Bobbi Gibb: The Woman Who Outran Sexism
In 1966, the organisers of the Boston Marathon refused Bobbi Gibb’s application with...
Richard Sedley
Cecilia Payne: The Astronomer Who Gave Us Stars
Every night, we look up at the stars. For most of human history, no...
Blind Willie Johnson: The Blues Singer Beyond the Solar System
In 1977, NASA attached a gold-plated record to the side of the Voyager...
William Perkin: The Chemist Who Painted the Modern World
For most of human history, colour was expensive.
The richest purples came from thousands...
Edmond Albius: The Boy Who Made Vanilla Possible
Today, vanilla is everywhere.
It flavours ice cream, cakes, biscuits, perfumes and countless other...
László Biró: The Journalist Who Reinvented Writing
For centuries, writing came with compromises. Quill pens needed constant sharpening. Steel nibs scratched...
Dasia Taylor: The Schoolgirl Making Wounds Speak
Every year, millions of people around the world develop infections after surgery. In poorer...
Grady Martin: The Man Who Found Music in Noise
Before 1960, electric guitars were expected to sound clean.
If musicians wanted a rougher,...
Elizabeth Seaman: The Reporter Who Couldn’t Escape Her Own Lie
In 1887, thousands of Americans lived in mental asylums, hidden from public view. Few...
Abdel Kader Haidara: The Librarian Who Smuggled a Library
Throughout history, conquerors and fanatics have tried to erase civilisations by burning their libraries....
Virginia Apgar: The Woman Who Gave Every Child Their First Test
For most parents, the first moments after a baby is born are filled with...
Gino Bartali: The Cyclist with a Hidden Mission
During the Second World War, an Italian cycling champion spent hundreds of miles riding...