Science & Technology

Mysticism and Machines

E.R. Truitt revisits John Cohen’s 1963 article on the history of automata and the quest to recreate humanity.

Innovative Oldenburg

A German scholar living in 17th-century London revolutionised the way scientists shared news of their latest advances.

Francis Galton and Eugenics

Darwin’s cousin in the nineteenth century, writes C.H. Corning, was a daring explorer of the world and a pioneer in the scientific study of racial qualities.

Nadar: A Portrait

‘A sort of giant’, with immensely long arms and legs and a mop of bristling red hair, Felix Nadar employed his creative gifts in several different arts and sciences.

Tinplate: An Outline History

C. Northcote Parkinson traces the development of the tin mining and plating processes, from Chinese joss-sticks, to the modern tin can.

The Torpedo

Christopher Lloyd traces the development of naval missile technology alongside the often adverse reactions these “infernal machines” provoked.