Wonder on the Web

Issue 40: Links to amazing stuff.

Packer’s Puritan Publications Published

The John Richard Allison Library in Vancouver has just digitized its entire collection of rare Puritan texts—and made them available to read online for free. Not only do you get to see high-res scans of the originals, old-school bibliophiles also get the satisfaction of virtually flipping each page (thankfully, you can turn off the page-flip sound effects). Exhibit A: Jeremiah Burroughs’s “treatise shewing that true blessedness consists in pardon of sin.” (Amen, Burroughs.) Many of these documents came from the private library of theologian J. I. Packer, who has written more than 40 books of his own.

The Early History of Autism in America

Autism, a developmental disorder we just talked about in our article on synaptic pruning, is usually considered to have been first recognized in the 1940s by child psychiatrist Leo Kanner. But Smithsonian suggests that social reformer and physician Samuel Gridley Howe (whose wife, Julia Ward Howe, wrote the famous “Battle Hymn of the Republic”) was studying autism even before the Civil War. In 1848, “Howe expressed hope … that his data would be of use to future generations trying to understand mental disability.”

Four Elusive New Elements

2015 brought a lot of new things, including the addition of four new elements to the periodic table: elements 113, 115, 117, and 118, temporarily known as ununtrium, ununpentium, ununseptium, and ununoctium. The names aren’t the only temporary characteristics of these elements—samples may only stick around for less than a thousandth of a second, and as of now they can only be observed in lab conditions. Looks like the seventh row of the table is finally complete. All high school chemistry textbooks and Tom Lehrer’s classic song are officially out of date.

Machimosaurus Rex

Paleontologists working in the Tunisian desert have just made a discovery of truly behemoth proportions: the fossilized remains of Machimosaurus rex, the largest crocodilian ever to swim the oceans. Based on the size of the skull, it was probably over 30 feet long—10 feet longer than the largest modern croc. Crikey!

Also in this issue

The Behemoth was a small digital magazine about a big God and his big world. It aimed to help people behold the glory of God all around them, in the worlds of science, history, theology, medicine, sociology, Bible, and personal narrative.

Our Latest

Public Theology Project

A Real Revival Is Not Controllable 

It implies a movement of the Spirit, not just a boost in numbers.

From Our Community

For Vince Bacote, the Black Evangelical Story Has Something for Everyone

The theologian behind a recent documentary on what compelled him to tell a challenging and beautiful story.

Tribalism Comes with a Warning Label

When tribalism turns us inward, we live like the rest of the world apart from the gospel.

Excerpt

Shutdown Highlights Challenges in Rural Health Care

Small-town doctors grapple with looming budget cuts and lack of support.

There’s No Shame in Talking About Pregnancy Loss  

Eli and Hannah’s conversation in 1 Samuel holds wisdom for Christians on how to care for people who have lost babies or experience infertility.

The Russell Moore Show

JD Greear on What Culture Wars Are Doing to Us

What if the real radicals right now are the ones who refuse to join the outrage mobs?

News

The Anglican Communion Is Coming Apart

Conservative Gafcon leaders break from Canterbury and claim the future of global Anglicanism.

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube