500-YEAR RAPHAEL LOGGIA GETS CLEANING
The Vatican is moving to clean and restore the Raphael Loggia, the 200-foot Apostolic Palace corridor lined with 16th-century Biblical frescoes by Raphael’s workshop. The work could revive one of the Renaissance’s crown jewels — and reopen debate over how far to preserve, protect, and expose fragile art.
Old walls, fresh stakes
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This Day in History
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International Geophysical Year Begins (1957)July 1, 2026
Undertaken during a period of maximum sunspot activity, the International Geophysical Year (IGY) was an 18-month period of cooperation among the scientists of 67 nations for concentrated and coordinated geophysical study, primarily of the solar and terrestrial atmospheres. It produced scientific cooperation unimpeded by the Cold War and was the largest and most important international scientific effort to that date. What are some of the dozens of advances and discoveries achieved during the IGY?
Undertaken during a period of maximum sunspot activity, the International Geophysical Year (IGY) was an 18-month period of cooperation among the scientists of 67 nations for concentrated and coordinated geophysical study, primarily of the solar and terrestrial atmospheres. It produced scientific cooperation unimpeded by the Cold War and was the largest and most important international scientific effort to that date. What are some of the dozens of advances and discoveries achieved during the IGY?Today’s Birthday
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George Sand (1804)July 1, 2026
Born Amandine Dupin, Sand was raised in a strict household but began to rebel after spending time in a convent. She wore men's clothes and urged women to live as men did. In 1836, she divorced her aristocratic husband and moved to Paris with their two children, supporting them by writing some 80 novels. Under her pseudonym, she became a star of the French literary scene, drawing admiration from Gustave Flaubert and vitriol from Charles Baudelaire. What famous composer was Sand's longtime lover?
Born Amandine Dupin, Sand was raised in a strict household but began to rebel after spending time in a convent. She wore men's clothes and urged women to live as men did. In 1836, she divorced her aristocratic husband and moved to Paris with their two children, supporting them by writing some 80 novels. Under her pseudonym, she became a star of the French literary scene, drawing admiration from Gustave Flaubert and vitriol from Charles Baudelaire. What famous composer was Sand's longtime lover?Today’s Holiday
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Ghana Republic DayJuly 1, 2026
Ghana's Republic Day celebration is one of the most striking in West Africa, due to the fact that the popular attire includes the brightly colored cloth known as the kenti. Men wear it draped over one shoulder and around the waist, while women may wear it as a long skirt. July 1 is the day on which Ghana became an independent republic in 1960. The people also celebrate March 6 as Independence Day—the day in 1957 when British rule ended and Ghana became the first state in the British Commonwealth to be governed by black Africans.
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The Hermetic Order of the Golden DawnJuly 1, 2026
Possibly the greatest influence on 20th-century Western occultism, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn was a magical society founded by Freemasons in the late 1800s. The original order followed the curriculum set forth in the Cipher Manuscripts, blending elements of various esoteric traditions including Christian mysticism, Kabbalah, astrology, and alchemy. Its concepts of magic and ritual were adopted by many other traditions, including Wicca. Who were some of the order's most famous members?
Possibly the greatest influence on 20th-century Western occultism, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn was a magical society founded by Freemasons in the late 1800s. The original order followed the curriculum set forth in the Cipher Manuscripts, blending elements of various esoteric traditions including Christian mysticism, Kabbalah, astrology, and alchemy. Its concepts of magic and ritual were adopted by many other traditions, including Wicca. Who were some of the order's most famous members?
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