NB: They’re in reverse chronological order (ie. newest first).
Trains in the Sky
Ecuador was once a country almost entirely split in two—the coast and the sierra (no one used to worry much about the Amazon)—impassable for six months of the year. The only way to unite them, a train. It was truly the train that made a nation.
Pressing News
We’re often told how the new media is a threat to democracy, and people long for the good ol’ days of print. But what did people do before there was print? And how did it come about?
The Rise and Fall of Palmyra: Part Two—The Fall
Although the city of Palmyra has stood for a long time, the end of its time as a powerhouse was quite sudden. It went from controlling a third of the Roman Empire to a burnt ruin in a few years.
The Rise and Fall of Palmyra: Part One—The Rise
The destruction of Palmyra was a tragedy, but not the first. This post deals with why there was so much in Palmyra to destroy in the first place.
The First Federal Election
In many ways, the first Australian federal election set the tone for Australian democracy.
The US primary is a uniquely American institution, but what are its origins?
When Explorers were REAL explorers
This was a brief filler. A fantastic anecdote from the Antarctic explorers Douglas Mawson and Edgeworth David.
Making (Gravitational) Waves Pt 2
Turns out we’ve had a lot of ideas around how gravity works over the years. This is the second part of the history of theories of gravity, from Copernicus to Newton.
Making (Gravitational) Waves Pt 1
Turns out we’ve had a lot of ideas around how gravity works over the years. This is the first part of the history of theories of gravity, from Aristotle to Ptolemy.
Rise Above the Railway Tracks
A brief history of the first passenger railway: the London-Greenwich Railway.
The most annoying noise to make and break history
History isn’t always shaped by people and actions. In this case, the humble (and annoying) mosquito has left a permanent imprint on the history of the New World.
A Land Worth Dying For
History casts a long shadow. There is a strong case to be made for how the United States’ previous history of colonisation has lead to present day conflicts between ranchers and the government.
What has lamb got to do with Australia day?
Sheep are inseparably linked to the Australian identity. But they’re not native, so why are they so important?
The Olympic-sized problem of cheating in sport
Turns out cheating in sport is about as old as sport…
The ideology of North Korea: What drives the “Hermit Kingdom”?
We often treat North Korea as if it’s some sort of crazy uncle, but if you consider its history, its actions don’t seem so unreasonable (though some are still pretty crazy).
Atlas shrugged while Rome burned
With the pumps and engines, you might have thought fire brigades were a relatively modern invention. Turns out they weren’t, and they even dated back to Roman times.
Just what is Boxing Day?
Ever wondered what this day is actually about? And where does the name come from?
Environmentalism’s dark, troubled past
Turns out that environmentalism owes a great debt to colonialism. It’s a little awkward…
Why did we even need the Paris Climate Change Conference?
My first post. Turns out climate change is far from the first time humans have destroyed their environment. This post also tracks our modern instrumental view of nature as originating in cities and empires.