The history of colors is intertwined with the evolution of humanity, reflecting scientific advances, cultural conquests, and historical moments that have left an indelible mark on our perception of the world. Each color contains within it a fragment of the human story, and some, like magenta, shine not only because of their chromatic intensity but […]
Modern Era
Posted inModern Era
Maximator, the intelligence alliance formed by five European countries that ended up being spied on by their own machines
Military alliances are interstate political agreements signed to achieve common defense. They have existed since Antiquity (remember, for instance, the leagues formed by the Greek city-states), and although their most important aspect traditionally pertains to weaponry and warfare, since the 20th century they have increasingly incorporated specialties related to espionage and intelligence services. Perhaps the […]
Posted inCulture, Modern Era
Sequoyah, the Cherokee Who Invented the Syllabary of His Language, Enabling the Full Literacy of His People
As almost everyone knows, sequoia is the name given to a giant tree typical of California’s Sierra Nevada that can exceed one hundred meters in height and ten meters in diameter. However, one of its greatest curiosities is historical: its name, given in 1847 by Austrian botanist Stephan Endlicher, is likely a tribute to the […]
Posted inArchaeology, Modern Era
The Oldest Vanilla Pod in Europe, Used in Alchemical Experiments, Discovered at Prague Castle
A recent archaeobotanical study has uncovered an unexpected discovery in the heart of Europe: the oldest evidence of vanilla use on the continent. It is a dried vanilla pod, found in a waste vault in the Vladislav Hall of Prague Castle, dated between 1513 and 1666. This discovery offers new clues about the introduction and […]
Posted inModern Era
The 1938 German Expedition to Tibet Searching for the Mythical Kingdom of Agartha and Proving the World Ice Theory
In the film Seven Years in Tibet, Brad Pitt portrayed Austrian mountaineer Heinrich Harrer, who in 1944 attempted to climb Nanga Parbat in honor of Nazi Germany (he was a member of the SS). However, this was not the first time the Hitler regime had embarked on such an endeavor. In fact, the Nazi leadership […]
Posted inCulture, Modern Era
Pyrophone, the Strange Musical Instrument That Works with Fire
An internal combustion engine is one that operates through a thermodynamic cycle of internal combustion called Otto: when a spark generated by the fuel expands a gas that pushes the piston, which, through a connecting rod, turns a crankshaft. Now, can that be used to make music? Incredibly, the answer is yes, and in fact, […]
Posted inModern Era
Thugs, the Indian Sect of Thieves Who Worshiped the Goddess Kali
Sandokan exterminated them in his kingdom, and Indiana Jones faced their most sinister version; Phileas Fogg crossed their domains during his trip around the world, and the Beatles were chased by them in Help! The thugs were a peculiar case of criminal association in a country like India, where the vast territory and human differences—social, […]
Posted inModern Era
The Newburgh Conspiracy: When Washington Thwarted His Own Army’s Coup
On the morning of March 10, 1783, an anonymous letter began circulating through the military camp in Newburgh, New York, where the Continental Army of the thirteen American colonies was stationed—the same army that had defeated Great Britain in the battles of Saratoga and Yorktown. By that point in the Revolution, the end of the […]
Posted inSecond World War
Operation Gauntlet: The Destruction of Mines, Coal, and Stations in Svalbard During World War II
The Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, belonging to Norway, is famous for being home to the Global Seed Vault and for having recently emerged as a tourist destination where visitors can witness the northern lights, polar bears, and the midnight sun. However, while catering to tourists has become a new economic niche, the backbone of its […]
Posted inModern Era
Bette Nesmith Graham, the Typist Who Invented Correction Fluid
Some may recognize the name Bette Nesmith Graham, if only because she was the mother of musician and composer Robert Michael Nesmith, a member of the 1960s band The Monkees, who later had a successful solo career in both music (winning a Grammy in 1981) and television (appearing in several series and even working as […]
