The Ingush Towers of North Caucasia

The rugged terrains of North Caucasia, nestled within the Russian Federation, is dotted with ancient towers that stand as silent sentinels to an architectural tradition started centuries ago by the Ingush, Chechen, and Vainakh peoples. Spanning over 4,000 years, these imposing structures served both defensive and residential purposes, with the surviving towers predominantly dating from the 13th to the 17th centuries, marking a period of resurgence in tower construction.

Photo credit: Depositphotos

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The Nuclear Test That Vaporized an Island

On November 1, 1952, the U.S. detonated the world’s first hydrogen bomb, codenamed “Mike”, as part of Operation Ivy. It was the first full test of a breakthrough design created by Hungarian-American physicist Edward Teller and Polish mathematician Stanislaw Ulam. Mike represented a remarkable feat of engineering, towering at 20 feet tall and weighing an impressive 74 metric tons. While not deployable as a conventional weapon, its significance lay in being the first nuclear device to derive a substantial portion of its explosive power from fusion, the process of atomic fusion, rather than solely relying on fission, the division of atoms. Its functionality relied on a fission reaction to ignite fusion within liquid deuterium, a heavy isotope of hydrogen.

Mushroom cloud of the Ivy Mike test. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

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The Swinging Cabin of SS Bessemer

English inventor Sir Henry Bessemer, renowned for his groundbreaking steel manufacturing process that still bears his name, once lamented, “Few persons have suffered more severely than I have from sea sickness.” Despite being one of the foremost inventors of the Second Industrial Revolution, Bessemer's brilliance was not immune to personal trials. With over a hundred inventions in iron, steel, and glass to his name, most of which saw success, his endeavor to create a ship to alleviate his chronic seasickness, however, ended in failure.

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The Rajah Quilt

Nestled within the textiles collection at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra lies a gem of historical significance and artistic prowess—the Rajah Quilt. Revered as one of the nation's most cherished textiles, the Rajah Quilt was produced in 1841 by female convicts as they were being transported to Australia on the British convict ship, the Rajah. What makes the Rajah Quilt truly extraordinary is not only its documentary importance and sheer artistic brilliance, but the story woven into its very fabric. It tells the story of a small group of women who, despite facing dire circumstances, united to create something enduringly beautiful.

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5 Times Weather Played Foul For An Invading Army

Throughout history, weather has played a significant role in military campaigns, sometimes altering its course and reshaping the destiny of nations. From the icy depths of Russian winters thwarting the ambitions of emperors to the ferocious storms of the open sea swallowing armadas whole, weather has often posed a formidable adversary alongside armies and navies during military conflicts. In this article, we explore some of these pivotal moments where nature's fury have halted conquests and unforeseen meteorological forces have crippled invasions.

A dejected Napoleon retreats from Moscow after failing to capture it during the French invasion of Russia in 1812. Oil on canvas by Adolph Northen, 1851.

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Claude Ruggieri: Master of Pyrotechnic Brilliance

Fireworks have accompanied celebrations and festivities for at least a thousand years. They were first used in China during the Song dynasty (960–1279), and from there the knowledge of these explosive displays spread to the Middle East and Europe, where it became very popular among the royalty and the upper classes. Fireworks became a hallmark of grand occasions, from weddings to triumphant military victories. The first recorded royal fireworks display was reportedly organized by King Henry VII to commemorate his wedding in 1486. In 1685, James II's coronation presentation was so spectacular that it earned the pyrotechnician a knighthood.

Fireworks and illuminations in Whitehall and on the River Thames, for King George II of Great Britain, May 15, 1749.

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Karl von Drais And The Laufmaschine

In April 1815, Mount Tambora on the island of Sumbawa in present-day Indonesia, erupted with a violence never seen before in recorded history. A massive amount of pulverized rock, weighing an estimated 10 billion tons, was ejected into the atmosphere. These rocks and ash reached into the stratosphere where it spread out enveloping the skies and blocking the sun for months on end. The eruption also released a substantial quantity of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere, leading to the formation of sulfate aerosols, which caused significant cooling of the Earth's surface. The cold and the altered weather patterns triggered crop failures and famine across many parts of the world.

Karl von Drais riding his draisine

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Watch 1505: The World's First Watch

In 1987, during a school trip to London, a watchmaker apprentice stumbled upon a rare find at an antique flea market. Concealed within a box filled with antiquated metal odds and ends there was an intriguing timepiece—a small copper sphere that could be opened to reveal a smaller hemisphere within. Adorning the top of this inner sphere was a dial etched with both Roman and Arabic numerals, characteristic of the renowned pomander watch design that gained popularity in 16th-century Germany.

Unaware of the importance of his discovery, the young apprentice parted ways with the timepiece, setting off a chain of transactions that eventually led it into the possession of a private collector in 2002. It wasn't until then that the true significance and authenticity of this timepiece came to light. Now known as Watch 1505, this extraordinary artifact is believed to be the oldest known functional timepiece in existence.

The Pomander Watch of 1505. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

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Dhunge Dhara: Nepal’s 1,600-Year-Old Drinking Water Fountains

The tiny country of Nepal, nestled between India and Tibet, boasts of a very robust drinking water supply system that dates back to at least the 5th century. Among its most striking features are the intricate stone fountains known as dhunge dhara or hiti, fashioned in the likeness of the mythical makara—a legendary sea creature in Hindu mythology. While these dhunge dharas may lack the grandeur of the ancient Roman aqueducts, the ingenious technology that brings water to these spouts are no less impressive.

An 8th century hiti in Nagbahal. Photo credit: Ritesh Man Tamrakar/Flickr

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The Osoaviakhim-1 Disaster

Between 1930 and 1932, Swiss scientist Auguste Piccard made more than two dozen trips to the upper atmosphere using a balloon of his design. These flights to the stratosphere ignited a renewed interest in ballooning, which had been overshadowed by the emergence of a newer form of exploration—airplanes. Piccard’s accomplishment garnered international attention, prompting both the United States and the Soviet Union to prepare their own balloons and crews for similar high-altitude ventures.

The Soviet Air Force mobilized various experts from diverse fields, including designers, rubber technologists, and professors from the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute, as well as personnel from the Air Forces Institute and the Zhukovsky Airforce Academy. The consolidation of practically all available expertise and military project management eventually resulted in a robust and safe design—the USSR-1. Similar projects were also afoot elsewhere.

Osoaviakhim-1 by Russian painter Georgy Bibikov.

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John Stringfellow And The World's First Powered Flight

In 1842, British engineers William Samuel Henson and John Stringfellow received a patent for a flying machine. Unlike previous attempts made with gliders and hot-air balloons, Henson’s and Stringfellow’s invention was unique because it was the first attempt to move towards powered flight. Just six years later, the world’s first steam powered airplane took flight. Remarkably, this happened more than half a century before the historic flight by the Wright brothers at Kitty Hawk.

A lithograph by Thomas Picken imagines “Ariel” flying over the Nile, with the pyramids in the background.

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John Stringfellow And The World's First Powered Flight

In 1842, British engineers William Samuel Henson and John Stringfellow received a patent for a flying machine. Unlike previous attempts made with gliders and hot-air balloons, Henson’s and Stringfellow’s invention was unique because it was the first attempt to move towards powered flight. Just six years later, the world’s first steam powered airplane took flight. Remarkably, this happened more than half a century before the historic flight by the Wright brothers at Kitty Hawk.

A lithograph by Thomas Picken imagines “Ariel” flying over the Nile, with the pyramids in the background.

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Antimony Pill: The Everlasting Pill

Antimony—the soft, lustrous gray metal—has many industrial uses such as in the preparation of flame-retarding compounds and in the manufacture of alloys. The metal and its compounds has also been used since ancient times for various medical treatment. The ancient Egyptians, for instance, used grounded stibnite, a mineral containing antimony, as eyeliner and mascara due to its blackish color. Over the centuries, many different cultures including the Romans and the Greeks have held many bizarre beliefs regarding antimony and its properties leading to its use and sometimes misuse in a variety of different ways.

Antimony crystal. Photo credit: Depositphotos

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Nerodimka River Bifurcation

The Nerodimka river in the Nerodime region of Kosovo is the only river in Europe that drains into two different seas, a phenomenon known as bifurcation. The left branch flows into the Black Sea, and the right branch flows into the Aegean Sea.

The Nerodimka River originates as Golema Reka in the Nerodimka mountain range, forming from two primary tributaries, Golema (Velika) Reka and Mala Reka, which converge near the village of Nerodime e Epërme. It then flows in a west-east direction, with its basin splitting on the outskirts of Ferizaj. The northern branch empties into the Sitnica River, which eventually connects to the Black Sea via the Iber, Morava, and Danube rivers. Meanwhile, the primary southern branch merges with another arm of the Nerodimka River, continuing its journey towards the Aegean Sea through the Lepenc and Vardar rivers.

The exact point where Nerodimka River bifurcates. Photo credit: Ottis/Wikimedia Commons

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The Killer Whales of Eden

The Thaua people, who reside around Twofold Bay on the South Coast of New South Wales, Australia, share a special bond with killer whales or orcas, which they call beowas. “We consider beowas to be our brothers,” writes Thaua historian Steven Holmes in a study published in Journal of Heredity in December 2023. According to Thaua beliefs, when a member of their community passes away, they are reincarnated as a beowa.

Holmes recounts a personal anecdote involving his great-great-grandfather, a blind man who would walk along the beach singing to the beowas. The beowas would follow him along the beach communicating back and forth with him. “It was a strong friendship between these beowas, and my people,” Holmes reflects.

“Whalers off Twofold Bay, New South Wales”, 1867 by Sir Oswald Brierly.

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Casimir Zeglen: The Priest Who Invented The Bulletproof Vest

On October 28, 1893, the tranquility of Chicago was shattered with the assassination of its mayor, Carter Harrison, who was shot on the doorstep of his own house. The crime shocked every American but the one who was shook the most was Polish immigrant Casimir Zeglen.

Zeglen, a man of the cloth and profound spirituality, found himself deeply troubled by the recurring specter of anarchist violence targeting public figures since his arrival in America. Determined to confront this epidemic of chaos and bloodshed, he turned his inventive mind towards a solution that could potentially spare countless lives. His brainchild? A revolutionary, lightweight bulletproof vest designed to be discreetly worn beneath ordinary attire, thereby thwarting the designs of would-be assassins without drawing attention to its wearer's vulnerability.

A bulletproof vest being tested in 1923. Photo credit: Library of Congress

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Olivier Levasseur’s Lost Treasure

On the 7th of July 1730, the notorious French pirate, Olivier Levasseur, faced his final moments on the scaffold. His crimes, which had instilled fear across the high seas for over fifteen years, had finally caught up with him. However, it was his brazen looting of the Portuguese great galleon Nossa Senhora do Cabo that sealed his fate. The ship was carrying the Bishop of Goa and the Viceroy of Portugal, and was laden with treasures which Levasseur adamantly refused to relinquish. Instead, he boasted of having hidden it, taunting authorities and onlookers alike.

Moments before the hangman's noose tightened around his neck, Levasseur dramatically produced a necklace, within which lay a small piece of parchment bearing a cryptogram of clues to the treasure's whereabouts. With a defiant cry, he hurled it into the crowd, challenging, "Find my treasure, the one who may understand it!”. Thus began a legend that would echo through the ages, passed down through generations on the islands of the Seychelles and La Réunion.

The island Mahe, Seychelles, where Olivier Levasseur’s treasure is believed to lay hidden. Photo credit: Olivier Levasseur/Flickr

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Da Shuhua: Fireworks of Molten Iron

For five centuries, the inhabitants of Nuanquan village in Yu County, in the northwestern reaches of Hebei province, China, have marked the Lunar New Year with a remarkable pyrotechnic tradition. Adorned in wide-brimmed straw hats and sheepskin jackets, local blacksmiths engage in a mesmerizing spectacle, flinging ladle after ladle of molten iron against a towering brick wall. Upon impact, the molten metal erupts into a spectacular cascade of sparks, reminiscent of a dazzling fireworks display.

This age-old ritual, known as Da Shuhua, translates directly to "beating down the tree flowers," a name inspired by the agricultural custom of striking fruit trees to encourage blossoming. The resulting fireworks mimic the graceful descent of flower petals.

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Casimir Zeglen: The Priest Who Invented The Bulletproof Vest

On October 28, 1893, the tranquility of Chicago was shattered with the assassination of its mayor, Carter Harrison, who was shot on the doorstep of his own house. The crime shocked every American but the one who was shook the most was Polish immigrant Casimir Zeglen.

Zeglen, a man of the cloth and profound spirituality, found himself deeply troubled by the recurring specter of anarchist violence targeting public figures since his arrival in America. Determined to confront this epidemic of chaos and bloodshed, he turned his inventive mind towards a solution that could potentially spare countless lives. His brainchild? A revolutionary, lightweight bulletproof vest designed to be discreetly worn beneath ordinary attire, thereby thwarting the designs of would-be assassins without drawing attention to its wearer's vulnerability.

A bulletproof vest being tested in 1923. Photo credit: Library of Congress

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Bedford Level Experiment: The 19th Century Experiment That Laid The Foundation of The Flat Earth Society

In 1838, English writer and socialist, Samuel Rowbotham, set out to disprove what the ancient Greeks as well as modern scientists had long established—that the earth was round.

A flat-earther from his youth, Rowbotham saw that the ideal place to test out his stupid theory was on the Old Bedford River, an artificial canal dug in the early 17th century to partially divert the waters of the River Great Ouse in the Fens of Cambridgeshire. The canal runs perfectly straight and unobstructed for a distance of about six miles, making it an ideal location to directly measure the curvature of the Earth.

A "flat-Earth" map drawn by Orlando Ferguson in 1893.

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Bob The Railway Dog

In the heart of South Australia's railway history, a charming and loyal canine companion left an indelible paw print on the tracks – Bob the Railway Dog. A beloved icon, Bob's tale is one of love, friendship, and adventure, as he became a fixture among the steam engines and railway workers in the late 19th century.

Bob was born in 1883 at Macclesfield, South Australia. The scruffy, brown-and-white mixed-breed dog was fascinated with the railways from an early age. While still a pup, Bob would often wander away from home following railway tracks to watch workers lay the line. Several times he had to be brought back to his owner, until one day, when he was nine months old, Bob ran away.

Photo credit: State Library South Australia

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