Category: History
Why Aryan Migration Theorists Ignore Bhirrana?
Bhirrana, situated on the Sarasvati river, is a small (190×240 meters) human settlement but a very significant one dating back to 8000 BCE.
The Renaissance In Drawing
Two exhibitions reveal how, for the great Renaissance artists, drawing was both a tool for making paintings and a form of self-expression
Did People Ever Stop Believing In The Greek Gods?
To paraphrase the title of the 1983 book by French philosopher Paul Veynes, Did the Greeks Believe in Their Myths?
The Cold War’s Underground University
During the Cold War, Oxford philosophers worked together to aid dissidents behind the Iron Curtain. I was one of them.
When Emperors Become Endnotes
Everything fades so quickly, turns into legend and soon oblivion covers it. And those are the ones who shone. The rest—‘unknown…
A Brief History of the Passenger Pigeon
And the last of the species, Martha, named for Martha Washington, dies in a cage in 1914 at the Cincinnati Zoo.
Living Through Challenging Times
The wisdom of the ancients advises us to reduce our anxiety by reflecting only on what is in our control.
Brief History of the Most Famous Swear Word in the World
Two recent discoveries have changed our understanding of the word’s earliest history in English.
How the Occult Gave Birth to Science
For scientists of yore anything—from mermaids to alchemy—was on the table. When it came to fascination with the occult, Newton was hardly alone.
17 Facts You May Not Know About Iraq
Iraq is home to Mesopotamia, often called the “cradle of civilization,” where the first cities and writing systems emerged over 5,000 years ago.
How Thames Water Squandered Its Thatcher-Era Monopoly
Thames Water has gone billions of dollars in debt. How did they manage to bleed their cash cow dry?
Franz Kafka and the Girl Who Lost Her Doll
From Motivation Station: At 40, Franz Kafka (1883-1924), who never married and had no children,…