Did you know?
Albert Einstein's theory of relativity revolutionised the way we now understand physics. During his lifetime, Einstein published more than 300 scientific papers and was named Time Magazine's Man of the Century. His theory of relativity originally stemmed from an attempt to reconcile the laws of mechanics and the laws of the electromagnetic field. This theory then extended itself to include gravity, relativistic cosmology and various other classical problems in which they were merged with quantum theory.
Without Einstein, physicists such as Brian Cox and Carl Sagan wouldn't have been able to weave their cosmologist and astrophysicist magic. Below Brian Cox reveals how the second law of thermodynamics works to create the world we live in.
We could listen to him all day. Even more fascinating, glass comes from melted sand, which is the very ingredient needed to house scientific experiments!
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QWERTY and The Typewriter'Typewriter' is the longest word that can be made using only the letters on one row of the QWERTY keyboard. Indeed, the QWERTY system was developed in 1874 by Sholes and Glidden after some very extensive testing to provide the best possible layout for touch typing. While computer keyboards have now seemingly replaced typewriters, there's still nothing quite like the meditative tap of the lead letters touching the paper, or that melodic 'ding' as you reach the end of the line. Of course, their most wonderful quality is their ability to truly transport you back in time; just play a little Jack Kerouac and you too can hang with those beat poets, in their crazy pads.
Below is Jack Kerouac's original manuscript for On The Road, which was exhibited at the British Library.
EnamelwareEnamelling is one of the oldest art forms and crafts in the world - appearing all the way back in Ancient Egypt! Enamelling was used in Egypt, during the Ming Dynasty and by the Byzantines as a form or embellishment for icons and religious relics. Following this the craft of porcelain or vitreous enamelling was carried over into practical uses in the kitchen due to it's tough and durable nature. Enamelware is exceedingly durable, hard and tough. Nowadays you can encounter both vitreous enamelware like our jugs and pitchers and painted "enamelware" like our bread bins and kitchen canisters.
History of Dominoes
The First Woman In SpaceOn June 16 1963 Cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman in space on the Soviet spacecraft, Vostok 6. She manually controlled the spacecraft for many of it's orbits during the 71 hour mission. Girl Power!
Watch the quite dramatic video:
When Australia Changed to Decimal Currency
"In come the dollars and in come the cents
To replace the pounds and the shillings and the pence
Be prepared for change when the coins begin to mix
On the fourteenth of February 1966."
History of MarblesThe classic game of Marbles has been played for thousands of years - dating all the way back to Ancient Roman and Ancient Egyptian times!
It is thought that a German glass blower invented a device for making glass marbles in the 1840's - leading to their mass production.
Ever since then generations of children and grown ups alike have been playing this classic game, and each year the World Marble Championships are still held in the UK!
Our Ridley's Marbles Game is available here!