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James Tilly Matthews And The Air Loom

James Tilly Matthews was delusional. He believed that secret gangs of people were operating across London, using a bizarre machine called the "Air Loom" to control his thoughts and those of others from a distance. According to Matthews, this device emitted "magnetic fluids" to manipulate minds and was being wielded by spies to influence political decisions.

Matthews’ paranoia, as a modern psychiatrist would say, is a textbook case of schizophrenia—a mental disorder that affects 24 million people worldwide, yet has a remarkably short recorded history. Unlike depression and mania, which are recognizable in ancient texts, schizophrenia-like disorders only began appearing in psychiatric literature in the past two hundred years. This could mean that either the disease is a recent manifestation that was largely unknown in earlier times, or that it existed but lumped together with more general concepts of madness. What makes Matthews’ case unique is that he lived in the late 18th century, and an entire book was written detailing his delusions. This makes Matthews the first fully documented case of schizophrenia.

The Air Loom. Illustration by James Tilly Matthews

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Chandu Numerology Pada February 21, 2025 Komentar

Richard of Pudlicott’s Audacious Heist of The King’s Treasury

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In April 1303, one of the most daring burglaries in English history took place within the walls of Westminster Abbey. Thieves broke into the treasury of King Edward I’s Wardrobe and made off with nearly a year’s worth of tax revenue collected over the entire Kingdom of England. At the time, the King and most of his forces were away waging war in Scotland, leaving the royal coffers seemingly secure but ultimately vulnerable.

The scale of the crime only became apparent when priceless treasures began surfacing in the most unexpected places—pawnshops, brothels, and even tangled in fishermen’s nets along the Thames. What followed was one of the largest trials of the High Middle Ages in England, leading to the arrest of many and the execution of some half a dozen men. At the center of the heist was a man named Richard of Pudlicott, the supposed mastermind, who bore a very personal grudge against the King.

“North West View of Westminster Abbey” by an unknown artist. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

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Chandu Numerology Pada February 14, 2025 Komentar

Bachem Ba 349 Natter: Germany’s Strangest Aircraft From World War 2

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World War II led to the creation of some truly bizarre and unconventional aircraft as nations scrambled to gain a technological edge. Among the strangest was the Bachem Ba 349 Natter.

Named after a snake, the Natter was a rocket-powered interceptor designed for vertical takeoff, much like the infamous V-2 missile. Once airborne, the pilot would guide it toward a formation of American bombers and unleash a barrage of rockets. After the attack, the pilot would eject and descend by parachute while the aircraft's fuselage did the same separately.

A captured Bachem Ba 349 Natter at an airfield. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

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Chandu Numerology Pada February 07, 2025 Komentar

Australian Iron Man: Ned Kelly’s Final Standoff

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Throughout history, many outlaws have gained fame for their exploits, often becoming romanticized figures in folklore, literature, and film despite their criminal activities. Figures like Jesse James, Billy the Kid, Butch Cassidy, and Bonnie and Clyde have achieved legendary status as symbols of rebellion. While the American Old West produced some of the most famous outlaws, the concept of banditry exists across cultures and historical periods worldwide.

Australia’s most famous outlaw was Ned Kelly, an Irish-Australian, who became a folk hero for his defiance of colonial authorities and his iconic homemade armour. Though not as widely known internationally as other legendary outlaws, he is a central figure in Australian folklore and cultural identity. His story is deeply tied to 19th-century Australia, reflecting the country’s colonial history, hardship faced by Irish settlers, and a deep-seated resentment toward the police, who frequently targeted his family. Over time, his life and exploits have taken on a legendary quality, symbolizing themes of rebellion, social injustice, and resistance against authority.

The homemade armour that Ned Kelly and his gang wore during their final showdown with the police. Photo credit: National Museum of Australia

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Chandu Numerology Pada January 31, 2025 Komentar

The Raising of Mary Rose

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The Mary Rose was a large warship in the Tudor Navy of King Henry VIII. She was the second most powerful ship in King Henry VIII’s fleet and a favourite of the king. For three decades she participated in several wars against France, Scotland, and Brittany, until her sinking in 1545 during the Battle of the Solent off the south coast of England. Almost all of the Mary Rose crew, up to 500 men, drowned.

Several attempts were made to salvage the sunken ship soon after it sank. However, the ship had settled deep into the soft muddy seabed of the Solent where it would remain for the next four hundred years. It was eventually raised in 1982 in one of the most ambitious and costly maritime salvage operations ever undertaken. The excavation and raising of the Mary Rose was a milestone in the field of maritime archaeology, comparable in complexity and cost to the raising of the 17th-century Swedish warship Vasa in 1961.

The Mary Rose by Geoff Hunt. Image credit: Mary Rose Trust

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Chandu Numerology Pada January 27, 2025 Komentar

That Time The US Tried to Make Rain By Shooting Explosives Into The Sky

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The idea that humans could summon rain at will is historically rooted to superstition, until modern cloud-seeding techniques demonstrated its practical potential. But for centuries, rain making efforts were limited to shamanic rituals including prayers to weather gods, dances and sacrifices. It wasn’t until the late 19th century, that efforts at weather modification became more persuasive.

In his 1841 work The Philosophy of Storms, American meteorologist James Pollard Espy proposed igniting large forest fires to generate enough heat to create convection currents. These rising air currents would carry moisture upward, where it would cool at higher altitudes and eventually fall as rain. Espy spent decades unsuccessfully lobbying Congress for permission to ignite fires along a 600-mile stretch from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico.