00:00Welcome to the deep dive today we're plunging into Bulgaria right a Balkan country with some
00:10well surprisingly deep history and some really unique features exactly we've gathered some
00:15fascinating bits and pieces history culture nature even tech yeah a real mix our mission
00:22basically is to pull out the coolest facts and figure out what makes Bulgaria tick yeah sounds
00:27good there's a lot there it touches on ancient history modern innovations all sorts okay so
00:31let's kick off with a big one get this Bulgaria is apparently the oldest European country that
00:37hasn't changed its name since 681 AD that's wow over 1300 years with the same name right that's
00:46some serious continuity what does that even like imply for a place well it suggests a really strong
00:52unbroken thread of identity doesn't it culture maybe values passed down through centuries that's
00:58pretty profound definitely and speaking of culture and history shaping things the Cyrillic alphabet ah
01:03yes developed there right by followers of Saint Cyril and Methodius back in the ninth century yeah and
01:10it's not just in Bulgaria it's spread across the Slavic world and it's even one of the EU's official
01:15alphabets now that's quite a legacy from so long ago it really shows their historical weight you know
01:20okay now for something that could trip you up if you visit oh what's that the head gestures for yes
01:26and no they're reversed oh right nodding means no and shaking your head means yes exactly can you
01:33imagine the confusion like trying to agree to something and shaking your head yeah that's a
01:39classic example of how arbitrary but deeply ingrained cultural signals can be goes way beyond just words
01:45totally okay let's shift gears something fragrant now the rose valley oh absolutely famous for rose oil
01:54famous is an understatement apparently they produce something like 85 percent of the world's rose oil
01:58that's huge for the perfume industry it really is the climate and soil there must be just perfect for
02:03those specific roses it's amazing how one region can dominate a global niche like that and they have a
02:09big rose festival every year too makes sense a celebration of their well liquid gold and sticking
02:15with unique natural products Bulgarian yogurt yes the lactobacillus bulgaricus that specific bacteria
02:22pretty much only found naturally in Bulgaria gives the yogurt its special taste and apparently health
02:27benefits it's known worldwide it's fascinating how a tiny microorganism you know tied to a specific
02:33place becomes part of the national identity and gets global fame right okay from nature yeah to
02:39tech this one surprised me the first digital watch what about it invented by a Bulgarian
02:45peter petrov okay he was working in the u.s at the time but still no kidding the first digital watch
02:51yeah his work apparently laid the foundation for like all the wearable tech we have now wow that just
02:56shows you know innovation can come from anywhere one person's idea huge impact definitely let's go way
03:02way back now ancient history the varna gold treasure ah the oldest processed gold ever found right
03:09near varna yes dating back to around 4500 bc that's incredibly old it tells us so much about early
03:15european societies the craftsmanship too for that era it's mind-blowing really makes you rethink how
03:22advanced those prehistoric cultures might have been absolutely now for a touch of the uh mystical
03:28babavanga the famous clairvoyant from bulgaria yeah her predictions are still talked about debated
03:36quite the figure it taps into that enduring fascination with prophecy and the unknown doesn't it
03:42it does and maybe slightly less mystical but still out there space space how does bulgaria connect to
03:49space they developed some of the very first space food for soviet cosmonauts back in the day
03:55really space food pioneers kind of helping fuel the space race literally shows their scientific
04:01side again that's actually pretty cool a contribution you wouldn't necessarily expect
04:05exactly okay let's wrap up with a lovely tradition baba marta day march 1st with the red and white
04:11bracelet the martinize people exchange them for health and good luck as spring starts it's a really
04:16nice hopeful tradition welcoming renewal it really is so looking back at all this bulgaria is just packed
04:21to surprises isn't definitely ancient history unique culture natural resources unexpected inventions
04:29fascinating traditions it's such a mix from the oldest country name in europe to digital watches and
04:36space food it really makes you think doesn't it how can one place hold so many different kinds of
04:40firsts and unique things yeah and it makes you wonder what other incredible stories are hidden away in
04:47other parts of the world just waiting to be uncovered exactly there's probably so much more out there we
04:52just don't know about yet
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