Space Exploration begins with the Romans, who before telescopes, knew of seven bright objects in the sky, which they named after their most important gods (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn). They also called the sun and the moon, Apollo and Diana respectively. The other planets in our solar system were not discovered until much Continue Reading
Germs of Discovery: Penicillin
The fear of antibiotic resistance is at the forefront of world headlines in 2015. But, to understand this fear, we need to delve into the history of antibiotics. The discovery of penicillin is arguably one of the most significant scientific discoveries in history. Penicillin turned out to be a powerful antibiotic that has saved, and Continue Reading
What Lies Beneath
Although most of the advances in underwater exploration have taken part in the last 400 to 500 years, it is important to note that the Vikings showed considerable interest in uncovering what lies beneath the sea. In the 700s they used sounding weights to obtain and collate samples of the sea bed as well as Continue Reading
The Rediscovery of Petra
Over 2000 years ago,the city of Petra was founded as the capital of the Nabataean kingdom. Today, Al Khazneh (Petra’s Treasury) is recognisable all over the world. The ancient city of Petra has become Hollywood’s go-to location for Middle Eastern epics; the imposing sandstone façade famously served as the entrance to the resting place of Continue Reading
The Panama Canal
One of the largest and greatest engineering projects ever undertaken; the building of the Panama Canal is marred with controversy, death and diplomatic wrangling to secure the crucial economic artery which would make navigating the tricky waters of the Straits of Magellan a thing of the past. The idea of a Continue Reading