The Origin of Number Systems
Explore the fascinating history of how humans developed ways to count and represent numbers, from tally marks and ancient civilizations to the decimal system that powers the modern world.
Recent Articles
Latest articles from our blog - Page 43
The Origin of the Calendar
Explore the fascinating history of the calendar, from ancient astronomical observations to the modern calendar systems that organize our lives.
The Origin of the Internet
The first message ever sent over the internet was 'LO' — a crash cut short 'LOGIN.' From this accidental beginning in 1969, how did a military network born in the Cold War become the infrastructure that connects billions of people today?
The Invention of Movable Metal Type
Why did Goryeo's metal type, which predated Gutenberg by 78 years, fail to spark a revolution? This article traces the history of movable type from Bi Sheng's clay type in Song dynasty China to Gutenberg's press — and asks what it really takes for a technology to change the world.
The Invention of Plastic
Plastic was first invented to save elephants from extinction. From Celluloid in 1869 to Bakelite in 1907 and the synthetic revolution that followed, here is the story of how an unlikely material came to define — and haunt — modern civilization.