History around the Web: April 13th

History in the headlines and the best articles, essays, reviews and photo galleries we've seen around the internet this week. Let us know about anything interesting you've read in the comments.

• Infographic: Titanic, by the numbers. (Visual.ly)
• Bettany Hughes on the wisdom of women written out of history. (Guardian)
• The little-known trade in luxury goods that fluorished in wartime Britain. (National Archives)
• Ancient Egypt's Biblical plagues may have actually happened, say scientists. (Telegraph)
• A 'beer archaeologist' rediscoveres ancient tipples from around the globe. (Smithsonian)
• Can conquests centuries ago explain the dearth of democracy in the modern Arab world? (Economist)
• The riddle of Mark Twain's passion for Joan of Arc. (The Awl)
• How a Kentucky grifter pulled off the great diamond hoax of 1872.

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