HUMAN EMPATHY
I was reminded during this Christmas season of two very special events that demonstrated human empathy at an unexpected level and in two completely different …
VON TRAPP
The last living von Trapp child still helps run the family resort in the mountains of New England – a little piece of Austria, inspired …
THE VOYNICH MANUSCRIPT
The Voynich Manuscript has long baffled scholars and attracted cranks and conspiracy theorists. Now a prominent medievalist is taking a new approach to unlocking its …
WEIRDLY
The one line (queue) Americans (weirdly) choose to wait in, is the grocery self-checkout line, which is now often longer than the staffed ones. A …
HALLOWEEN
It’s hard not to love Halloween, but the origins of Halloween are a little darker. Today, it’s a time for celebration, jack-o’-lanterns, and of course, …
WARP DRIVE
The idea of being able to travel through space using “Warp Drive” has fascinated many of us for a major part of our lives. As …
BRINGING BACK BUTTONS
Bringing back buttons is an idea that is gaining strength in, of all places, the automobile industry. No, it is not just a “retro” movement …
MULTIPLE TIMELINES
This somewhat tongue-in-check article on multiple timelines, written in 2023, caught my fancy this week, particularly as it was sent to me by one of …
THE UNION JACK
For centuries the ultimate emblem of Britishness, the Union Jack, has meant different things to different people, and now it is back in the news. …
ATHELSTAN
The Athelstan Pilgrim Way, a new 100-mile trail in Wiltshire, recalls the reign of England’s first king 1,100 years after his crowning. If you …