Category: Retroshorts
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The Ford Nucleon: Petrol Omission to Nuclear Fission
In 1958, Ford unveiled the Nucleon: a car which eschewed the traditional combustion engine in favour of a small nuclear reactor. Sam Marks explores this product of the 1950s Atomic Age which, perhaps unsurprisingly, did not develop beyond the concept stage.
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The Photoplayer: An Everything Instrument
Produced during the height of the silent film era, the photoplayer allowed accompanying music to be played automatically through its piano and percussion instruments. Sam Marks discusses the history and engineering of this cinematic orchestrion.
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Round and Round Went the Great Big Wheel: The History of an Eponymous Fairground Ride
The Ferris wheel as we know it today was created for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exhibition in Chicago. Verity Limond explores the story of the classic fairground ride’s invention, construction, and its legacy.
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Woman’s Work: The Elusive Embroiderers of the Bayeux Tapestry
Despite remaining one of the most celebrated works of medieval art, there is little discussion of the women behind the creation of the Bayeux Tapestry. Naomi Wallace discusses the theories surrounding its origins and the needleworkers responsible for this famous masterpiece.
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Gerald Ford: The Commuter-in-Chief
The commute to work is something many professionals have had to contend with – including the 38th President of the United States. Sam Marks explores Gerald Ford’s unconventional start to his presidency.
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Bauhaus Design and Its Influence on Typography and German National Identity
The Bauhaus, founded in 1919 in Weimar, Germany, was dedicated to combining function and aesthetic. Meenakshi Nirmalan investigates the political origins of the movement, including how its avant garde vision challenged the Nazi party.
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Origin of the Graham Cracker
Few biscuits are as iconic as the graham cracker, but how did this treat gain such widespread popularity? Sam Marks explores the history of this humble cracker in our first Retroshort.
Retrospect Journal 