Science & Industry
What Did People Do Before Eyeglasses?
39
Article
Somewhere in the vicinity of Pisa, Italy, around 1286, an unknown craftsman fastened two glass lenses to a frame likely made of wood or bone to create the first eyeglasses. With approximately two out of three adults in the United States today requiring some form of visual aid, it's safe to say that invention has been well received. But even though 1286 is well before any of us first discovered the splendor of improved eyesight, it's relatively recent in the larger picture of human existence. So how did people with subpar vision get by before ...Read More
-
Science & IndustryArticle0The Rise and Fall of Sears Mail-Order Homes
In 1906, Sears was a flourishing catalog company that had just launched a highly successful initial public offering. The company went public under the name Sears, Roebuck and Co. after…
-
Science & IndustryArticle0Where Did the QWERTY Keyboard Layout Come From?
The QWERTY keyboard layout is so common that most of us never stop to question its unusual arrangement of letters. But when we do look down at our keyboards, we…
-
Science & IndustryArticle43How Were the Egyptian Pyramids Built?
Ancient Egypt was home to more than 100 pyramids, many of which still stand today. One of the oldest monumental pyramids in Egypt, the Step Pyramid of Djoser, was built…
-
Science & IndustryFact20People once used animal fat to do laundry.
Most laundry detergent has ingredients you probably haven’t heard of — carboxymethyl cellulose is a common one, ditto linear alkylbenzene sulfonate — but one thing it doesn’t contain is animal…
