History

March 29, 2017

Soldier’s B&W Photos Capture Rare Glimpse of Seoul Rebuilding After Korean War

Born in an area that is now part of North Korea, photographer Han Youngsoo's work gives us rare insight into how the country rebuilt itself after the Korean War. Fighting on the front lines as a young South Korean soldier, Youngsoo returned to an unrecognizable Seoul after the war ended. Post-war Seoul, left devastated and impoverished, is the backdrop for Youngsoo's photography.

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March 14, 2017

Vintage Smart Lock Proves Home Security Existed Over 300 Years Ago

We live in an age obsessed with security, from fingerprint passcodes to keyless entry systems. But lest you think home safety is something new, we introduce a clever smart lock made over 300 years ago. This “detector lock,” so named because a counter tells you the number of times it's been opened, was created by British locksmith John Wilkes around 1680.

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February 7, 2017

Man Who Saved 669 Children During the Holocaust Has a Surprise Reunion 50 Years Later

Sir Nicholas Winton is a name that you might not have read about in the history books, but his contribution to the world was beyond extraordinary. On the eve of World War II, the young British stockbroker arranged for trains that carried Jewish children out of then-Czechoslovakia during the Holocaust. Essentially, this ordinary man rescued a staggering 669 children destined for Nazi concentration camps, saving them from an almost certain peril.

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January 10, 2017

World’s Oldest Paris Photo Is Also the First to Feature Humans

In this age of endless selfies, it's easy to forget that there existed a time before humans were photographed. So what exactly did the very first photo of a human entail? Well, this particular photo is a city shot, and it's just so happens to be the oldest image of Paris. And it's only fitting that Louis Daguerre—the inventor of daguerreotype—should be the photographer.

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My Modern Met

Celebrating creativity and promoting a positive culture by spotlighting the best sides of humanity—from the lighthearted and fun to the thought-provoking and enlightening.