How the Thames Tunnel Revealed London’s Class Divide
The Thames Tunnel, the world's first underwater tunnel, is still in use 175 years after its long-delayed opening, but you can't shop there anymore.
Under Victorian Microscopes, an Enchanted World
When it came time to describe what they saw under microscopes, Victorians couldn’t help but perceive a real-life fairyland.
British National Parks Plug Into the Internet of Things
Researchers in England think connecting British National Parks to the “Internet of Things” could help better protect the national treasures at lower costs with improved experience for nature-lovers.
Why Hoop Petticoats Were Scandalous
In the 18th century a new trend in women's underwear sparked public scandal: the hoop petticoat. How the world became obsessed with what was under women’s skirts.
Why the First Novel Created Such a Stir
Samuel Richardson's Pamela, the first novel in English, astounded and terrified readers. Authors have striven for the same effect since.
The Extremely Un-British Origins of Tea
Tea is bound up in the nation's history of colonial expansion. British tea drinkers preferred Chinese tea at first, and had to be convinced on patriotic grounds to drink tea from India.
The First Moral Panic: London, 1744
The late summer crime wave of 1744 London sparked an intense moral panic about crime that burnt itself out by the new year. But not before heads rolled.
How 17th Century Unmarried Women Helped Shape Capitalism
Under coverture, married English women had no rights to their property, even though unmarried women did, making for a unique system in Europe.
England’s Forgotten Favorite Drink
Thanks to botanical artists, 19th century paintings of perry pears are helping to bring England's forgotten bubbly back to our glasses.
The Marketable Misogyny of James Bond
The attitudes reflected in the James Bond franchise are wildly out of touch with social reality.