This one is bothering me. Looking at renaissance attitudes towards nudity, I'm wondering how far back that existed, or how far back the taboo against it existed. If anyone know some stuff about nudity and shame in Christianity, input would be greatly appreciated.

Looking at the Wikipedia page for star forts, I see a lot of information about how effective the design was, that it repulsed attacks and withstood cannon fire, that whole cities incorporated the design at tremendous expense, and so on. It all makes the design look highly impressive and durable (at least, as wikipedia notes, until the invention of the exploding shell).

By contrast, medieval fortifications of comparable grandeur seem to have been taken by assault occasionally. There is a consistent theme to their assault in media portrayals: attackers could use siege towers and ladders to get on top of the walls, would tunnel underneath them, would destroy them with artillery, or would batter down the gates. None of that seems to be easily possible with star forts.

So did anyone manage to successfully assault one? What was the general protocol for taking a fortified city? Was this just starving people out, as one might expect, or was it possible for a significantly sized army to successfully overwhelm a fortress?

In 'The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor', Sherlock Holmes says, "It is always a joy to meet an American, Mr. Moulton, for I am one of those who believe that the folly of a monarch and the blundering of a minister in far-gone years will not prevent our children from being some day citizens of the same world-wide country under a flag which shall be a quartering of the Union Jack with the Stars and Stripes."

Was there ever any real likelihood of this happening? Particularly in the late 19th century, when the story was written, it was really surprising to me to see such a sentiment expressed.

European continent still has a relatively high number of city states such as San Marino, Monaco, Luxembourg, Andorra and Liechtenstein. I was wondering how they have survived the turmoils Europe has endured in the last few centuries.

Were they anxious about fighting on the side of the largest Communist power? Were they overjoyed at the new ally? Did Churchill/the parliament see eventual war with the USSR coming once Germany had been defeated? Did they even hope for the USSR's defeat by Germany?

By what I think I know, Britain had relatively little apart from a strong navy that could lead to their Indic hegemony. India was led by several strong rulers that all had access to gunpowder and muskets. They were fighting on home territory whereas Britain shipped over tiny numbers of troops, relatively speaking. I can understand that maybe Britain used local diplomacy successfully and backed the right sides to begin with, but surely once they started becoming a threat, the balance of power would lead to some coalition forming? In essence, why/how did a technologically equal, tiny nation come to rule a vast subcontinent?

/u/RexReaver asked a similar question a few months ago but no one answered the part of the question I'm interested in.

When the Nazi regime rose to power how difficult was travelling across the Third Reich, namely into occupied areas? How easy would it be for a member of the party or an SS officer to travel from Germany to occupied Poland? Would regular trains be running between these areas? Or would officials rely on military transport?

Did they move there all in recent years or has there always been a large amount? I can't find anything solid and a Serb I know claims that they all moved there in WWII to try and make a Greater Albania.

How/when did the wars earn their names? Is there a certain number of countries that have to be involved for it to be considered a world war? What were people's views on the name of the war?

Where did it go? I know some pieces were sold off and the Ferris Wheel moved but, was everything else scrapped?

Maybe a little bit of a light-hearted question, but I find it curious as to how much peanut butter is a part of the culture of America, but not elsewhere.

1.) Why peanut butter?

2.) Where did the peanut butter & jelly sandwich come from? Why did it take hold in America so much but not elsewhere?

3.) Did it have anything to do with the advent of white, sliced bread and the disappearance of the local baker?

I've been taught that, for the most part, Northern Europeans drank beer in the medieval and early modern era, and Southern Europeans drank wine. Did Muslims drink wine as well, or were bans on alcohol in place and enforced?

What was the average Viking diet like in terms of what foods did the eat most and did they have 3 square meals a day, did they snack, if so what on?

And would a Viking diet be a good way of dieting today in terms of loosing weight?