Retrotechtacular: 1960s Doc Calls Computers The Universal Machine

It’s weird to think that an abacus would have still been used sixty years ago, or so posits the documentary series The Computer and the Mind of Man. This six part series originally aired on S…

Weather In Wartime: The Importance Of British Meteorology In WWII

Weather can have a significant impact on transport and operations of all kinds, especially those at sea or in the air. This makes it a deeply important field of study, particularly in wartime. If y…

Retrotechtacular: Critical Code Reading, 70s Style

Anyone who has ever made a living writing code has probably had some version of the following drilled into their head: “Always write your code so the next person can understand it.” Eve…

Retrotechtacular: Oh Boy! We’re Radio Engineers!

It is a shame that there are fewer and fewer “nerd stores” around. Fry’s is gone. Radio Shack is gone. But the best ones were always the places that had junk. Silicon valley was g…

Retrotechtacular: The Secret Life Of The Electric Light

Normally, when we pick out something to carry the “Retrotechtacular” banner, it’s a film from the good old days when technology was young and fresh, and filmmakers were paid by on…