Ancient Survivors, Modern Medicine, and Gladiator Myths Uncovered

The Point by Modern Sciences - April 2, 2025 (A)

Author

Don Smith
April 02, 2025

In partnership with

By The Modern Sciences Team

April 2, 2025

Hello again, Cultivators of Curiosity!


Welcome to the 13th volume of The Point by Modern Sciences, where we explore the hidden stories in nature, medicine, and history. In this edition, we uncover the ancient evolutionary saga of the Ginkgo tree, the latest breakthrough in HIV prevention with a promising new injectable drug, and the truth behind the iconic battle scenes in Gladiator II, revealing what happened in Roman spectacles.


These articles take you on a journey from prehistoric resilience in the natural world to cutting-edge medical advancements and historical revelations. Whether you're understanding the enduring legacy of a living fossil, exploring innovations in public health, or dispelling myths from ancient times, this volume brings new insights into the past and the present that can change how you see the world.


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NATURE

The Ginkgo Tree Hides a Vast Evolutionary Story

The ginkgo tree is a common yet ancient presence in cities like New York. It is known for its yellow leaves and foul-smelling fruit, and its evolutionary roots date back over 170 million years. Read more.



The Point:

  • A living fossil in plain sight: The ginkgo tree, often seen on New York sidewalks, is the last surviving member of a lineage dating back 170 million years to the Jurassic Period.

  • Resilient through time: With unique traits like sex-switching branches and foul-smelling seeds, the ginkgo has adapted across millennia—outlasting evolutionary rivals and environmental challenges.

  • Saved by people, thriving today: Human cultivation, especially in China, helped rescue the ginkgo from extinction. Thanks to its hardiness and historical appeal, it flourishes in cities worldwide.


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HEALTH AND THE BODY

HIV prevention: why a new injectable drug could be such a breakthrough – podcast

A new injectable drug called lenacapavir has shown 100 percent effectiveness in preventing HIV in young women during a major clinical trial, with protection lasting six months per dose.. Read more.



The Point:

  • New HIV Prevention Drug: Lenacapavir, a promising new HIV prevention drug, is showing 100% effectiveness in clinical trials, with an injection needed only every six months, offering a more convenient alternative to daily PrEP pills.

  • Clinical Trial Success: In a trial involving 5,000 women in sub-Saharan Africa, none of the participants who received lenacapavir contracted HIV, while infection rates were higher for those on daily PrEP drugs like Truvada and Descovy.

  • Future Accessibility: While lenacapavir is expensive, Gilead Sciences is working on strategies for broad global access, including licensing agreements for low-cost versions in 120 countries.


HISTORY

Did Romans really fight rhinos? Sports historian explains the truth behind the battle scenes in Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II

The film Gladiator II takes liberties with history, including a fictional scene of a gladiator fighting a rhinoceros, which never happened, although exotic animal exhibitions were part of Roman entertainment. Read more.



The Point:

  • Animal and Naval Battles in the Colosseum: While gladiators did not fight rhinos, exotic animals were displayed and killed in Roman spectacles, and naval battles (naumachia) could be staged in the flooded Colosseum on special occasions.

  • Thumbs Down Myth: The idea of "thumbs down" signaling death is misunderstood; instead, Romans used a turned thumb (pollice verso) or compressed thumb (pollice compresso) to indicate the fate of a defeated gladiator.

  • Gladiators and Venatores: Gladiators did not fight animals; specially trained hunters called venatores handled animal combats, which outlasted gladiator matches in popularity as the empire’s resources dwindled.