Krakatoa

News travels fast, especially if it involves a natural disaster such as an earthquake, tsunami or volcanic eruption.  We take it for granted now, but the eruption of Krakatoa on August 27th, 1883 made global headlines within hours due to news transmissions via undersea transoceanic telegraph wires.  Telegraph posts on various islands near Krakatoa gave continuous updates as the eruptions began.  This was the first time newspapers around the world were able to give current reports and daily updates on a live event to their readers.

"Popular Scientific Recreation" Part II - A Flea Circus Example of Variations in Translations

Le Ricreazioni Scientifiche ovvero L'insegnamento coi Giuochi is full of wonderful illustrations and I plan to periodically revisit examples from this book since I will touch on only one passage (or lack of one) for now.

Originally published in France under the title Les récréations scientifiques, ou L'enseignement par les jeux, the author, Gastone Tissandier, wrote many similar books in the late 1800s.  He also founded the magazine La Nature which eventually merged with another magazine to become La Recherche which is still in publication.

"Popular Scientific Recreation" Part I - Catatonic Chickens

I imagine my father-in-law, Giovanni, knew about this trick.  He spent his childhood summers in the countryside near Modena, Italy where he very likely encountered a chicken or two.