The Time America Attacked Itself
History doesn’t always make sense. Sometimes, it reads like a badly written sitcom script. One…
Why were pineapples so expensive in the 1700s
Forget Lamborghinis or Instagram yachts. In 18th century Europe, the real status symbol was rough,…
How the Mongol Postal System Became the Fastest Network of the Medieval World
When one thinks of Genghis Khan, the mind doesn’t exactly leap to the image of…
The Great Molasses Flood – When Boston Was Buried in Syrup
On a crisp January afternoon in 1919, the North End of Boston became the site…
How Chopsticks Changed Entire Civilisations – The Surprising Power of Two Little Sticks
They’re light, often disposable, and usually tucked into your takeaway bag without a second thought.…
The Egyptian Obelisk in New York (and London… and Paris): A Tale of Giant Pointy Rocks and Imperial One-Upmanship
There’s something inherently strange about stumbling across an ancient Egyptian obelisk in the middle of…
The Forgotten Finnish Tourism Boom of the 1800s: When Lapland Became a Health Resort for Europe’s Coughing Elite
Lapland: today it conjures images of Santa Claus villages, reindeer sleigh rides and Northern Lights…
Napoleon’s Accidental Bunny Attack – When the Emperor Was Outwitted by Rabbits
He conquered Europe, redrew borders, and left an empire in his wake. But Napoleon Bonaparte—military…
The Haunted Radios of Cold War Spies: Numbers Stations That Refuse to Die
Somewhere in the static between shortwave frequencies, strange voices echo across the globe. They recite…
Why Medieval People Slept Twice a Night: The Forgotten Habit of Biphasic Sleep
Absolutely nothing like a good midnight prayer followed by a snack and maybe a bit…
Toxic Fashion Through History: The Deadly Trend of Arsenic in Victorian Dresses and More
Absolutely lethal fashion—now there's a wardrobe malfunction worth talking about. Let’s unravel the ghastly history…
The Curious Origins of Fortnum & Mason
If you want to understand Britishness in edible, giftable, tea-sippable form, you could do a…
How British Tea is Actually Chinese, Indian, Dutch and Stolen
Once upon a teacup, the British Empire sat smugly with its pinky out, sipping what…
St George’s Day postponed
St George's Day, April 23rd, had arrived – or so you thought. There you were,…
From Code to Canvas: The Rise of AI Fine Art
From Code to Canvas: The Rise of AI Fine Art AI fine art has officially…
Ringelmann Effect
The Ringelmann Effect sounds like something out of a Victorian novel, possibly a side character…
The Smallest Inhabited Islands of The World
You think your flat is small? Try living on an island where the entire landmass…
Morocco’s Tree-Climbing Goats: Nature’s Most Unexpected Acrobats
Yes, it’s true. Goats in Morocco really do climb trees. And no, you’re not hallucinating…
Social dancing: bachata, salsa and kizomba
Social dancing. It’s the secret society you never knew you needed in your life—until someone…
The Great Emu War
There are military defeats, and then there is the Great Emu War. A lesser-known, delightfully…
Easter Egg Hunt: Why Do We Hide Them?
Ah, the Easter Egg Hunt. The one time of year when perfectly rational adults encourage…
Geoglyphs: The World’s Strangest Ground Art
Geoglyphs... Let’s talk about ancient humans and their unexpected obsession with really big drawings. You…
Alzheimer’s Disease: Can You Prevent the Drama?
Alzheimer's Disease has taken up a rather ominous role in the narrative of ageing. It’s…
That slow blink of a cat
You know that moment when you catch a cat staring at you from across the…
How Champagne Became a Party Drink
The unlikely rise of a drink once considered a nuisance because it exploded too often.…
The Travelling Dead
Bizarre stories of how historical figures (and their body parts) have been transported across borders…