Morbid or Marvelous? Zhang Heng’s Earthquake Jar That Shook Ancient China
Witness how an ancient Chinese jar with dragons and toads revolutionized earthquake detection, but its dark purpose haunts us still.
Evangelista Torricelli’s Battle Against Doubters: The Barometer He Swore Would Work
Unfolding in the 1640s, Torricelli’s battle to prove air pressure could lift mercury left skeptics baffled and changed science forever.
Bartolomeo Cristofori’s Piano: The Craze That Ended the Harpsichord’s Reign
Witness how an Italian craftsman’s quest for musical expression led to the piano’s birth and the harpsichord’s dramatic fall from grace.
Earth’s Two-Billion-Year-Old Nuclear Reactor: Fact, Not Fiction
Oklo’s ancient nuclear reactor in Gabon reveals nature’s surprising mastery of atomic fission long before humans discovered its power.
Rock, Paper, Scissors: The Murky Past of the World’s Go-To Game
Never-ending disputes gave rise to Rock, Paper, Scissors, but its journey from ancient Chinese warfare to playground politics holds surprising secrets.
Archimedes’ Screw: The 2,000-Year-Old Water Lifter
How did a simple spiral device from ancient Egypt become one of history’s most enduring and sustainable engineering marvels?
Yasuke: The Astonishing Story of Japan’s Black Samurai
In feudal Japan, an African slave’s remarkable rise to become history’s first Black samurai challenges everything we thought we knew.
The World’s Oldest Love Poem Is 4,000 Years Old
Learn how a Sumerian priestess’s passionate clay tablet poetry from 4,000 years ago sparked humanity’s enduring tradition of written love songs.
The Voynich Manuscript Is a 15th-Century Book That Remains Undeciphered
Packed with mysterious illustrations and an unbreakable code, the Voynich Manuscript continues to baffle experts after six centuries of attempts.
An Ancient Shipwreck Remains Nearly Intact After 2,400 Years
Nestled in the Black Sea’s depths, a perfectly preserved Greek merchant ship challenges everything we know about ancient shipwrecks.