Carolyn Khor's blog

  New advancements in the study of the ‘Penang Woman,’ a prehistoric human female whose remains were discovered at the Guar Kepah archaeological site, continue to captivate scientists and historians worldwide. The remains, initially discovered in 2017, are now the focus of DNA analysis and radiocarbon dating using Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) to provide fresh insights into early human life in Southeast Asia and possibly rewrite history. "The DNA analysis of the ‘Penang Woman’ is a groundbreaking development," said Professor Dr Stephen Chia, Director of Universiti Sains Malaysia's (USM) Centre for Global Archaeological Research (CGAR). “The primary objective of this collaboration is to uncover the genetics and chronometric age of the ‘Penang Woman’ through these advanced methods.” Earlier, the ‘Penang Woman’ had been estimated to be around 5,700 years old based on the shell sample obtained next to the skeletal remains. However, Dr Chia questioned the accurac...

Julian Kam, better known as ‘Lefty’, takes storytelling to the next level and breathes life into every stroke of his pen – his graphic narratives transcend mere ink on paper, portraying real-life scenes, people, experiences and authentic moments. This art form, called ‘documentary comics’ combines journalism and biography, presented through sequential art, or comics. Lefty employs the use of sensory ethnography to capture the essence and vibrance of the themes or geographical locations within the projects he undertakes. “What I do is fully immerse myself by relocating to the vicinity of the project I’m involved in. I observe, indulge in local cuisine, get to know the people, gather data, conduct research, and then integrate these facts and experiences into the storyline,” elucidated Lefty, who is left-handed, just like his namesake. The 'Ferry Tales’ from the Sama-Sama: George Town series depicts Penang’s iconic ferry services that traverse the 11-kilometre-wide Penang Strait...