The lost cataclysm: The Cascadia earthquake and tsunami of 1700.
An earthquake off the coast of Oregon rocked the land, caused tsunamis in Japan and then seemingly vanished from history.
The Verge
Historic Painting: “Self-Portrait with Vanitas Symbols” by David Bailly, 1651.
This curious Dutch painting from the 17th century is intended to remind its viewers of the transience and delicacy of life.
Thin flat plastic slabs of my childhood: Remembering CED videodiscs.
Before there was VHS, BetaMax, LaserDiscs or DVDs, there were CEDs. Wait, what?
A bunny, boiled: “Fatal Attraction” and my strange history with it.
How this trashy thriller from the 1980s intersected with my own life in rather uncomfortable ways.
Historic Photo: Paris in winter, near Saint-Augustin Church, 1952.
Paris was a bit bleak in the first few postwar years, but it never lost its charm or resilience.
The Poseidon phenomenon: Thoughts on a New Year’s Eve disaster that never was.
Had the events of the 1972 film occurred in real life, the Poseidon would be the most famous cursed ship in history.
Behind the Scenes: The Cult of Technology, From Railroads to AI.
My latest deep dive video looks at society's often misplaced faith in the transformative power of technology.