All the World’s a Penal Colony
When the European powers began exporting convicts to other continents, they did so to create a deterrent and to establish new settlements across the world.
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Hippos of the Thames
The discovery in Victorian London of the remains of ancient animals – and a fascination with their modern descendants – helped to transform people’s ideas of the deep past, as Chris Manias reveals.
Plague and Prejudice
Epidemics spread mistrust, as communities seek to blame their plight on outsiders or those at the margins of society. Yet the historical record reveals that outbreaks are more likely to bring people together than force them apart.
Calculating the Return of Halley’s Comet
Halley’s Comet will not be visible again until 2061. But how did scientists discover how to accurately predict its return?
A Medieval Valentine’s Message
A letter from the teenager Margery Brews to her suitor John Paston contains the oldest surviving Valentine greeting in English. It is an extraordinary window on love and marriage in the late Middle Ages.
The French Revolution: A Complete History
A nuanced history of the French Revolution, which shows that its facts are anything but fixed.
Drilling and Disaster in the North Sea
Klaus Dodds looks back 50 years to a crucial – and ultimately tragic – moment in the UK’s exploitation of its oil and gas resources.
The Rise of the Teutonic Knights
The success of the medieval Teutonic Knights owed much to the charismatic leadership of Hermann von Salza, one of the most dynamic individuals of the 13th century.
Shameful Secrets: The Sexual Health of Early Modern Men
Men’s awkwardness when talking about their bodies, especially sexual health, has changed little since the 17th century.
Sikkim and the Himalayan Chess Game
When India and Pakistan gained independence from Britain in 1947, the region’s Princely States – including tiny Sikkim – became pawns in South Asia’s great power politics.