Q&A

The coats of arms of the kingdoms of Scotland and France

Q&A How old is the Auld Alliance between France and Scotland?

An illustration of a Soviet warship inside a Pepsi bottle

Q&A Is it true that Pepsi briefly owned Soviet warships?

Scene of the Peterloo Massacre

Q&A Why do we say “Read the Riot Act”?

Men marching with bagpipes wearing tartan kilts

General History

Q&A When did the Scots start wearing tartan – and what did it mean?

The Trojan Horse is pulled in the city of Troy

Q&A What is the Trojan Horse and why do we say ‘Beware the Greeks bearing gifts’?

Photo of pears

Second World War

Q&A Why do we say it's all gone pear-shaped?

Claudia Severa’s preserved party invitation from Vindolanda

Q&A What was written on the Vindolanda Tablets?

A painting of the Coniston, a ship that befell tragedy

General History

Q&A What is the greatest mishap caused by someone not realising the clocks had moved forward or back?

Regé-Jean Page and Phoebe Dynevor meet for a dance in Bridgerton

General Early Modern

Q&A How did people learn to dance in Baroque and Regency times?

Picture of a 19th-century bloomer costume

Q&A When did women start wearing trousers?

Molotov cocktails, Ukraine

Q&A What is a Molotov cocktail?

An illustration depicting a woman lying in bed who has recently given birth to twins. Other women busy themselves with tasks around her, such as stoking a fire and holding one of the babies.

General History

Q&A Where does the word ‘gossip’ come from – and what has it got to do with childbirth?

A late 16th century portrait of Anne Boleyn (c.1500-1536)

Q&A Did Anne Boleyn have six fingers on one hand?

First photo of baby Charles Lindbergh Jr

Q&A Who was the Lindbergh baby?

Photo of fence and barbed wire

Q&A What does Iron Curtain mean, and who popularised the term?