History

Interviews

‘Henry David Thoreau’: This Doc Will Make You Want to Turn Off the TV (Complimentary)

Mar 29, 2026

•

12 min read

‘Henry David Thoreau’: This Doc Will Make You Want to Turn Off the TV (Complimentary)

I interviewed directors Erik Ewers and Christopher Loren Ewers about the PBS series executive produced by Ken Burns and Don Henley

Vanessa Armstrong

Galvanometer

Mar 15, 2026

•

7 min read

Beating a Scientific Séance

Anna Eva Fay beat Crookes's scientific séance; here are some theories on how she did it.

Vanessa Armstrong

Galvanometer

Mar 1, 2026

•

9 min read

How the Galvanometer 'Proved' a Medium's Powers

In the 19th century, scientific Spiritualists repurposed a device that measures electricity to “test” women’s supernatural abilities.

Vanessa Armstrong

Feature

Don't Put These Items in a Hospital's Tube System!

Feb 22, 2026

•

8 min read

Don't Put These Items in a Hospital's Tube System!

The technicians will get mad at you.

Vanessa Armstrong

Feature

Feb 15, 2026

•

9 min read

The Last Bastion of Pneumatic Tubes

In one industry, this centuries-old technology is thriving.

Vanessa Armstrong

Theremin

Feb 8, 2026

•

9 min read

Why Does Television Love the Theremin?

The odd, ethereal instrument pops up on shows like Severance and Starfleet Academy.

Vanessa Armstrong

Feature

Jan 25, 2026

•

10 min read

The Fall of NYC's Pneumatic Mail

Its existence angered many, including McCarthy

Vanessa Armstrong

Feature

When Mail Traveled via a Series of Tubes

Jan 18, 2026

•

12 min read

When Mail Traveled via a Series of Tubes

Under the streets of NYC lies a network of pipes that, over decades, jettisoned millions of letters across the city

Vanessa Armstrong

History

‘Henry David Thoreau’: This Doc Will Make You Want to Turn Off the TV (Complimentary)

Beating a Scientific Séance

How the Galvanometer 'Proved' a Medium's Powers

Don't Put These Items in a Hospital's Tube System!

The Last Bastion of Pneumatic Tubes

Why Does Television Love the Theremin?

The Fall of NYC's Pneumatic Mail

When Mail Traveled via a Series of Tubes

Tube Talk Media