Hernan Cortés, a rogue conquistador out to prove his mettle with no authorization from the Spanish crown or any of the governors in their Caribbean holdings, landed with his crew at what is now Veracruz, Mexico in 1519. Greeted at the coast by scouts and emissaries sent by Montezuma II, the Aztec emperor at the …
The name Jacques-Yves Cousteau is synonymous with scuba diving’s history, and you are forgiven if you’re under the impression that the story started with him. In 1942, Jacques, along with Emile Gagnan, redesigned a car regulator to function as a demand valve, and a device that provided divers with a supply of compressed air delivered …
In the modern world, with so many motorized options for getting around, it’s easy to take the human-powered bicycle for granted. However, for as quickly as the bicycle has been replaced by faster, fuel-powered vehicles, it’s easy to think it’s an ancient invention that has finally been phased out. But this two-wheeled vehicle has only …
Life itself depends on salt, and people in early civilizations went to great lengths to acquire it. It was, and still is, used to preserve and season food, and it is important in medicine as well as religious ceremonies, all of which have made it a valuable trade commodity. Some early cultures even used it …
The history of Japan is an intriguing story. A nation of contrasts that attracts millions of visitors to its cities every year, this is a country where the modern and the ancient mix and mingle in everyday life. Over the past several thousand years, though, Japan has risen and fallen many times, and its history …
Read moreHistory of Japan: The Feudal Era to the Founding of Modern Periods
Standing on Boracay’s White Beach in the early 1970s you’d have experienced the same fine white sand and views out to sea as you do today. What’s so different now is the vibrant world that inhabits the space behind the beach. For centuries Boracay was virtually a secret. A hidden gem set into the Western …