Perpetual Learning
It’s easy to take the smart controls in our factories for granted today. Flick a switch, and a complex assembly line hums to life, orchestrated by unseen digital brains. But these systems, the Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) we rely on, have a fascinating history. My years spent sifting through dusty archives revealed the ingenious steps … Read more
It’s not every day that I stumble upon research that feels like a direct link to the fundamental nature of reality. But a recent announcement from Chinese scientists about detecting rare quantum friction in folded graphene has certainly done that. As someone who has spent decades sifting through the history of technology, I often find … Read more
Planning your first trip to Europe is exciting! For many of us, especially those who have spent years buried in historical texts, the thought of navigating unfamiliar airports can feel a bit daunting. My own travels, often dictated by research needs in far-flung archives, have taught me a few crucial lessons about making those airport … Read more
So, you’re planning your first trip to Europe? That’s wonderful! My own journeys often revolve around tracing the footsteps of 18th-century figures, but the practical side of travel is something I’ve had to learn firsthand. It’s a fascinating blend of historical curiosity and, well, wrestling with a suitcase. My love for the 18th century – … Read more
As I travel across the country these days, often researching historical routes and byways, I find myself thinking a lot about gas prices. It’s a modern traveler’s constant companion, isn’t it? But this focus on cost-saving travel strategies, especially concerning fuel, actually connects with a much older human trait: resourcefulness. Think about it. Throughout history, … Read more
Today, we often think of the internet as a sudden, almost magical arrival. But like most profound technological shifts, its roots run deep, tangled in a history of wires, dots, and voices long before screens glowed with instant information. In my years spent poring over historical documents, I’ve seen firsthand how the desire to communicate … Read more
As a retired archivist, I’ve spent my life sifting through the records of human endeavor. And what I’ve learned is this: people have always been obsessed with collecting information. The fundamental drive to record, organize, and understand data hasn’t changed much, even if our tools have dramatically. Today, we swim in a sea of digital … Read more
Hello everyone, Eleanor here. As a retired archivist, I’ve spent my life sifting through the remnants of history, particularly the fascinating evolution of technology. Today, I want to talk about something ancient yet surprisingly relevant to our hyper-connected, automated world: the Antikythera mechanism. Discovered in a shipwreck off the coast of Greece in 1901, this … Read more
It’s easy to get caught up in the current wave of excitement surrounding Artificial Intelligence. We hear about its potential to transform every aspect of our lives. But as someone who’s spent decades sifting through the remnants of technological history, I find myself looking back to another era of impressive, sometimes overambitious, engineering: Ancient Rome. … Read more
It’s easy to think of automation as a modern invention, a product of silicon chips and complex algorithms. But the desire to have machines do our work, and do it tirelessly, is much older than you might imagine. Back in the 19th century, a time of booming industrialization, people were already dreaming of automated factories. … Read more