The Schmidt pain index was created by entomologist Justin Schmidt to rank the degree of pain caused by the bites and stings of various insects. And how did he develop this scale? By subjecting himself to each and every bite and sting. And if that wasn’t enough, he wrote up delightfully descriptive summaries of each […]
The painful development of the Schmidt Sting Pain Index Read More »
The Waterloo campaign of June 1815 was the last thrust of Napoleon Bonaparte, whose shadow loomed over European politics and war for almost two decades. The brilliant commander who triumphed again and again from Marengo to Austerlitz was a spent force, his best commanders dead or incapacitated. He was facing an enemy who had learned
The Battle of Waterloo: The End of the Napoleonic Era Read More »
The year 1989 was a revolutionary year for Europe. Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev was making radical changes in the United Socialist Soviet Republic (U.S.S.R.) The Soviet Union at that time included Russia and 14 other countries that were part of the Communist Bloc. His policies, Perestroika (reconstruction), and Glasnost (openness), were affecting Eastern Europe and
Why Did the Berlin Wall Fall? A Closer Look Read More »
People have always gone to great lengths to look attractive through the centuries. All different cultures and eras have seen their fair share of truly bizarre, not to mention dangerous, beauty trends. Some are weirder than others. For example, the Renaissance era saw women using leeches to achieve a pale, “ghostly” appearance. Women in 19th-century
Six of the Most Peculiar Beauty Trends Throughout History Read More »
Daniel Lambert might not be a name most people recognize today, but in late 18th century England he captured the hearts and imaginations of millions and became a national treasure. His fame comes from his remarkable weight and size, which, at 739 lbs, made him a literal giant amongst Georgian Era society. But he wasn’t
Life and Legacy of Daniel Lambert: One of the Heaviest Men in History Read More »
In the early 20th century, between the 1910s and the 1930s, a cultural revolution unfolded in Harlem. Originally designed for upper-class white residents, this neighborhood became an unexpected haven for black Americans. In Harlem, a period of artistic endeavors encompassing music, literature, and visual arts came to life This era, known as the Harlem Renaissance,
The Harlem Renaissance: Transforming the black identity in America Read More »
Nothing has ever, or will ever, shake the world like World War I. Technology, which had been touted as something that would change the world for the better, was being used to kill people by the thousands instead. Just 150 miles outside of Paris, 120,000 Frenchmen were killed in a deadly German offensive. This led
Dadaism: Origins of the literary and artistic movement Read More »
Saying that we have a tumultuous relationship with the media and journalism these days is an understatement. Every bit of news that comes out has its naysayers and those who insist that it just isn’t true. This distrust for journalism of all sorts isn’t new, though. In fact, it’s been around since the 1890s, and
Yellow Journalism: “Fake News” in the 19th century Read More »
On a crisp May morning, a little past 9 a.m., one of the most infamous crime duos that have ever existed was gunned down in a hail of bullets on a dusty Louisiana road. It was 1934, and Bonnie and Clyde had been terrorizing the American countryside, robbing banks and killing as they went, all
Bonnie and Clyde’s iconic death at the hand of law enforcement Read More »
It all started with shoes. The reason Robert E. Lee sent General Harry Heth to Gettysburg on July 1, 1863, was to forage for footwear, which was rumored to be there. This search was emblematic of the South’s predicament in the US Civil War. It could not hope to win militarily in an attritional war
Gettysburg: The Battle Lee Did not Need Read More »
