By Tim Lambert Black In the 13th century, Dominican friars arrived in England. They were called Blackfriars because they wore black cloaks. The Black Death of 1348-49 killed about one-third of the population of England. In the West, black is the colour of mourning. However, in many Asian cultures, white is the colour of mourning. Writer Anna… Continue reading A History of Colours
Category: Articles
A History of Anaesthesia
By Tim Lambert Early Anaesthesia The word anaesthesia is derived from Greek words meaning without feeling or sensation. The word was used in England by the early 18th century. However, it wasn’t used to mean lack of pain during an operation until 1846. Before the advent of modern anaesthesia, there were ways of dulling pain.… Continue reading A History of Anaesthesia
A History of Light
By Tim Lambert Human beings have always needed artificial light. Today, we take it for granted. You press a switch, and it appears. However, for our ancestors, providing light after dark was far more difficult. At first, a fire provided the only light at night. Oil Lamps However, Prehistoric people used stones with natural depressions… Continue reading A History of Light
Pictures of Banff, Alberta
By Tim Lambert These are some pictures I took on a trip to the town of Banff, Alberta and the Canadian Rockies. Banff is a beautiful town and the Rockies are breathtaking. Banff, Alberta Another view of Banff Looking down on Banff The view from a hotel room in Banff The Canadian Rockies seen from… Continue reading Pictures of Banff, Alberta
A Brief History of Benin
By Tim Lambert Early Benin The African country of Benin is named after the Empire of Benin, which once existed in what is now Nigeria. Before the 19th century, what is now Benin was divided into different states. The Portuguese began trading with the region in the 16th century. In the 17th century, the British,… Continue reading A Brief History of Benin
A Brief History of Mauritania
By Tim Lambert Early Mauritania In the 3rd century, Berbers arrived in what is now Mauritania. In the 7th century, the Arabs arrived. In the 15th century, the Portuguese arrived in Mauritania. They were followed by other Europeans who traded with the local people for gum arabic and slaves. In 1817, the French took control… Continue reading A Brief History of Mauritania
A History of Comets
By Tim Lambert Comets are balls of ice and organic material ‘leftover’ from when the Solar System formed. They originate on the outer limits of the Solar System, past the orbit of Neptune. However, most comets have highly elliptical orbits, so for part of their orbits, they approach the Sun more closely. As they approach… Continue reading A History of Comets
A History of Radio
By Tim Lambert The Invention of Radio The radio was a great invention. It allowed people to communicate over long distances, including ship crews. It also allowed entertainment. It is debatable who invented radio. As with many inventions, there were several men working on the same idea around the same time. However, on 2 June… Continue reading A History of Radio
A History of Plastic
By Tim Lambert The Invention of Plastic Plastic is an artificial material that can be easily moulded. Its name is derived from the Greek word plastikos, meaning easily moulded or shaped. Plastics were first made in the 19th century. The first plastic was called Parkesine. It was invented by Alexander Parkes in 1862. He made… Continue reading A History of Plastic
A History of the Asteroids
By Tim Lambert The Discovery of the Asteroids The asteroids are small heavenly bodies, almost all of which orbit between Mars and Jupiter. The first asteroid to be discovered was Ceres. It was discovered by Giuseppe Piazzi in 1801. He named it after the Greek goddess of Agriculture. In 1802 Wilhelm Olbers discovered a second… Continue reading A History of the Asteroids