Cycles in the Earth's climate, caused by changes in its relationship with the Sun.
The Milankovitch Cycles
Fact of the Day
As a young officer, First World War general Douglas 'Butcher' Haig had spoken to Napoleon, with the aid of a medium and a seance.
Quote of the Day
"A French bastard arriving with armed banditti and establishing himself the King of England against the consent of the natives is in plain terms a very paltry rascally original and certainly has no divinity in it.
"
~ Thomas Paine, 1776
On This Day
1637 English poet and playwright Ben Jonson died, aged sixty-five.
1806 The Holy Roman Empire was dissolved following Francis II's abdication after his defeat by Napoleon at Austerlitz. It had been in existence in some form for a thousand years.
1945 The first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, during the Second World War. 80,000 people were killed in the explosion, and tens of thousands subsequently died from radiation exposure.
1962 Jamaica gained independence from the British Empire.