News from Mirabilis

A gospel's rocky path from Egypt's desert to print

From csmonitor.com: A gospel's rocky path from Egypt's desert to print.

When the Gospel of Judas first surfaced in Geneva in 1983, scholars wondered if the mysterious text could trigger a reappraisal of history's most infamous traitor.

They never found out, however, because they couldn't afford the $3 million price tag on this second-century gnostic tale. Instead, the fragile pages vanished into private hands and set off on a 23-year, intercontinental journey through fist-pounding negotiations and even periods, reportedly, stuffed inside a Greek beauty's purse.

Now, at long last, the world is about to see the contents. The National Geographic Society last week reported it will publish a translation this spring, when "The Da Vinci Code" film is sure to rekindle interest in gnostic artefacts.

But the saga may be just beginning. That's because thieves apparently lifted the manuscript from the Egyptian desert, kicking off decades of illicit trafficking — and an ethical dilemma: Is it right to pay for and publish stolen documents for the purpose of spreading knowledge? [continue]

More strange creatures
http://www.mirabilis.ca/2006/03/12/more-strange-creatures/

First we have this one, from Wired: Rat-Squirrel Not Extinct After All.

It has the face of a rat and the tail of a skinny squirrel — and scientists say this creature discovered living in central Laos is pretty special: It's a species believed to have been extinct for 11 million years.

The long-whiskered rodent made international headlines last spring when biologists declared they'd discovered a brand new species, nicknamed the Laotian rock rat.

It turns out the little guy isn't new after all, but a rare kind of survivor: a member of a family until now known only from fossils. [continue]

And did you see the news about the newly discovered crustacean that looks like a furry lobster? Thanks to Fred K for writing to tell me about that.

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