SMRTR Science & EngineeringDec 29, 2025Ars Technica

A quirky guide to myths and lore based in actual science

SMRTR summary

Folklorist Adrienne Mayor's new book "Mythopedia" connects ancient myths to real natural events that inspired them, revealing how stories about earthquakes, volcanoes, and fossil discoveries contain scientific truths. Her research in geomythology shows that oral traditions can preserve accurate details of natural disasters for thousands of years, with some Aboriginal Australian stories dating back 20,000 years.

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