Some dates produce connections almost automatically.13 March is one of those. Three astronomical milestones line up neatly on the same day. 1781 — William Herschel discovers Uranus in Bath. 1855 — Birth of Percival Lowell. 1930 — Discovery of Pluto is announced from Lowell Observatory in Arizona. Astronomers deliberately chose 13 March for the announcement […]
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Two Davids under the same moon On 6 March 1475, the great Renaissance artist Michelangelo was born. More than any other sculptor, he defined the heroic language of the Renaissance. Among his works, one stands above all others: David, the towering marble figure that has come to symbolise the artistic confidence of Florence. Four and […]
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Reichstag On this date in 1933, the Reichstag in Berlin burned. Even stating that fact can feel like an invitation to Godwin’s Law — the tendency for conversations to drift toward the most extreme comparisons in modern history. The Reichstag fire is a flashpoint: literal flames, political heat, and a turning point that accelerated catastrophe. […]
Continue reading 27 February: Fire, Ice and Holding the Temperature