The first instance of biological warfare is often erroneously cited as the use of blankets to infest the Pitt by Amherst around the Revolutionary War. In fact, Howard Zinn probably correctly states this as the first case of American biological warfare.

However, the trebuchet, long a staple of medieval warriors, used the flinging force of kinetic energy to throw a projectile over an opposing castle’s walls. It just so happens that trebuchets through dead bodies into the air as well. The bodies landed with great force inside of the castle walls, and the rest is history, as they say.

The trebuchet was so popular that it spread beyond the CHristian world, out into Muslim lands, first appearing during the 12th century — fortuitously towards the end of the Crusades.

Today, trebuchets are largely maligned, simply because people found gunpowder to be a much more affective way to kill people — God help us all. But the trebuchet still remains a staple of hobbyists and enthusiasts of medieval history. Let it live long and prosper.

And we thought the London bridges falling down was enough. Take a look at the rolling bridge! This London attraction crosses a small moat in Paddington Basin. The Bridge, which ingeniously curls into itself to move out of the way of oncoming boats, was designed by Thomas Heatherwick.

The coke bottle in this picture is not real. It’s not optical illusion, and the image is entirely flat - an airbrushed painting on the sidewalk. Incredible!

Three-dimensional coke bottle image courtesy RosalindHughes