The Industrial Revolution is usually told as a list of inventions. That hides what actually changed. For most of history, work came from muscles, animals, wind, water, and wood. In the late 1700s and early 1800s, Britain learned to do much more work with coal. Machines used the coal. Factories organized the work. Cotton and…
Most people learn Rome as a rise, a golden age, then a collapse in 476. The date is real. The story around it is not. Rome the city is older than the empire. The western imperial court in Italy ended in 476. The eastern court, still calling itself Roman, lasted until 1453. ‘Fall’ is not…
Quantum computers are not faster laptops. They will not replace the machine you are reading this on. They use quantum states — superposition, entanglement, and interference — to run certain algorithms that ordinary computers handle poorly. Potential applications include chemistry and materials science, some types of factoring, and certain simulation problems. For almost everything else,…
Cryptocurrencies are digital assets that use cryptography and typically operate on distributed networks. Many are designed to function as a medium of exchange or store of value. Unlike traditional currencies issued by governments and managed through central banks and commercial banks, many cryptocurrencies operate on distributed systems that do not rely on a single central…
Access to safe drinking water is something most Canadians expect as a basic part of everyday life. Yet in some First Nations communities on reserve, residents continue to face drinking water advisories that can last for months or even years. The situation has improved significantly since 2015, when the federal government committed to eliminating all…
Earth’s climate has always changed. Ice ages came and went. Volcanoes cooled the planet for a year or two. The sun flickered. Oceans moved heat around for decades at a time. Those are old forces. They are still here. The question now is different. What warmed the world since the late 1800s — those old…
The carnivore diet has attracted a devoted following online, including people with autoimmune diseases. The idea is straightforward: eliminate virtually all plant foods and eat primarily meat, fish, eggs and, depending on the version, dairy. Supporters often say the approach has helped with joint pain, digestive problems, skin symptoms and other issues they associate with…