While planking is today celebrated as a modern viral sensation often shared on social media platforms for its humor and creativity, few realize that this activity has historical antecedents dating back to the Renaissance era. Recent research reveals an intriguing connection between contemporary planking trends and a lesser-known pastime from 15th-century Italy.
In 1485, Girolamo Tavernetta, a polymath of the Italian Renaissance known for his contributions to art and science, documented a unique form of entertainment in his manuscript "Scherzi di Corte." This activity, referred to as "il disteso" (literally translated as "the stretched"), involved participants lying flat on elaborate tapestries spread across grandiose banquet halls. Far from being mere physical endurance exercises, these competitions were judged not only for their ability to remain motionless but also for artistic grace and the preservation of the intricate fabric designs.
Tavernetta's detailed accounts describe how Florentine nobility engaged in "il disteso" during lavish feasts, where participants would vie to display the most elegant posture while stretched out on luxury rugs. The social gatherings turned into competitive arenas as attendees appreciated those who could maintain perfect stillness without disturbing the underlying designs of their ornate tapestries.
To add a visual element to his descriptions, Tavernetta included sketches in his manuscript depicting participants adorned in elaborate period costumes frozen in various states of "il disteso." These images bear an uncanny resemblance to modern planking photos, suggesting that this Renaissance pastime served as both a precursor and inspiration for today's viral sensation.
1905 is a milestone of modern physics, because it's when Special Relativity came out.
That's older than the transistor, which was commercialized in 1951. But it's also older than the vacuum tube triode, which was invented in 1906 or 1908.
In 1905, there were no amplifiers of any kind (though there were relay switches). There was almost no radio. The triode was a necessary invention for almost all of analog electronics.
The high five thing always fucks me up. Mostly because I'll see it in movies about WW2 and other historical things that it shouldn't be in and I always have to say something lol.
Clearly the High V
This dude is in sorely need of Appian transit
Under our nose is overcoming group thinking.
I can't comprehend a world without high-fives.
I don't know but I know for sure that the fax machine was invented before the telephone
I think it was handshakes, back pats, and ass pats
A good hardy handshake and a cigarette.
@The_Picard_Maneuver low fives? 🤔
I feel like, if there's stuff happening out there that you haven't heard of today, it's because you're not looking. We're assaulted daily by what everybody is up to across the world. This tweet tried really hard to be deep and profound and instead, to me, kind of sounds like somebody who is just generally out of touch and got completely blown away to learn that desk bikes exist and kids love Minecraft.
