Category: History

What 12 Ancient Skeletons Discovered in a Mysterious Tomb in Petra Could Tell Us About the Ancient City

History

Twelve skeletons have been found in a large, 2,000-year-old tomb directly in front of the Khazneh (“Treasury”) in the city of Petra in Jordan. Alongside them, excavators have discovered grave goods made of pottery, bronze, iron and ceramics. There is much excitement among archaeologists because of what the rare opportunity to investigate this site might tell us about Petra’s ancient people, the Nabataeans, and their culture.

‘Born in the USA’ Turns 40 − and Still Remains One of Bruce Springsteen’s Most Misunderstood Songs

Arts, History

In September 1984, Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.” was atop the charts, and Ronald Reagan, running for reelection against Walter Mondale, told a New Jersey audience that he and the singer-songwriter shared the same American dream. Springsteen disagreed.

5 Lessons From Ancient Civilizations for Cooling Homes in Hot, Dry Climates

History, Science

Ancient civilizations constructed buildings right next to each other, which reduced the number of walls exposed to the intense solar radiation. Small courtyards provided lighting and ventilation. Narrow streets ensured shade throughout the day and allowed pedestrians to move comfortably through the city.

Why Some Indians Want to Change the Country’s Name To Bharat

History

The appearance of Bharat in official government correspondence may reopen old wounds for Muslims and the conservative Hindus in the south.

The Marketing Tricks That Have Kept Barbie’s Brand Alive for Over 60 Years

Economics, History

Rejected by the toy industry at first, Barbie is now one of America’s most trusted brands. “She” – the 11.5 inch blonde doll, but also her brand persona – generated worldwide sales of around US$1.5 billion (£1.3 billion) in 2022, and has a brand value of US$590 million.

How the US Census Led to the First Data Processing Company 125 Years Ago – And Kick-Started America’s Computing Industry

History

The technological solutions devised by Hollerith involved a suite of mechanical and electrical devices. The first crucial innovation was to translate data on handwritten census tally sheets to patterns of holes punched in cards.

The First Mobile Phone Call Was 75 Years Ago

History

The first mobile phone service, for 80-pound telephones installed in cars, was demonstrated on June 17, 1946, 75 years ago. The service was only available in major cities and highway corridors and was aimed at companies rather than individuals.

Nazis Pressed Ham Radio Hobbyists to Serve the Third Reich – but Surviving Came at a Price

History

The Nazi party knew that German hams had a history of illegal transmission and were likely to have unsupervised radio contacts with foreigners,

Four Amazing Astronomical Discoveries From Ancient Greece

History

The world’s oldest surviving mechanical calculator is the Antikythera Mechanism. The amazing device was discovered in an ancient shipwreck.

During the Second World War, BBC Listeners Kept Calm and Listened to an Unlikely Star

History

“Sandy Macpherson’s quiet (BBC) voice is very reassuring at a time when our ears are on the alert for warning sirens” one family wrote in 1939. An image of the popular Sandy Macpherson from circa

Who Killed Sweden’s Prime Minister? 1986 Assassination of Olof Palme Is Finally Solved – Maybe

History

It took 34 years, 10,000 interviews and 134 murder confessions, but the assassination of Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme has now been solved.

Inside the Beatles’ Messy Breakup, 50 Years Ago

History

Fifty years ago, when Paul McCartney announced he had left the Beatles, the news dashed the hopes of millions of fans, while fueling false reunion rumors.

We Are Living in the Bizarre World That Flaubert Envisioned

History

Are we all trapped in a live-action version of Flaubert’s “Madame Bovary”?

The Jan. 3 assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani was followed by a torrent of contradictory narratives.

A Conservative Activist’s Quest To Preserve All Network News Broadcasts

History

While the entire collection was digitized in the early 2000s, the Vanderbilt Television News Archive is only allowed to stream NBC and CNN to researchers.

From Their Balloons, the First Aeronauts Transformed Our View of the World

History

Before the balloon, philosophers speculated that the skies went on forever. Then came the aeronauts who changed our view of the world.

The Journalist Who Exposed the Jeffrey Epstein of Victorian London

History

A newspaper exposé written by British journalist W.T. Stead, “The Maiden Tribute of Modern Babylon” sounds just like the sordid sex ring of Jeffrey Epstein.

Ancient Greek Music: Now We Finally Know What It Sounded Like

History

A project to investigate ancient Greek music has generated stunning insights into how ancient Greeks made music; the songs of Homer, Sappho, and others.

If I Can Dream: The Elvis Tribute To Martin Luther King

History

Elvis Presley recorded the song “If I Can Dream” just two months after the murder of Martin Luther King, Jr. Both were born and raised in the Deep South.

The Song That Had One British Politician Wishing for the Sex Pistols’ Sudden Death

History

When the Sex Pistols came out with “God Save the Queen” 40 years ago, on May 27, 1977, it was instantly greeted with widespread, visceral condemnation.

Policing the Berlin Wall: The Ghostly Photos Taken by the Stasi’s Hidden Cameras

History

Surveillance occurred through the collection of documents, audio, video, human odors – and around two million photographs now held in the Stasi archive.

Not One but Two Aussie Dishes Were Used To Get the TV Signals Back From the Apollo 11 Moonwalk

History, Technology

When Neil Armstrong stepped on to the Moon, Australians saw the images first. They used a second Aussie dish to bring the historic images to the world.

The Battle Between NBC and CBS To Be the First To Film a Berlin Wall Tunnel

History

In 1962, NBC and CBS were at work on two separate, secret documentaries on escape tunnels being dug under the Berlin Wall.

Bronze Age Discovery Reveals Surprising Extent of Britain’s Trade With Europe 3,600 Years Ago

History

Research reveals evidence of a copper-mining bonanza in Wales 3,600 years ago that reached France, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and Sweden.

BEFORE WALT DISNEY, THERE WAS LOTTE REINIGER – THE STORY OF THE WORLD’S FIRST ANIMATED FEATURE

Arts, History

The oldest surviving animated feature was not made by Walt Disney, but by a German puppeteer named Lotte Reiniger: The Adventures of Prince Achmed (1926).

How Rupture With Mainland Europe Caused Britain To Falter for Hundreds of Years

Geography, History

Mainland Europe has always been essential to Britain’s prosperity. When the relationship with Europe is poor, the lot of ordinary Briton is poorer for it.