The #Bookwheel, invented in 1588 by Italian engineer Agostino Ramelli, was a heavy, 600-pound wooden rotating bookcase that let scholars easily use up to eight open books at once. It had a clever gear system to keep the books upright as the wheel turned by hand, saving time for readers who didn’t have to fetch books from shelves. Featured in Ramelli’s book of machines, it was a creative #Renaissance tool for studying, though it’s uncertain how many were actually made. #archaeohistories

Doraemon school bus in Japan. #school #Japan #Doraemon

This New Yorker cartoon neatly sums up the problems researchers face in 2025! #cartoons #research #NewYorkerMagazine

Rare reddish-orange snowy owl in Huron County, Michigan, captivates birdwatchers. @Rainmaker1973 #birds #owls #birdwatching

1 years, 11 months 2weeks, 1day. Finally done🙏 Thank you to those who take a moment to admire it." @historicillustrations #modelmaking

Scientists found an ancient kauri tree that captured the last collapse of Earth's magnetic field and it will happen again. A kauri tree buried for thousands of years in New Zealand has provided scientists with an unprecedented record of Earth's magnetic field during a near-reversal event. The ancient tree, unearthed during geothermal plant expansion in Ngāwhā, measures 65 feet long and eight feet in diameter.

Perfect shot of a red-billed oxpecker resting on the horn of a rhino. [📸 Zaheer Ali / _zaheerali] #birds #photography #Rhino

A Keel-Billed Toucan's impressive bill is made up of the same material as human hair and fingernails—keratin! The bill is hollow on the inside and reinforced by bone, making it quite light. It can account for about one third of the toucan’s total length! American Museum of Natural History @AMNH #bird #birds #birding #Toucan

What 5 Megabytes of Computer Data Looked Like in 1966. In 1966, computing was in its infancy, and the concept of data storage and processing looked drastically different from today’s instant access to vast amounts of information. At that time, five megabytes of data—a relatively small amount by today's standards—required an astounding 62,500 punched cards

What 5 Megabytes of Computer Data Looked Like in 1966

In 1966, computing was in its infancy, and the concept of data storage and processing looked drastically different from today’s instant acce...

#computing #data #history

An exceptionally well-preserved section of an ancient Roman water supply system has been discovered in Stabiae, Italy. This system includes a large lead tank with conduits leading in and out to regulate water flow through the rooms of the villa. Like Pompeii and Herculaneum, Stabiae was buried during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. #Roman #Italy #plumbing