History

Wild and Brilliant Inventions That Capture the Bold Creativity of People in the 1800s

The nineteenth century was a period filled with steam engines, expanding railways, and great factories that changed the rhythm of daily life. It was also an age when countless individuals worked quietly in barns and sheds, sketching wild blueprints and…

From Cage Skirts to Power Suits, Women’s Fashion Always Knew How to Hold Its Shape

In 18th-century Europe, fashion became a spectacle. Skirts widened so much that women had to turn sideways just to pass through a door. These exaggerated shapes came from panniers, hidden structures sewn beneath the dress to push the fabric out…

This Shell Grotto Was Found in 1835, and We Still Don’t Know Who Built It or Why

In 1835, a man in the English seaside town of Margate was digging a duck pond in his backyard. His name was James Newlove. While working with his son, he struck something hard beneath the chalky ground. It was not…