Hidden away south of the Lincoln Memorial and just steps from the Potomac lies a monument that seems out-of-place on the National Mall. The inventor of the screw propellor may seem like a dull and undeserved choice for memorialization here. However, John Ericsson's achievements were arguably as pivotal to victory in the American Civil War as President Lincoln's leadership.

An engineering prodigy…

The Battle of Otterburn took place between the English and the Scots in 1388 , at a time when Scotland and England were regularly involved in conflict. It took place between the forces of the Earl of Douglas and Earl of Murray (Scots) and the forces of the Earl of Westmorland and Earl of Northumberland (English) including Northumberland's two sons, Harry Hotspur and Sir Ralph Percy, who were…

Bluetooth was developed by a group of engineers who worked for Ericsson in Lund, Skåne, during the 1990s. The technology was officially launched in 1999 and has since become a standard for wireless communication. The name "Bluetooth" comes from the Danish king Harald Bluetooth, who was known for uniting Denmark and Norway during the 10th century. Just as the king united different tribes,…

South Africa has a rich history and culture. Some of the history stems from the apartheid era, which is preserved for generations to come in monumental sites and museums. Here are some monuments and sites in Pretoria, the administrative capital of South Africa. Union Buildings As the official seat of the South African government, these [...]

The post Visit these monuments and sites in Pretoria…

Beringen (known as Biereng in Luxembourgish) is a small village in the municipality of Mersch. It is located 30 minutes' drive north of Luxembourg City. In the heart of the village stands a curious monument consisting of intertwined 'B' surrounded by flags. A plaque at the foot of the monument indicates that it is the 5x Beringen Monument, which was inaugurated on 9 July 1989. It symbolises the…

South Africa is a place that has been settled, colonized, and conquered many times over the last 350 years, with waves of people settling and resettling over that time. While equality is still far away, large steps towards it have been made, and here the main figures that made this possible are shown.

The long march to freedom is an ongoing project that started in 2012 as a nationwide…

In the November 1903 issue of _The Strand_ , a physician named David Watsu laid out a 150-foot pyramid for Hyde Park, faced in granite or terra-cotta, with catacombs for royalty, an observatory at the apex, and an octagonal central chamber built around a reproduction Druidical arch. — Read the rest

The post Someone already pitched Bezos' 10,000-year clock — in 1903 appeared first on Boing Boing.

Here is a loose rule that you can use to determine whether or not Tadej Pogacar is going to win a bike race: if you can see the flank of an asscheek protruding through his tattered skinsuit, nobody is beating him.

One year after winning Strade Bianche with his butt flapping in the wind following a heavy crash on a descent, Pogacar again fell hard just before the business end of Milan-San Remo on…

This resin and metal sculpture was created by sculptor Sandrine Plante-Rougeol for Memory Week 2019. This sculpture, acquired by the City of Bordeaux and inaugurated on December 2, 2019, is a tribute to the enslaved people, in remembrance of their suffering. So that we never forget these crimes against humanity—the slave trade and slavery itself—and so that they may never happen…

Watching the Olympic Games, it may often feel like they are as much about pomp and ceremony as they are about sports. The International Olymic Committee (IOC) has a long list of protocols that need to take place during opening and closing ceremonies, the playing of the Olympic and National Anthems and lighting of the flame, for example; and medal ceremonies have similar requirements. Looking at…

There is already an excellent report on the Madonna of the Trail site in Bethesda, Maryland, posted on Atlas Obscura. This new entry reports on the Madonna in Richmond, Indiana, which is the second Atlas Obscura site submitted, the fifth of the twelve geographically from east to west, and the ninth of the twelve by dedication date.

The Madonna of the Trail is a series of twelve identical statues…

South Africa has had to deal with colonization and subjugation under several European forces for many hundreds of years. Understandably, this has left its mark on the countries history, the aftermath of which is still being dealt with today. Perhaps one of the most controversial figures in the more recent history of the country is Cecil Rhodes, an old prime minister of the country and the founder…

History has well documented the Lewis & Clark Corps of Discovery departing from Camp River Dubois on May 14, 1804. This marked the Corps’ westward journey toward the Pacific Ocean. However, the beginnings of the Lewis & Clark expedition occurred seven months earlier, on October 14, 1803, in tiny Clarksville, Indiana, at the Falls of the Ohio. It was here that Meriwether Lewis arrived from…

Buddhist monks from Texas entered Washington, D.C., on Monday reaching the goal of their 2,300-mile Walk for Peace. A flock of 19 monks, led by Bhikkhu Pannakara, have enchanted the […]