When Ferns Were All The Rage
Despite the jurassic-sounding name, pteridomania (from the Greek for fern, plant and mania) was responsible for the 19th century fern leaf collector's job.
Character-Building With Uncomfortable Chairs
Chairs were a subject of much debate as far back as the nineteenth century, pitting health and technology against propriety and aesthetics.
The Victorian Debate Over Rabies
Rabies began a contentious debate between Victorian pet owners and veterinary experts about how to regulate dog health. Rough.
Solar Eclipse Tourism: The Victorians Were the Pioneers
People have been planning for this month's total solar eclipse for years. They aren't the first to do so: the Victorians pioneered eclipse tourism.
How the Victorians Went Camping
If you’re going camping this summer, will you rough it on a wilderness hike, or relax in a ...
Victorian England Had a Problem With Cloth Piracy
Calico took the newly industrial world by storm. But battles over bolts of fabric shook Britain during the nineteenth century.
When Did We Start Shopping at Stores?
Online shopping drastically reduces the significance of physical stores. Where did the physical retail model come from to begin with?
Did Victorians Really Get Brain Fever?
The melodramatic descriptions of "fevers" in old novels reveal just how frightening the time before modern medicine must have been.
Babies on Display
In the mid- to late nineteenth century, people showed off their infants at baby shows.
How Scary is Too Scary?
Halloween poses questions for parents, like how scary is too scary for their kids? The answer depends on when we ask the question.