8 years ago today, on 21 September 2001, a huge explosion occurred in the AZF (AZote Fertilisant – nitrogen fertiliser) factory in Toulouse, France. Three hundred tonnes of ammonium nitrates blew up, creating a 200 m wide crater up to…

In Indiana, the local farmers have an apparently long tradition of decorating the roofs of their barns with interesting pictures. I haven't been able to find much information on the historical reasons why they do this, but the steeply angled…

There seems to be a phenomenon occurring all around the world: Giant ships have been sneaking quietly out of the shipyard, going just out the sight of their owners, turning onto their sides and taking a little siesta. The Mediterranean…

UPDATE: Due to the level of response to this post, we have stopped accepting notes of interest - thanks to everyone who got in touch. If you haven't heard back from us yet then it's likely that your application didn't…

For centuries, the source of the mighty River Nile was shrouded in mystery in the dark heart of Africa. In Roman times, the phrase caput Nili quærere, "to search for the head of the Nile", was used as a metaphor…

The marble tomb of the Taj Mahal is supposedly the ultimate symbol of love, being built by the fifth Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, for his second wife. However, despite a striking resemblance, this is not the Taj Mahal. Rather, it's…