Colossal Cave Adventure (1976)
(github.com/wh0am1-dev)
Original source code, written in Fortran, from the very first text adventure game in the videogames history (1976).
Original source code, written in Fortran, from the very first text adventure game in the videogames history (1976).
Breitspurbahn
(wikipedia.org)
The Breitspurbahn (German pronunciation: [ˈbʁaɪtʃpuːɐ̯baːn], transl. broad-gauge railway) was a railway system planned and partly surveyed by Nazi Germany.
The Breitspurbahn (German pronunciation: [ˈbʁaɪtʃpuːɐ̯baːn], transl. broad-gauge railway) was a railway system planned and partly surveyed by Nazi Germany.
Century-old genetics mystery of Mendel's peas solved
(nature.com)
Researchers pinpoint the genes responsible for the final three pea traits studied by the famed citizen scientist.
Researchers pinpoint the genes responsible for the final three pea traits studied by the famed citizen scientist.
Mary MacLane, the Wild Woman from Butte
(publicdomainreview.org)
A century before publishers started marketing novels as “essential sad girl literature” and newspapers ran headlines about the “cult of the literary sad woman”, Mary MacLane confessed all, at the age of nineteen, and became the enfant terrible of American letters, seemingly overnight.
A century before publishers started marketing novels as “essential sad girl literature” and newspapers ran headlines about the “cult of the literary sad woman”, Mary MacLane confessed all, at the age of nineteen, and became the enfant terrible of American letters, seemingly overnight.
Curbing the Power of the Popes
(historytoday.com)
The survival of the papacy has always been dependent on a precarious balancing act between the pope’s religious and secular powers.
The survival of the papacy has always been dependent on a precarious balancing act between the pope’s religious and secular powers.
Hitler's Terrible Tariffs
(theatlantic.com)
From almost the moment Adolf Hitler took office as chancellor of Germany, tariffs were at the top of his government’s economic agenda.
From almost the moment Adolf Hitler took office as chancellor of Germany, tariffs were at the top of his government’s economic agenda.
You Can Be a Great Designer and Be Completely Unknown
(chrbutler.com)
I often find myself contemplating the greatest creators in history — those rare artists, designers, and thinkers whose work transformed how we see the world. What constellation of circumstances made them who they were? Where did their ideas originate? Who mentored them? Would history remember them had they lived in a different time or place?
I often find myself contemplating the greatest creators in history — those rare artists, designers, and thinkers whose work transformed how we see the world. What constellation of circumstances made them who they were? Where did their ideas originate? Who mentored them? Would history remember them had they lived in a different time or place?
Apple Computers Used to Be Built in the U.S. It Was a Mess (2018)
(nytimes.com)
Steve Jobs tried to create a manufacturing culture in Silicon Valley. As one former Apple engineer put it, "It wasn't great for business."
Steve Jobs tried to create a manufacturing culture in Silicon Valley. As one former Apple engineer put it, "It wasn't great for business."
Egyptologist in Paris Discovers Secret Messages on the Luxor Obelisk
(gizmodo.com)
In 1830, the viceroy of Egypt gifted France a 3,300-year-old Egyptian obelisk—a carved stone pillar with a pyramidal top.
In 1830, the viceroy of Egypt gifted France a 3,300-year-old Egyptian obelisk—a carved stone pillar with a pyramidal top.
Interview with Owen Le Blanc, creator of the first Linux distribution
(lwn.net)
Ask a Linux enthusiast who created the Linux kernel, and odds are they will have no trouble naming Linus Torvalds—but many would be stumped if asked what the first Linux distribution was, and who created it.
Ask a Linux enthusiast who created the Linux kernel, and odds are they will have no trouble naming Linus Torvalds—but many would be stumped if asked what the first Linux distribution was, and who created it.
Metrication in the United States
(wikipedia.org)
Metrication is the process of introducing the International System of Units, also known as SI units or the metric system, to replace a jurisdiction's traditional measuring units.
Metrication is the process of introducing the International System of Units, also known as SI units or the metric system, to replace a jurisdiction's traditional measuring units.
"Fragile, impermanent things": Joseph Tainter on what makes civilizations fall
(thebulletin.org)
In the introduction to his seminal 1988 book, The Collapse of Complex Societies, anthropologist and historian Joseph Tainter explained that lost civilizations have a vise-like hold on the human imagination because of the implications their histories hold for our own, modern civilization.
In the introduction to his seminal 1988 book, The Collapse of Complex Societies, anthropologist and historian Joseph Tainter explained that lost civilizations have a vise-like hold on the human imagination because of the implications their histories hold for our own, modern civilization.
North American Aviation's 1965 Plan for Piloted Planetary Flybys in the 1970s
(blogspot.com)
A flyby is the simplest planetary exploration mission.
A flyby is the simplest planetary exploration mission.
The ongoing story of seconds on the taskbar
(microsoft.com)
Over a decade ago, I noted that early beta versions of the taskbar clock showed seconds, and sometimes even blinked the colon like some clocks do, but it was removed because the blinking colon and updating time were ruining Windows 95’s benchmark numbers due to the need to keep all of the code paths related to text rendering in memory, as well as the stack of the thread in the Explorer process that updates the clock.
Over a decade ago, I noted that early beta versions of the taskbar clock showed seconds, and sometimes even blinked the colon like some clocks do, but it was removed because the blinking colon and updating time were ruining Windows 95’s benchmark numbers due to the need to keep all of the code paths related to text rendering in memory, as well as the stack of the thread in the Explorer process that updates the clock.
The CIA's 'Heart Attack Gun': A Cold War Weapon for Targeted Assassinations
(military.com)
Of all the Central Intelligence Agency secrets revealed to the world by the so-called Church Committee of the 1970s, perhaps none captured the American public's imagination as vividly as the agency's "heart attack gun."
Of all the Central Intelligence Agency secrets revealed to the world by the so-called Church Committee of the 1970s, perhaps none captured the American public's imagination as vividly as the agency's "heart attack gun."
A Roman Gladiator and a Lion Met in Combat. Only One Walked Away
(nytimes.com)
A discovery in an English garden led to the first direct evidence that man fought beast to entertain the subjects of the Roman Empire.
A discovery in an English garden led to the first direct evidence that man fought beast to entertain the subjects of the Roman Empire.
You are the heir to something greater than Empire
(noahpinion.blog)
“The blood of Numenor is all but spent, its pride and dignity forgotten” — Elrond
“The blood of Numenor is all but spent, its pride and dignity forgotten” — Elrond
The Race That Turned to Ruin
(longreads.com)
“Fifteen teams lifted off from Switzerland in gas ballooning’s most audacious race. Three days later, two of them drifted into Belarusian airspace—but only one would survive.”
“Fifteen teams lifted off from Switzerland in gas ballooning’s most audacious race. Three days later, two of them drifted into Belarusian airspace—but only one would survive.”
The Danglepoise
(sallery.co.uk)
In the dying years of the 20th century, the “rise and fall” light fitting became briefly popular.
In the dying years of the 20th century, the “rise and fall” light fitting became briefly popular.
Saint George
(wikipedia.org)
Saint George (Ancient Greek: Γεώργιος, romanized: Geṓrgios;[note 1] died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was an early Christian martyr who is venerated as a saint in Christianity.
Saint George (Ancient Greek: Γεώργιος, romanized: Geṓrgios;[note 1] died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was an early Christian martyr who is venerated as a saint in Christianity.
What happens after the Pope dies?
(vaticannews.va)
The death of a Pope sets a chain of events in motion—traditions that mark the moments from the Pope’s passing and his funeral to the start of the conclave and the election of his successor.
The death of a Pope sets a chain of events in motion—traditions that mark the moments from the Pope’s passing and his funeral to the start of the conclave and the election of his successor.
Beer on Board in the Age of Sail (2017)
(library.si.edu)
Brewing and seafaring are mainstays of ancient human endeavors. Beer was first fermented by at least the 5th millennium BC in Mesopotamia.
Brewing and seafaring are mainstays of ancient human endeavors. Beer was first fermented by at least the 5th millennium BC in Mesopotamia.
The Ghosts of Gaelic
(historytoday.com)
April 2025 is the 20th anniversary of the Gaelic Language Act (Scotland) of 2005, passed unanimously by the Scottish Parliament with the aim of ‘securing the status of the Gaelic language as an official language of Scotland commanding equal respect to the English language’. It has provided the main policy framework for Gaelic since then.
April 2025 is the 20th anniversary of the Gaelic Language Act (Scotland) of 2005, passed unanimously by the Scottish Parliament with the aim of ‘securing the status of the Gaelic language as an official language of Scotland commanding equal respect to the English language’. It has provided the main policy framework for Gaelic since then.
When the World Connected on Skype
(restofworld.org)
Skype, the online video-calling service, is shutting down in May after more than two decades of service. For those of a certain generation, Skype changed everything.
Skype, the online video-calling service, is shutting down in May after more than two decades of service. For those of a certain generation, Skype changed everything.
The Rise and Fall and Rise Again of Lionel Trains (1997)
(spikesys.com)
In the year 1901, Joshua Lionel Cowen (origially Cohen), a resident of New York City, sent a flatcar, with an electric motor and battery cleverly concealed underneath, around a small circle of brass track. From that seemingly unimportant event emerged a corporation and a legend.
In the year 1901, Joshua Lionel Cowen (origially Cohen), a resident of New York City, sent a flatcar, with an electric motor and battery cleverly concealed underneath, around a small circle of brass track. From that seemingly unimportant event emerged a corporation and a legend.
Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman tape transcript that led to the HMO act of 1973
(wikisource.org)
This is a transcript of the 1971 conversation between President Richard Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman that led to the HMO act of 1973:
This is a transcript of the 1971 conversation between President Richard Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman that led to the HMO act of 1973: