to the northeast, covering the entire sky.  This makes me think about some of the other mass migrations that used to occur that have largely been reduced significantly due to habitat loss, disruption to traditional migratory routes, and other population pressures on various bird species.  Still, having so many birds that it blocked out the sky certainly seems a significant event to report on.  We later see a similar account in 680, with the flock moving from southeast to northwest.  Given the location of Asuka it sounds like they were flocking in the mountains and heading out over the Nara Basin, perhaps seeking food in another mountainous area. In 682, the birders were at it again.  This time, around midday on the 11th day of the 9th lunar month, several hundreds of cranes appeared around the Palace and soared up into the sky.  They were there for about two hours before they dispersed.  Once again, cranes are migratory and known to flock.  Cranes are also known as a symbol of long life and joy—and I can understand it.  Have you ever seen a flock of cranes?  They are not small birds, and they can be really an incredible sight.  Flocks of cranes themselves were probably not that rare, and it was no doubt more about so many gathering around the palace which made it particularly special. It wasn't just birds in the sky that were considered important symbols, though.  Birds often are noted as auspicious omens.  Usually strange birds, plants, or other such things are found in various provinces and presented to the throne.    So in 675, Yamato presented auspicious "barn-door fowl", likely meaning a fancy chicken.  Meanwhile, the Eastern provinces presented a white falcon and the province of Afumi presented a white kite.  Chickens are associated with the sun and thus with the sun goddess, Amaterasu, and albino versions of animals were always considered auspicious, often being mentioned in Buddhist sources.  Later, in 680, we see a small songbird, a "Shitodo", also described as white, and probably albino, sent to the court from nearby Settsu. Then, in 681 there is mention of a red sparrow.  Red coloration is not quite the same as albinism, though it is something that does occur at times, when the brownish coloration comes out more red than brown, and I suspect this is what we are talking about.  This is most likely just a recessed gene or genetic mutation, similar to causes for albinism, but just in a different place in the DNA.  As for why it was important:  I'd first and foremost note that anything out of the ordinary (and even some ordinary things) could be considered a sign.   Red was also seen as an auspicious color, so that may have had something to do with it as well.  And then there is the concept of Suzaku, the red bird of the south.  Suzaku is usually depicted as an exotic bird species of some kind, like how we might depict a phoenix.  But it was also just a "red bird", so there is that, and perhaps that was enough.  Not that this red sparrow was "Suzaku", but evoked the idea of the southern guardian animal.  A year prior, in 680, a red bird—we aren't told what kind—had perched on a southern gate, which even more clearly screams of the Suzaku aesthetic. It is probably worth noting here that in 686, towards the end of the reign, not that anyone knew it at the time, Ohoama decided to institute a new nengo, or regnal period.  It was called Shuuchou—red or vermillion bird—and it likely referred to Suzaku.  This nengo was cut short, however, with Ohoama's death that same year.  Nengo were often chosen with auspicious names as a kind of hope for the nation, so clearly "red bird" was considered a good thing. A month after the red sparrow, Ise sent a white owl, and then a month after that, the province of Suwou sent a red turtle, which they let loose in the pond at the Shima palace.  Again, these were probably just examples of animals seen as auspicious, though they would have likely been recorded by the Onmyou-ryou, who would have likely combed through various sources and precedents to determine what kind of meaning might be attached to them. Color wasn't the only thing that was important.  In 682, the Viceroy of Tsukushi reported that they had found a sparrow with three legs.  There are numerous reasons why this could be, but there is particular significance in Japan and Asia more generally.  A three legged bird is often associated with the sun Andusually depicted as a black outline of a three legged bird inside of a red sun.  In Japan this was often conflated with the Yata-garasu, the Great Crow, which is said to have led the first mythical sovereign, Iware Biko, to victory in his conquest of Yamato.  Thus we often see a three legged crow depicted in the sun, which was an object of particular veneration for the Wa people from centuries before.  And I suspect that the little three-legged sparrow from Tsukushi  I suspect that this had particular significance because of that image. Animals were not the only auspicious things presented to the throne.  In 678, Oshinomi no Miyatsuko no Yoshimaro presented the sovereign with five auspicious stalks of rice.  Each stalk, itself, had other branches.  Rice, of course, was extremely important in Japan, both from a ritual and economic sense, so presenting rice seems appropriate.  Five stalks recalls things like the five elemental theory—and in general five was consider a good number.  Three and five are both good, prime numbers, while four, pronounced "Shi", sounds like death and is considered inauspicious.  Three, or "San" is sometimes associated with life, and five is associated with the five elements, but also just the fact that it is half of ten, and we have five fingers on one hand and in so many other ways, five is regarded as a good number in much of Asia. That the stalks had multiple branches likely referred to them bearing more than the usual amount of rice on them, which seems particularly hopeful.  Certainly the court thought so.  In light of the auspicious gift, all sentences of penal servitude and lower were remitted.  In 680, Officials of the Department of Law gave tribute of auspicious stalks of grain, themselves.  I'm not sure, in this case, that it was all that they hoped, however, as that began three days straight of rain and flooding. A year earlier, in 679, we are told that the district of Ito, in Kii, immediately south of Yamato, sent as tribute the "herb of long life".  We are told that it "resembled" a mushroom—probably meaning it was a mushroom, or maybe something formed into a mushroom shape.  But the stem was about a foot long and the crown was two spans, about 6 feet in diameter.  This is pretty incredible, and I have to wonder if there is a bit of exaggeration going on here. Another tribute was a horn found on Mt. Katsuraki.  It branched into two at the base, was united at the end, and had some flesh and hair still attached, about an inch in length.  They claimed it must be horn or a Lin, or Kirin, sometimes referred to as an Asian unicorn—a mythical creature considered to be quite auspicious and benevolent.  This was on the 26th day in the 2nd lunar month of the year 680, probably around March or April.  I highly suspect that what they found was an oddly shaped bit of antler from  a buck whose antlers had begun to come in and which might have been taken out by wolves or bears or something else altogether.  The fact that the ends were said to be fused together could just be referring to some kind of malformation of the antlers.  The fur and flesh could mean that the antlers were still growing—antlers would probably just be coming in around early spring time.  Still, there is no telling how long it was there, so it could have been from the previous year as well.  Attributing it to a kirin seems a bit of a stretch, but it was clearly something unusual. Animals and plants were recorded in tribute, but also when something odd happened.  Fruiting out of season was one such occurrence, which we've seen elsewhere in the chronicles as well.  There was even a record when the famous Tsuki tree outside of Asukadera had a branch fall down.  Presumably it was a large and noticeable branch, and by now this appears to have been a tree with a bit of age to it that had seen a lot, so it makes sense it got a mention. Finally, we go from the heavens to the earth.    Perhaps the most numerous observations in the Chronicles were the earthquakes.  We've noted in the past that Japan is extremely active, volcanically speaking, so it makes sense that there are multiple accounts of earthquakes each year, especially if they were compiling reports from around the country.  Most of these are little more than just a note that there was an earthquake, but a few stand out. The first is the 12th lunar month of 678.  We are told that there was a large earthquake in Tsukushi—modern Kyushu. The ground split open to the width of about 20 feet for more than 30,000 feet.  Many of the commoners' houses in the area were torn down.  In one place there was a house atop a hill, and though the hill crumbled down the house somehow remained intact.  The inhabitants had apparently been home and must have been oblivious, as they didn't realize anything had happened until they woke up the next morning. Again, probably a bit of hyperbole in here, but if we think back to things like the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake, where large areas of land shifted noticeably along the fault lines, it is likely that this was a similar or even more catastrophic event.  And here I'll give a quick plug for Kumamoto, which is still working to rebuild from the earthquake, and if you ever get a chance, I recommend a visit to the Kumamoto Earthquake Memorial Museum or Kioku, where you can see for yourself just how powerful mother nature can be. Another powerful earthquake was mentioned in the 10th lunar month of 684.  If the earthquake in Tsukushi had hit mostly agricultural areas, based on the description, this seems to have hit more populated regions.  We are told that it started in the dark of night, the hour of the boar, so about 10pm, give or take an hour.  The shaking was so bad that throughout the country men and women cried out and were disoriented—they could not tell east from west, a condition no doubt further hindered by the dark night sky.  There were mountain slides and rivers changed course, breaking their banks and flooding nearby areas.  Official buildings of the provinces and districts, the barns and houses of the common people, and the temples, pagodas, and shrines were all destroyed in huge numbers.  Many people and domestic animals were killed or injured.  The hot springs of Iyo were dried up and ceased to flow.  In the province of Tosa, more than 500,000 shiro of cultivated land sank below sea level.  Old men said that they had never seen such an earthquake.  On that night there was a rumbling noise like that of drums heard in the east—possibly similar to what we had mentioned earlier.  Some say that the island of Idzu, aka Vries Island, the volcanic island at the entrance of Edo Bay, increased on the north side by more than 3,000 feet and that a new island had been formed.  The noise of the drums was attributed to the gods creating that island. So here we have a catastrophic quake that impacted from Iyo, on the western end of Shikoku, all the way to the head of Edo Bay, modern Tokyo.  This appears to be what seismologists have labelled a "Nankai Trough Megathrust Earthquake".  Similar quakes have occurred and are predicted to occur in the future., along a region of Japan from the east coast of Kyushu, through the Seto Inland Sea, including Shikoku, through the Kii peninsula and all the way to Mt. Fuji.  The Nankai Trough, or Southern Sea Trough, is the area where the continental shelf drops down, and where the Philippine tectonic plate slips underneath the Eurasian—or more specifically the Amuric—plate.  As these plates move it can cause multiple events all along the trough at the same time.  Since being regularly recorded, these quakes have been noted every 100 to 150 years, with the last one being the Showa Nankai quakes of 1944 and 1946. For all of the destruction that it brought, however, apparently it didn't stop the court.  Two days after this devastating quake we are told that Presents were made to the Princes and Ministers.  Either they weren't so affected in the capital, or perhaps the date given for one of the two records is not quite reliable.  Personally, I find it hard to believe that there would be presents given out two days later unless they were some form of financial aid.  But what do I know?  It is possible that the court itself was not as affected as other areas, and they may not have fully even grasped the epic scale of the destruction that would later be described in the Chronicles, given the length of time it took to communicate messages across the country. Which brings us back to the "science" of the time, or at least the observation, hoping to learn from precedence or piece out what messages the world might have for the sovereign and those who could read the signs.  While many of the court's and Chronicler's conclusions may give us pause, today, we should nonetheless be thankful that they at least decided to keep notes and jot down their observations.  That record keeping means that we don't have to only rely on modern records to see patterns that could take centuries to reveal themselves.  Sure, at this time, those records were  still a bit spotty, but it was the start of something that would be remarkably important, and even though these Chronicles may have been focused on propaganda, the fact that they include so many other references are an incalculable boon to us, today, if we can just see to make the connections.  And with that, I think I've rambled enough for this episode.  We still have a couple more to fully cover this period. Until then, if you like what we are doing, please tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts.  If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website,  SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, feel free to reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page.  You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com.  Thank you, also, to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now.  Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  

Board the Magical Christmas Train for a cozy, immersive bedtime journey that will gently carry you through a winter wonderland beneath the Northern Lights. Let the soothing rhythm and peaceful sounds melt away your stress, leading you toward deep relaxation and a restorative night's sleep. Enjoy holiday decadence and confections with a dear companion before retiring to your train car suite and drifting to sleep. It's time to dream away.Original Script, Narration, Music, Sound Design by Michelle Hotaling, Dreamaway Visions LLC 2025 All Rights ReservedYOUTUBE: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/michellessanctuary/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠INSTAGRAM: ⁠https://instagram.com/michellessanctuary/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FACEBOOK:⁠https://www.facebook.com/michellessanctuary/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email Michelle: ⁠michellessanctuary@gmail.com⁠If you would like to support this channel:⁠https://www.buymeacoffee.com/michsanctuary⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.paypal.me/michellessanctuary⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.venmo.com/michellehotaling⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out my new podcast, Meditation Tides, for guided meditations and let the tides of your breath bring the tranquility you deserve. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/meditationtides/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Michelle's Sanctuary is a place where you may enjoy high quality relaxing stories for sleep and guided sleep meditations completely FREE with a focus on mental vacations, sleep hypnosis, manifestations, and using your imagination to enjoy relaxing adventures before bedtime. Grown-ups deserve bedtime stories too!Having firsthand experience with anxiety, insomnia, and a strong desire to connect with my higher self and live my best life, I have tailored these recordings in ways that I have personally found helpful. This channel is not a replacement for consultations with a doctor or medical professional but can help you find more balance and a healing night's sleep. I always welcome comments, feedback & suggestions.

The northern lights were making national news a few weeks ago. Reports of the displays came streaming in from as far south as Florida. Seeing them always seems to elicit a sense of wonder and awe, and there may well be more shows to come this winter.

Welcome to PGX Raw & Real PGX Raw & Real is simple. I sit with people who've lived through something and/or made it big, and I try to understand what it did to them.Sometimes it gets deep, sometimes it gets weird, sometimes we end up laughing at stories that should've gone very differently just like how real conversations go.This isn't meant to be inspiration or a template for life (for that, you can check out PGX Ideas).This space is different. It's their story, as they experienced it.In this episode I spoke to — Jordan Jonas - one of the leading survivalists and the winner of ALONE Season 6.Timestamps:00:00 - Story he hasn't told anyone08:55 - Jordan on Thrill & Survival 15:58 - His exp. of living in Siberia 22:48 - Hardest Moments on Alone28:41 - Ki*ling a Moose for Survival 33:15 - First Experience of Hunting 45:35 - Has He Ever Seen a Yeti46:40 - He got attacked by wolverine48:56 - Surviving 66 Days alone in Arctic 54:24 - Diff b/w Loneliness & Solitude 56:40 - Living on Trains for 8 Years 01:01:04 - The Problem With Social Media 01:04:25 - What's so special about Himalayas 01:06:53 - Finding Direction in the Jungle01:09:16 - Seeing the Northern Lights 01:13:32 - His Future Plans 01:17:42 - Question for PrakharEnjoy. — Prakhar

This week The Boys get wade into the waters of loss as they discuss chapter thirteen of Northern Lights!Join our Patreon and get access to our Patreon exclusive show "Films Cool!" for as little as $5 a month!https://www.patreon.com/twodustyboysEmail us at twodustyboys@gmail.comDon't forget to rate, review, and leave a comment for us on the platform of your choice. Thanks! We love you!Content warning: Not Safe for work or children... unless they're coolIntro and outro music provided by, respectively:"I Got a Stick Arr Bryan Teoh" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"I Got a Stick Feat James Gavins" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Support the show

Northern Lights chat. Pepper tries to recall all the wonders of the world. Butter chat makes an appearance. Do you refrigerate your butter? Who's the biggest peanut butter fan on the show? Dylan shares some gravy news. We get on the topic of collections. Who has the most valuable thing in their home? We hear from someone who may have a million dollar Pokémon card.

Astrophotographers have had another great month, with the aurora australis lighting up night skies as far north as southern Queensland.And while you might've heard that the best of this bunch of auroras is behind us, don't put your camera away just yet. There's good reason to think the southern lights will illuminate the sky well into 2026.It all depends on what the Sun shoots in our direction … and we might find ourselves in the firing line more often over the next few months.You can binge more episodes of the Lab Notes podcast with science journalist and presenter Belinda Smith on the ABC Listen app (Australia). You'll find episodes on animal behaviour, human health, space exploration and so much more.Get in touch with us: labnotes@abc.net.auFeaturing:Brett Carter, space weather researcher at RMIT UniversityMore information:The Sun Reversed Its Decades-long Weakening Trend in 2008When the southern lights are seen further northThis episode of Lab Notes was produced on the lands of the Wurundjeri and Taungurung people.

Today on the Buck Junkies Podcast, we're taking a deep dive into the opening week of Youth Season, and our WILD trip to Texas to hunt some HUGE elk!... Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 00:13 - We are fresh off some hunts!... 01:22 - Mikey & Randy's Youth Hunt 18:33 - Recovering Waylon's First Deer 19:30 - Carter's Last Youth Hunt 24:40 - Headin' out to Texas 27:55 - Hog Hunting on the first night 34:51 - Chuck's Biggest Deer 41:30 - Doing a full cape job on the deer skull 46:43 - Day 1 of huntin' for Elk 57:01 - Tracking this trophy bull 1:03:53 - Malcom's First Bull  1:08:15 - Getting the bull back to camp 1:14:13 - Day 2 of Elk Hunting  1:23:18 - Seeing the Northern Lights 1:25:42 - Closing Notes    

Back in late February and early March, I spent a week in Rovaniemi exploring, dog sledding, riding on a sleigh pulled by reindeer, freezing in the cold as I witnessed the Northern Lights dance above my head, meeting Santa, and even doing a polar plunge into a lake before running to the sauna.   After 7 days in Rovaniemi, here are some things I learned and top travel tips for visiting Lapland Finland in the winter.   Let's talk about the best travel tips for Rovaniemi in winter!   Relevant Links (may contain affiliate links, meaning if you make a purchase through these links, we earn a small commission-at no additional cost to you!): -1st hotel in Rovaniemi (Arctic City Hotel): https://booking.stay22.com/worldwidehoneymoon/iZMLJI358J -Resort near Rovaniemi (Apukka Resort): https://booking.stay22.com/worldwidehoneymoon/c0NPAim4RG -Daylight times in Rovaniemi:  https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/finland/rovaniemi -Northern Lights Chasing Tour: https://getyourguide.stay22.com/worldwidehoneymoon/YmeJcAUbbA   Related Podcast Episodes: -Travel to Rovaniemi: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/travel-to-rovaniemi-finland-in-finnish-lapland/id1453905777?i=1000703691559 -Tips For Viewing the Northern Lights in Rovaniemi:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/10-tips-for-viewing-the-northern-lights-in-rovaniemi/id1453905777?i=1000734238360 -Apukka Resort in Finnish Lapland: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/staying-at-apukka-resort-in-finnish-lapland/id1453905777?i=1000704551962    Traveling to France? Check out our Facebook Group called France Travel Tips to ask/answer questions and learn more! Don't forget to follow along! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/worldwidehoneymoon Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/worldwidehoneymoon TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@worldwidehoneymoon World Wide Honeymoon Blog: https://worldwidehoneymoon.com France Voyager Blog: https://francevoyager.com Subscribe to the World Wide Honeymoon blog here for monthly updates and tips + get our FREE trip planning guide: https://www.subscribepage.com/o4e5c2

Lofoten Links is a championship-style 18-hole links-style golf course and resort located on the island of Gimsøy, part of the Lofoten Islands archipelago in northern Norway, above the Arctic Circle. The venue also includes accommodations, a restaurant, and a range of experiences for non-golfers. On this episode of The Wednesday Match Play Podcast, brought to you by Eden Mill St Andrews, Frode recaps his recent trip to Southern California and talks about the importance of this property being on family land. He raves about playing golf around the clock during the summer and shares the course record. He also discusses the Northern Lights, the importance of recognition, their food and beverage program, accommodations, their logo, and a recent podcast guest who played 100 holes in a single day. This was a magical conversation and an honor to have Frode on the show. Let's tee off.

This week The Boys get lost as they discuss chapter twelve of Northern Lights!Join our Patreon and get access to our Patreon exclusive show "Films Cool!" for as little as $5 a month!https://www.patreon.com/twodustyboysEmail us at twodustyboys@gmail.comDon't forget to rate, review, and leave a comment for us on the platform of your choice. Thanks! We love you!Content warning: Not Safe for work or children... unless they're coolIntro and outro music provided by, respectively:"I Got a Stick Arr Bryan Teoh" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"I Got a Stick Feat James Gavins" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Support the show

Aurora Borealis, more commonly known as the Northern Lights, have inspired legends, songs and stories for generations. Recent atmospheric conditions have made the aurora especially active and have delighted Alaskans as well as people in the lower 48. What's the science behind the spike in activity? Why do the colorful displays happen at all? And how can you capture better photos of them? Understanding the science and enjoying the mystique of the vibrant streaks of light in the winter sky is our discussion on this Talk of Alaska.

John is disappointed in his fellow Minnesotans who pretended the Northern Lights looked anything like the pictures on their phones. He also got some yard work done and attended a Gala. He's fancy like that. 

The Northern Lights, genuine faith over empty works, and forgiving seventy times seven.   Twenty-second Sunday after Trinity: Micah 6:6–8, Phil. 1:3–11, Matt. 18:21–35

In this livestream I explore the powerful cosmic activity we have been moving through this week, including intense solar flares, geomagnetic storms, and the rare visibility of Northern Lights across places that do not normally see them. This past week has created an energetic environment filled with upgrades, symptoms, emotional shifts, and openings. With the peak activity happening on 1111, the energy felt especially potent. I share my personal experience of flying through a 30 hour 1111 day while witnessing the Northern Lights right outside my airplane window. I also explore how energetic events like solar flares and geomagnetic shifts can influence the physical, emotional, and spiritual layers of our lives. If you have been feeling restless, emotional, fatigued, activated, or out of balance, this conversation will help give you context for what is unfolding. I also share supportive practices that help with integration, such as meditation, conscious breathing, grounding, nature time, and intentional rest.  

Philemon IntroductionThanks to everyone who supports TMBH at patreon.com/thetmbhpodcastYou're the reason we can all do this together!Discuss the episode hereMusic by Jeff Foote

Want more MTM Vegas? Check out our Patreon for access to our exclusive weekly aftershow! patreon.com/mtmvegas Want to work with us? Reach out! inquiries at mtmvegas dot com Episode Description This week as the Nevada government gets ready to reconvene for missed legislation, Hollywood 2.0 is trying to make its return as tax revenues in the state have been declining with less overall tourism. How much tax is missing and will Hollywood 2.0 succeed this time? In other news MGM has released a new tier accelerator for December and it is pretty good. We also discuss: the Housekeeping Olympics, Northern Lights, TI Pirate Show rumors dispelled, Rio's union troubles, Grand Prix Plaza's enhancements, Suncoast's new casino, the top grossing restaurants in Vegas plus the longest craps roll in history. Episode Guide 0:00 Housekeeping Olympics returns to Vegas 0:23 Northern Lights return to Las Vegas 1:07 TI Pirate Show rumors dispelled - Sort of? 3:08 Upgrading Masquerade Village to a sports book? 3:46 Self driving arrives at Vegas Loop 5:37 Carbone Riviera opens with high prices/minimums 7:38 Top 100 Independent Restaurants - 7 in Las Vegas 9:13 The longest craps roll in history 11:03 Grand Prix Plaza reopening in 2026 with enhancements 12:19 Hollywood 2.0 bill revived again 13:27 Teamsters authorize strike at Rio 14:49 Suncoast unveils casino renovations - Dupars reopens 16:18 MGM Tier Accelerator announced for December 17:37 Vegas tourism decline is hurting tax revenue 19:09 Monorail struggling once again? Each week tens of thousands of people tune into our MtM Vegas news shows at http://www.YouTube.com/milestomemories. We do two news shows weekly on YouTube with this being the audio version. Never miss out on the latest happenings in and around Las Vegas! Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at podcast@milestomemories.com.  You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or by searching "MtM Vegas" or "Miles to Memories" in your favorite podcast app. Don't forget to check out our travel/miles/points podcast as well!

Join us for a captivating episode of the Reading With Your Kids podcast featuring two inspiring authors who empower families through knowledge and storytelling! First, Dr. Brad Marshall, a leading expert on childhood screen and gaming disorders, shares actionable advice from his new middle-grade book, "Do Not Disturb." Dr. Brad discusses the dangers of excessive screen time, the importance of healthy digital boundaries, and practical tips for parents navigating technology with their kids. Learn how his evidence-based approach helps families build healthier tech habits. Next, children's book author Ashley Key takes us on a magical journey through science with her debut, "Dash and the Lights in the Sky." Discover the wonders of the Northern Lights, fascinating Arctic animals, and the power of family co-reading. Ashley shares fun facts, STEM insights, and ideas to spark curiosity in young readers. If you're a parent looking for ways to protect your kids from screen addiction or nurture a love for science and nature, this episode offers expert guidance, inspiring stories, and helpful resources. Tune in to the Reading With Your Kids podcast for an engaging and educational experience for the whole family! Click here to visit our website – www.ReadingWithYourKids.com Follow Us On Social Media Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/readingwithyourkids Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/readingwithyourkids/ X - https://x.com/jedliemagic LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/reading-with-your-kids-podcast/ Please consider leaving a review of this episode and the podcast on whatever app you are listening on, it really helps!

In this Mini Episode, Steve & Izzy are joined by Diana & Ryan of Happily Ever Aftermath to discuss Patreon Patronizer gift bags, cat murder mysteries, smut, aurora borealis & more!!! What kind of gifts are our Patreons getting this year? Are the Northern Lights cool? What can you tell about Utah based on the books that they give away?!? Let's find out!!! So kick back, grab a few brews, steam a good ham, and enjoy!!! This episode is proudly sponsored by Untidy Venus, your one-stop shop for incredible art & gift ideas at UntidyVenus.Etsy.com and be sure to follow her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram & Patreon at @UntidyVenus for all of her awesomeness!!! Try it today!!! Twitter - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.twitter.com/eilfmovies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/eilfmovies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Etsy - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.untidyvenus.etsy.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TeePublic - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.teepublic.com/user/untidyvenus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

TUCKER PLAYS THE HAARP - 11.12.2025 - #891 BestPodcastintheMetaverse.com Canary Cry News Talk #891 - 11.12.2025 - Recorded Live to 1s and 0s Deconstructing World Events from a Biblical Worldview Declaring Jesus as Lord amidst the Fifth Generation War! CageRattlerCoffee.com SD/TC email Ike for discount https://CanaryCry.Support   Send address and shirt size updates to canarycrysupplydrop@gmail.com   Join the Canary Cry Roundtable This Episode was Produced By:   Executive Producers LX Protocol BARON of the Berrean Protocol*** Sir Jamey Not the Lanister***   Producers of TREASURE (CanaryCry.Support) Mark T, Mrs TinFoilHatMan, Veronica D, Sir Scott Knight of Truth, Sir Casey the Shield Knight   Producers of TIME Timestampers: Jade Bouncerson, Morgan E Clankoniphius Links: JAM     MONEY 5:40 Last penny ever minted today in Philadelphia    BIBLICAL 48:55 The U.S. saw vivid northern lights as far south as Florida — and more could be coming (NPR) → Northern Lights over America (X)    GEOENGINEERING 51:54 Dane Wigington on Tucker Carlson (huffpo) Dane wigington on newsmax Dane Wigington on Canary Cry Radio   DNA 1:30:50 Startup Secretly Working to Gene-Hack Human Baby (Futurism) → US baby receives first-ever customized CRISPR treatment (March 2025, Live Science)   ECONOMIST COVER 2:02:42 The Economist Group - The Economist launches The World Ahead 2026–with rich countries living beyond their means, the risk of a bond-market crisis is growing   TRUMP/EPSTEIN  New Epstein Emails Alleged Trump Knew of His Conduct (NY Times) released Epstien emails Fishy (X)   AI/BEAST SYSTEM 2:08:24 Woman marries AI character she made on ChatGPT after real marriage gets called off (Dextero)   FLIPPY UPDATE Global Robot Arms Market to Reach USD 36.2 Billion by 2035, Driven by Precision Automation and Smart Manufacturing Integration, Reports Fact.MR (Open PR)   EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS TALENT/TIME END

D&P Highlight: Did you see the northern lights last night? full 309 Thu, 13 Nov 2025 19:55:00 +0000 qiBsihGBe6wg4Dho4hqxl1A4QBdGne5F news The Dana & Parks Podcast news D&P Highlight: Did you see the northern lights last night? You wanted it... Now here it is! Listen to each hour of the Dana & Parks Show whenever and wherever you want! © 2025 Audacy, Inc. News False https://player.amperwavepodcasting

(00:00-25:23) – Query & Company opens on a Thursday with Greg Rakestraw previewing the busy show that he’s got lined up with producer Eddie Garrison. Rake starts by congratulating IU Indy on their first win of the season yesterday, the success between IU football and basketball, touches on tonight’s big college basketball game between Purdue and Alabama, and previews one of college football’s biggest rivalries in DePauw vs Wabash. (25:23-37:37) – IU Indianapolis Head Coach Ben Howlett joins the program from the team bus up to Eastern Michigan to chat about the team’s first win of the season yesterday, how he has adjusted the playing style over the years, explains how they keep their players in shape to be able to press the entire game, and isn’t worried about his system not working and believes it is only a matter of time before it clicks. (37:37-46:06) – The first hour of the show concludes with Greg and Eddie furthering the discussion on how Ben Howlett prepares his team to play in his unique system and (46:06-1:08:26) – Voice of the Indianapolis Colts, Matt Taylor, joins Greg Rakestraw on Query & Company to recap his entire experience, both on and off the field, in Berlin over the weekend. Matt comments on what he saw from Sauce Gardner in his first game with the Colts, admits that he is interested to see what Lou Anarumo does in coverage when Charvarius Ward returns, and compares this season to Jonathan Taylor’s breakout 2021 season. (1:08:26-1:20:12) – Wabash Little Giants Head Coach Jake Gilbert joins the show with Greg Rakestraw to preview the longest college football rivalry game this weekend against DePauw. He shares what it would mean to win the Monon Bell as a former player and having his son on the team, states that the alumni base cares more about this game than anything else like Ohio State & Michigan fans and explains what makes the game so special. (1:20:12-1:25:57) – The second hour of Query & Company concludes with Greg Rakestraw sharing his Northern Lights story. (1:25:57-1:50:05) – DePauw Tigers Head Coach Brett Dietz joins Greg Rakestraw on Query & Company to discuss the unique interest that Saturday’s game against Wabash compared to other games, shares what this week looks like for him, discusses his relationship with Jake Gilbert, cites how difficult it is for people to get tickets into the game, and reveals some of the gameplan against the Little Giants. (1:50:05-2:02:27) – IU running back Kaelon Black joins Greg Rakestraw to preview this weekend’s game for the Hoosiers against Wisconsin on senior day, discuss his transition from James Madison to Indiana with Curt Cignetti, highlights what some of the goals were for the guys who followed Cignetti from JMU to IU, takes you through that final drive against Penn State as the offense was heading out on the field, and credits the strength and conditioning staff for making this year’s team much more physical compared to last season. (2:02:27-2:09:42) – Today’s show closes out with Greg Rakestraw welcoming JMV from Upstairs Pub in Bloomington on to preview his show!Support the show: https://1075thefan.com/query-and-company/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Full show - Wednesday | Terrible Thanksgiving | News or Nope - Sabrina Carpenter, Scott Kelly's resume, and Hilary Duff | How did we miss the Northern Lights!? | OPP - Don't sleep on sleep | Erica wanted to do something very weird to Slacker | Would you do this in your parents' home? | Slacker has been lying... | Brake lights | Stupid stories www.instagram.com/theslackershow www.instagram.com/ericasheaaa www.instagram.com/thackiswack www.instagram.com/radioerin

What is something that is considered classy when you're rich but trashy when you're poor? What jobs are unfairly villainized? when did you have to fight off an animal? Are you a parent who thinks your kid will go pro? Did you see the Northern Lights here sin Orlando? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is something that is considered classy when you're rich but trashy when you're poor? What jobs are unfairly villainized? when did you have to fight off an animal? Are you a parent who thinks your kid will go pro? Did you see the Northern Lights here sin Orlando? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dawn got to see the northern lights from... up north! And she listened to an audiobook that you might want to listen to yourself. The blinds are full of hot gossip about a variety of reality show stars!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On Wednesday's Drivetime with DeRusha... 3pm: just release the dang Epstein files already... this is ridiculous! Plus why is Tracy Perlman addicted to Diet Coke, and what's her go-to plane beverage? 4pm: Do you have Northern Lights FOMO after last night's heavenly display? Plus why are beef prices so high? Jason talks with U of M Extension professor Eric Mousel. 5pm: How high are your health insurance premiums going to go? Jason talks to Denise Robertson from Health Access MN. Plus, what's grinding your gears this week? It's time to vent on ENOUGH!!!

Northern Lights appear in Alabama. Votes to end longest shutdown. AI country singer Breaking Rust tops Billboard. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Northern Lights appear in Alabama. Votes to end longest shutdown. AI country singer Breaking Rust tops Billboard.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Northern Lights appear in Alabama. Votes to end longest shutdown. AI country singer Breaking Rust tops Billboard.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Northern Lights appear in Alabama. Votes to end longest shutdown. AI country singer Breaking Rust tops Billboard.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Everyone's feed right now is the Northern Lights!

We couldn't see the Northern Lights in Austin, Dave received some tough news from his dermatologist, Twitter introduced "Certified Banger" tweets, and Dillon tells a story about Parks.  Support us on Patreon and receive weekly episodes for as low $5 per month: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/circlingbackpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Watch all of our full episodes on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.youtube.com/washedmedia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Shop Washed Merch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.washedmedia.shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • (0:00) Fun & Easy Banter • (17:20) Northern Lights • (29:45) Dave Got Some Bad News • (41:00) Certified Banger Tweets Are Here • (52:55) Parks Story Support This Episode's Sponsors: Rhoback: https://rhoback.com/ (WASHED20 for 20% off for the Holidays!) Squarespace: Check out ⁠⁠⁠https://squarespace.com/steam⁠⁠⁠ for a free trial, and when you're ready to launch, use OFFER CODE: STEAM to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. Stone Creek Coffee: Head to https://controlfreakcoffee.com/ and use the code WASHED for 20% off your first order TUSHY: Our listeners get 10% off their first bidet order when you use code STEAM at https://hellotushy.com/ Tecovas: Right now get 10% off at ⁠https://tecovas.com/crclbk⁠ when you sign up for email and texts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Trump laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier for Veterans Day. We shouldn't forget how many tentacles of Obamacare there are affecting the health care industry. Is it time to end the filibuster once and for all? What's next for the Trump economic agenda? What is the most important issue among voters? Jeff Bezos has some very tall hedges. Donald Trump's stances on allowing Chinese students en masse, foreign work visas, and 50-year mortgages receives pushback from Fox News host Laura Ingraham. Health insurance nightmares happening nationwide because of Obamacare. 3I/Atlas is doing strange things. Massive solar storms are happening as we speak. Will the federal government officially open today? New head coach for the New York Giants currently in the college ranks? 00:00 Pat Gray UNLEASHED! 00:14 Update on Pat's Car 04:39 Trump Lays Wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier 05:13 Trump's Message to Veterans 07:15 Pat McAfee Interviews President Trump 13:15 Rosa DeLauro is Furious that the Government is Reopening 14:17 The Truth about the ACA / Obamacare 21:34 Stephen Miller on Ending the Filibuster 23:50 Stephen Miller Explains Trump's Next Phase for the Economy 32:23 Chewing the Fat 45:34 Christine Pelosi Running for CA Senate 51:21 Laura Ingraham Interviews Donald Trump 1:07:22 Caller Michael 1:10:11 Caller Sarah 1:15:41 Caller Gordon 1:17:26 3I/ATLAS Update 1:19:14 Solar Activity 1:29:26 Caller Lisa 1:30:55 Socialism Doesn't Work 1:33:54 Bill Belichick Update Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Does seeing the Northern Lights count if you see it through you cellphone camera? Jamal Osman carjacked in Minneapolis. He needed the police even though he has been a de-funder at heart. Lack of diversity thought to exist in the ranks of podcast hosts. B as in B, S as in S. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For more coverage on the issues that matter to you, download the WMAL app, visit WMAL.com or tune in live on WMAL-FM 105.9 from 9:00am-12:00pm Monday-Friday  To join the conversation, check us out on Twitter @WMAL and @ChrisPlanteShow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The 5 Most Overrated Things in the World

President Donald Trump is referenced multiple times in newly released emails written by Jeffrey Epstein. House lawmakers are set to vote on a bill to finally end the government shutdown. Trump's advisers are looking to switch up the president's messaging on the economy. A popular baby formular brand is recalling its US products following an infant botulism outbreak. Plus, where you can catch a glimpse of the Northern lights tonight. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

111225 Northern LIghts VS HAARP Midwest Melissa and Kate Great Discussion by Kate Dalley

Northern Light show tonight! No more pennies! Woman marries A.I. lover, Oval Office gold, HCIS, a game, and Rainy Day Bad Text Theatre!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

//The Wire//2300Z November 11, 2025////ROUTINE////BLUF: VBIED ATTACK STRIKES ISLAMABAD, 12X FATALITIES REPORTED. RIOTS BREAK OUT AT UC BERKELEY AT STUDENT EVENT. WHITE HOUSE ANNOUNCES ECONOMIC INITIATIVES. SOLAR FLARES PROMPT SPACE WEATHER WATCHES FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-Global: Several Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) from the sun were reported yesterday, which are expected to result in the observance of aurora at lower latitudes than normal tonight and possibly the next few days. The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a G4 (Severe) Geomagnetic Storm Watch this morning, which is valid for this evening into tomorrow.Analyst Comment: This is nothing to freak out over, but still something to keep in mind just in case power outages strike some areas. Interference with radio communications should also be expected as well, particularly shortwave frequencies. When solar weather is more active (as it is right now), weird things tend to happen, which are nearly impossible to predict. In practical terms, this usually means that people living at lower latitudes can see the Northern Lights, but what people can't usually see is the interference, fluctuations, and anomalies that this kind of thing causes with anything that relies on electricity to function.These CMEs are a bit bigger than normal, and at least one is directed at Earth (meaning that it's more likely to be impactful that usual, as the solar energy will hit our atmosphere more directly). So communications and electrical infrastructure may be damaged later tonight. Thursday night should be the worst, but the space weather forecast is still rather variable at the moment.Pakistan: Following yesterday's explosion in India, a Vehicle-Borne IED was detonated outside a court in Islamabad. 9-12x people were killed and dozens wounded during the attack. Tehrik-e-Taliban - Pakistan (otherwise known as TTP, or the main Taliban faction operating within Pakistan) claimed responsibility for the attack.Analyst Comment: Immediately following this explosion (which is the worst Islamabad has experienced in many years), locals reported Pakistan starting to move military resources toward the border with India. Right now it's hard to say what's going on, but two deadly explosions detonating in the heart of two nations that are constantly at each other's throats is probably going to result in tensions escalating a bit once again.-HomeFront-California: A general state of unrest broke out at UC Berkeley last night following a series of Turning Point USA events at the university. ANTIFA militants clashed with police, prevented other students from attending the TPUSA event, and otherwise caused much disturbance.Analyst Comment: Going into the heart of the beast of Berkeley, with a Charlie Kirk event no less, was always going to result in this level of kinetic activity, so it is a miracle nobody was killed. Berkeley may be infamous for many things, but it's also a legendary ANTIFA stronghold where militants dominate the terrain in significant numbers. Flyers advertising this riot were spread weeks ago, which signifies the level of planning present for something that seems as simple as a counter-protest/riot.Washington D.C. - Several developments on the economic front have been announced over the past few days. The White House has announced efforts to normalize 50 year mortgages, while Fannie Mae has announced plans to remove their minimum credit score required to obtain a home loan, instead using their own risk assessment criteria to evaluate each loan independently of a minimum credit score. In a media interview with Fox, President Trump also reiterated plans to bring 600,000 Chinese students into the United States, confirming again the plans to double the number of Chinese students allowed into the US.-----END TEARLINE-----

The entire Slacker Show Research Team™ has been fired after they failed to give us a heads up about the northern lights last night. Are you going to try and see them again tonight?

In hour 2 of The Drive, Zach and Phil try to diagnose the Broncos offensive struggles and how much blame the veteran coach Sean Payton deserves. We share the latest after today's Broncos practice and who participated and who didn't. Zach explains why the Broncos have been a "can't get right" offense between Nix not playing well but when he does make the throws, he's not getting help from his play makers. Today's "Three Count" features the Broncos signing back Lil'Jordan Humphrey from the Giants practice squad and is likely to play on Sunday, Russell Wilson getting passed up in New York as Jameis Winston will start this weekend for the Giants, and recapping our experiences with the Northern Lights last night. How concerned should we be with the depth of the Broncos linebackers as Alex Singleton will not play this Sunday as well as others who are on IR. 

Tara dives into a whirlwind of national and local stories shaping politics, justice, and the economy. From the impending execution of triple-murderer Steven Bryant via firing squad in South Carolina to the state GOP's gerrymandering debacle with Ralph Norman challenging Jim Clyburn's protected district, no stone is left unturned. Tara also breaks down Trump's controversial H-1B visa comments, corporate job cuts hitting over 1.15 million this year, and how foreign worker policies may be depressing wages for American workers. Plus, a rare geomagnetic storm could make northern lights visible across the South, adding a cosmic twist to this jam-packed episode. Justice, politics, and the solar storm – South Carolina is heating up on every front. In this episode, Tara tackles an extraordinary mix of stories from justice, politics, and science. First, the South Carolina Supreme Court denies Steven Bryant's last-minute appeal, clearing the way for his firing squad execution — a rare, high-profile death penalty case drawing national attention. She then unpacks the political chaos in Columbia, where GOP leadership has ignored Trump's call to redraw Jim Clyburn's gerrymandered district, with Ralph Norman campaigning to expose the state legislature's liberal-leaning, RINO behavior. Tara also dissects Trump's recent H-1B visa remarks amid soaring corporate layoffs, arguing that foreign worker policies are harming American engineers and wages. Finally, she previews a rare geomagnetic storm potentially producing visible northern lights across the Southeast, showing how even the skies are part of this week's news spectacle. South Carolina Politics, Ralph Norman, Jim Clyburn, GOP Leadership, Gerrymandering, Death Penalty, Steven Bryant, Firing Squad, Henry McMaster, Donald Trump, H1B Visas, Corporate Layoffs, U.S. Jobs Market, STEM Employment, Wage Suppression, Solar Storm, Geomagnetic Activity, Northern Lights, National News, American Workers

Jimmy Kimmel pays tribute to his band leader, Cleto Escobedo, who passed away, the trailer dropped for Toy Story 5 and did Elton John throw a fit at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The government shut down is nearing to end as Senate approved a 60-40 vote. Northern lights were visible throughout the Chicagoland area. McRib is back at select McDonald's. And Fred and the crew go on a rant about their favorite fast foods.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of the OutThere Colorado Podcast, Spencer and Seth chat about a recent appearance of the Northern Lights in Colorado, Trump pardoning a professional trail runner for illegal trail use, the revival of ski ballet, how reintroduced wolves are dying, cutting down your own Christmas tree, a new Olympic sport, and more.

WEATHER WEDNESDAY AT 12:30 Did you see the Northern Lights last night? I didn't, as I had no reason to go outside. We'll ask Dave if we may get a return visit anytime soon.

Jason didn't get to see last night's Northern Lights display, even though it's on his bucket list. Are you feeling some FOMO today?