You probably know that ‘pigeon fancier’ is the common term used for someone who keeps and breeds pigeons as a hobby. The genteel pastime of pigeon fancying is practiced by millions across the globe. Famous pigeon fanciers of past and present include Mike Tyson, George Foreman, Charles Darwin, Pablo Picasso, Queen Elizabeth II, and Walt…
Introduction of the 50p The 50p coin was first introduced to the UK on 14 October 1969, when the country’s imperial currency system was still in place. The revolutionary design saw it become the world’s first seven-sided coin. The coin replaced the 10-shilling note which ceased to be legal tender the following year. The issuing of…
Bird Watchers! According to the most recent studies, birdwatching on a global scale has never been so popular. Of course, as many of us know, the scientific study of birds is called ornithology, and thus, those that study birds as a profession are referred to as ornithologists. However, amateur bird lovers, i.e. those that take…
A motorcycle is more usually referred to as a “motorbike” and sometimes as just a “bike”. It can most simply be described as a two-wheeled motorised vehicle. Like the greater majority of inventions, the motorcycle we know it today has evolved over time. Thus, there is no single individual that could lay claim to being…
The fax machine, cassette player, DVD, Walkman, and calculator are a few examples of technology that has come and gone in the 20th-century. However, there’s one early 19th-century invention that’s very much still with us. What is it?……………. Of course, it’s the bicycle! In fact, the humble ‘bike’ is now more popular than it has…
Life on Earth My interest in cosmology started in 1974 when I was a young signalman in the Royal Navy. This resulted in me spending many long nights on the flag deck of ships with not much to look at but the night sky. From then on I started to wonder, and ask myself all…
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