world war i

WWI’s Famous Dazzle Camouflage Seemed Effective Due to Unexpected Optical Trick, Study Finds

A reanalysis of a 1919 study suggests that a separate illusion, the "horizon effect," played a bigger role in warping visual perception than dazzle paint.

Human History Margherita Bassi Mar 20

A ‘Climate Anomaly’ Worsened World War I and the 1918 Flu Pandemic, New Research Suggests

A once-in-a-century “climate anomaly” exacerbated the awful conditions along the Western Front in Europe during the First World War, according to new research. This unusual weather may have also amplified—and possibly even initiated—the catastrophic 1918-19 flu pandemic, exposing an underappreciated threat posed by climate change. New research published in GeoHealth describes the impact of a…

Earth Science George Dvorsky Sep 25

Helmets From WWI Just as Protective Against Overhead Blasts as Modern Helmets

New research suggests helmets used in World War I protected soldiers against overhead artillery blasts just as well as modern helmets—and one, the French Adrian helmet, actually performed better. When the First World War started, soldiers didn’t wear helmets. Military planners hadn’t fully anticipated the horrific extent of modern warfare until it stared them back…

Health George Dvorsky Feb 14

The New World War I Movie 1917 Was Edited to Be One Continuous Shot That Plays in Real-Time

1917, an upcoming World War I film, already looked good. But after watching a short behind-the-scenes video on the making of the movie, I have to say I’m really excited about this one. Not only does the camerawork look stunning, the entire movie is going to be one continuous shot cut together to make the…

Tech News Matt Novak Oct 1

A New King’s Man Trailer Asks ‘What If Downton Abbey Had Super Spies?’

Before they were posh, super spies saving the present-day world, the heroes of Fox’s Kingsman franchise were posh in an old-timey way befitting of an era where parachutes were considered cutting-edge technology. The latest trailer for Matthew Vaughn’s upcoming Kingsmen prequel, The King’s Man, is light in the way of plot, but it’s rich in the…

Trailers Charles Pulliam-Moore Sep 30

World War I-Era German Submarine Resurfaces From the Sand Near French Coast

The remains of SM UC-61, a World War I German minelaying submarine (also known as a U-boat) is resurfacing on the coast of Wissant near Calais over a century after it was abandoned and scuttled by its 26-sailor crew in 1917 before they surrendered to the French, the BBC reported on Saturday. According to the…

Human History Tom McKay Jan 12

The Complex Legacy of World War I’s Women Scientists

During World War I, far away from the lines of battle, the UK was faced with a different crisis. As thousands of khaki-clad “Tommies” shipped off to the front, the British economy teetered on the cusp of grinding to a halt. With the men gone, the task of keeping the country’s lights on fell to…

Tech News Kim Kelly Mar 29

These WW1 Propaganda Posters Are Gorgeous—and Seriously Messed Up

America’s involvement in the First World War was brief, but intense. For a period of 20 months, the government did its best to stir patriotic fervor, in part through the use of eye-catching propaganda posters. A new exhibit at Bruce Museum is showcasing a selection of these works, many of which are seriously lacking in…

Tech News George Dvorsky Jan 26

Predictions for the Year 2018 From the 20th Century

It’s the year 2018. And while we have some very cool tech that we take for granted, we’re still waiting on quite a few things that we were promised. But what did the people of yesteryear imagine 2018 would be like? People of 20th century had a lot of ideas about what the year 2018…

Tech News Matt Novak Jan 5

Slo-Mo Video Reveals How WW1 Fighters Didn’t Shoot Their Propellers Off

There are endless documentaries that explain the clever technology that allowed World War I fighter planes to fire their machine guns through their propellers without hitting the blades. But The Slow Mo Guys use their high-speed cameras so you can finally see exactly what’s happening. Developed by a few countries, but first installed in a…

Sploid Andrew Liszewski Nov 21

These Stunning Maps Show the Final Months of the First World War

The First World War began just over a century ago, and in 2017, the United States will begin to commemorate its entry into the conflict. These three maps show the beginning of the end of the war in incredible and beautiful detail. The three maps were created by the American Battlefield and Monuments Commission, and…

Tech News Andrew Liptak May 7

The Real Story Behind the 1914 Christmas Truce in World War I

It was 101 years ago this very night that something miraculous happened along the Western Front. After months of bitter fighting, soldiers on both sides gathered in no-man’s-land in a spontaneous show of peace and goodwill. Here’s what happened on that historic day — and why it marked the end of an era. In December…

Tech News George Dvorsky Dec 24

WWI and Climate Change Show How Bad We Are At Confronting Catastrophe

The onset of World War I and the current climate change crisis have a lot more in common than you might think. Here’s why the two historical events are eerily similar—and why it’s so damn hard for us to prevent a self-inflicted disaster that everyone knows is coming. Shortly before he died in 1898, Germany’s…

Climate Change George Dvorsky Dec 2

7 Ways That World War I Could Have Started Before 1914

The First World War was instigated by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, but it’s no small miracle that a general European war didn’t happen earlier. Here are 7 international crises in the years before 1914 that could have started a global-scale conflict. For most Europeans, the century leading up to the First World War…

io9 George Dvorsky Aug 21

The Assassin Who Triggered WWI Just Got His Own Monument

Yesterday marked the 101st anniversary of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, an event that precipitated the First World War. To commemorate the event, a statue of the assassin, Gavrilo Princip, was unveiled in Serbia—which goes to show that one person’s terrorist is another’s freedom fighter. Above: The unveiling of the monument to Gavrilo Princip…

io9 George Dvorsky Jun 29

Watching A WWI-Era Tank Crush A Car Is Still Satisfying 100 Years Later

There’s something inherently timeless about watching a very moveable object get smushed by an unstoppable force. This British Pathé video of a tank crushing a car in Toronto in 1918 was recently discovered by graphic designer and photographer Benjamin Moogk, who writes at his blog: “Seems that the idea of crushing cars with a tank…

io9 George Dvorsky Jun 8

Remembering Britain’s Worst Rail Disaster Of The First World War

It’s the 100th anniversary of the Quintinshill Rail Disaster — a horrific three-train collision that resulted in hundreds of casualties, the vast majority of them soldiers en route to the war. Here’s what happened on that tragic day. Credit: War/Topham Picturepoint/PA Images. The First World War was dominated by railways. The ability to rapidly transport…

io9 George Dvorsky May 22

How The Sinking Of The Lusitania Heralded An Entirely New Kind Of War

A century ago today, the world’s most famous luxury liner, the Lusitania, was sunk by a German U-boat. It was a shocking incident, one that signaled a disturbing change in how the war was to be fought. It also set the U.S. on a path that would eventually lead it to war. Here’s what happened…

io9 George Dvorsky May 7

Russell Crowe’s Magical Powers Totally Mess Up His World War I Drama

Magical realism can illuminate and amplify the emotions in a deeply personal story — or, in clumsy hands, it can just create extra distractions and create a giant mess. Russell Crowe tries to use magical realism in his directorial debut, The Water Diviner, and the results are less than great. Some spoilers follow. The Water…

io9 Cheryl Eddy Apr 24

How The Most Daring Plan Of WWI Turned Into A Military Disaster

This coming Sunday marks the centenary of one of WWI’s most infamous campaigns: Gallipoli. It was an audacious attempt by the Entente to break the European deadlock with a master stroke. Instead, it quickly turned into a hellish ordeal and a resounding defeat. Here’s why Gallipoli seemed like a good idea at the time –…

io9 George Dvorsky Apr 20

world war i

WWI’s Famous Dazzle Camouflage Seemed Effective Due to Unexpected Optical Trick, Study Finds

A ‘Climate Anomaly’ Worsened World War I and the 1918 Flu Pandemic, New Research Suggests

Helmets From WWI Just as Protective Against Overhead Blasts as Modern Helmets

The New World War I Movie 1917 Was Edited to Be One Continuous Shot That Plays in Real-Time

A New King’s Man Trailer Asks ‘What If Downton Abbey Had Super Spies?’

World War I-Era German Submarine Resurfaces From the Sand Near French Coast

The Complex Legacy of World War I’s Women Scientists

These WW1 Propaganda Posters Are Gorgeous—and Seriously Messed Up

Predictions for the Year 2018 From the 20th Century

Slo-Mo Video Reveals How WW1 Fighters Didn’t Shoot Their Propellers Off

These Stunning Maps Show the Final Months of the First World War

The Real Story Behind the 1914 Christmas Truce in World War I

WWI and Climate Change Show How Bad We Are At Confronting Catastrophe

7 Ways That World War I Could Have Started Before 1914

The Assassin Who Triggered WWI Just Got His Own Monument

Watching A WWI-Era Tank Crush A Car Is Still Satisfying 100 Years Later

Remembering Britain’s Worst Rail Disaster Of The First World War

How The Sinking Of The Lusitania Heralded An Entirely New Kind Of War

Russell Crowe’s Magical Powers Totally Mess Up His World War I Drama

How The Most Daring Plan Of WWI Turned Into A Military Disaster

Microsoft Says You’re Not Supposed to Take Copilot’s Advice Seriously

Amazon Is Sticking With ‘Rings of Power’ to the End

Trump Is Reportedly Going Full Steam Ahead with the Golden Dome

‘Kamen Rider’ Is Ready to Take on the World

Twitter Just Can’t Stop Leaking Movies

The ‘Mass Effect’ Show is Getting Rewritten to Get Greenlit

See the Early Stages of How ‘Project Hail Mary’ Brought Rocky to Life

‘Cognitive Surrender’ Is a New and Useful Term for How AI Melts Brains

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Ecovacs Winbot W3 Omni Review: Window Cleaning Robots Have a Long Way to Go

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