Understanding the Northern Lights
When the aurora borealis appeared in the skies of 18th-century Europe, Enlightenment scientists first turned to history to understand it.
Science & Technology
Jacquard Patents His First Loom
On 23 December 1800 Joseph Marie Jacquard set out to revolutionise weaving – and took his first step towards greatness.
‘Chernobyl Children’ by Melanie Arndt review
Chernobyl Children: A Transnational History of Nuclear Disaster by Melanie Arndt discovers how Soviet civil society flourished – and then faltered – in the fallout.
How Has Space Exploration Changed History?
In November 2025 we reach 25 years of continuous human presence in space. Did reaching orbit alter the trajectory of the planet below?
The Worlds at the Earth’s Core
What sits beneath the planet’s crust? Scientists, writers, and conspiracy theorists have all had a guess, with Hollow-Earth Theory providing surprisingly resilient.
AD-X2: When US Politicians Took on Science
The dismissal of a government scientist over the unproven battery additive AD-X2 galvanised the American scientific community in the 1950s.
The Invention of Microbiology
On 9 October 1676 Antonie van Leeuwenhoek – the ‘Father of Microbiology’ – presented his findings to the Royal Society.
Written in the Stars: How Old is China?
Chinese astronomers and the European Jesuits who worked alongside them found evidence of China’s antiquity in the heavens. Others were sceptical: how old was China really?
Victorian Science’s Duck-Billed Enigma
By the 19th century, standard classification systems were struggling with new species. Then the platypus arrived.
Kikunae Ikeda’s MSG Revolution
On 25 July 1908 chemistry professor Kikunae Ikeda gave name to an elusive new taste: umami.