Modern

In 1979, the Sumitomo Heavy Industries in Japan completed an ultra-large crude carrier (ULCC) that is still the biggest and longest self-propelled ship in history, the Seawise Giant.  Throughout its long and turbulent history, it would be known by several names: Knock Nevis, Oppama, Happy Giant, Jahre Viking, and Mont. It would also pass through […]

A tsunami is one of the greatest and most potent natural disasters known to man. While several things can cause a tsunami, the result is always, quite literally, a tidal wave of disaster.  Tsunamis have been around since the beginning of time, but the first recorded occurrence was in 2000 BC off the coast of

Before World War One, Germany was a prosperous nation. In the decades since its unification, it had become an industrial powerhouse leading Europe in fields like chemicals, machinery, and optics. Its gold-backed currency traded at comparable rates to the British shilling, Italian lira, and French Franc (about 4-5:1 against the U.S. Dollar). Nine years later, hyperinflation hit its

While the concept of a flood of beer filling the streets of your city does not sound frightening at first, the London Beer Flood of 1814 was a terrifying disaster that took eight people’s lives.  The streets of London and many other cities during this period were narrow and cramped. Many people also lived below

The Chippewa people are a powerful northeastern native nation in North America with a rich and storied history as both diplomats and activists. One of North America’s most powerful first nations was the Chippewa tribe. Also called the Ojibwe people, this nation spread across a large section of the northeastern part of the continent and