August 30, 2018

The Ancient Past, the Near Future, and a Sheepish Present


The Ancient Past, the Near Future, and a Sheepish Present
Great Scot! What decade are we in?

1. Roads? Where Russia’s going, it doesn’t need roads! This week the Russian company Kalashnikov (yes, that Kalashnikov) revealed a new car that looked like it was from Back to the Future. In other words, decidedly old-school. However, the boxy little cruiser is actually decidedly futuristic: it’s a fully electric car designed to compete with Tesla. While some doubt (and others mock) Kalashnikov’s claim that it will be able to compete with Tesla, this new car demonstrates Russian interest in an electric future. Doc Brown has some wise words to say on this point (if you ever made it to the third movie): “your future is whatever you make it, so make it a good one.”

Kalashni-car

Photo: Kalashnikov Media

2. If you’re an avid reader of TWERF,* you’ll have noticed a recurring theme of interesting things found in Siberian caves. Well, the caverns are at it again: scientists found the remains of an ancient human hybrid in Siberia’s Altai Mountains. So what does that actually mean? Scientists found a 90,000 year old female who was half Neanderthal and half Denisovan (another ancient group of humans). Lovingly named “Denny,” this hybrid is the first instance scientists have found of someone who had parents belonging to distinct human groups. The discovery points to a wide range of human diversity that once existed on this Earth, and it has us excited for whatever the next great Siberian cave discovery will bring.

* If you’re not an avid reader of TWERF, what are you doing with yourself?

Altai cave

Photo: Bence Viola/Max Planck

3. When beauty is the beast: this week Dagestan held a beauty contest for a very specific demographic… its sheep. The event was in honor of the Muslim holiday Eid al-Adha, known as Kurban Bayram in the Russian- and Turkic-speaking world. The sheep were judged based on their physical qualities and the creativity of their owners in adorning them. While the fate of the winner, one Princess Aisha, is unknown, we’re sure that, in the moment, she was just baa-sking in the limelight.

In Odder News:
  • Will Russia’s Snickers alternative still satisfy? A Russian military vendor is about to help people find out

  • Covering up those rock-hard abs: a university in Novosibirsk put some clothing on nude statues in anticipation of a visit from Russian orthodox priests

  • Read about the fascinating Soviet past of a surprising bloom: the sunflower

Quote of the Week:

“We’d almost caught these people in the act.”

— Paleogeneticist Svante Pääbo, on finding the product of a Neanderthal-Denisovan intimate experience

Want more where this comes from? Give your inbox the gift of TWERF, our Thursday newsletter on the quirkiest, obscurest, and Russianest of Russian happenings of the week.

Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Moscow and Muscovites
November 26, 2013

Moscow and Muscovites

Vladimir Gilyarovsky's classic portrait of the Russian capital is one of Russians’ most beloved books. Yet it has never before been translated into English. Until now! It is a spectactular verbal pastiche: conversation, from gutter gibberish to the drawing room; oratory, from illiterates to aristocrats; prose, from boilerplate to Tolstoy; poetry, from earthy humor to Pushkin. 

Driving Down Russia's Spine
June 01, 2016

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka
November 01, 2012

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

In this comprehensive, quixotic and addictive book, Edwin Trommelen explores all facets of the Russian obsession with vodka. Peering chiefly through the lenses of history and literature, Trommelen offers up an appropriately complex, rich and bittersweet portrait, based on great respect for Russian culture.

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...

A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

Life Stories
September 01, 2009

Life Stories

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.

The Little Humpbacked Horse
November 03, 2014

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.

Fearful Majesty
July 01, 2014

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955