Category Archives: Articles

Germany’s WWI Corpse Factories

On the 25th of April, 1917, the British satirical magazine Punch ran an evocative political cartoon. In it, a stern Kaiser Wilhelm II, dressed in full regalia, stands before a young German army recruit. Pointing out the window to a giant factory belching black smoke, he declares: “And don’t forget that your Kaiser will find a use for you—alive or […]

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Who Invented Lasers and How Do They Actually Work?

Ah, the laser! Whether spaceship-mounted for blowing up planets, handheld for close-quarters battle, or table-mounted for bisecting troublesome secret agents, a laser is a surefire way to add a bit of sci-fi pizzazz to any story. Meanwhile, in the real world, lasers perform all manner of useful jobs, from cutting and welding metal to performing surgery, scanning barcodes, transmitting data […]

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$2 Billion Each- A Deep Dive Into the Incredible Engineering That Culminated in the B-2 “Stealth Bomber”

It can reach altitudes of more than 15,000 metres or 50,000 ft, and fly nearly 10,000 kilometres or around 6K miles – nearly a quarter of the earth’s circumference – without refuelling. It can penetrate even the most heavily defended airspace, deliver up to 18,000 kilograms of bombs with pinpoint accuracy, and slip out again – all while remaining all […]

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How Do British Schools Teach About the British Empire?

At its peak, the British Empire was the largest Empire in history, encompassing nearly one quarter of the Earth’s surface and more than one quarter of its population. Throughout its history, this massive geopolitical entity was perceived by its proponents as a beacon of civilization, an engine for trade and building local infrastructure and prosperity, a source of military and […]

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Creating the Smart Bomb

On September 8, 1943, the Second World War took a dramatic turn as Italian Marshal Pietro Badoglio, who had just replaced a deposed Benito Mussolini as Prime Minister, announced an armistice between Fascist Italy and the Allied Powers. The following day, a large Italian naval fleet, on its way to counter the Allied amphibious landings at Salerno, was ordered to […]

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What’s the Deal With Trench Coats?

Humphrey Bogart as world-weary bar owner Rick Blaine in Casablanca. Peter Sellers as the bumbling Inspector Clouseau in the Pink Panther films. Audrey Hepburn as socialite Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Keanu Reeves as kung-fu cyberpunk freedom fighter Neo in The Matrix. What do all these very different fictional characters have in common? You guessed it, they were all […]

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The Home of the Future

On the morning September 2, 1945, delegates from the victorious Allied powers and the defeated Empire of Japan gathered aboard the battleship USS Missouri, anchored in Tokyo Bay, to sign Japan’s official instrument of surrender. By 9:23, the ceremony was over; after 6 brutal years and over 75 million deaths, the Second World War was finally over. The world breathed […]

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