Countdown's Queen: Rachel Riley on Numbers and Nonsense

Rachel Riley has turned into a household name thanks to her stint on Countdown. The brainy beauty isn't simply known for her dazzling appearance, though. Her sharp intellect and ability in solving those tricky numerical puzzles have earned her a legion of fans. From tackling this infamous Conundrums to unveiling her knack for spotting patterns, Rac

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Britain's Bold Leap: The Great Calendar Change of 1752

In the year 1753, a most striking event shook the very foundations of time itself in Britain. A bold leap forward, a radical alteration to the way they measured days and years - this was no ordinary change. The Gregorian Calendar, embraced by many European nations before, finally took hold on these shores. This adjustment was not merely a matter of

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A Dance to Death: The Strasbourg Plague of 1518

In the heart amidst Strasbourg in the year that 1518, a peculiar began to unfold. {A{ a woman, Frau Troffea, was struck with an insatiable urge to dance. Days turned into weeks, and her relentless frolicking became a spectacle that could not be ignored. As if driven by an unseen force, others began to yield to this strange affliction. Men, women,

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