Wars
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Climate Change May Have Driven Genghis Khan’s Army Across Eurasia
A multidecadal blip in temperature and rainfall patterns may have spurred the rise of the Mongol Empire
December 07, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
This Is Every Bomb Dropped on London During the Blitz
See all 100 tones of explosives the Germans dropped on London in one map
December 07, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
Here’s How to Make a Scorpion Bomb
Want to keep your enemies at bay? How about throwing a jar of scorpions at them?
December 06, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
The Day Henry Clay Refused to Compromise
The Great Pacificator was adept at getting congressmen to reach agreements over slavery. But he was less accommodating when one of his own slaves sued him
December 06, 2012 |
By Gilbert King
Looking at the Battle of Gettysburg Through Robert E. Lee’s Eyes
Anne Kelly Knowles, the winner of Smithsonian American Ingenuity Awards, uses GIS technology to change our view of history
December 2012 |
By Tony Horwitz
The U.S. Is About To Drop $10 Billion Retrofitting Its Nukes
The military wants to upgrade its 1960s-era nuclear workhorse
November 29, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
Getting the Prosthetic Is Easy, Compared to Getting It To Do What You Want
Prosthetic technology is getting better, and many of these amputees are learning to live with new arms and legs. But while getting the prosthetic might be costly, it's learning how to use it that's the real struggle
November 27, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
World War II Code Writers Were So Good We Still Don’t Know What They Were Saying
Earlier this month, a pigeon with a secret code was found in a chimney in Surrey but no one has been able to crack the code
November 23, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
You Can’t Blow Somebody’s Brain Up With Sound
The sounds of nails on a chalkboard, the sound of someone vomiting, the sound of a baby screaming - all pretty unpleasant sounds. But not so unpleasant that you might, say, die
November 21, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
The History of Pardoning Turkeys Began With Tad Lincoln
The rambunctious boy had free rein of the White House, and used it to divert a holiday bird from the butcher's block
November 21, 2012 |
By Gilbert King
Here’s the Reality We’re Signing Up For By Letting Climate Change Happen
Say goodbye to winter, New Orleans, olive oil, rivers and world peace if climate change plays out as predicted
November 21, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Different Wars Have Different Sounds
Changing weapons and technologies bring new sounds to the battlefield
November 20, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
The Early History of Faking War on Film
Early filmmakers faced a dilemma: how to capture the drama of war without getting themselves killed in the process. Their solution: fake the footage
November 19, 2012 |
By Mike Dash
Israel and Gaza Are Now at War Both Online and in Reality
On the ground and online, the battle between Israel and Gaza are escalating quickly
November 16, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
Is Your Syndrome Named After a Nazi?
Many are probably unaware that their condition has a Nazi's name attached to it
November 16, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
Report: Climate Change Threatens National Security
A new reports suggests that the U.S. military is not prepared for a world morphed by climate change
November 12, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
‘Dronestagram’ Shares Photos of Drone-Strike Targets Online
By sharing satellite photos and brief descriptions, writer hopes to make drone strikes seem less remote
November 12, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
Geronimo’s Appeal to Theodore Roosevelt
Held captive far longer than his surrender agreement called for, the Apache warrior made his case directly to the president
November 09, 2012 |
By Gilbert King
Mine-Hunting Humans And Dolphins To Be Replaced by Robots
Just like human jobs, mine-sniffing dolphins are being replaced by robots
November 08, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
Uncovering the Truth Behind the Myth of Pancho Villa, Movie Star
In 1914, the Mexican rebel signed a contract with an American newsreel company that required him to fight for the cameras. Too good to be true? Not entirely
November 06, 2012 |
By Mike Dash
