Spanish MotoGP rider Jorge Lorenzo (C) of the Movistar Yamaha MotoGP team celebrates on the podium after winning the Qatar MotoGP race with Italian rider Andrea Dovizioso (L) of the Ducati Team who won second place and Spanish MotoGP rider Marc Marquez (R) third place at the Losail International Circuit in Doha on March 20, 2016. KARIM JAAFAR / AFP

So what do Brian O’Driscoll and Arifa Bseiso, Dabkeh and The Script, a foamy pint of Guinness and an aromatic Arabic coffee all have in common? A lot more than you might think. Scientists have proof that Ireland’s present population is founded on a mass migration of Mesopotamian farmers. These Stone Age migrants moved westward from the place where agriculture began carrying their farming intel, and genes for dark eyes and darker hair (red hair DNA sailed in with Viking invasions, thousands of years later.) Is blood really thicker than ...

The 2 0th Century’s most influential physicist, Albert Einstein , had a birthday this week, March 14. He would've been 137, a pretty ridiculous age even for modern science's most popular poster boy. But equally ridiculous are a spate of tweets spewed out by Beirut-based pranksters , (and already picking up momentum since the birth date) opining online: what would happen if the German, Jewish-born, genius was, in fact, Lebanese? Riduculous still by the fact that you'd think the Lebanese had enough to tweet and chatter about on this nationally-charged ...

Internationally known gym franchises operate from Beirut to Doha. (There’s even a health club in the Makkah Royal Clock Tower so you can squeeze in a workout before perambulating the Kaaba!). But while Middle Eastern health clubs may look like their EU and US cousins; activities inside are expected to adapt to more conservative Arab cultural norms, especially for women. Gym rats, don’t be alarmed, all is orthodox when it comes to the exercise — you can expect the routine staples in sets and reps, cardio and classes, nothing alien ...

Emirati horserider Nadia Abdul Aziz Taryam competes during the Sheikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Showjumping Championship in Bou Thib, south of Abu Dhabi on March 5, 2016. KARIM SAHIB / AFP

Greek Orthodox priests play tennis table during a break from their studies at the St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology in Balamand in northern Lebanon on March 2, 2016. The institute was established in 1832 and hosts students from all over the world. PATRICK BAZ / AFP

Photographer Mehrdad Rasoulifard opens a window into the spectacular architecture of Iran with images of medieval mosques that capture the complex geometry and intricate tiling of the holy sites, specifically their awe-inspiring ceilings. Courtesy of his Instagram account (@m1rasoulifard) , armchair travelers get a front-row seat to spectacular design from one of the world's oldest civilizations. Check out s ome of the most jaw-dropping interior embellishments ever made by man, fantastical compositions that would be missed if you never looked up. And remember, the images only approximate the giddy delights ...

What ever happened to "if you can't say something nice, say nothing at all?" Seems mama's credo goes out the window when it comes to politics and comedy . Donald Trump spews snappy soundbites that shatter standards of political decorum , exhibiting all the tics of Tourette syndrome while purportedly saying what many think. There's a Muslim pundit doing similar on social media, using a sharp wit to expose un-believers to a lighter side of Islam, and encourage Muslims targeted by bad press to keep calm and carry on. Catch ...

Table Tennis player Ibrahim Hamato of Egypt serves with his foot during an exhibition match at the 2016 World Team Table Tennis Championships at Malawati Stadium in Shah Alam on March 6, 2016. MANAN VATSYAYANA / AFP

A picture taken on February 26, 2016 in Nice, southeastern France, shows the "Allianz Riviera" stadium, a venue of the upcoming Euro-2016 European football championships. VALERY HACHE / AFP