In the early nineteenth century, authorities in the Kingdom of Wurttemberg in Stuttgart, became concerned at the increase in fatal food poisoning cases following a decline in hygiene standards after the devastation caused by the Napoleonic War. Many health officials examined this issue and determined the cause to be the consumption Continue Reading
Ages
Why D-Day?
The invasion of France by the Allies on 6 June 1944 was known as D-Day. Why ‘D’ and not ‘F’ (for France) or ‘I’ (for invasion) or any other letter? The simple answer is that ‘D’ stands for Date. The US military regularly used this type of shorthand and H-Hour Continue Reading
Ancient Engine
The first recorded steam engine was designed by Heron of Alexandria in the first century AD and was known as an aeolipile. The Roman author Vitruvius describes one: “Æolipylæ are hollow brazen vessels, which have an opening or mouth of small size, by means of which they can be filled Continue Reading
Mutiny Magnet
After losing the HMS Bounty to the mutiny lead by his former friend Fletcher Christian, in 1789, William Bligh was later (1797) given command of HMS Director which he also lost to mutiny. When he was Governor of New South Wales, Australia (1806-1810), colonists forced Bligh to flee to Tasmania during the Continue Reading