How Polynesian stick charts mapped waves for navigation

Polynesian navigators made maps of waves, not just islands

Polynesian stick charts did not simply draw coastlines. Sticks showed patterns of waves and winds, while shells could mark islands. The movement of the ocean itself became part of the map.

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The 1918 flu was among the deadliest pandemics

Between 1918 and 1920, the influenza pandemic killed close to 50 million people worldwide, making it one of the deadliest pandemics of the modern era.

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The U.S. gave away nearly 10% of its land

Nearly 10% Of Its Total Area

Under the Homestead Acts, about 1.6 million homesteaders received land free. Together, their grants accounted for nearly 10% of the United States’ total land area.

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