Category: HISTORY
Picture of the Day: The Father of Rocket Science
THE FATHER OF ROCKET SCIENCE Photograph by NASA Wernher von Braun (March 23, 1912 – June 16, 1977) was a German rocket scientist, aerospace engineer, space architect, and one of the leading figures in the development of rocket technology in Nazi Germany during World War II and, subsequently, in the United States.…
Eye Charts for Airplanes
Edwards Air Force Base (Image via Google Maps) Across the USA you will find dozens of these strange markings painted on rectangular slabs of concrete and asphalt. They are known as aerial photo calibration targets, relics from the past that dot the landscape. They were made mostly in the 1950s and 60s, their form…
The Project that Saved the White House from Collapse
Built in 1800, the White House at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., has been the residence of every U.S president since John Adams. In 1814 (during the war of 1812) the White House was set ablaze by the British army, destroying the interior and charring much of the exterior. Since then the building…
Picture of the Day: Château de Chambord
CHÂTEAU DE CHAMBFORD Photograph by Patrick Giraud The royal Château de Chambord at Chambord, Loir-et-Cher, France, is one of the most recognizable châteaux in the world because of its distinct French Renaissance architecture which blends traditional French medieval forms with classical Renaissance structures. The building, which was never completed, was constructed from…
Picture of the Day: Pablo Escobar Visits the White House
Pablo Escobar Visits the White House Photograph via Sebastian Marroquin for ‘Sins of My Father’ HBO Documentary In this rare photograph (c 1978 – 1982) we see notorious Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar standing in front of the White House in Washington, DC. The boy standing beside Escobar is his only son,…
Picture of the Day: This LEGO Mold Made 120 million Bricks
This LEGO Mold Made 120 million Bricks Photograph by Zane Thorn @ LegoGod.com In the historic photo above we see a retired LEGO mold on display at the LEGO Factory in LEGOLAND California. The mold made a staggering 120 million bricks before being decommissioned. The photograph was taken by Zane Thorn, operator…
Soldiers’ Engraved Lighters from the Vietnam War
Last year, Cowan’s Auctions put up a lot of 282 Vietnam War-era Zippo lighters featuring personalized and anonymous engravings chosen by U.S. soldiers, sailors, and airmen during deployment. The collection was compiled by American artist Bradford Edwards over several years in the 1990s, on-site in Vietnam. The collection sold for $35,250 on June 21,…
