History Today

In 1706 a little-known mathematics teacher named William Jones first used a symbol to represent the platonic concept of pi, an ideal that in numerical terms can be approached, but never reached.

In 1969 men set foot on the Moon for the first time. The Apollo space programme that put them there was the product of an age of optimism and daring very different from our own, argues André Balogh.

Richard Cavendish recounts the birth of a great warship, on July 23rd, 1759.

Henry II was fatally injured by the Count of Montgomery during a jousting tournament. He died on July 10th, 1559.

The building of Istanbul’s new underground railway has uncovered thousands of years of history, including the first complete Byzantine naval craft ever found. Pinar Sevinclidir investigates.

Richard Cavendish remembers the capture and slaying of the definitive American gangster on July 22nd 1934.

As Algeria prepares this month to host the second Pan-African Cultural Festival, with 48 countries participating, Martin Evans describes the original festival held 40 years ago in Algiers and the spirit of creativity and anti-colonialism that defined it.

The iconic Mini-Minor, which celebrates its half centenary next month, was a British industry triumph before inefficiency stalled its success, writes Andrew Roberts.

This year marks the 300th anniversary of the birth of the Industrial Revolution in what is now a quiet Shropshire town as well as the 200th anniversary of the death of one of Britain’s greatest industrialists, Matthew Boulton. Ross Reyburn reports.