Eli Lilly: Recreating Drug Discovery for the 21st Century

Introduction

Every new business project is a complicated issue that includes a set of factors that should be considered to create the basis for the evolution of a firm and its success. This statement is also applicable to the case Eli Lilly: Recreating Drug Discovery for the 21st Century. It revolves around the concept of tailored pharmaceutics that presupposes personalized medicine and its distribution among specific target populations. Analysis of the case assumes the investigation of the current vision and mission of the company, strategies employed to achieve success, and models that can help to guarantee further growth.

Main body

The prior mission of the discussed firm is the implementation of the idea of personalized pharmaceutics into the functioning of the given company. The primary cause preconditioning the need for this change is the increasing pressure the sector has been experiencing since 2008. Under these conditions, the demand for the new approach preconditioned research in the sphere and formulation of a new mission. Because of the significant impact of genetic profiling on effects caused by drugs and responses that emerge in patients, the current vision presupposes the creation of the paradigm that considers the unique peculiarities of clients and provides them with the best possible options. The mission is to achieve success and set a ground for the further rise of the firm.

The Marketing Mix framework proves the existence of multiple opportunities associated with the given approach. The product, or personalized drugs, will possess unique qualities differentiating it from similar offerings in the market and potential for occupying the niche that remains uncovered by other companies. As for the price, the higher cost of the product might demand additional investment that should be discussed with stakeholders because of the absence of similar experience in the given field. However, the higher costs of the product will be compensated by its increased effectiveness.

As for the place, the strategic shift happens at the correct time as some of the companys most popular drugs face clients expiration, and there is a need for new measures. It means that the application of a new approach is vital to support the company and replace old offerings with new, more effective, and popular ones.

Promotion activities include attempts to popularise the product among the target audience. As for personalized pharmaceutics, the company encourages the collection of information about clients preferences and traits. For this reason, there are multiple options for the promotion of a new generation of drugs among these groups by appealing to qualities that will be appreciated by patients.

Finally, as for the segmentation, targeting, and positioning model, the company adheres to the demographic principles as the proposed drug should consider personal attributes such as age, medical history, genetic peculiarities, etc. to create the most effective drug and distribute it among clients. In such a way, representatives of the most involved cohort who has unusual features and are ready to pay for new medicines will comprise the target audience. Finally, as for the positioning, the consideration of the Marketing Mix will help to create a sufficient model that can generate revenue.

Conclusion

In such a way, the case demonstrates the companys attempt to occupy a niche of personalized pharmaceutics by using the readiness of the population and the absence of rivals in this very segment. The practical strategies might help it to achieve success and continue its growth regarding the highly competitive environment.

Mature-to-Pluripotent Cell Reprogramming Discovery

Introduction

In 2012, John B. Gurdon and Shinya Yamanaka jointly received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Their discovery lies in the fact that mature cells can turn back into their stem cell form and then become a different kind of tissue than they were initially. Stem cells are considered highly valuable in medicine, as they can develop into any kind of cell in the body and potentially repair tissue damage.

Additionally, by returning cells that are afflicted with some conditions to an immature state, researchers may be able to determine the reason why they developed an abnormality. Overall, the potential presented by the discovery is tremendous, though the specific applications are still mostly under development. This essay will examine the history of the discovery, the methods used in the studies, and its impact on humanitys science.

John B. Gurdons Discovery

Humanity has known about how cells mature and how they may be manipulated to develop in a particular cell type for over half a century. However, researchers had assumed that once a cell settled upon being of a particular type, it would lose the information necessary for development into any other type. According to Gurdon (1962), the reason was that it was difficult to conduct studies with fully differentiated cells, as their nuclei were susceptible to damage through exposure to saline medium (p. 622). As such, with the methods available at the time, it would take a significant amount of time and effort to obtain any meaningful results.

Many researchers preferred to pursue different topics that would have more direct implications on medicine and cellular biology, seeing the idea of nuclei transplants with differentiated cells as impractical.

John B. Gurdon decided to undertake the endeavor and try to determine whether the nuclei of mature cells would produce any unusual effects when transplanted into undeveloped ones. At the time, he worked in Oxford, beginning with the classics but eventually switching to zoology after becoming interested in it. At the time, he was working on a Doctor of Philosophy degree, being particularly interested in zoology and cell transplants.

Before the study, he successfully cloned a frog, becoming a pioneer in that area, as well. His interest in the topic likely arose during these studies, as he wondered if he could achieve the same results with a developed organism as he could with an embryo. As such, he had considerable experience with nuclei transplants, which he could apply to achieve excellent results in his chosen area of research.

The researcher decided to use the subspecies Xenopus laevis laevis, also known as the African clawed frog, for the experiment. Gurdon (1962) notes that he took intestinal epithelium cells from tadpoles and transplanted them into eggs of the same species, using the standard process with a slight modification (Figure 1). He did the same for blastula and gastrula nuclei as a control group. A total of six experiments was carried out, concluding in a total of 726 total intestine cell transplants and 279 control group procedures. Ten attempts from the first group produced normal tadpoles, while the others displayed some type of abnormality.

Gurdon (1962) found that specific imperfections in the transplantation technique could explain many of these oddities. Regardless, the study proved his hypothesis that mature cells nuclei retained the capability to develop into any other kind of cell.

Gurdons experiment.
Figure 1. Gurdons experiment (Karlén, 2012).

The work contributed to the development of more advanced nuclei transplant methods by identifying weaknesses in the process and methods that could be used to address them. It also created interest in the topic, in general, as scientists saw the implications of the finding. At first, scholars would try to check the finding and confirm or disprove it, eventually succeeding at the former. Then, they became interested in the reason for this abilitys existence and began studying stem cells and cellular nuclei in general with considerably more attention.

Organisms that developed after a nucleus of a differentiated cell were transplanted into an embryo, and their properties were also an area of considerable attention. However, the method still had a low success rate and many issues, and nuclei transplantation techniques would develop slowly and become more mature throughout the next half-century.

Gurdon proceeded to expand upon his initial finding once studies by other researchers confirmed the results of the original paper. In the article by Gurdon, Laskey, and Reeves (1975), he concludes that cell specialization does not involve any loss, irreversible inactivation or permanent change in chromosomal genes required for development (p. 93). Additionally, the transplantation of a cell from an organism to an egg was found to create an animal that is genetically identical to the source. Eventually, the idea of transplanting the nucleus of an organism into the egg of another organism became known as cloning.

Research into this approach is still ongoing, with few successes on a significant scale, such as Dolly the sheep. Gurdon is now known as the originator of the technique and continues studying nuclear transplantation and cell differentiation to this day.

Shinya Yamanakas Discovery

Medicine kept advancing after Gurdons initial study, though his finding applied more to topics such as cloning than the development of new cures. People recognized the usefulness of stem cells, but treatments that used them were mostly in the early stages of development. According to Takahashi and Yamanaka (2006), the reasons were that human embryos had to be used to obtain stem cells, which created ethical difficulties, and that patients would sometimes reject the new tissue.

Neither problem would arise if the cells used for the transplantation were sourced from the patient. Shinya Yamanaka began considering the potential of Gurdons research and the later developments that resulted from it, which proved that differentiated cells could be reprogrammed into a pluripotent state. If a reliable and effective method to do emerged, stem cell-based treatments would advance considerably.

The primary limitations of the nuclei transplant method are that it is slow and inefficient while also requiring some external source of undifferentiated cells. The process is expensive and has no guarantee of succeeding for the reasons described above. It also works on an individual cell basis, and it can take a long time to obtain an adequate number of cells to achieve any medical purpose. Yamanaka tried to create a method that would fix both of these issues by using cells that were procured from the person into whom they would later be implanted and translating them into a pluripotent state en masse. However, Gurdons experiments and similar techniques could not be used for this method because they all required embryonic cells. As such, Yamanaka had to consider different approaches and develop a new method that would be more suitable for medical uses.

The researchers tried to find a method that would enable them to reprogram colonies of cells, as opposed to individual ones. Takahashi and Yamanaka (2006) introduced 24 different genes into various colonies, individually and together, through retroviral transduction and measured their resistance to the G418 drug, which is known as an indicator of pluripotency (Figure 2). They were able to determine combinations of 10 and 4 genes that could induce the creation of colonies that matched the necessary criteria.

When grown in culture dishes, they would form embryoid bodies that would eventually begin differentiating, indicating that they were initially both undifferentiated and pluripotent. Additionally, upon transplantation into nude mice, the colonies would form differentiated tumors. Overall, the scientists were able to confirm that it was possible to source undifferentiated pluripotent cells from a mature organism.

Yamanakas experiment.
Figure 2. Yamanakas experiment (Karlén, 2012).

The discovery has significant implications for the treatment of many conditions, particularly those that leave the person affected with permanent damage. For example, Hayashi et al. (2016) consider the usage of pluripotent cells, shortened to iPS by Yamanaka, to treat peoples eyes, which are notoriously complex and challenging to heal. Part of the reason is that the eye is a highly complex organ that consists of a high number of different tissues, each of which is critical to its operation. However, iPS cells can help regrow each of these parts at once due to their ability to differentiate after introduction to the eye.

Similar considerations can be applied to many other body parts, both complex and simple. As such, the initial research has been essential for medicine and warrants the Nobel Prize received by both of the scientists responsible for the discovery.

Effects on Theory and Practice

The studies conducted by Gordon and Yamanaka have changed humanitys perspective regarding cellular development. In particular, the two have shown that genetic changes in cells can be reversed, which is a remarkable discovery. It changed sciences view on how organisms develop and created the question of why cells would retain this information. In the future, the ability to revert the state of a cell or tissue may lead to the creation of various innovative treatments.

However, so far, the technologies used to do so are not advanced enough to enable complicated practices, and development mostly focuses on refining them. While the technique holds more promise than typical embryo-based methods, it is in its early stages and has low efficiency. Before implementations are medically and commercially viable, they should increase the rate of success and address limitations.

In addition to the issues that surround the development of pluripotent cells from mature ones, the usage of successfully created tissues creates another set of complications. According to Takahashi and Yamanaka (2006), while the implantations into the mice used in the experiment were not rejected, they developed into tumors and killed their hosts in every case. While it is possible to obtain stem cells, making them fulfill the purposes set for them by the medical professional is a separate and significant challenge.

As such, research into both the applications of iPS cells and their safety is actively ongoing, and they are not used in medical applications at this time. While there are many potential issues, the potential offered by the discovery is significant enough that it warrants a significant investment of money and effort, with the most significant ideas described below.

One use of the ability to control the development of cells is to analyze those afflicted by some currently underexplored conditions. Scientists can look at the development of a cell taken from a patient and compare it to the same process for a healthy alternative.

As a result, they can better understand why the condition happens and experiment with various treatments. Additionally, by working with a specific persons cells, medical professionals can develop personalized treatments that will be more effective for that patient. Overall, reprogramming offers a variety of new possibilities for the personalization and general improvement of treatments, both on a large scale and in specific cases. This practice is most likely to be developed in the near future, as it does not necessarily require the introduction of stem cells into the patients body and can be accomplished using current tools.

The second possibility is the repair of damage caused by various conditions, both genetic and caused by other factors. The study by Hayashi et al. (2016) serves as an example of the application of this approach to possibly cure eye conditions up to and including blindness. iPS cells can help the person heal formerly irreparable damage with little to no lasting consequences. However, the considerations about controllability and possible development of tumors apply strongly here. It can be challenging to access the cells to address any issues that result from the practice, as the tumor may be deep in the patients body and will have merged with their original and likely damaged tissues. Much of the current research and testing, including that done in the original study, try to refine this method and make it viable.

The third and final significant application of iPS cells can be seen as an extension of the prior approach. It is the creation of replacement organs for transplants to supplant the current practices of finding donors. Such an organ would essentially be taken from the person themselves and, thus, have no risk of rejection. However, making an organ is challenging due to its complexity and requires advanced manipulation of cell development.

As such, this practice is currently mostly theoretical and requires extensive testing and development before it can be considered for human applications. Regardless, it may not replace donor transplants because some such operations will be urgent and not give medical professionals time to grow a replacement. Still, the development is promising and can make a dangerous practice safer for patients with severe issues.

Conclusion

Gurdon and Yamanaka made their discoveries fifty years apart but received a shared Nobel Prize for their discovery. The studies that they have conducted have led to the creation of several prominent fields that can revolutionize medicine. They enable new treatments for conditions and issues that were impossible to address before, and the award is entirely warranted. However, currently, the fields derived from their work are still in an early stage of development. While the methods have a high potential, they are too ineffective and unsafe and need considerable refinement. As such, the work of numerous scientists who try to make the possibilities enabled by the two pioneers into reality should also be acknowledged and respected.

References

Gurdon, J. B. (1962). The developmental capacity of nuclei taken from intestinal epithelium cells of feeding tadpoles. Journal of Embryology and Experimental Morphology, 10(4), 622-640.

Gurdon, J. B., Laskey, R. A., & Reeves, O. R. (1975). The developmental capacity of nuclei transplanted from keratinized skin cells of adult frogs. Journal of Embryology and Experimental Morphology, 34(1), 93-112.

Hayashi, R., Ishikawa, Y., Sasamoto, Y., Katori, R., Nomura, N., Ichikawa, T.,& & Quantock, A. J. (2016). Co-ordinated ocular development from human iPS cells and recovery of corneal function. Nature, 531, 376-380.

Karlén, M. (2012). The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2012. Web.

Takahashi, K., & Yamanaka, S. (2006). Induction of pluripotent stem cells from mouse embryonic and adult fibroblast cultures by defined factors. Cell, 126(4), 663-676. Web.

Gene Silencing. Fires, Mellos Discoveries

Introduction

Genes play important roles in physiological processes in the human body. Advancements in the field of biology have resulted in discoveries of essential processes with regard to genes. An example of such processes is RNA interference (RNAi), which has been found to have a role in inhibiting gene expression. The inhibition of gene expression occurs when specific mRNA molecules are destroyed. This paper aims at discussing the biographies of Andrew Z. Fire and Craig C. Mello, who were instrumental in discovering RNAi. In addition, the essay offers a discussion with regard to the discovery and its impact.

Biography of Andrew Z. Fire

Andrew Z. Fire was born in 1959 and he spent his early days in California, where he was educated. His undergraduate studies focused on mathematics, before he proceeded to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for a Ph.D in Biology. While at the MIT, he was mentored by a great biologist by the name Philip Sharp. He later moved to England to work as a research fellow. The Nobel Prize winner concentrated on the studies of RNA from 1986 to 2003 when he studied embryological aspects of human development at the Carnegie Institution of Washington. The biologist and his colleagues published their studies about the role of RNAi in gene silencing, but it was not until 2006 that he was recognized for his meticulous work by sharing the Novel prize in Physiology with his co-author of a study that they published in 1998.

Biography of Craig C. Mello

Craig Cameron Mello is a distinguished American molecular biologist who was born in 1960. He was educated at Brown University, where he majored in biochemistry and molecular biology. He earned his Ph.D in molecular biology in 1990 at Harvard University. He later focused on cancer research for his post-doctoral studies. He was awarded with a Nobel Prize in 2006 for his role in unravelling the inhibition of gene expression through RNAi.

Impact of the discovery

The discovery of gene silencing through RNAi is an important step in the advancement of biology because it could be applied in many biological studies. Researchers focus on understanding the role of gene expression and silencing through several molecular pathways in both disease and healthy states. For example, biologists can apply the results from the discovery to understand how important proteins are prevented from being produced in disease states. With such an understanding, researchers can develop molecular networks that could hinder the interference of mRNA.

Explanation of gene silencing and RNAi

Genes code for specific proteins in the body, which have diverse physiological roles. In order for a gene to be expressed, DNA segment that specifies a particular gene product must be transcribed and translated. DNA transcription results in the formation of mRNA molecules that are translated to form amino acids, which combine to create protein molecules. A gene is silenced through RNAi if the mRNA molecules produced from the process of transcription are destroyed. Craig and Fire found that both the siRNA and miRNA molecules could be involved in RNA interference. Specifically, the two types of RNA bind to particular regions on mRNA and prevent the binding of important translation factors. Although RNAi has disadvantages, it has the benefits of preventing cells from the harmful effects of parasitic nucleotide sequences. In addition, it is essential in development.

Conclusion

In conclusion, a particular gene segment codes for protein molecules that have important roles in the body. Andrew Z. Fire and Craig C. Mellon discovered the crucial role of RNAi in gene regulation. The discovery has many applications in biology. Specifically, a gene is silenced when mRNA molecules are destroyed, leading to a disruption of protein production machinery in the cell.

Archeological Discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls

In 1948, William Albright, who is one of the popular archaeologists claimed that the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls was one of the chief breakthroughs in the 20th century (Berg, 2009).

The scrolls were found in a cave in the neighborhood of Khirbet Qumran. There were a number of artifacts in the cave, which ranged from pottery to the scrolls. Nevertheless, the most important discovery was the scrolls. The manuscripts were written in Greek, Aramaic and Hebrew, which were the main lingos of the Bible. This paper will discuss the significance of the Dead Sea scrolls.

According to Berg, The manuscripts preserved lost readings with Messianic implications (2009, p. 71). He quoted Psalm 22: 16 as one of the significant passages to both Christians and Jews. Whats more, the scrolls contained some readings that were difficult to understand and, which gave an account of Christs persecution, death and resurrection.

Apart from the biblical scriptures, there were about 650 non-biblical scrolls that were discovered at the same time (Berg, 2009). The non-biblical manuscripts held a wealth of information, which was not known to intellectuals. Hirschfeld (2004) divided the scrolls into five groups which were Rules and regulations, poetic and wisdom texts, reworked or rewritten scriptures, commentaries or pesharim, and miscellaneous writings (p. 113).

No Christian personalities were featured in the Dead Sea scrolls (Hirschfeld, 2004). Moreover, the scrolls were not authored by Christians implying that they had no connection with Christianity or Jesus. Nonetheless, a number of the manuscripts offered information that was crucial for knowing Jesus, his teachings and his personal life. Furthermore, the papers shed light on the Gospel by explaining the life and beliefs of the Jewish community during and before Christ.

The manuscripts also helped people to see the distinction between the Jewish and Christs teachings (Hirschfeld, 2004). Some of the scrolls revealed that Christs lessons were not a creation of the later church. Instead, the teachings were predicted in the previous writings. Some of the documents shared the same words with the present Gospel.

They indicated that some people knew about the message in the Gospel prior to the coming of Jesus. Hirschfeld (2004) alleged that there was a close relationship between the Apocryphon of Daniel found in the scrolls and the message in gospel of Luke.

Quite a lot of the non-biblical scrolls gave an account of the Qumran society, whom the majority of the intellectuals regarded to as Essenes (Magness, 2002). Many people knew a lot about the Sadducees and Pharisees, who were the two major Jewish communities during Christs period.

However, some scrolls delved deeper into the Jewish communities and provided interesting information about the groups, which many scholars did not know. For instance, the scriptures narrated about the stiff rivalry that existed between the various Jewish communities (Magness, 2002). Each community considered itself as the selected people of God, and this did not go well with the other communities.

Before the unearthing of the Dead Sea scrolls, there was no information about the Second Temple Period that existed in Israel (Magness, 2002). Today, there are many documents that account for the Second Temple Period, thanks to the discovery. Whats more, the relic of the biblical scrolls is of great significance to the evangelical intellectuals. Barely all the Hebrew Bibles we see today are written from the Dead Sea scrolls. This shows how important the discovery was for the preservation of Hebrew Bible and teachings.

Reference List

Berg, S. (2009). Insights into the Dead Sea Scrolls: A Beginners Guide. Charleston, South Carolina: BookSurge Publishing.

Hirschfeld, Y. (2004). Qumran in Context: Reassessing the Archaeological Evidence. London: Hendrickson Publishers.
Magness, J. (2002). The Archaeology of Qumran and the Dead Sea Scrolls. Cambridge: Eerdmans.

The Discovery of Additional Earth-Approaching Asteroids

In recent years astronomers are becoming more interested in studying the space objects situated relatively close to Earth. While the cosmos is still not fully discovered and has potentially numerous unknown aspects, it represents both the field of scientific research and potential danger. Therefore, this paper aims to identify two main reasons astronomers started to dedicate more time to learning about the Earth-approaching asteroids.

The first reason is the possibility of learning more about the universe since the objects are easy to reach for the following research. It gives an opportunity also to study the geology of the meteorites and supposedly find some precious metals in their composition (Skelly, 2019). Due to the fact that the planets resources one day will be limited significantly because of the overproduction and overconsumption, such discoveries can be helpful. Eventually, there might appear to be a possibility of preserving the natural resources and finding a method to mine them through the meteorites.

Another reason for the scientific research on asteroids is the potential threat to humanity. Although cosmic objects fall to the Earth from time to time, astronomers can be concerned that the possibility of danger can occur one day. Meteorites can be of different sizes, from the smallest to the gigantic, and if a decent amount of them suddenly reach the planet, this can lead to destruction.

Overall, there are significant reasons for astronomers to be interested in studying the Earth-approaching asteroids. Firstly, they can be used for mining purposes, which may help preserve natural resources. Secondly, this is also a preventive method against the possible disaster and problems it may cause to humanity. Thus, the scientific concern is valid regarding the circumstances and known facts.

Reference

Skelly, C. (2019). NASA Invests in Tech Concepts Aimed at Exploring Lunar Craters, Mining Asteroids. NASA.

Oceanography: Discovering Plate Tectonics

Wegeners hypothesis, known as the theory of continental drift, was based on a wide range of data from geological expeditions worldwide. He was intrigued by the division of the American continents and worked to explain their non-standard shape. In addition, Wegener studied animal and plant fossils on the coastlines of Africa and South America. This work is well-deserved, and the researchers arguments are convincing that a number of organisms he found could not overcome a large area of the Atlantic Ocean on their own, which indicated a common geological basis. The climatic changes mentioned by Wegener were also viewed as a consequence of continental drift.

Although Wegeners theory was reasonable and suggested a number of rationales, some gaps prevented it from gaining widespread acceptance during the researchers life. The main problem was the lack of a rationale for how exactly Pangea split into several continents. In addition, Wegener could not unequivocally answer the question of what force made the continents overcome such great distances and form the picture of the world that corresponded to contemporary maps.

In the decades that followed Wegeners death, his theory of continental drift was refined, which made it possible to formulate the Plate Tectonic theory. Its key points included the facts supporting the researchers original arguments about the movement of the continents. After studying the ocean floor, its strength and youth were proven. According to the data obtained, the inversions of the planets magnetic field were proven to have happened more than once in the past. The seabed was presented as a surface prone to spreading, which, in turn, led to the recirculation of the oceanic crust. Finally, it was reliably proven that volcanic activity and earthquakes were concentrated in the regions of oceanic trenches and mountain ranges, which was also an important discovery.

Each map reflects the activities of tectonic plates, which manifest themselves on the surface of the earth. The seismological map shows the areas of earthquakes that occur at the joints of the plates and are most powerful in the places of breaks. The volcanic map demonstrates the same areas, and judging by the activity of the volcanoes, they are located in places of plate boundaries. The seafloor age map emphasizes the young nature of plate regions in continental areas, which indicates their later shifts compared to the seafloor in the centers of the breaks. The topographic map reflects the levels of heights on the surface of the earth, which are higher in the places where plates boundaries pass.

The proposed maps can be used to determine the direction of plate movement. Each one represents a reflection of where the boundaries go, and by expanding those areas, one can determine where the plates are moving. By comparing early maps with recent ones, one can also match the position of the plates and find the real movement algorithm, which is seen particularly well on the seafloor age map.

Three types of boundaries can be distinguished by analyzing the movement of tectonic plates. One of them is the diverging boundary when plates break and create volcanic activities and earthquakes. Another type is a converging boundary when earthquakes and volcanic activities are significant and occur frequently. Finally, transform boundaries are those places of minor collisions, where volcanic activities and earthquakes are insignificant and not frequent.

For the diverging type of boundaries, high grounds are uncharacteristic, and the geologic activity is stable, including volcanoes and earthquakes, but not strong. At the converging boundaries of plates, mountain ranges are formed, and frequent volcanic eruptions and severe earthquakes occur periodically. At transform boundaries, uplands are not high, and although volcanic activity and earthquakes occur, they are not as severe as at converging boundaries.

Plate boundaries map
Figure 1. Plate boundaries map

In Figure 1, plate boundaries are demonstrated, and their location indicates high volcano activities. The following plates have been included: Pacific Plate (1), North American Plate (2), Cocos Plate (3), Caribbean Plate (4), Nazca Plate (5), South American Plate (6), African Plate (7), Arabian Plate (8), Indian Plate (9), Eurasian Plate (10), Australian Plate (11), and Antarctic Plate (12). None of the plates have been missed, which is largely due to the aforementioned maps. The seismological and volcanic maps have contributed to identifying plate breaks. The seafloor age map has helped determine the center lines of joints. The topographic map has shown the places of the highest uplands and, therefore, plate boundaries.

As a result of this lab, I have gained a broad understanding of the Plate Tectonic theory and the principles of terrain formation on the earth. In addition, I have learned what geologic activity depends on and how plate movement and boundaries are associated with volcanoes, earthquakes, and local climates. The most intriguing aspect concerns the fact that for centuries, people were unaware of the movement of tectonic plates. Only due to Wegener and his research, discoveries in this area began to be carried out, and humanity learned about Pangea and the changed shape of the earth. The history of the Plate Tectonic theory has shown me that the process of scientific inquiry requires collecting objective data to provide sufficient evidence to support proposed hypotheses and concepts.

Life of Pi’ Discovery Essay

“The lower you are, the higher your mind will want to soar” (Life of Pi, page 283). In “Life of Pi” Pi grows up in Pondicherry, India, as a little boy who is the son of an owner of the Pondicherry Zoo. They set an immigration to Canada, after selling their Zoo, and their ship sinks. Leaving Pi on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger, an orangutan, a zebra, and a hyena. In the novel “Life of Pi”, the author Yann Martel develops the idea that when individuals are faced with a time of struggle, they may find a great opportunity to find faith and perseverance, resulting in discovering a meaningful life.

Pi comes from Pondicherry, India, and he has immigrated to Canada as an older Pi. His father Mr.Patel is the owner, founder, director, and head of staff, of the Pondicherry Zoo. Pi loves Canada, but he feels like an outsider, to him it’s like paradise on earth. Pi survived 277 days on the lifeboat and it felt like an illusion to him. Until being rescued by the Japanese military. “I did not count the days or the weeks or the months. Time is an illusion that only makes pant. I survived because I forgot even the very notion of time” ( LOP page 192 ch. 63 1 para). Pi at his first school got negative comments about his name, either calling him Piscine or playing around with his name really meaning pissing. “Why do people move? What makes the uproot…” (LOP page 77). Not only did Pi have negativity in his childhood, but he survived an endless amount of battles. “The cruelty of children comes as news to no one…” (LOP page 20). Pi perseveres and uses his faith to overcome his childhood trauma just as he uses his faith when he is faced with his struggles on the ocean which leads him to look toward a more meaningful life.

Pi survives the crash and gets onto a lifeboat he struggles to survive with barely any food and water, it’s harder for him to survive. “Life on a lifeboat isn’t much of a life” (LOP page 217). Pi stays on the boat alive with, Richard Parker, the Bengal tiger. Richard Parker influenced Pi because he saved his life from the other animals that were trying to kill each other, which allowed Pi to gain his trust in Richard Parker. “Without Richard Parker, I wouldn’t be alive today to tell you my story” (LOP page 164 ch: 57) because the tiger encouraged Pi to persevere, as Pi had to look after, care for, and tame Richard Parker, which gave meaning to his life and encouraged Pi to not give up. There were two stories told by Pi, The first was about when the ship sank, and Pi survived with the Zoo that was on the boat. The second story is the story that was told as an illusion that Pi was created to give his life more opportunity and meaning because he was afraid of being rejected by the reporters survived on the lifeboat with his family imaging his family as the animals that survived from the crash.

When PI is faced with the battle of his life, he turns towards faith. Pi sees miracles, where he would have been a struggle before. He sees the lightning bolt as a miracle instead of a disaster because he has overcome the fear in his life by his faith in god. “Praise be to Allah [(SWT)], lord of all words…” (LOP page 233). Pi changes slowly in the novel, from being a very stubborn little boy to a fearless boy who believes in Allah (SWT), and that creates his guidance towards success. “The lower you are, the [more] your mind will want to soar” (LOP page 283). Pi becomes aware that time has built his patience for survival, just as the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) had patience and he used it to his advantage. Pi discovers that large opportunity to get rid of his fear and stay closer to his faith more than anything else. Pi notices that finding a meaningful life has built his connection between others and Allah (SWT). In the end, Pi doesn’t give up and finds meaning on a small lifeboat in the middle of an endless sea by putting faith in god.

Pi has defeated his fear in his life by believing in his faith, believing in Allah, and surviving this disaster was like a dream that came true. Time and opportunity impact Pi’s ability to find faith and persevere in order to seek a meaningful life. Pi has succeeded in finding time and opportunity, to show the readers that repenting back to Allah (SWT) for forgiveness, and making du’a protects you and guides your way to beat his struggles to show his glorious perseverance in his faith. In Islam to seek a great meaning in life is accomplishing the time of struggle and finding opportunity and seeking for meaning in his life.

Hernan Cortes’ Impact: Critical Essay

The year was 1504. A cruel, greedy, ruthless, wild, and relentless man by the name of Hernan Cortes decided to set sail to The New World in order to establish a better life for himself after receiving an education in law and Latin in Spain. He left university at 19 in order to follow his interest in alleged tales of Christopher Columbus in the New World.

In the New World, he worked with the governor of Hispaniola who would eventually embark on a conquest of Cuba with him. After a successful conquest of the Maya of Potonchan, he was rewarded with many slaves and land in Cuba. One of these slaves played a vital role however in the success of the Spanish conquest. This slave was called Malinche, who was Cortes’ interpreter, advisor, mistress, and intermediary. She ends up playing a vital role in this whole narrative.

After many more years of associating with men of high status in Cuba, Hernan was made one of the top officials by the Cuban governor. At this point in time, Cortes is exceedingly increasing his status and power. After 7 years as a top official, Hernan was then appointed as the Captain of an upcoming expedition to Mexico by Diego Valasquez, the governor of Cuba at the time.

However, these two had a very rocky friendship, due to various issues arising through their time together. This is illustrated in 1518 when Valasquez proceeded to revoke Cortes’ title of captain of his upcoming conquest of Mexico after Cortes decided not to marry Valasquez’s sister the day before. Cortes, being quite the character, then decided to go against his friend’s wishes and set sail to Mexico as planned with 500 men and 11 ships. In doing this, Hernan Cortes from that point created enemies with Diego Valasquez and would see the aftermath of this decision in the future.

Hernan Cortes’ motivations for conquesting Mexico were to obtain new land, natural resources and to spread Christianity. Cortes, due to his personality, also had ulterior motives to obtain wealth and riches. Now that we have the context behind the Spanish side, let’s view what was happening in the Aztec civilization prior to their coming.

Prior to the arrival of Hernan Cortes, the Aztec civilization believed that impending doom was encroaching, as they had seen a comet flying by that signified this. At this time, Aztec civilization had large amounts of human sacrifice in order to sustain their God’s power and protect them.

Their current ruler was Montezuma II, who was the ninth king of the Aztec empire. He was known mostly for demanding that more human sacrifices should be made in order to suffice their God’s desire for human blood. He had also attempted (though failed) to conquer their local enemies, the Tlaxcaltec. They had attempted to do so many times, though most recently in 1515, but always failed. This led the Tlaxcaltec to have a long-lasting hatred for the Mexica (Aztecs).

Later on, however, this hatred that the Tlaxcaltec had would serve useful to Hernan Cortes, as the saying goes, ‘The enemy of my enemy is my friend’.

On February 17, 1519, Hernan Cortes began his self-governed expedition to Mexico. Once he landed, he almost immediately claimed the newfound land for Spain. Shortly after landing, he defeated a small coastal town called Tabasco.

Cortes then wanted to conquer the Aztec empire, Tenochtitlan, however, was severely outnumbered. Cortes had a few hundred men whilst the Aztecs had a few hundred thousand men. In order to even balance out, Cortes had to ally with locals in order to even out the playing field. The Tlaxcaltec were the main people that he allied with.

At first, the Tlaxcaltec attacked Cortes with hostility, but eventually, they came to peace with each other over the combined motivation and hatred of the Aztec civilization. They helped the Spanish by getting them to the Valley of Anahuac and providing a key contingent of the invasion force. They also let them recover and regenerate from their voyages inside their village.

The conquistadors reached Tenochtitlan in November of that year. The Aztec leader at the time, Montezuma, believed that Cortes was sent by the Gods and treated him accordingly. When he heard of Cortés’s arrival, Montezuma refused to meet with the Spaniards, instead, he sent gifts, offering a tribute that frequently resolved disputes in Mesoamerican society. Moctezuma gave Cortés the gift of an Aztec calendar, one disc of crafted gold, and another of silver. The gold one was smaller than the silver and represented the sun whilst the silver one represented the moon. Cortés later melted these down for their value.

When Cortés and Montezuma finally met in person, all was relatively calm. The Spaniard was given a tour of the city and more gifts were exchanged between the two. Cortés received a necklace of golden crabs and Motecuhzoma a necklace of Venetian glass strung on gold thread.

Then, Within just two weeks, he was promptly taken hostage and placed under house arrest by a small Spanish force. Montezuma was forced to hand over more treasure and even allow the placing of a crucifix on top of the Great Pyramid.

Hernan Cortes upon the first contact disliked the Aztec culture, fashion, and customs.

Electronic Discovery in the Legal Industry

Executive Summary

Electronic discovery is changing the way evidence can be presented amongst both parties and the judge. In the early stages of civil litigation, the exchange of electronic discovery between two parties is a critical process that involves the deliverance of electronically stored information, also known as ESI. ESI is different than paper documents because the information is created, manipulated, communicated, stored, and utilized in a digital form. For this procedure to occur, it requires the use of computer hardware and software.

In California, ESI is considered to be networks and workstations, removable disks, USBs and other removable media, temporary files, program files, embedded or metadata information, audit trails and computer logs, geolocation data, corporate intranets, e-mail, laptops and home computers, personal digital assistants, etc.

ESI requires us to become familiar with new terms, practices, procedures, and both the California and Federal Rules relative to it. For example, electronic data is preserved, stored, and produced differently than paper, right? Attorneys and paralegals need to understand the difference because they are facing the ethical duty to become familiar with new technologies, rules, and case law, in which only some of that is related to electronic discovery.

The purpose of this report was to conduct primary research into understanding the fundamentals of electronic discovery within the electronically stored information. This research will show how electronically stored information should not be underestimated, as it could possibly be used as a “smoking gun” for the plaintiff or defendant in a high-profile civil case. The Discovery of ESI can easily become extremely expensive and disruptive. If mismanaged, costs escalate further.

Based on the findings of this report, it is recommended that good management requires early and ongoing discussions between opposing counsel about:

  1. What to search for
  2. How to search
  3. Where to look
  4. In what sequence and in what format to produce?

Discussion of Findings

Background Information

Daily, millions of people leave a digital trail of electronic evidence, whether it is in the workplace or in the comfort of their homes. This digital trail of evidence that we create continuously monitors our every move. eDiscovery has played a key role in most famous legal battles for the past few decades. For example, the deletion of emails in Hilary Clinton’s personal email server from her legal team resulted in controversy around the reviewal process by Congressional investigators, once most of the emails were recovered. The handling of the emails became the central point of conflict in the 2016 presidential election. To get a better understanding of eDiscovery, it is best to start with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure which describes and defines the discovery of electronic information.

What is eDiscovery?

eDiscovery is a form of data mining where it involves the process of applying traditional legal procedures to electronic evidence. It is difficult to identify any business transaction that is not created on or passed through a computer. Personal, banking, health, and social transactions are all conducted by computer. Each contact with a computer creates “electronic evidence.” And unlike paper records, numerous duplicates are also “backed up” and may even be stored in the cloud. One of the ways for an organization to continue to thrive is by implementing an effective eDiscovery strategy. Enforcing this strategy is required to comply with federal regulations and litigation requirements. The consequences of failing to preserve and deliver requested data may result in sanctions that can cause the eminence of a company.

Case Law

Zubulake v. UBS Warburg, LLC (2003-2005)

The defendant, UBS Warburg, LLC, was sued by the plaintiff, Laura Zubulake, for gender discrimination, failure to promote, and retaliation. She stated that her claim could be validated by emails sent between UBS employees. An order by the judge stated that both parties were to share the costs of recovering UBS backup tapes that contained the emails. UBS complied accordingly by enforcing the employees to preserve information stored on backup tapes. Though in the process of preservation, various backup tapes were identified to be missing. Sanctions were presented to the federal district court judge by Zubulake for UBS’s failure to preserve the emails within the missing backup tapes. This case addressed a wide range of issues within electronic discovery which provided lawyers with brand-new practices that would relate to both the legal and technical aspects of electronic discovery. Some of the issues included:

  • The scope of a party’s preservation of electronic evidence within the course of litigation.
  • The duty of surveillance towards a client by their attorney is to comply with preserving and producing electronic evidence.

Zubulake case caused the court system to take a look at the cost burden of e-discovery and create a seven-factor test which consisted of:

  • The extent to which a request is tailored to discover relevant information
  • The availability of information from other sources
  • The total cost of production, compared with the amount in controversy
  • The total cost of production, compared with the resources available to each party
  • Each party’s ability and incentive to control costs
  • The importance of issues at stake in the litigation
  • The benefits to both parties of obtaining the information

Henson v. Turn (2018)

Subscribers of Verizon’s cellular and data services, plaintiffs Anthony Henson and William Cintron sued the defendant Turn, Inc. regarding their violation of data privacy. Turn, Inc. is a partner of Verizon that provides them with market data to use for direct advertising campaigns toward a specific audience they want to reach. Within Verizon’s mobile devices and data used for other devices such as computers, there are settings where users are allowed to delete or block cookies. Cookies are known as lines of software code that survey and collect information about a user’s browsing and application use. Both plaintiffs accused Turn, Inc. of implementing the practice of “zombie cookies” on users’ devices. Zombie cookies occur when a user tries to erase or block cookies, these same cookies regenerate to continue tracking user browsing and application use. The central issue of this case was the scope of production and whether or not the large amount of mobile data provided would all be relevant to the case. The judge ruled against the defendant’s production request stating that their broad request included irrelevant, private data.

Characteristics of eDiscovery

Ethical Duties

Attorneys must take appropriate steps to ensure both, secrets and privileged information of a client remains confidential. This obligation also includes electronic communications. Rule 3-100 of the California Rules of Professional Conduct states that a member of the California State Bar cannot disclose information protected under the attorney-client privilege unless the member believes that the disclosure of information may result in bodily harm to an individual. Thus, attorneys must understand how to maintain, locate, and guard against disclosures of attorney-client communications through any electronic means including text messages, e-mail messages, and even social media posts. An attorney’s duty of competence as a litigator generally requires, at a minimum, a basic understanding of, and facility with, issues relating to the discovery of ESI.

Federal Rules of Civil Procedure

The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure were revised in 2006 to create parameters for electronic records, which formalized e-discovery within the FRCP. Based on some ambiguity from the 2006 e-discovery amendments, the latest revisions to the FRCP in 2015 did much to clarify the rules specific to e-discovery.

Those involved with e-discovery need to be aware of the following rules:

Rule 26 (f)

Known as the “meet and confer” rule where parties must meet before certain court deadlines. It requires that the parties must consider the possibility of prompt settlement, discuss any issues about preserving discoverable information, and develop a proposed discovery plan.

Rule 34 (b)

This rule gives the requesting party permission to determine how they want the requested information to be produced and allows the responding party to object if illogical.

California Electronic Discovery Act

In June 2009, Assembly Bill 5, also known as the Electronic Discovery Act was signed to exclude confusion with reference to the discovery of electronically stored information. Under California state law, demand for ESI may specify the form or forms in which the information is to be produced. If the form is not specified, the ESI must be produced in the form in which it is ordinarily maintained or in a form that is reasonably usable.

In addition, the act reduces irrelevant and excessive costs of litigation that are unnecessary in a court of law. This act adds to the California Code of Civil Procedure to incorporate similar provisions regarding ESI within the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure which also constructs a sequence of procedures for litigants to discover and object to.

References

  1. Process: The Basics of E-Discovery Guide. (2018, October 30). Retrieved July 13, 2019, from https://www.exterro.com/basics-of-e-discovery/e-discovery-process/
  2. School, D. L. (Ed.). (n.d.). Information Governance Reference Model. Retrieved from https://www.edrm.net/frameworks-and-standards/information-governance-reference-model/
  3. Sparks, K. (n.d.). Establishing an ESI Data Collection Process. Retrieved July 13, 2019, from https://store.legal.thomsonreuters.com/law-products/solutions/ediscovery-point/pricing-and-services/esi-data-collection

Iconic Discovery of Tutankhamun’s Tomb

Introduction

Ancient Egypt has been at the forefront of archaeological investigation since Napoleon discovered the Rosetta Stone. From then on archaeologists have continued to discover new findings that all have iconic qualities. However, it cannot be denied that the most iconic discovery is Tutankhamun’s tomb. This discovery stimulated a widespread interest in Egyptian history known as ‘Tutmania’, an outcome that had not been witnessed before the twentieth century (Stevenson, 2019: 153). This sudden interest, stimulated by additional factors, enabled the discovery to be labeled as iconic. These factors include history, debate, a timeline of events, the uniqueness of the tomb, and the media attention the discovery received. All these factors emphasize how amazing this discovery was to archaeologists and the public. As a result, the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb is iconic.

The History of Tutankhamun

To begin with, the iconic nature of the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb is illustrated by his fascinating history and the sense of mystery created by debate. By looking at Tutankhamun’s history it is obvious that his life was full of challenge and upheaval. He was born around 1341 B.C., a time in which Akhenaten, the ‘revolutionary pharaoh’, ruled (Jarus, 2016). This revolution, known as the ‘Amarna revolution’, discarded the concepts of traditional Egyptian life, particularly Egyptian religion (Dorman, 2021). As a result, the names of many Egyptian Gods were forgotten (Jarus, 2016).

Following this revolution, Tutankhamun became king at just nine years old (Jarus, 2016). Not only would this have been a daunting duty for such a young boy but also a turbulent one since it followed such a revolution. Not only did he rise to the task, with the aid of his advisors, but 4427502000he also condemned the actions of Akhenaten (Jarus, 2016). This is represented in his actions of restoration, depicting a king who was determined to put everything in its right order (Dorman, 2021). This history illustrates Tutankhamun as a strong, determined leader as he went against his predecessor’s customs despite his little experience as Pharoah. This history would be brought to light by the discovery of his tomb, as well as adding to its significance when viewing its place within Egyptian history. This history exemplifies how iconic the discovery was.

Moreover, Tutankhamun’s life was full of debate, providing even more mystery to a mysterious discovery and thus making it iconic. Firstly, there are debates surrounding Tutankhamun’s parentage as there is no conclusive evidence of who they were (Dorman, 2021). The use of a black fragment from Akhenaten’s capital city ignites the view that Akhenaten was his father (Dorman, 2021). There are also links to Smenkhkare through medical analysis, however, it is not definite that he is the mummy in tomb 55 (Dorman, 2021). This debate adds ambiguity to Tutankhamun’s origins and so adds to how iconic he is as an individual and as a discovery.

There is also debate surrounding Tutankhamun’s unexpected death when he was just nineteen years old (Dorman, 2021). There are possibilities of malaria and bone disease, but it will never be certain (Dorman, 2021). What is certain is what occurred after his death. He was to be mummified, buried in a tomb, and to be succeeded as ruler by Ay (Dorman, 2021). It is Tutankhamun’s death, and the events surrounding it, that add to the discovery’s iconic status. It will be continued to be debated why Tutankhamun died so early and why his tomb was so small (Dorman, 2021). These are significant in the discovery as the tomb is at the center of it. As it is so mysterious it gathers interest, making it an iconic discovery.

The history and debate surrounding Tutankhamun create ambiguity and so heighten the importance of the discovery. When Tutankhamun was removed from the king’s list it is apparent that these secrets, and Tutankhamun himself, were to remain hidden (Dorman, 2021). As the discovery defies this secrecy and illustrates its iconic status.

The Discovery itself

In 1922 Howard Carter was on the search for discovery. Preceding this date saw digging temporarily stopped due to the first world war, making later findings discovered to be particularly valuable in the eyes of the public (Newberry, 1939: 69). This is because these discoveries would provide optimism to a society recovering from the ravages of war. Despite the resumed digging, Carter was unsuccessful in unearthing a discovery when digging in the Valley of the Kings (Newberry, 1939: 69). This is until he unexpectedly came across the tomb of Tutankhamun.

Howard Carter was born in 1873 and grew up with a passion for art (Newberry, 1939: 67). This came to use when he began his career in ‘Egyptian studies’, as he worked on the Beni Hasan tracings (Newberry, 1939: 67). It would be these tasks that would introduce Carter to the archaeological field. As an ‘Inspector-in-chief of the monuments of Upper Egypt and Nubia’ Carter made numerous discoveries like the tomb of Tuthmosis IV (Newberry, 1939: 68). Carter returned to the Valley of the Kings after the war and was near the end of the digging process when all hope was lost, that Tutankhamun’s tomb was discovered (Newberry, 1939: 69)

This discovery was monumental for both Carter and the public. He is described as ‘awestruck’ when he first entered the tomb, the moment perfectly captured through the means of photography (Stevenson, 2019: 145). At the site of Tutankhamun’s tomb, Harry Burton photographically recorded the events of the discovery and the artifacts within the tomb (Riggs, 2020: 53). This was done in a sophisticated manner, adding electricity to brighten the photos (Riggs, 2020: 55). The professional way in which this was done insinuates that they knew this was an iconic site. Even though it was normal to photographically record in this way, the fact that Burton introduced electricity to improve his photos suggests he knew that he was recording an iconic site (Riggs, 2020: 55).

The road to the discovery of Tutankhamun’s Tomb was a rigorous process. It required the strive to discover Howard Carter after a turbulent time of war. Also, the fact that it was unexpected adds to how astonishing it was since it became the perfect narrative of suspense and reward. This journey required persistent photography to capture the amazing moments that were believed to make history. As a result, the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb is iconic.

The Tomb and its contents

When Carter opened the tomb, he required much staff to collect the items within (Newberry, 1939: 69). The rich amount of material in Tutankhamun’s tomb made it unique since most of the tombs in the Valley of the Kings had been looted (Jarus, 2016). This uniqueness, combined with the debates surrounding the tomb, establishes the tomb as an enigma and thus iconic. Since these aspects were highly publicized in the media also adds to this conclusion.

Beginning with the tomb itself, and its layout, it is evident that Tutankhamun’s tomb is unique. With any tomb, the construction process would have been long and difficult. This is exemplified by the cluster of huts for the workers around the tomb, each having their own duty in processing materials like tools (Cross, 2014). As well as the tomb itself, lots of time would have been spent on the elaborations of the tomb, which appears absent when observing Tutankhamun’s tomb (Jarus, 2016). There is evidence to suggest that Tutankhamun’s tomb was rushed as it was sealed with wet paint (Jarus, 2016). The layout also lacks the numerous passages and rooms that characterized other tombs (Carter, 2014:17) Since this tomb does not reflect the leader that Tutankhamun was a debate is created. One of these debates includes the notion that the tomb was not made for Tutankhamun but for Ay, a figure who is apparently in the tomb’s decorations (Carter, 2014: 18). Either way, the enigma that is the tomb creates debate about the twentieth-century audience and thus creates excitement and intrigue.

Tutankhamun’s mummy within the tomb is also unique. When analyzing the elements of the mummy there is an indication of trauma and poor condition of the wrappings, unusual for the work of a pharaoh (Carter, 2014: 78). The friction of the linen wrappings, the angle of the mummy and saturation of the body with ‘unguents’ indicates the body was not in a good condition (Carter, 2014: 79-9). Despite these factors, many aspects of the body remained to be remarkable to its discoverers. The head of the mummy was kept in good condition, enabling the discoverer to see the best features of Tutankhamun (Carter, 2014: 79-80). As a result, the astonishing find of the mummy makes the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb iconic. Despite the damage, Carter and the public were able to see the body and face of a Pharoah, an iconic point in history.

The rich source of objects within the tomb is central to the tomb’s uniqueness, establishing the discovery’s iconic status. These objects reflected the Amarna period, a period of extravagance and excess (Silverman, 1976: 237). This is exemplified by the ‘exquisite workmanship’ that has gone into the items like jewelry, furniture, chariots, and stones (Silverman, 1976: 238). These items also display the Egyptian beliefs on the afterlife by including the items which would be required to survive. One of the primary necessities for an Egyptian tomb is shawabti figurines as they would take on agricultural duties in the afterlife (Silverman, 1976: 239). Not only did Tutankhamun have more than the average 365, but they also visually represented individuals (Silverman, 1976: 239). As a result, not only was the tomb unique with respect to its objects but also by having them in excess. These objects would have an impact on the public, as the death mask became known as ‘the Quintessential image of ancient Egypt’ (AlSayyad, 2019:63). As a result, the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb is iconic.

The Impact of the Discovery

After the discovery, the public had a greater appetite for Egyptian artifacts, stimulating the focus on museums to provide what they wanted (Stevenson, 2019: 147). Later excavations at Amarna took place to fuel these appetites (Stevenson, 2019: 148). Not only did the public want to see Egyptian artifacts, but there was also a drive for anything Tutankhamun and Egyptian related. Art, architecture, clothes, and film are just a few examples that underwent Egyptian influence (Stevenson, 2019: 153). These interests only began after 1922, suggesting the discovery initiated them, highlighting how iconic it is. This is because it had the power to change interests in the way it did.

Moreover, the importance of the discovery is exemplified by the ‘Worldwide media attention’ it had (Stevenson, 2019: 146). The photos taken by Harry Burton were escalated via newspapers and postcards, enabling these photos to be seen on a mass scale (Riggs, 2020: 58). As a result, everyone knew the names, Tutankhamun and Howard Carter. Despite the experience Carter had in the archaeological industry he is known only for that discovery alone. He is ‘known to the world as the discoverer of the tomb of Tutankhamun’, rather than as an experienced archaeologist (Newberry, 1939: 67). The discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb provided the limelight for Carter and Egypt, suggesting how iconic the discovery was. This is because the discovery gained popularity worldwide, enabling this limelight and changing culture.

Conclusion

To conclude, many aspects that make the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb iconic. The debates and history of Tutankhamun alongside the events of the discovery all provide a sense of mystery and intrigue to the tomb. As well as this, the tomb and its contents illustrate the uniqueness of the tomb and so make the discovery iconic in comparison to other tombs. Not only are these factors alone iconic but the media heightened them, to the point that the public became mesmerized by the discovery. The media enabled the discovery to gain worldwide popularity, establishing it as an iconic discovery.

Bibliography:

  1. AlSayyad, H. (2019). Nile: Urban Histories on the Banks of a River. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
  2. Brier- Remmer Collection. (1923). Poster for the stage magician, Carter the Great. [Online]. Available at: https:www.culture24.org.ukhistory-and-heritagearchaeologyart491894-Discovering-Tutankhamun-Ashmolean-Museum-Art-Archaeology (Accessed: 16 April 2021).
  3. Burton, H. (1922). Tutankhamun tomb photographs 2. [Online]. Available at: https: commons. Wikimedia.orgwikiCategory: Tutankhamun_tomb_photographs_2#mediaFile:Tutankhamun_tomb_photographs_2_009.jpg (Accessed: 13 April 2021).
  4. Carter, H. (2014). The Tomb of Tutankhamun: Volume 2: The Burial Chamber. London: Bloomsbury Academic.
  5. Cross, S. (2014). ‘The Workmen’s Huts and Stratigraphy in the Valley of the Kings’, The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, 100, pp. 133-150.
  6. Dorman, P. F. (2021). Tutankhamun, Encyclopedia Britannica. Available at: https:www.britannica.combiographyTutankhamun (Accessed: 12 April 2021).
  7. Jarus, O. (2016). Tutankhamun: The Life