Writing
A social history of 1920s London (part 1)
Born Free Press newsletter issue 39 (opens in new window). A window onto life in the capital, 100 years ago, as described in one young woman's diary.
How a unique native Australian animal is like a classical Greek character
Born Free Press newsletter, Issue 38: When nature’s truth is as strange as the Western world’s most famous myths. (Opens in new window.)
The ‘extinct’ wonder plant of the ancient world, rediscovered
Born Free Press newsletter, Issue 37: It made food taste better and had multiple medicinal properties, but now that therapeutic value could put it at risk again. (Opens in new window.)
The man who democratised the colour purple
Born Free Press newsletter, Issue 36: How my favourite colour is linked to one of my favourite drinks, and how its discovery broke new ground in fashion and science. (Opens in new window.)
The academic origins of an alleged occult image
Born Free Press newsletter, Issue 35: An attempt to discover the story behind an iconic photograph celebrated in magical circles. (Opens in new window.)
There’s a universal pattern in profanity, but it’s not what you probably think
Born Free Press newsletter, Issue 34: How the sounds of a word determine its impact and insult. (Opens in new window.)
Favourite sentences from stories I read this year
Born Free Press newsletter, Issue 33: The words and ideas that stood out to me in 2022. (Opens in new window.)
The real women who inspired the ‘mythical’ Amazon warriors
Born Free Press newsletter, Issue 32: How these horse-riding, weapon-wielding nomads won the hearts of ancient artists, and what modern science is revealing about their skills and status. (Opens in new window.)
The creation story flood that wiped out beer production
Born Free Press newsletter, Issue 31: Learning about two of the world’s earliest creation stories and the amusing part our favourite alcoholic beverage plays in one of them. (Opens in new window.)
How scientists tried to save the Loch Ness monster
Born Free Press newsletter, Issue 30: A pair of stories about irregularities in the species classification record. (Opens in new window.)
How the world’s most famous vampire ended up in Essex
Born Free Press newsletter, Issue 29: The evidence of the real-life inspiration for Dracula’s English home, Carfax. (Opens in new window.)
Interview with a death historian
Born Free Press newsletter, Issue 28: Louvain Rees explains what her job is all about and shares some of her favourite discoveries. (Opens in new window.)
The purple sapphire; or, the cursed amethyst
Born Free Press newsletter, Issue 27: The fact and the fiction behind a spooky museum specimen. (Opens in new window.)
How an unsuccessful invention left a lasting impression
Born Free Press newsletter, Issue 26: One man’s failure was another man’s fortune. (Opens in new window.)
Reclaiming the words designed to demean us
Born Free Press newsletter, Issue 25: How contemporary creators – and campaigners of the past – have turned insult into inspiration. (Opens in new window.)
Victorian prostitutes’ favourite feats of engineering and architecture
Born Free Press newsletter, Issue 24: Who doesn’t want to work somewhere with the ‘wow factor’?! (Opens in new window.)
That old book smell
Born Free Press newsletter, Issue 23: A little round-up of stories about archiving, eating, and getting high on ‘bibliosmia’* (Opens in new window.)
The enduring, charismatic traffic light men of eastern Berlin
Born Free Press newsletter, Issue 22: How an accessible, scientifically based design became a cult figure and survived German reunification. (Opens in new window.)
The evolutionary and restorative reasons we love the smell of oncoming rain
Born Free Press newsletter, Issue 21: The science behind our ability to sense a storm before it starts. (Opens in new window.)
The campaign righting some of Scotland’s historic wrongs
Born Free Press newsletter, Issue 20: For those unjustly persecuted in the past, those still in danger of witchcraft accusations today, and all women. (Opens in new window.)
The 17th Century prescription at the border between magic and medicine
Born Free Press newsletter, Issue 19: How a first-of-its-kind study is uncovering the origins, patterns, and peculiarities of witch bottles. (Opens in new window.)
Whatever happened to Samuel Pepys’ parmesan?
Born Free Press newsletter, Issue 18: A pondering of the possibilities: served or preserved? (Opens in new window.)
Fascinating fungi facts
Born Free Press newsletter, Issue 17: A tribute to the myriad organisms that make our worlds, change our minds, and shape our futures. (Opens in new window.)
Stimulants, creativity, and productivity
Born Free Press newsletter, Issue 16: A short exploration of the origin and veracity of a famous literary quote. (Opens in new window.)
The seamstress of the bird world
Born Free Press newsletter, Issue 15: Extraordinary needlework in – and on – nature. (Opens in new window.)
Kepler’s cosmic cup
Born Free Press newsletter, Issue 14: The scientific breakthrough/dinner party amusement that never quite was. (Opens in new window.)
Why are London’s first sewerage pumping stations so beautiful?
Born Free Press newsletter, Issue 13: An exploration of anomalous Victorian-era architecture. (Opens in new window.)
The Famous Women Dinner Service
Born Free Press newsletter, Issue 12: An artistic celebration of women’s success and notoriety, at a time when they were often anonymous. (Opens in new window.)
The audacity and legacy of an Italo-French libertine in 17th Century London
Born Free Press newsletter, Issue 11: How a convention-defying duchess created an egalitarian cultural space ahead of its time. (Opens in new window.)
The secret history of occult arts in 19th Century Australia
Born Free Press newsletter, Issue 10: Folk magic and superstition were alive and well among Australia’s English colonisers. (Opens in new window.)