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Luke Littler’s rival Damon Heta grimaces in disbelief as ‘unplayable’ teen smashes darts history books to beat him

3 days ago USA Update Comments Off on Luke Littler’s rival Damon Heta grimaces in disbelief as ‘unplayable’ teen smashes darts history books to beat him

LUKE LITTLER made it back-to-back record-breaking performances in the Czech Darts Open.

The “unplayable” teen sensation left Damon Heta grimacing in disbelief as he smashed in a 116.51 average to win 6-3 in Prague.

a man in a red and white shirt stands in front of a crowd
X @OfficialPDC
Damon Heta stared in amazement after Luke Littler’s wonder win[/caption]
two men shaking hands in front of a sign that says nuke
X @OfficialPDC
Heta averaged a fine 105.6 but Littler eclipsed that with 116.51[/caption]

That broke The Nuke‘s own record set less than 24 hours earlier of 110.43 in the victory over Nathan Aspinall.

It was the fifth-highest average in Euro Tour history, earning the 17-year-old a quarter-final against Michael van Gerwen on Sunday night.

Heta himself averaged an excellent 105.6 and Littler said: “Damo played very well.

“But I’ve been practising a lot this morning with the darts.

“It was a good decision to change them. Hopefully I can go all the way tonight. I think I’m sticking with these ones now.

“When I’m playing that well I know my average is up in the hundreds. I had a glance up at the screen, it was 114 at one point.

“But that’s when Damo got the next two legs. I just said to myself in the last leg just focus and I went out in 10.

“He was coming back then. But I said to myself just get this leg and get it over and done with. Went six into the nine again and hit tops.”

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It was so impressive that PDC Euro presenter Philip Brzezinski called it a “disgusting” display.

Meanwhile, commentator Dan Dawson rated it as “one of the best performances in Euro Tour history”.

Littler rattled off a 180 in each of the opening five legs, plus a 171 and a 122 finish to lead 4-1.

Heta, to his credit, kept battling and remarkably pulled it back to 5-3.

But Littler continued his barrage of maximums, making it seven in nine legs, before wrapping it up with tops to complete another historic display.

Heta responded by leaning over with a dazed look of sheer incredulity.

And fans were as amazed as the Australian by his conqueror’s display.

One viewer posted: “Heta v Littler is fast becoming one of my favourite fixtures to watch… astonishing stuff. Heta did very little wrong, Littler just unplayable there.”

Inside Littler's massive rise

LUKE LITTLER has taken the darts world by storm since exploding onto the scene at the PDC World Championship at the beginning of the year.

The Nuke reached the final on his Ally Pally debut at just 16 years of age – smashing records along the way.

He has then gone on to win a host of PDC events and the Premier League title – which he claimed at the O2 Arena by beating world champion Luke Humphries in May.

He also finished his first season in the World Series as the No1 ranked player.

He has joined Jude Bellingham on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe list.

And the teenage titan even had to snub an invite from the WWE.

The Sun exclusively revealed that Littler is plotting to create a fitness empire.

He is also cashing in away from the Oche thanks to an Instagram side hustle.

And he’s even the face of a brand new cereal.

But he is newly single after splitting from girlfriend Eloise Milburn following a 10-month relationship.

Check out all of our latest Luke Littler stories.

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Archaeologists unearth 3,800-year-old ‘scarlet worm’ piece of fabric mentioned in the Bible in Israel’s ‘Cave of Skulls’

3 days ago USA Update Comments Off on Archaeologists unearth 3,800-year-old ‘scarlet worm’ piece of fabric mentioned in the Bible in Israel’s ‘Cave of Skulls’

ARCHAEOLOGISTS have uncovered a 3,800-year-old piece of fabric dyed in a vivid scarlet hue deep within Israel’s Judean Desert.

Found in the Cave of Skulls, this small textile fragment is believed to have been coloured using dye from oak scale insects, a substance thought to be the “scarlet worm” referenced in the Bible.

two pieces of red and yellow yarn on a black background
Dafna Gazit, Israel Antiquities Authority
A fragment of the rare 3,800-year-old textile[/caption]
a group of people are working in a cave with a sign on the wall that says " joint "
Dafna Gazit / Antiquities Authority
Archaeologists in Israel’s Cave of Skulls, in the Judean Desert[/caption] a map showing the location of the cave of skulls

The discovery gives unprecedented insights into ancient textile production and its links to priestly garments described in biblical texts.

The team of Israeli researchers behind the extraordinary find included experts from the Israel Antiques Authority, Bar-Ilan University, and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Their findings, recently published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, highlight the historical and cultural significance of the tiny artefact, which measures less than two centimetres in size.

Naama Sukenik, curator of the Organic Material Collection at the Israel Antiquities Authority, explained the process behind the creation of the fabric’s scarlet color.

“In ancient times, the dye was produced from female scale insects, which live on kermes oak trees,” she said.

“Collecting these insects was a highly specialised process, done in a short window of time — one month each summer — when the amount of dye was at its peak.”

This challenging process, combined with the rarity of the dye-producing insects, made scarlet a prestigious and valuable color in ancient times.

The “scarlet worm” is mentioned 25 times in biblical scripture, often alongside other prised colours like blue (tekhelet) and purple (argaman), which were similarly associated with wealth and status.

Professor Zohar Amar of Bar-Ilan University highlighted the advanced knowledge of natural dyeing reflected in these ancient texts.

a pile of red berries on a black surface
Dafna Gazit/Israel Antiquities Authority
Kermes vermilio[/caption]
a person wearing a shirt that says louis on it
Dafna Gazit/Israel Antiquities Authority
Experts examining the rare fabric[/caption]

“The biblical reference to a colour derived from a living creature shows impressive zoological understanding.

Female scale insects are tiny, immobile, and easily mistaken for plant material.

In fact, some ancient Greek and Roman naturalists thought they were plant granules.”

The researchers used advanced techniques, such as High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), to identify the specific species of insect used in the dye.

Sukenik confirmed: “We can say with high certainty that this textile was dyed using Kermes vermilio, a species of scale insect that produces kermesic acid, which gives the fabric its distinctive red hue.”

Interestingly, Kermes vermilio is not native to Israel, but is found in other Mediterranean regions, indicating long-distance trade networks that likely existed during the Middle Bronze Age.

Uri Davidovich from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem noted, “This fabric, found in a desert cave, speaks to the sophisticated knowledge of wool dyeing in the ancient world.

It also hints at extensive international trade that connected different regions as early as 3,800 years ago.”

The textile provides tangible evidence of a vibrant textile industry and hints at an elite society with access to such prestigious materials.

As Sukenik noted: “This rare find offers a bridge between ancient written sources and archaeological evidence, revealing the complexities of ancient commerce and craftsmanship.”

The discovery, made as part of a broader effort to protect Judean Desert artefacts from antiquities theft, underscores the importance of continued exploration in these historic caves.

Mention of the 'scarlet worm' in the bible

THE “scarlet worm” in the Bible refers to a specific insect called the coccus ilicis, also known as the crimson worm or tola‘ath in Hebrew.

This insect was significant in the ancient world for producing a scarlet or crimson dye.

In biblical passages, it is typically referred to in connection with the colour scarlet, representing sin, sacrifice, or royalty.

Here are some notable mentions:

Psalm 22:6: “But I am a worm (tola‘ath), and no man; a reproach of men, and despised by the people.”

This verse is often seen as a messianic prophecy. The term “worm” here is specifically the tola‘ath, which produces the crimson dye.

Some interpret this symbolically, relating the worm’s life cycle (dying to give birth and leave a red stain) to Christ’s sacrifice.

Isaiah 1:18: “Though your sins are like scarlet (shani’), they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson (tola‘ath), they shall be as wool.”

This verse contrasts the deep stain of sin with the possibility of being cleansed.

The term tola‘ath is associated with the deep red dye, which symbolised the stain of sin.

Exodus 25:4, Exodus 26:1, Exodus 26:31, Exodus 28:5: The term “scarlet” (sometimes using tola‘ath or shani’) is used in these passages to describe materials dyed with crimson for use in the construction of the Tabernacle and priestly garments.

The scarlet colour was part of the blue, purple, and scarlet yarns mentioned frequently.

    These mentions highlight the crimson or scarlet colour’s significance in ritual, symbolising both human sinfulness and divine grace, with connections to sacrifice and cleansing.

    The life cycle of the coccus ilicis worm, which produces red dye through its death, has also been linked to Christ’s redemptive work by some biblical commentators.

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