BLOGPOST 8: Vampires Death

Dracula's Death In Bram Stroker's infamous novel, Dracula, he tries to explain the life of the undead, then continues to explain how to kill these creatures of the night. We find out that you must stab a vampire in the heart with a wooden stake, and then slash off their head. This is the only way that we are led to believe that you may be able to kill these undead. We learn this through Stoker's vampire expert Van Helsing, he seems to be the most educated on the subject of the undead and creatures of the night, otherwise known as vampires. 

I read an article written by Shannon Dunlap, "The truth about stakes" from the site brokendownhalo.aftn.co.uk.  Usually, legend state that a wooden stake through a vampire's chest, specifically the area of the heart will kill it but  stabbing anything through the heart with any sharp object will kill it. they will only temporarily hurt, but not kill a sanguine vampire. This process only paralyzes them in stasis until the stake is removed, whereupon the wound then heals. It does not matter, in this case, what material the stake is made of. 

Certain types of wood are used are thought to be more effective over others, because wooden stakes are very helpful for killing evils. Wooden stakes were sometimes planted in the ground above the grave, so if the corpse was to rise, it would stab itself on the stake. Staking was also a psychological coping mechanism to deal with death. By performing the vampire rituals to destroy the corpse through staking, it destroyed the dead persons psychological attachment to the living, allowing their family and friends to cope with their grief and move on. The most familiar vampire myths and legends are thought to have originated in the far East and from places like Tibet, India and China, to Europe to places like Transylvania. 

According to  Shannon Dunlap, "It is customary to hit the stake only once, because hitting it twice will revive the vampire." Different countries have different ways of dispensing of vampires. The most widely known is that of wooden stakes. Other common myths are used just to ward off vampires-such a crucifixes and garlic. These items do not kill the vampire as wooden stakes do. But not all countries and cultures use this method as a remedy.

I read the article of  Agency staff, "Grab the garlic! 'Vampire' skeletons with iron rods stabbed through their hearts found in Bulgaria" from the site mirror.co.uk. Bulgarian archaeologists have unearthed two skeletons dating back to the the Middle Ages with iron rods pierced through their chest to supposedly stop them from turning into vampires. Vampires are super-strong and super-fast, much stronger and faster than humans. They can punch through brick walls and run 100 metres in three or four seconds. National history museum chief Bozhidar Dimitrov said: "These two skeletons stabbed with rods illustrate a practice which was common in some Bulgarian villages up until the first decade of the 20th century. 

If a vampire entered the Olympics, he’d win every gold medal in every event. To kill a vampire, you have to drive a stake through his heart. The stake doesn’t have to be made out of wood, hard plastic or steel will do too. Another way to kill a vampire is to cut off his head and stuff it with garlic. Or you can burn him. Or, if you can find him while he’s sleeping in the day, you can drag him out into sunlight and leave him to burn. 

According to Agency staff, "Villagers believed that by plunging a stake into the heart of the dead it would pin them to their graves and stop them from leaving at midnight to feast on human blood." Although vampires are recognized to be deadly creatures and their existence is controversial, evidence substantiates that they do indeed exist. Humans are instinctively fearful of the truth, fortune and of death; but human fear of the fact that some incidences are actually caused by vampires leads man to ignore the problem and thus make himself believe that vampires do not exist. Ignoring the problem only increases its severity. The number of vampires is probably multiplying. People need to be aware of the problem, and educated about vampires, maybe even taught about them in school, so that humans can destroy the legions of the undead and live in peace.

BLOGPOST 7: Vampire Bats

There are an innumerous amount of animal species in the world. They allhave adapted and evolved to survive in their surroundings. Some have grown fins, others legs, and still others wings. One of the animals that has grown wings is the bat. The bat is a truly great creature. It has all the characteristics of mammals while also possessing the skill in flight of a bird. There are more than 800 species of bats in the world. They are of manydifferent sizes, shapes, and lifestyles. They live all over the world and have drawn the curiosity of millions. Bats also have the unique quality of echolocation that it uses to catch insects. Though other mammals, like the flying squirrel seem to fly but actually glide the bat is the only mammal that can truly fly We all know that Vampires are associated with bats because they have similarities. We also see in movies that some vampires are turning into a bat for them to fly and go to places they wanted to go. 

I've read the article of Rilwan Oladipupo, "Vampire Bat" from the site a-z-animals. The Vampire Bat is a small species of Bat, native to the tropics of Central and South America. Vampire Bats have perfectly adapted to the consumption of their only food source, with a leaf-like heat sensor on the end of their nose which detects where the warm blood is flowing closest to the skin. The Vampire Bat is quite a small animal, with it's body rarely growing larger than the size of ahuman thumb. It's wings are long, finger-like bones that are covered in a thin layer of skin, with a thumb claw that pokes out of the front and is used for grip when clambering about on their host.

About the Vampire Bat's Behaviour and Lifestyle, after sleeping upside in the darkness all day, Vampire Bats emerge when the moon appears in order to hunt for food. Despite being incredibly strong fliers, the design of their arms and legs means that they can also move about on the ground with surprising speed and agility. After between 3 and 4 months, the female Vampire Bat gives birth to a single baby which she cares for until it is weaned at between 3 and 5 months of age. Those bat babies born in captivity are weaned noticeably later, when they are 9 months old. 

Large, sharp-eyedBirds Of Prey such as Hawks and Eagles are the most common predators of the Vampire Bat, along with Snakes that hunt the Bats in their dark caverns while they are sleeping during the day. Humans though are one of their biggest threats, mainly farmers that are known to poison the Bats that commonly feed on their livestock. When it comes on how Vampire Bats feed, exclusively on the blood of warm-blooded animals, drinking up to a teaspoon (25ml) of blood per 30 minute feed. Once having feasted on their host however, theBats are then so bloated that they can barely fly with their weight almost having doubled.

According to Rilwan Oladipupo, "Vampire Bat is one of the only Bat species that is considered a pest by Humans."  I always had a hard time understanding why it was supposedly such a curse to be a vampire. The vampire has been a mysterious and enticing figure since its entrance into popular culture. And even in centuries vampires are more likely into bats. Some bats have developed special ways of adapting to their surroundings just like how we see vampires. 

I read another article written by Alok Jha, "Vampire bats can sense the heat of blood flowing in the veins of their prey" from the site theguardian. Scientists have discovered Vampire bats use infrared sensors on their lips to locate blood vessels in their prey. The specialised nerve cells are similar to the pain-sensing cells in the human tongue, skin and eyes, which allow us to sense the sting of chilli peppers and high temperatures. Vampire bats are the only mammals known to feed entirely on blood, and they need a daily supply to survive. They have excellent hearing and eyesight and use high-pitched calls to help them navigate. Biologists have known for some time that the bats can detect blood vessels from up to 20cm away, but it was not clear how they did it quickly enough to strike and retreat without alerting their prey.

According to  Alok Jha, "Scientists have found that vampire bats have infrared-sensing 'pit organs' that they use to detect blood vessels in prey animals." For some time, people thought that bats were more closely related to rodents because of their anatomical features. Ancient vampires were loosely described as human forms that turned into large birds. The undead were believed to have two hearts and two souls, one of each died and the other would exist forever, giving vampires eternal life. 

BLOGPOST 6: Vampire's Disease

The Vampires disease or Porphyria which is its scientific term is a set of genetic disorders in which an important part of hemoglobin called heme is not made properly which means there is malfunction of the hemoglobin production. People suffering from it face symptoms manifested by mythological vampires. Their skin is sensitive to sunlight, their urine is reddish to purplish in colour, the gums are shrunk making the teeth look more prominent and canine-like and they have an adverse reaction to garlic. Other major symptoms include abdominal pain or cramping, problems with the nervous system and muscles. By just having a glimpse at the heading many of us may think that a patient who is affected by such a disease may transform into some kind of fang gnashing , blood-drinking supernatural creature.

I read an article written by Charlene Collins, "Vampire Syndrome: What are the Porphyrias?" from the site of voices.yahoo. The symptoms of the different types of porphyria include: Anemia, back pain, abdominal pain. muscle pain, neuropathy - numbness or tingling, aggressive behavior, depression, hallucinations, paranoia, photophobia - if the eyes are affected, photosensitivity of the skin, cardiac arrhythmia, red colored urine, red colored tears, ulceration and loss of tissue - especially on the nose, ears, and lips. People who suffered from porphyria, ere responsible for the legends of the vampire. The legends about vampires burning up in the sunlight, having an aversion to garlic, and drinking blood may have come from the symptoms of the porphyrias. People who suffer from the cutaneous porphyrias can suffer from severe burning and blistering on any part of their body that is exposed to sunlight. Sores on the skin can erode tissue. 

The diseases have been around long before it was named. Prior to the present medical term, porphyria was once called blood/liver disease.  Most of the types of porphyria are either caused by a genetic mutation caused by an autosomal dominant or autosomal recessive genetic trait. You only need one copy of the mutant gene to have the disease. An autosomal recessive trait requires two copies of the mutant gene to have the disease. One parent can pass on the defective gene in the autosomal dominant trait, two parents are required to pass on their defective genes in the autosomal recessive trait.

According to Charlene Collins, "Porphyrias were sometimes referred to as Dracula disease and Vampire Syndrome or Vampire disease." Vampires have been seen and documented throughout history.  Fictional vampires are also known to fear the sunlight because the sun could damage their delicate skin or they could start sparkling.  The history of vampires goes further back in time than most people realize. Vampires have been around for centuries , in some cases they have been recognized and feared by cultures that were around thousands of years before the time of Christ, such as the Babylonians and the Assyrians. Throughout the ages many medical explanations that could explain the vampire phenomena have been overlooked. 

I read the article of Dr. Peter W. Kujtan entitled "Porphyria: The Vampire Disease" from the site bydewey. There exists a fairly rare group of genetic disorders that have unfairly branded many sufferers with the term "vampire". They're extremely sensitive to sunlight that can easily result in burns and abrasions, and so they prefer darkness. They suffer from acute attacks of abdominal pains, vomiting and loose stools. Their urine may have a purplish-red color leading some to wrongly believe that it results from drinking blood. Porphyria refers to a growing collection of disorders in which there are abnormalities in the enzymes involved in heme production. Heme is an iron-containing compound used throughout the body. 

The most common heme-containing substance found in our bodies is the hemoglobin in our red blood cells - an essential component to transport oxygen around our bodies. Porphyria is very difficult to diagnose. Its symptoms mimic those of a hundred other conditions. Traditional testing rarely shows a problem, and patients who develop recurrent acute attacks often require strong narcotics to control the abdominal pain. They often undergo surgery for appendicitis or ovarian conditions without positive findings, and then run the risk of being labeled with a narcotic addiction. There are no easy tests available to diagnose the various porphyria conditions. 

According to Dr. Peter W. Kujtan, "When encountering the supernatural, consider the evidence because it usually provides an alternately plausible explanation." The porphyrias are so rare that most doctors may not think of testing for porphyria. Thus people suffering from this disease shouldn’t be feared because unlike the dreaded beasts of folklore and superstition they are no more than patients suffering from a rare class of genetic disorder who require medical aid as well as love and affection to lead a normal life like others in the world. 

BLOGPOST 5: Vampires in the Philippines

Today, tales of vampires are largely confined to novels, television series, and films, especially in the Western world. In the Philippines, conversely, the fear of what are widely considered there to be real, and very dangerous, supernatural bloodsuckers, lives on – as do, at least allegedly, these entities themselves. Nor is there just one type of Filipino vampire either.

There are around the world many strange legends of female vampire-like beings that prowl the night to prey upon the living. The bizarre, curious, differences in these types of creatures very much go against the European vampire myths to a large degree. These undead abominations are said to have the ability to at will detach parts of their upper body and go on the hunt for blood and human souls to devour. This type of vampire are very well the Philippines

I read the article of Edward Nikhil Paul, entitled "True Vampires of the Philippines" in the site of hauntedamericatours. The Aswang is one the most famous and notorious of these Philippine mythological creatures. The aswang is described most commonly as a living ghoul or vampire, sometimes referred to as an actual eater of the dead. They are said to feast upon fresh corpses and most often eat the brain and the heart first. These foul dark night creatures are also said to be shapeshifers. Not only shifting from a human to a aswang but also able to change into bugs, snakes, dogs and anything of their choosing. Amalanhig are creatures in Visayan mythology. They are the Aswangs who failed to transfer their monstrosity causing them to rise from their graves to kill humans by biting their necks.  Filipinos also believed in the Dila (The Tongue), a spirit that passes through the bamboo flooring of provincial houses, then licks certain humans to death. Filipino mythology also have fairies (Diwata and Engkanto), dwarfs (Duwende), Kapre (a tree-residing giant), witches (Mangkukulam), goblins (Nuno sa Punso), ghosts (Multo), mermaids (Sirena), mermen (Siyokoy), demon-horses (Tikbalang), demon-infants (Tiyanak), and the (Wakwak) a night bird belong to a witch or vampire or the witch or vampire itself in the form of a night bird.  

The aswang is an inherently evil vampire-like creature and is the subject of a wide variety of myths and stories, the details of which vary greatly. "Aswangs" are often described as a combination of vampire and witch and are almost always female. They are sometimes used as a generic term applied to all types of witches, vampires, manananggals, shapeshifters, therianthropes, and monsters in general. Typically, an aswang is revealed by using a bottle of a special oil extracted from boiled and decanted coconut meat and mixed with certain plant stems upon which special prayers being said. When an aswang comes near or roams around the house at night, the oil is said to boil and continue boiling until the aswang departs. Buntot pagi or stingray's tails, shiny, sterling silver swords, and images of old crones or grandmothers have been said to dispel their presence.

According to  Edward Nikhil Paul, "A real ghost can haunt you and you wouldn't know it until someone else points it out to you." Many elaborate rituals were used to identify a vampire. In modern society, vampires are relegated to an icon at Halloween, or at most, a symbol of an alternate lifestyle, which is seen as anything from a fad to a cult religion. The predominant category of Filipino vampires comprises the aswangs. Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence generally in the form of blood of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person/being.

I read another article written by  SilentReed entitled "The Aswang Vampire Legend in Philippine Folklore" from the site silentreed.hubpages. Among the dreaded mythical creatures in the Philippines, the Aswang is the most feared. Filipino folklore of the Aswang abound in the Visayan region of the Philippines. Dating as far back as the 16th century when Spain colonized the islands. The western provinces of Capiz, Iloilo and Antique have long been known as an area of the Aswang's supernatural activities. The superstitious in remote areas and far flung villages adorn their homes with objects they believe will repel the Aswang. Wreaths of Garlic bulbs can be seen hanging on windows and the sign of the cross is painted on front doors. Holy water blessed in church are keep near bedsides for protection. Albularyos who sometimes perform exorcism would extract the oil from nuts of a particular coconut tree. Mixed with certain herbs, it is bottled and Latin prayers are said over it.  

Anting-anting (amulet) like images, icons and statues of saints decorate the walls of houses. A buntot pagi (tail of a stingray) is considered an effective repellant. The purifying powers attributed to salt crystals is said to cause the skin of an Aswang to burn. Even sterling silver swords, probably adopted from western mythology of the power of silver weapons, is use to safeguard against the evil intention of the Aswang. The term "Aswang" originated from the tagalog word "asuasuan" which translate as having the "likeness of a dog".  Aswang as a Mananangal, they are bold creatures that invade the community and homes of people. The Aswang, usually a female will leave her lower body well hidden in dense growth of bushes or behind tree trunks and transform into a bat like creature popularly known as a Mananangal. 

The "wuk-wuk-wuk" cry of a night bird signals her approach. Village dogs become very agitated and it would set in motion their simultaneous howling. The Aswang will wait patiently until the family is sound asleep. Preferring the liver and heart of small children, it would sneak inside and snatch the babies or the youngest child. There have been many studies conducted to try to understand the reason for the persistent perpetuation of the aswang folklore in that part of the Philippines. Specifically in the province of Capiz on the island of Panay. Much have been written about the socio-psychological and anthropological phenomenon.

According to SilentReed, "The Aswang of Philippine folklore is very much etch on the Filipino's psyche." In modern times, however, the vampire is generally held to be a fictitious entity, although belief in similar vampiric creatures such as the chupacabra still persists in some cultures. Early folkloric belief in vampires has been ascribed to the ignorance of the body's process of decomposition after death and how people in pre-industrial societies tried to rationalise this, creating the figure of the vampire to explain the mysteries of death.

BLOGPOST 4: Existence of Vampires

There is no scientific evidence of actual vampires, but there are a number of real medical conditions that might result in vampiric behavior or appearance. A true vampire is in actuality stage two of vampirism because all true vampires are psychic vampires, it has just been taken to another level. Not only are they in control of their feeding on emotional, spiritual, and pranic energy, they also need a further concentrated, material source of pranic energy. The most common source being blood. Legends about vampires have been mentioned throughout the history in different cultures all over the world. The details vary, but most characteristics are similar; like their inability to walk in the sun, and that they survive on human blood.

I read the article of Sourabh Gupta, "Vampire Myths and Legends" in the site buzzle. Over the years myths have been weaved that are either unbelievable or downright ridiculous. While the belief in the existence of vampires is nothing but a fanciful mythology, it is nonetheless a compelling myth to delve deeper into. Vampires are just mythological beings. Vampires cannot see themselves on the mirror because from the fact that corpse weren't allowed to be in the presence of mirrors, since it was likely that another death would take place, but this is just about the disease called porphyria. People who has this kind of sickness are the ones who don't want to see themselves for its deteriorate effect. Some people says that vampire drank blood to energize themselves, but it's not that. Those suffering from blood-related disorders were thrown into the limelight for thinking that drinking this would in some way help with their condition.  

They also knew about the immortality of a vampire, that they cannot be killed unless they're stabbed in the heart. The thing that vampire don't have the inability  to sleep at night. The disease porphyria affected the way one's lips and gums formed, making them look horrific because of the way they'd recede. Because of this facial deformity, it would seem like one's teeth were longer than normal thus assuming they were fang-like. Vampires also hate to be spotted by a sunlight, where skin conditions are prevalent among people who are sensitive to light. 

According to Sourabh Gupta, "No man knows till he experiences it, what it is like to feel his own life-blood drawn away into the woman he loves." This sort of vampire is unaware of the effect they have on others. They are unconscious vampires and, as such, they are basically harmless. A vampire is not created by demonic possession, by unholy burial, or an immortal life.  Vampires, real or not real, have been around for hundreds of years and have been gaining more popularity throughout recent years in their various forms. The vampire lore has grown immensely from their mythological beginnings to something that people believe might exist in today's world. 

I read another article written by Konjonashipirate, "8 Vampire Myths Explained" from the site listverse. Stories of vampirism can be traced as far back as biblical times, with Lilith the first rumored vampire. The term vampire did not become an everyday superstition, and fear, until the 17th and 18th centuries in Europe. The first myth explained is the staked through the heart. Staking a vampire through the heart has been the most popularized method of extermination. Certain types of wood have tied symbolism to Christianity, such as Ash, Blackthorne, Maple, Hawthrone, Buckthorne and Aspen. A stake was driven through the chest cavity to ensure deflation of a bloated corpse, so it would be deflated before its transformation into a revenant was complete. Second myth is a bat. it was thought that a bat, insect or other flying creature that passed over a corpse, could turn it into a revenant.  In fact, bats are much like vampires. They are nocturnal, some species drink blood, and they have an acute sense of hearing and smell. Third is the fresh corpse. The lack of fresh air and substantially lower temperature of the Earth below can, for lack of a better word, refrigerate a corpse therefore slowing down outer signs of decomposition. When oxygen hits blood, it binds itself to the hemoglobin, causing the shape and appearance of blood to change. Because of the constant temperature and conditions of being underground, it would take longer for blood to dry up and no longer have a bright red appearance. Fourth is the fangs. The vampires diseas is called the Porphyria, a recessive genetic disease that is characterized by too little hemoglobin being produced in the blood. Skin complications of Porphyria include, but are not limited to, photosensitivity, skin blisters, skin itching, skin swelling, hair growth abnormalities, skin pigment changes, deterioration of the lips and nose, and receding tissues of the gums and lips. In most European countries if a child was born with teeth it was considered to be a vampire. Fifth is the Vampire's Reflection. Vampires can't see themselves when they are in front of the mirror.  Mirrors have always held relevance in folklore when associated with death. There was a superstitious in Bulgaria that if a corpse's reflection was shown in the mirror, there was an increased likelihood another death would occur. Sixth is being photosensitive. The bodies with Porphyria has lack af capability to be in sunlight, because they're having trouble with their skin. Seventh is the aversion to garlic. Garlic holds classic symbolism in vampire folklore because Porphyria is the culprit to this age old myth. Garlic contains chemicals that exacerbates the symptoms of the disease, and causes those with it to avoid it at all costs. Lastly is drinking blood. Porphyria rears its ugly head again because a symptom of the disease is a deficiency of hemoglobin in the blood, it was a common practice for those with the illness to drink large quantities of fresh blood in hopes that drinking it would provide the same effect as someone who takes a supplement to meet their daily requirement for a vitamin.




According to  Konjonashipirate, "Vampires have haunted literature, art and folklore since the dawn of mankind." Vampire Myth has been subjected to many different interpretations and changes depending on the needs and fear of society. The myths and folklores associated with vampires are widely known and have been depicted in numerous films, novels and stories throughout history.

BLOGPOST 3: Vampires Myths

It doesn't mean that myths and legends are all true they called it myths just because it is a story with a meaning attached to it other than it seems to have at first and the fact that it has such a meaning is generally marked by some of its circumstances being extraordinary or in the common use of the word, unnatural. That’s why it is not confirmed to be 100% true. There is no single known source of the vampire myth, although variations have been around for centuries. These myths manifested themselves in many different ways depending on their environment and culture.

I've learn many things from reading the article of Sasha Ingber, "The Bloody Truth About Serbia's Vampire" from the site news.nationalgeographic. People are worried, everybody knows the legend of this vampire and the thought that he is now homeless and looking for somewhere else to live. People believed in vampires especially between 16th and 18th centuries, little was known about what happens to the body after death. During plagues and epidemics, mass graves were continually reopened to bury new dead. Mostly, garlic is the one that people are using to avoid vampires to come and kill them because of the strong smell of the garlic. Apotropaic, meaning able to ward off evil spirits. But the specific garlic-vampire connection was popularized by 19th and 20th century novels and movies.

People are also looking for proofs that do vampires really existed, but there's nothing. All the old reports about vampires talk about real events and real exhumation of bodies of suspected vampires. But they are misinterpretations of the transformed phenomena of corpses. People are just afraid of vampires because they're afraid of the dead. The same reason why people are afraid of ghosts. A vampire is a dead body brought back to life, so to speak, perhaps by the devil or an evil spirit.

According to the Author  Sasha Ingber, "Following a recent scare, experts shed light on the enduring myth of the undead."  Throughout history, society has created monsters to explain the mysteries of the world. Mysteries that science had not yet made clear to them. Ghosts, sea monsters, aliens, zombies, and of course, no monster has experienced as much fame as the vampire. Early belief in vampires has been blamed on ignorance of the body's process of decomposition after death and how people rationalized it. When a community was plagued by a mysterious illness or unexplained livestock deaths, a vampire explained the mystery without the necessity of science. 



I read another article written by  Lesa Whyte, "Vampire"  from the site pantheon.org. That vampires are related to the death which rises to drink the blood of the living coming out of cultures all around the world, from Africa to Japan to Sapina and to UK. The vampire has humans enthralled for centuries. The victims of a vampire either dies or becomes a vampire. Vampires could also be made in a variety of ways: a child born under certain omens, a cat or other animal jumping over a dead body, someone who committed suicide, and practising witchcraft are some activities thought to be the cause of vampirism. Even inanimate objects and animals were thought to be able to become vampires: pumpkins, watermelons and other fruit that was left out past a certain amount of time, latches that were left unlatched too long, dogs, horses, sheep and snakes are among the objects with vampiric potential in older superstitions of the Slavic gypsy community.

Vampires can be able to take the form of a bat. They can also control creatures like rats and wolves, and the elements were at their command. In order to protect yourself from a vampire, the cross or crucifix was thought to be very powerful in the Christian countries. Little is known of how holy symbols were used as vampire protection before the Christian era, however, folk-cures were often employed. Garlic was the most popular vampire repellent. It could be destroyed by cremation, cutting off its head, exposing it to sunlight or by driving a stake through its heart. 

According to Lesa Whyte, "An undead that rises from the grave during the night to drink the blood of the living in order to stay "alive". Generally the word "undead" refers to a creature that should be dead but is still active within the realm of the living." Although vampire’s are generally viewed to be fictitious, vampire-like creatures still persist all over the world. Supernatural beings drinking blood or flesh can be found in nearly every culture. Many scholars of the period reported that vampires did not exist. As time passes, everything changes, and the vampire legend was affected by the modernization of the world and its transforming perspectives accordingly.