It's the 100th anniversary of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by a Serbian terrorist — an event that escalated into unprecedented global conflict known today as World War I. Most historians say Germany led the charge into war, but seven other powers deserve a share in the blame.
I really wish YouTube and the Internet as we know it today existed when I was in high school. So instead of reading textbooks and taking notes in class, I could just watch YouTube videos and Wikipedia entries on any test I had coming up. Seriously, I could have dozed off in class and just watched this animation…
At the tail end of his time as Commander of U.S. Forces Afghanistan, General David Petraeus commented that "money is my most important ammunition in this war." It was far from an original thought. In fact, you could argue that currency is the most important and least acknowledged wartime weapon.
World War I often gets overshadowed by World War II in the history books, which makes sense because WWII scarred our planet forever, but WWI and its aftermath was a terrible and awful moment in history that helped shaped the rest of the century (and beyond) as well. If you forgot about some stuff that happened or…
When people have suffered a violent or horrifying experience, the trauma can follow them around for years — and we call that Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). From soldiers to accident victims to rape survivors, tons of people have found themselves haunted by their terrible experiences.
Today sees the release of Scott Westerfeld's and Keith Thompson's long-awaited third book in the Leviathan trilogy, Goliath. And we can't wait for a third dose of alternate-history World War I, with all the mechs and genetically engineered airships. (And to celebrate, here's a lovely new piece of artwork. Check out…
We know your pain. You loved R2D2 as a kid but were born in the wrong generation to rock an authentic Star Wars lunchbox. Poor soul, you were probably stuck with some lame Saved By the Bell embarrassment.
Much is known of what happened during World War 2, but what of the actions of the Axis and Allies in the decade before? The most recent In Focus photography selection answers that question and then some.
On September 1, Lego will begin selling Darth Vader's Super Star Destroyer, the Executor. At 50 inches and eight pounds, it will be the longest set Lego has ever sold.
This Lego replica of a Star Wars Sandwalker ranks right up there with some of the best Lego creations we have seen.
Give peace a chance! Also, give this thingamajig a chance: Conflict History is an interactive Google Map and timeline packed with information on pretty much every war ever waged. I think I've learned more in the last 15 minutes than I did in all the semesters of World History I've ever taken combined. [Conflict History
Our perceptions of wars are pushed and pulled by myriad forces—their causes, their outcomes, their places in our national narrative, etc. But on the level of the individual, which was the deadliest? Nicholas Hobbes' Essential Militaria breaks down the stats for eleven historic conflicts:
I'm sure you'll agree with me that a marathon is tough work as is, but while wearing a gas mask? Which reduces oxygen intake by 30 per cent? It's obvious Marine Sgt Jeremy Soles is tough as nails.
The remake of Red Dawn may or may not be coming out this fall, but Australians are already getting something better: the film adaptation of the classic invasion novel Tomorrow When The War Began. And the first review is out.
George Lucas announced today that all six live-action Star Wars movies will be released on Blu-ray in Fall 2011. Along with seeing every strand of Chewbacca's hair and Princess Leia look pretty in HD, the box set will also include documentary features and previously unseen footage. Pricing hasn't been announced yet.
Aluminium or Aluminum? Should a photo of a giant spider be placed in the entry for arachnophobia? Are Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader considered the same character? What does "pwned" mean? These are the questions which began some of the greatest edit wars on Wikipedia.
If you don't want to bang down ten notes for the full-fat Chinatown Wars iPhone app, this free "Lite" version is worth checking out. It provides a good taste of the Nintendo DS game, with the first three missions playable.
As someone who has an original AT-AT taking pride of place in her lounge, Lifegood Design's AT-AT lamp has just been offered adoption by yours truly. [Lifegood via Design-Milk via Katiesol]
