Part of a man's DNA. It is passed from father to son, and women don't have it. See 'Some Notes on Archaeology'.
Y Chromosome
Fact of the Day
Thirteenth-century chancellor of Oxford, Thomas de Cantilupe, banned students from carrying arms. At one point he had 20 confiscated bows and swords.
Quote of the Day
"It's ever been the British way, that we are powerless to expel foreigners, but puissant and bold when it comes to making civil war.
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~ Gildas (6th century)
On This Day
1330 Roger Mortimer, de facto ruler of England after he and Edward II's wife Isabella deposed Edward, was hanged at Tyburn for assuming royal power.
1530 Cardinal Thomas Wolsey died of natural causes on his way to face charges of treason.
1781 The crew of the British slave ship Zong massacred 131 captives by throwing them overboard in a bid to claim insurance money after the crew had made a navigational error and missed their destination.
1812 Napoleon's army retreated across the Berezina River in Belarus. Although the army managed to avoid getting trapped, they suffered massive casualties, and the word 'berezina' became French slang for 'disaster.'
1947 The United Nations approved the partition of Palestine to form an independent Jewish state.
