High and Over - architectural gem from the Jazz Age
High and Over in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, is one of the earliest houses in the Modernist style in Britain. Not surprisingly, it has appeared in an episode of television's 'Poirot'.
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Doré’s engravings: the archetypal look of Victorian London
Illustrator Gustave Doré shares significant responsibility with writer Charles Dickens for shaping the collective memory of the murky squalor of Victorian London. His engraving, 'Over London by Rail', shown above, provides a visual equivalent of the Dickens novels that take us into the workhouses, the slums, the dark alleys and the opium dens.
The Discovery of Graphene
The "wonder" material graphene was discovered in 2004 at Manchester University. It is made of a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice. Being a million times thinner than a human hair, it is the thinnest object ever created.
Ordnance Survey maps
As its name suggests, Britain’s mapping agency has its roots in military strategy: mapping the Scottish Highlands following rebellion in 1745.
The Painted Lady - a beauty that's been on a long journey
The Painted Lady butterfly is a long-distance migrant to Britain, undertaking one of the most spectacular such journeys. Each year, it spreads northwards from the desert fringes of North Africa, the Middle East, and central Asia, recolonising Britain and mainland Europe.
William Morris, influential artist, poet and thinker
William Morris is perhaps most associated these days with his wallpaper and textile designs, which are still very popular. However, he was a revolutionary force in Victorian Britain and became a major figure in the British Arts and Crafts movement.
Six things to delight and entertain you every day.