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Do Vampires Really Exist?
Vampires are wicked mythical beings who roam around during night time in search of people for their bloody thirst. They may be the best-known vintage monsters of all time. In pop culture, vampires are linked with the legendary mythological creature Count Dracula. These creatures became famous through films, comics, and book. And they are even popular amongst the new generation.
Even though the fiercest vampire admirers recognize them as a fictional character, there were times when people had real fear about them. There are many distinct aspects of vampires as there have been many distinct vampires’ legends. Vampires usually hunt during the night time. Because sunlight weakens their powers. It’s been said that vampires have certain super-strength abilities, turn into a bat, and hypnotism. Many theories state that they cast no shadows and they cannot see their image in the mirror.
Vampire myths started back in the middle ages when the plague started to wipe out some cities. Plague is a deadly bacterial infection. The bacteria are usually found in animals and can spread through humans by a bite of an animal or through fleas. Plague often leaves behind a bleeding mouth wound. For any ill-informed and uneducated people, it is definitely a sign of vampirism.
It was very common for the plague victims to be buried and unearthed in order to add more bodies into the graves. Those unearthed bodies sometimes used to have blood-like fluids under their noses and mouths. This led them to believe that the bodies must be actual vampires who were hunting for their prey under their graves, through their hypnotic abilities or by some sort of magic.
Middle Age Vampires
According to some reports back in 2007, it’s been reported in Guyana, a country in South America, that an elderly woman was executed by a group of civilians called Old Higue. She was suspected of being an evil spirit who drinks the blood of babies. In the local culture, a Higue can change its form into an old lady and sneaks into the houses through a keyhole.
There is another story about Mercy Brown from Exeter, Rhode Island. Dated back in 1892, the 19-year-old girl died of tuberculosis. A rumor started spreading around the town that she has been sighted roaming around. She had a mother, a brother, and a sister. The mother and sister were already dead and her brother was also sick. The neighbors got worried about him, as they started to think that his recent dead sister, Mercy Brown, is harming him from the grave with some magic or hypnotic activities.
When they unearthed Mercy Brown’s grave, they found blood-like fluid under her nose and mouth. They had considered it to be blood from another person and they took it as a sign of vampirism. They took her heart, burned it to ashes and mixed with a potion, which was a very common anti-vampire remedy back in the days for Mercy’s brother to drink. This medicine made was supposed to heal him but he died after several months.
Modern Age Vampires
There are also some communities that still exist in modern times who consider themselves vampires. They don’t publicize themselves as vampires because of fear of inequality, racism, unfairness, and discrimination from the people who don’t understand them. Some of these communities are said to exist from the 1970s. They practice sanguinarian which means a human who feeds on blood either of a human or an animal.
Vampires of modern times are thought to be peaceful creatures. They feed on small amounts of blood by a willing donor to sustain their health and energy. And for some, they feed on the psychic energy of others, transferred through the mind or simply by touching hands. They also sustain diet on fruits, fish, meat, and vegetables.
Sanguinarian vampires exist around the world. They are very social who like to be around people. They often describe themselves as atheists, monotheists, or polytheists. They do get married, have children and do all the normal kinds of stuff like other people. They also perform blood-letting rituals safely with wiling donors only. And they regularly go for their medical examinations, if they ever hardly indicate any complications in their feeding practice.
The UAE’s Moon-Sighting Committee confirmed Sunday, March 30, 2025, as the first day of Eid ul Fitr after the Shawwal crescent was observed using AI-powered drones and observatories on March 29. This marks the end of Ramadan and the start of nationwide celebrations, including a 5-day public holiday for residents.
Key Updates for UAE Residents
1. Extended Holiday & Work Closures
- Public/Private Sector Break: March 30–April 2, 2025.
- Weekend Extension: Combined with Saturday (March 29), residents enjoy a 5-day long weekend.
2. Eid Prayer Timings by Emirate
Prayers begin 15–20 minutes after sunrise. Official schedules:
| Emirate | Prayer Time |
|---|---|
| Dubai | 6:30 AM |
| Abu Dhabi | 6:32 AM |
| Sharjah | 6:28 AM |
| Ajman | 6:28 AM |
| Ras Al Khaimah | 6:25 AM |
| Fujairah | 6:25 AM |
| Umm Al Quwain | 6:27 AM |
| Timings announced by UAE Islamic Affairs authorities |
3. Free Parking & Transport
- Free Parking: March 30–April 1 in Dubai, Sharjah, and Ajman (excludes multi-level parking).
- Public Transport:
- Dubai Metro: Extended until 1 AM (March 29–April 2).
- Sharjah Buses: 7,000+ additional trips to ease traffic.
Tech-Driven Moon Sighting: A UAE Innovation
The UAE utilized AI-powered drones and five national observatories to confirm the Shawwal crescent, achieving 94% accuracy in visibility analysis. This blend of tradition and technology underscores the Emirates’ leadership in astronomical precision.
Top 5 Eid Activities in the UAE
- Family Feasts: Host gatherings with biryani and luqaimat or book luxury brunches at Burj Al Arab.
- Desert Safaris: Experience dune bashing and starlit dinners under the Arabian sky.
- City Celebrations:
- Dubai: Fireworks at Global Village (9-day show).
- Abu Dhabi: Illuminated Corniche and heritage events.
- Staycations: Unwind at resorts like Atlantis The Palm (up to 30% off).
- Charity: Donate Zakat al-Fitr (mandatory charity) before prayers.
FAQs
Q: How many days off for Eid 2025 in UAE?
A: 5 days (March 30–April 2) for public and private sectors.
Q: Is parking free during Eid?
A: Yes! March 30–April 1 in Dubai, Sharjah, and Ajman.
Q: What time is Eid prayer in Dubai?
A: 6:20 AM at 680+ mosques and prayer grounds.
NASA’s Mars Curiosity rover captured a photo of what appears to be a purposefully carved doorway leading somewhere deep into the Red Planet last week.
The image was captured by the Curiosity rover’s Mastcam on May 7 as the rover climbed Mount Sharp. According to Gizmodo, the grainy image has piqued the interest of conspiracy theorists because the formation does not appear to be a naturally occurring phenomenon, but rather as if a doorway was purposefully carved into the side of the hill.
But NASA scientists are tempering expectations.
“It’s just the space between two fractures in a rock,” says Ashwin Vasavada, a project scientist with the Mars Science Laboratory.
“We’ve been traveling through an area formed by ancient sand dunes.” The fractures in this area are mostly vertical. “I believe we have either two vertical fractures with the middle piece removed, or one vertical fracture with the blocks slightly separated.”
Experts believe that what is going on here is the human brain’s tendency to see familiar shapes when looking at unfamiliar environments. According to Gizmodo, a squirrel and a spoon were also thought to have been seen on Mars. It’s not just limited to Mars, either.
In December, China’s Yutu 2 lunar rover photographed what was described as a “mystery hut” on the moon’s furthest side, and Chinese scientists were willing and ready to examine what appeared to be signs of extraterrestrial life.
“An obtrusive cube on the northern skyline drew their attention,” the scientists explained at the time. “This object struck the winding skyline like a ‘mysterious hut’ that appeared out of thin air.”
However, upon closer inspection, which took the rover more than two days to complete, it was discovered that the shape was just a trick of the camera, lighting, and perspective, as the “hut” was revealed to be nothing more than a rock.
Skeptics are really not convinced, and many make the argument that nature, despite numerous examples to the contrary, doesn’t tend to make straight lines like those seen in Curiosity’s photo.
We care about space, which is why we work hard to bring you the best coverage of the industry and Florida launches. This type of journalism takes time and money.
On Saturday, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket soared into clear skies above the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, capping off a coast-to-coast flurry of launches just under 24 hours apart.
The 230-foot rocket fired from Launch Complex 40 at 4:40 p.m. EDT and delivered 53 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit less than an hour later. It was the internet-beaming constellation’s 47th launch.
It came after another Falcon 9 rocket launched the 47th batch of Starlink satellites from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on Friday. SpaceX has delivered 106 Starlinks to orbit in the last two days, bringing the constellation’s total size closer to 2,500 operational satellites.
Saturday’s Cape mission featured a brand new booster, which flew flawlessly and landed on the Just Read the Instructions drone ship shortly after liftoff. It is expected to return to Port Canaveral for refurbishment early next week.
If schedules hold, the Space Coast will host a doubleheader next week.
On Wednesday, May 18, another SpaceX Falcon 9 will launch the company’s 48th batch of Starlink satellites from Kennedy Space Center. Because SpaceX has not yet confirmed the existence of this mission, details are limited, but liftoff is expected between 4 and 6 a.m. EDT.
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket will take Boeing’s Starliner capsule on its second demonstration mission to the International Space Station 36 hours later. The capsule is scheduled to launch from Cape Canaveral’s Launch Complex 41 at 6:54 p.m. EDT. It is Boeing’s second attempt to reach the International Space Station with an uncrewed capsule after a 2019 test flight failed to meet objectives and had to return to Earth.
NASA chose Boeing and SpaceX to transport astronauts to the International Space Station after the space shuttle program ended in mid-2011. So far, SpaceX has transported five crews, while Boeing could transport its first before the end of the year if Thursday’s mission goes well.
Launch Wednesday, May 18
- Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9
- Mission: 48th Starlink launch
- Launch Time: Early morning TBD
- Launch Pad: 39A at Kennedy Space Center
- Trajectory: Northeast
- Landing: Drone ship
- Weather: Forecast expected Sunday
Launch Thursday, May 19
- Rocket: United Launch Alliance Atlas V
- Mission: Boeing Starliner Orbital Flight Test 2
- Launch Time: 6:54 p.m. EDT
- Launch Complex: 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
- Trajectory: Northeast
- Weather: Forecast expected Monday
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