International Clown Week is designated as the first week of August. This article reviews the law establishing International Clown Week and how it came to be. Then well-known clown Joseph Grimaldi is introduced, followed by a review of coulrophobia, the fear of clowns. The conclusion introduced two additional notable clowns and final words on clown contributions. | Read More →

This article explores some of the most important events in world history that took place during June. The purpose of the article is to get the reader more interested in history. In addition, it should also help them reflect on how history and societies function. | Read More →

Many cultures and groups have developed secret signs so that they could communicate amongst themselves without conveying any information to 'outsiders'. The Romani (Gypsies) are no exception. Here, we look at a number of the Romani systems of secret signs and how they were used for communication while leaving the 'Gorger' (non-Romani) society within which the Romani traveled none the wiser. | Read More →

This is an article about American cannibals in the late 1800s. It discusses three people in particular. It would be suitable for a blog about true crime or unsettling historical events. | Read More →

Human ingenuity has changed the planet in many ways over the centuries. The Greatest Invention allowed for increased food production which supports the ever-increasing world population. The Haber-Bosch process which began producing fixed nitrogen in the form of ammonia in 1913, led to the production of fertilizers, and also, gunpowder and explosives. Enormous factories built to produce ammonia on an industrial scale use huge amounts of energy, creating air pollution; the use of fertilizers has polluted ground water, lakes, rivers and oceans. | Read More →

Every year, 0n 27 January, museums, national institutions, and memorial sites commemorate the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the former Nazi concentration and death camp. After World War II, the world pledged never to forget the horror of the war. However, historians fear that the memory of the Holocaust is fading among the younger generation. This article explains how historians and other scholars analyze the process of memory construction. It also suggests that the Covid-19 pandemic made people more aware of the importance of keeping written records of events that changed the course of history. For this reason, remembering he Holocaust during the pandemic may help people realize the importance of (historical) memory. | Read More →