Trebuchet

A machine used in medieval siege warfare for hurling large stones or other missiles.

Fact of the Day

It is said that Henry VI banned low-cut blouses and dresses from court, in case he caught sight of a cleavage.

Quote of the Day

"Were this the skeleton of the oldest man, then the oldest man was a freak "

~ Mayer on the Neanderthal, 1864.

On This Day

1830 The Manchester to Liverpool train line opened, and caused the first train death (of MP William Huskisson).

1859 The great engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel died.

1916 Tanks were first used on the Somme. They weren't ready for use in combat and many broke down.

1935 The Nuremberg race laws were introduced, stripping German Jews of their citizenship and forbidding them to marry Aryans.

1940 Hitler indefinitely postponed his invasion of Britain following a massive defeat of the Luftwaffe.

2008 The financial services firm Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy, the biggest such filing in US history, causing the Dow Jones to drop more than 500 points in a day.