World History Archive July 2013

Distillation 1500. Distilling using double pelicans. From ' Liber de arte distillandi de simplicibus' by Hieronmus Braunschweig. (Strasbourg, 1500).

The Chemist, 1508, The Chemist or Alchemist is using bellows to heat up the fire under under a crucible. Behind him an alembic standing on a furnace i...

Distillation 1882. Cross-section showing furnace heating a still. Matter distilled is discharged through beak of the alembic and is condensed in the...

Centrifuge, 1882. Used to separate liquids from solids, or liquids from liquids of different density such as cream from milk. From 'Physics in Pictu...

Lunar surface, 1857. Surface of the Moon in the region of Mare Crisium at New Moon. From 'Astronomical Observations made at the Royal Observatory, Edi...

Lunar surface, 1857. Surface of the Moon in the region of Mare Crisium at Old Moon. From 'Astronomical Observations made at the Royal Observatory, Edi...

Solar corona and prominences 1860. Observations made by Warren de la Rue at Rivabellosa in Spain during the total solar eclipse, 18 July 1860. From '...

Solar corona and prominences 1860. Observations made by Warren de la Rue at Rivabellosa in Spain during the total solar eclipse, 18 July 1860. From '...

Thunderbolt or lightning, 1508. Man sheltering under a tree struck by lightning or a thunderbolt. From 'Margarita philosophica' ('The Pearl of Philoso...

Smoking opium, mid 19th century. Chinese lady smoking a pipe of opium, an addictive narcotic drug produced from the sap of the opium poppy (Papaver so...

Total Solar Eclipse, 1851. Members of the Edinburgh expedition on Bue Island, Norway with their instruments set up ready for viewing the eclipse , 28...

Total Solar Eclipse, 1851. Bue Island, Norway, 28 July 1951, the end of totality, light just beginning to return. Edinburgh observatory sent an exped...

Jacquard power loom. In 1801 Joseph-Marie Jacquard (1752-1834) invented a method of weaving intricate patterns which were encoded on punched cards. Th...

The Hermetic Vessel, c1760. Hermetic vessel in the alchemical furnace. The serpent within the vase symbolises the earthy substances of which the Philo...

James Jeans (1877-1946). Jeans (1877-1946), English mathematician and physicist, held the chair of applied mathematics at Princeton university (1905-1...

Rice Mill, 1813. Blindfolded mules harnessed to mill grinding rice into flour. From 'China: Its Costume, Arts and Manufactures' by M Breton. (London,...

Observing a solar eclipse, 1673. Johannes Hevelius (1611-1687), a wealthy Polish brewer and councillor of Danzig devoted much time and money to astron...

Jons Jacob Berzelius (1779-1848), Swedish chemist who introduced modern chemical symbols. Hhe discovered the elements selenium, thorium and cerium, an...

William Somerset Maugham (1874-1965) English author of novels, plays and short stories. He qualified as a physician at St Thomas's Hospital, London, i...

Louis Antoine de Bougainville (1729-1811) French soldier, navigator and mathematician. Elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1756 while secretary t...

William Bowman (1816- 1892)English anatomist, surgeon and ophthalmologist was born at Nantwich, Cheshire. After five years at Birmingham General Hosp...

William Bowman (1816- 1892) English anatomist, surgeon and ophthalmologist was born at Nantwich, Cheshire. After five years at Birmingham General Hos...

Johann Freidrich Bottger or Botticher (1682-1719) German chemist and ceramicist, originator of Dresden china. To protect the trade secrets, he and hi...

Charles Plumier (1646-1704) French friar, botanist and botanical explorer, was born at Marseilles. Appointed royal botanist by Louis XIV in 1693. Mad...

Henry Bessemer (1813-1893) English engineer and inventor was born at Charlton, near Hitchen, Hertfordshire. Took out many patents but best remembered...

Lyon Playfair (1818-1898) Scottish chemist and politician. He studied chemistry at Glasgow under Thomas Graham, and under Liebig at Giessen. Professo...

Lyon Playfair (1818-1898) Scottish chemist and politician. He studied chemistry at Glasgow under Thomas Graham, and under Liebig at Giessen. Professo...

Lyon Playfair (1818-1898) Scottish chemist and politician, lecturing at the Museum of Practical Geology, London, to students of the Mechanic's Instit...

Lyon Playfair (1818-1898) Scottish chemist and politician, in the chair as Deputy Speaker of the Commons during a late night session. He studied chemi...

Lyon Playfair (1818-1898) Scottish chemist and politician, on the first day of the new session in the Commons. He studied chemistry at Glasgow under...

Samuel White Baker (1821-1893) English explorer and anti-slavery campaigner. Baker's steamboat being hauled through cuttings in river grass during his...

Robert Stawell Ball (1840-1913) Irish astronomer and mathematician; populariser of science. Lord Rosse's astronomer at Parsonstown; Royal astronomer o...

Theresa, Marchioness of Londonderry, English political hostess watching society ladies cycling in Hyde Park, London. From 'Vanity Fair' London, June 1...

Marco Polo (1254-1324) Venetian traveller and merchant. Scene from his 'Book of Marvels ...' early 15th century manuscript illustrated by Masters Bouc...

Indian ships described by Marco Polo (1254-1324) in his 'Book of Marvels' but more like the European Cog.

Constellations of Perseus carrying the head of Medusa, Andromeda chained to a rock, and the Triangle. From JJ Fortin 'Atlas Coelestis de Flamsteed' P...

Copernican sun-centred (Heliocentric) system of universe showing orbit of earth and planets round the sun, including Jupiter and its moons. Figure on...

Ancient Egyptian cosmos: goddess Nut (sky) with Qeb (earth) reclining. Shu, standing, representing air with ram-headed god on either side. From Greenf...

Slave labour on a sugar plantation in the West Indies. From P Pomet' A Compleat History of Drugs', 1725. Cane taken to vertical crushing mill powered...

Reconstruction of medieval conception of the universe showing a flat earth surrounded by the crystalline spheres. Figure on left has broken through ou...

Marco Polo (1254-1324) Venetian traveller and merchant. Portrait from obverse of commemorative medal.

Design for a pendulum clock. From Christiaan Huyghens 'Horologium Oscillatorium' Paris 1673. Cycloidal pendulum with cheeks (fig.II) Woodcut.

Estate of David Wells, Burbage, Leicestershire, England showing house and garden, model farm, enclosed fields, parkland & woodland. Copperplate engrav...

Needles: Cutting from steel wire (1), flattening end (4), stamping eye (2), punching eye (3), filing eye and pointing end (7), polishing (8). Specific...

Slaves on a cotton plantation in Georgia, USA. Wood engraving c1830.

The New File Factory, Thomas Firth & Sons Norfolk Works, Sheffield, c1890.

Laboratory at Thomas Firth & Son's Norfolk Works, Sheffield c1900

Blast furnaces at Siemens Iron and Steel Works, Landore, South Wales. Wood engraving 1885

Thomas Willis (1621-75) English physician. First in modern times to notice sweetish taste of diabetic urine in Diabetes mellitus. Studied brain and...

Robert Boyle (1627-1691) Anglo-Irish chemist and physicist. Copperplate engraving of 1739 by English printmaker George Vertue (1684-1756) after portr...