Science & Technology

The Myth of Symmetry and Balance

The idea that the ancients believed in Antipodean lands to balance the globe is a modern invention – and wrong.

CSI: China

The 19th and 20th centuries saw a revolution in Chinese forensic science, when traditional techniques were replaced by new methods from the West. Today, the world confronts another moment of transformation in forensic science.

The Reinvention of Seeing

Paul Julius Reuter born in Germany

The news pioneer was born on July 21st, 1816.

The Theory of Relativity

Einstein's General Theory of Relativity was published on May 11th, 1916.

The First Cyborg

A creature, part human, part machine, was born of a desire to end the tragedy and waste of the Great War.

Down to Earth: Comet over Nuremberg, 1680, by Johann Jakob von Sandrart

The first return of Halley’s Comet

Halley’s Comet will not be visible again until 2061. But how did scientists discover how to accurately predict its return?

Makeshift: the Sea Gem in position in the North Sea

Drilling and Disaster in the North Sea

Klaus Dodds looks back 50 years to a crucial – and ultimately tragic – moment in the UK’s exploitation of its oil and gas resources.

Gathering bulbs: garlic harvested in a Latin version of an Arabic book on health, late 14th century.

Garlic and Magnets: The Scientific Revolution

The Scientific Revolution put an end to beliefs that were once considered rational but now seem bizarre. If we want to understand why, we need to look at the increasing importance of the ‘fact’, says David Wootton.