Phlogiston and Fire — The Isolation of Oxygen

In the mid-18th century, the most pressing issue in chemistry and physics was to determine what exactly happens when something burns. The prevailing theory was that flammable materials contained a substance called “phlogiston” (from the Greek word for burn) that was released during combustion.  The theory held that when a candle burned, for example, phlogiston …

Basic Colonial Brewing #14 — Period Correct ways to get Yeast

I know Reinheitsgebot permits only water, hops, and malt as ingredients in beer but if you want to make beer, mead, cider or any other alcoholic brew, you need to add yeast.  In the 21st Century, many homebrewers just rip open an envelope of dried yeast from the local homebrew shop and add it to …

Cyphers and Spycraft in the American Revolution

July 31, 202110:00 am — 4:00 pm Carpenter’s Hall, Philadelphia Going into the Revolution, Americans were at a huge disadvantage to the European powers when it came to cryptography, many of which had been using secret offices where sensitive letters were opened and deciphered by public officials for centuries. It was not uncommon for the …