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Email Before the Internet: 1986's Telecom Gold Moment
23 hours ago•Source: Hackaday
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3.42 min•5 days ago
A 700-Year-Old Wax Notebook Emerges From a Paderborn Latrine, Still Legible
Archaeologists in Paderborn unearthed an exceptionally well-preserved 700–800-year-old leather notebook from a latrine. The tiny book uses wax-coated pages that could be etched and erased, making it a reusable record-keeping tool likely owned by a privileged 13th–14th-century individual, perhaps a merchant. The find came with silk scraps thought to be toilet paper, and researchers plan noninvasive scans to read its Latin contents, which promise insights into medieval life and writing practices.
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Darwin’s Squirrel and the Enduring Case for Drawing in Science
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Heiress turned IRA operative: the art-heist heiress who shook 1970s Britain
Rose Dugdale, born into privilege in 1941, rejected her aristocratic upbringing to join the IRA; in 1974 she helped lead one of the era’s largest art heists at the Beit family’s Russborough estate, ripping valuable paintings— including a Vermeer— from their frames before fleeing; she later became involved in IRA arms activities, was jailed, and died in March 2024 at age 83.
Dark Corners of U.S. History They Didn’t Teach in School
A BuzzFeed-style list pulls back the curtain on under-taught, dark chapters of American history—from J. Marion Sims’s brutal experiments on enslaved Black women and the evolving categories of whiteness, to the Bracero program and mass deportations, Reconstruction-era Black officeholders, convict leasing, Native boarding schools, the Tulsa massacre, Guatemala’s syphilis experiments, Jamestown cannibalism, and Chinese labor on the transcontinental railroad—showing how power, race, and exploitation have shaped the U.S. in ways history textbooks often omit.
Time-Defying: A Visual Tour of 100 Historical Photos
BuzzFeed’s list showcases 100 astonishing historical photographs with brief captions, from Mary Todd Lincoln’s dress and Napoleon’s death mask to the Terracotta Army and Leonardo da Vinci’s notebook, offering a sweeping visual timeline that reveals surprising details about people, eras, and artifacts across centuries.
51 Myths That Turned Out to Be True: A History of Legends Verified
A curated list of 51 myths and legends once dismissed as hoaxes that later gained proof or evidence—ranging from Norse Vinland and the Lake Nyos disaster to the Terracotta Army, Komodo dragons, rogue waves, germ theory, black holes, and NSA surveillance—illustrating how curiosity and scientific investigation can turn legend into fact.
When a Victorian Lord Embraced Islam and Joined the Lords
Victorian aristocrat Lord Henry Stanley converted to Islam in 1859 and became Britain’s first Muslim member of the House of Lords in 1869; his private letters hint at spiritual doubt and disillusionment with imperial aims, he married under Islamic law in Algeria, funded Islamic-inspired church windows in Anglesey, and died in 1903 during Ramadan, with historians now reassessing his legacy.
29 Astonishing History Facts That Sound Fake — But They’re True
A thoroughly fact-checked BuzzFeed list presents 29 astonishing history facts — from the Boston molasses flood to Malta’s George Cross, assassination attempts, quirky wartime exchanges, and more — each with context and sources, proving truth can be stranger than fiction.
The Bible in Lincoln Cathedral and a stake in Tudor England
Anne Askew, a 16th‑century Lincolnshire heiress, read the Bible in Lincoln Cathedral and challenged Catholic doctrine during Henry VIII’s reign. Arrested for heresy, she was tortured in the Tower of London and burned at Smithfield in 1546, becoming a notable early Protestant martyr who stood by her beliefs.
Freedom Plane Tour Brings Founding-Era Documents to Eight Cities for America’s 250th
The National Archives, with the National Archives Foundation and partners including Boeing, will launch the Freedom Plane National Tour in 2026, transporting eight original founding-era documents by a Boeing 737 to major museums in Kansas City, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Houston, Denver, Miami, Dearborn, and Seattle from March to August. The display features items such as the 1823 engraving of the Declaration of Independence, the 1774 Articles of Association, oaths of allegiance from 1778, the 1783 Treaty of Paris, a draft Constitution, and the 1787 tally of votes, with free admission and tickets via each museum.
Apollo 16 Astronaut Left Personal Items on the Moon for a Surprising Purpose
Apollo 16 astronaut Charles Duke left a family photograph and personal items on the Moon in 1972, including a heartfelt message, as a tribute to his loved ones and his career, creating a lasting personal legacy on the lunar surface.
Magellan: Exploring the Legacy of a 16th-Century Explorer
The article examines the controversial legacy of 16th-century explorer Magellan, highlighting both his role in global exploration and the brutal treatment of indigenous peoples during his voyages, while also acknowledging his contributions to introducing Christianity to the Philippines.