An Unnatural History of Technology in the Brain with Mike Jay
In his new book 'Wireheads', Mike Jay looks at the stories of those who sought to use technology to gain control of the brain.
20th Century
A collection of 94 Posts
Arthur Conan Doyle and the Strange Story of the Cottingley Fairies
Seb Butcher explains how the creator of Sherlock Homes came to believe in the story of the Cottingley Fairies
The 43 Group: The Forgotten Fight Against British Fascism
The 43 Group was a militant British anti-fascist organisation founded just as WW2 ended. Here the novelist Susie Gordon explains what they sought to achieve.
How Franco's Spain Reinvented Itself in 1959 – Reflections on the 'Spanish Miracle'
Franco's 36-year rule in Spain is a period that defies simple characterisation. Tommy Duxbury examines the 1959 political shift that led to the 'Spanish Miracle'.
On Ocean Beach Beside the Cliff House Hotel in San Francisco (1902)
The Cliff House Hotel in San Francisco overlooked Ocean Beach – a place that drew crowds in hot weather. This colourised photograph shows people taking a 'sun bath'.
Teddy Boys and Teenage Dreams: The 1950s Youth Club
Emma Warren explains how the British youth club became an exciting and revolutionary place in the years after the Second World War.
The Lady of the Land: The Pioneering Life of Eve Balfour
Robert Ashton outlines the experimental researches of the English aristocrat, farmer, educator and organic farming pioneer Lady Eve Balfour
Iran's Stolen Revolution with Bozorgmehr Sharafedin and Yeganeh Torbati
The story of post-revolutionary Iran has been one of missed opportunities and of a government betraying its people, explain the authors of a new history of the period
Frederick Banting and the Discovery of Insulin
Dr Saira Hameed tells the story of Frederick Banting's transformative research on insulin – work that would save the lives of tens of millions of diabetics
Hans Welser and John Rayner: Experts of Cold War British Propaganda
Rory Cormac tells us about Hans Welser and John Rayner two British propaganda agents who operated from WW2 through the Cold War
The Thrilling Finish to the 1908 Olympic Marathon
The marathon at the 1908 Olympic Games in London provided one of the most dramatic moments in the history of athletics
The Royal Air Force's Bombing Offensive Against Nazi Germany
Richard Strachan, author of the WW2 novel Night Fire, examines the history behind the RAF's aggressive bombing campaign against the Germans.