Antiseptic
On the 12th of August, 1865, Joseph Lister performed the first antiseptic surgery. Since I introduced a doctor as an important character in Called to Account, the fourth book of the Sir Anthony Standen Adventures, I have had to research the history of medicine. Joseph...
Hedy Lamarr
On the 11th of August, 1942, the actress Hedy Lamarr and the composer George Antheil were granted a patent for a frequency hopping, spread-spectrum communication system that later became the basis for modern technologies in wireless telephones, two-way radio...
Overcoming the Monster
I’m currently reading John Le Carré’s George Smiley series, in order. Writers are readers too, and although there’s little similarity between Elizabethan and Cold War tradecraft, at a human level the spies are essentially the same. There isn’t much more I can do with...
Treaty of Nonsuch
The Treaty of Nonsuch was signed on the 10th of August, 1583, by Queen Elizabeth I and the Dutch rebels fighting Spanish rule. Historical Context The treaty emerged amidst the backdrop of the Dutch Revolt, an uprising of the Seventeen Provinces against the Spanish...
Watergate
On the 9th of August, 1974, Richard Nixon resigned as President of the United States as a direct result of the Watergate scandal. Origins of the Scandal The roots of the Watergate scandal trace back to the Nixon administration's attempts to secure re-election in 1972....
Battle of Gravelines
On the 8th of August, 1588, the Battle of Gravelines ended Spain’s first attempt to invade England with their Armada. It was a pivotal naval engagement between the English fleet and the Spanish Armada during the Anglo-Spanish War. This battle, occurring off the coast...
Thor Heyerdahl
On the 6th of August, 1947, Thor Heyerdahl completed his 101 day voyage across the Pacific Ocean on his Balsa wood raft, Kon-Tiki. I remember learning about him at primary school in the 1960’s. I’ve written about adventurers, and scientists, but Heyerdahl must be...
Hiroshima
Hiroshima I have written about World War II several times. My father fought in North Africa, Italy, and Normandy. On the 6th of August, 1945, Enola Gay dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima. The atomic bomb, code-named "Little Boy," was developed as part of the...
Sir Francis Ronalds
I have posted about inventors like Gutenberg, Edison, and Colt. Today I am drawn to Sir Francis Ronalds because on the 5th of August, 1816, the British Admiralty rejected his invention of the electric telegraph, preferring to stick with semaphore. Sir Francis Ronalds...
Antiseptic
On the 12th of August, 1865, Joseph Lister performed the first antiseptic surgery. Since I introduced a doctor as an important character in Called to Account, the fourth book of the Sir Anthony Standen Adventures, I have had to research the history of medicine. Joseph...
Hedy Lamarr
On the 11th of August, 1942, the actress Hedy Lamarr and the composer George Antheil were granted a patent for a frequency hopping, spread-spectrum communication system that later became the basis for modern technologies in wireless telephones, two-way radio...
Overcoming the Monster
I’m currently reading John Le Carré’s George Smiley series, in order. Writers are readers too, and although there’s little similarity between Elizabethan and Cold War tradecraft, at a human level the spies are essentially the same. There isn’t much more I can do with...
Treaty of Nonsuch
The Treaty of Nonsuch was signed on the 10th of August, 1583, by Queen Elizabeth I and the Dutch rebels fighting Spanish rule. Historical Context The treaty emerged amidst the backdrop of the Dutch Revolt, an uprising of the Seventeen Provinces against the Spanish...
Watergate
On the 9th of August, 1974, Richard Nixon resigned as President of the United States as a direct result of the Watergate scandal. Origins of the Scandal The roots of the Watergate scandal trace back to the Nixon administration's attempts to secure re-election in 1972....
Battle of Gravelines
On the 8th of August, 1588, the Battle of Gravelines ended Spain’s first attempt to invade England with their Armada. It was a pivotal naval engagement between the English fleet and the Spanish Armada during the Anglo-Spanish War. This battle, occurring off the coast...
Thor Heyerdahl
On the 6th of August, 1947, Thor Heyerdahl completed his 101 day voyage across the Pacific Ocean on his Balsa wood raft, Kon-Tiki. I remember learning about him at primary school in the 1960’s. I’ve written about adventurers, and scientists, but Heyerdahl must be...
Hiroshima
Hiroshima I have written about World War II several times. My father fought in North Africa, Italy, and Normandy. On the 6th of August, 1945, Enola Gay dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima. The atomic bomb, code-named "Little Boy," was developed as part of the...
Sir Francis Ronalds
I have posted about inventors like Gutenberg, Edison, and Colt. Today I am drawn to Sir Francis Ronalds because on the 5th of August, 1816, the British Admiralty rejected his invention of the electric telegraph, preferring to stick with semaphore. Sir Francis Ronalds...