46 h. ago 'Unregulated' beauticians risking lives selling bloodletting amid NHS shortage

Bloodletting, which involves drawing large quantities of blood from the body, was discredited in the 19th century - but beauticians claim the procedure can cure multiple health conditions

Events

3 d. ago Experience: ‘I live as William Morris for three months a year’

It’s made me feel it’s OK to be an artist with a social purpose, though my wife hates the beardI have spent the first three months of the past six years trying to become the 19th-century designer and activist William Morris. I grow my hair and beard to look like him, while immersing myself in his work.On 24 March – his birthday – I dress as Morris and finish the quarter with some kind of absurd performance to highlight pressing social issues that he was concerned about, and that I want more people to focus on today. Continue reading...

Politics

5 d. ago Finding hope: artist Scott Naismith inspires and uplifts in new Edinburgh exhibition

An independent Edinburgh art gallery has announced details of a new exhibition of work from Scott Naismith, a Scottish contemporary artist known for his innovative use of colour.

Politics

6 d. ago Restoration work begins in Stirling on historic Victorian villa destroyed in fire

The first phase of restoration works at the 19th century Victorian villa - which was gutted by fire back in March last year - is now underway.

Events

6 d. ago Secrets of sauropod dinosaur revealed by fossilised stomach find

Since the late 19th century, sauropod dinosaurs have been almost universally regarded as herbivores, despite no evidence - until now

Politics

9 d. ago Items recovered from 1859 tragic Ayrshire shipwreck to go on display at museum

The SS Eagle is seen as an unprecedented example of an almost intact cargo of 19th century Glaswegian ceramics.

Events

1 week ago 19th century ceramics recovered from shipwreck to go on display

The SS Eagle sank off Arran on November 28, 1859 after colliding with a sailing boat.

Politics

2 w. ago ‘Chic’ is dead, says Vogue. Is it time to revive ‘jazzy’, ‘snazzy’ and ‘swish’? | Emma Beddington

The word has lost all meaning, we are told. Could my favourite dad-jectives replace it?Vogue has spoken: chic is dead. Not being it, but the word. Chic has, Lauren O’Neill argues, lost its essence, co-opted to cover whatever glazed-doughnut-skinned influencers on TikTok decide it should, from monogrammed lip balm to iced matchas. “Chic has come to be mistaken for certain monied strains of taste, rather than the sort of unique je ne sais quoi that I think the word at its purest actually means.”Baudelaire – the 19th century’s Nicky Haslam, given how many things he disapproved of: photography, Belgium, Victor Hugo – would have agreed. He called chic an “awful and bizarre word”. Are he and Vogue right? Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Scots voiceover artist claims Edinburgh bus company used AI version of her voice without permission

It comes less than a week after another artist revealed a synthetic version of her voice had been used on board ScotRail trains.

Events

2 w. ago New Orleans holds burial of repatriated African Americans whose skulls were used in racist research

New Orleans celebrated the repatriation and burial of the remains of 19 African American people whose skulls had been sent to Germany for racist research practices in the 19th century

Politics

2 w. ago Are there billions more people on earth than we thought? If so, it’s no bad thing | Jonathan Kennedy

A study suggests the global population has been undercounted – but we shouldn’t let the overpopulation alarmists win the argumentAccording to the UN, the world’s population stands at just over 8.2 billion. However, a recent study suggests the figure could be hundreds of millions or even billions higher. This news might sound terrifying, but it is important to remember that anxieties about overpopulation are rarely just about the numbers. They reflect power struggles over which lives matter, who is a burden or a threat and ultimately what the future should look like.The world’s population reached 1 billion just after the turn of the 19th century. The number of people on the planet then began to grow exponentially, doubling to 2 billion by about 1925 and again to 4 billion about 50 years later. On 15 November 2022, the UN announced the birth of the eight billionth human.Jonathan Kennedy teaches politics and global health at Queen Mary University of London, and is the author of Pathoge...

Politics

2 w. ago Remains found washed up on Jersey shore identified as missing 19th

Student researchers at Ramapo College of New Jersey identified human remains as those of 19th-century ship Captain Henry Goodsell.

Events

2 w. ago Rare royal ring bought for £15 in charity shop could be worth huge sum

The ring was commissioned to commemorate George IV’s sister and dates back to the 19th century

Economics

2 w. ago 'I became the AI voice of Lothian Buses, but didn't know about it', says angry Scottish voiceover artist

Second woman discovers a synthetic version of her voice being used by a Scottish transport operator - in this case, Lothian Buses.

Politics

2 w. ago Rare royal mourning ring worth thousands found in charity shop

The ring dates back to the early 19th century when it was commissioned by George IV to commemorate his sister after her death.

Politics

3 w. ago Wales, a Home from Home: untold stories of Welsh global culture – in pictures

An exhibition at the Welsh parliament from 24 May to 12 July will go on to tour Wales throughout 2025.The project, by Vision Fountain, seeks to highlight the contributions migrants have made to Welsh society – particularly at a time when migration, and migrants themselves, are it seems increasingly demonised in politics and the media.Wales was officially designated a ‘Nation of Sanctuary’ in 2019, but its tradition of offering refuge reaches back centuries. Italians settled in Wales in the 19th century, drawn not only by the familiar hills and castles but also the certainty of work and friendship.Wales: A Home From Home brings together stories from Wales’s diverse global communities, from ‘heritage’ migrants, such as the Italians, to recent arrivals escaping trauma, such as Ukrainians, Syrians and Hongkongers.While the project celebrates moments of joy and connection, it also gives voice to difficult memories: experiences of trauma, displacement and the challenges of starting anew i...

Politics

3 w. ago ‘I honestly don’t know what’s going to happen next’: Brockwell Park festival row ignites debate over public space

Legal decision in favour of south London campaign group trying to restrict music festivals reignites access rowPublic parks have been a cherished part of British life since the 19th century; for the Victorians they represented a “commitment to cultivate public good within the public realm”.But differing interpretations of this vision for municipal green space are at the heart of a debate over a very 21st-century issue: music festivals. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago What are public parks for? Inside the debate sparked by London festival row

Differing interpretations of public access rights are at heart of Brockwell case pitting campaign group against festival fansPublic parks have been a cherished part of British life since the 19th century; for the Victorians they represented a “commitment to cultivate public good within the public realm”.But differing interpretations of this vision for municipal green space are at the heart of a debate over a very 21st-century issue: music festivals. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago How a 19th century Scottish con artist used 40 aliases and exploited a war for fraud

Annie Gordon Baillie built a life on deceit with a number of different scams.

Events

3 w. ago Antiques Roadshow guest can't stop grinning as he learns whopping value of 'rust bucket' bike bought from clearance shop and suspected was fake

During a previous episode of the BBC show, expert Adam Schoon was presented with a late 19th century child's bicycle.

Culture