Science & Industry
What Did People Use for IDs Before Photos?
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Article
In a world without cameras, biometric databases, or even consistent spelling, identifying individuals could be quite a complex challenge. Before photography helped fix identity to an image, societies developed a range of creative methods to determine who someone was — a task that could be surprisingly difficult, especially when that someone was outside their home community. From scars to seals to signatures, here’s how identity was tracked before photo IDs. Credit: Vita exclusive/ Alamy Stock Photo Names (and the Trouble With Them) A name was the most basic marker of identity for centuries, but it ...Read More
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Science & IndustryFact1The invention of the leaf blower triggered legal action across the U.S.
The 1970s were an exciting time for suburbanites across the United States. Children plunged themselves into video games with the emergence of arcades and the first home consoles. Microwave ovens…
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Science & IndustryArticle0Unlocked: A Brief History of Keys
Well before there was a need to enter individual units of an apartment building or secure clothes inside a gym locker, people sought to keep thieving hands away from their…
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Science & IndustryFact2Twinkies were originally banana-flavored.
For as long as most people can remember, Twinkies have gone virtually unchanged: The treat is a space-age yellow sponge cake filled with a sweet-tasting artificial vanilla creme. But this…
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Science & IndustryFact2Play-Doh was originally a wallpaper cleaner.
Once upon a time, Play-Doh wasn’t for playing — it was for cleaning wallpaper. Back in 1912, the Cincinnati-based Kutol Products Company made a soft, doughy compound designed to lift…
