Tag: history
The Sun Never Sets on the French Republic
Picture a typical French scene in your mind's eye. Perhaps you envision the iconic Eiffel Tower piercing the Parisian skyline. You may also imagine strolling through the lavender fields of Provence. While these images are quintessentially French, they only scratch the surface of what truly constitutes the French Republic.
The Woman Who Wrote the First Code
Ada Lovelace is often referred to as the world's first computer programmer, yet her contributions to science and technology have been overshadowed by her gender and her famous father, the poet Lord Byron.
Castle Bravo and The Bomb Spike Phenomenon
On March 1st, 1954, American scientist John Clark huddled inside a bunker on a remote Pacific island, waiting anxiously as he prepared to detonate the most powerful hydrogen bomb ever tested.
Death penalty for drinking coffee
Coffee, is an aromatic, eye-opening beverage that millions of people worldwide can't seem to start their day without. But, imagine being ruled by a leader who believed that coffee was a threat to public morality, to the extent that he threatened to behead anyone caught drinking it publicly.
The first female on a UK banknote
Florence Nightingale is a fascinating personality that was born into a wealthy Victorian family. However, throughout her life she chose a tough life of service. She was known for her work during the Crimean War. During the war she tended to wounded soldiers and helped revolutionize nursing practices.
WWI’s Remarkable Christmas Truce
Christmas Eve 1914 descended towards midnight under bone-chilling skies over Belgium's deadlocked Western Front. For British machine gunner Bruce Bairnsfather hunkering in muddy trenches with the Royal Warwickshires, thoughts drifted homeward across the growling guns.