History
245 unrolled threads about history, each one readable on a single page.
James Lucas@JamesLucasITThread of before and after photos 🧵 1. Chichen Itza in 1892 and now
SummaryA comprehensive collection of before-and-after photos spanning history, archaeology, nature, personal transformations, and urban development. The thread includes iconic sites like Chichen Itza and the Great Pyramid, environmental restoration projects, historical reunions, and architectural changes across centuries.Jun 26, 202431 tweets♥ 549KJames Lucas@JamesLucasITThread of crazy painting details 🧵 1. It's all in the eyes
SummaryA thread showcasing incredible hidden details and artistic techniques in famous paintings throughout history, from Van Eyck's mirror reflections and Caravaggio's self-portraits to Michelangelo's symbolism and Rembrandt's masterful brushwork. Features 30+ examples demonstrating how master artists embedded layers of meaning, optical illusions, and meticulous craftsmanship into their works.Aug 23, 202431 tweets♥ 517KJames Lucas@JamesLucasITThread of cool maps you've (probably) never seen before 🧵 1. All roads lead to Rome
SummaryA curated collection of 30 fascinating maps covering topics ranging from geography and history to population distribution and cultural data, including classics like map projections, Roman Empire territories, and unique visualizations like wolf pack ranges and pasta varieties by region.Aug 6, 202431 tweets♥ 498KJames Lucas@JamesLucasITLife in the 1970s 🧵 1. San Francisco's Lombard Street, 1975
SummaryA visual collection of life in the 1970s featuring iconic moments and scenes from around the world, including San Francisco landmarks, beach culture, major construction projects like the World Trade Center, entertainment highlights like Michael Jackson and the World Cup, and historical snapshots that capture the era's fashion, transportation, and social customs.Mar 9, 202523 tweets♥ 457KJames Lucas@JamesLucasITThread of amazing sculptures you (probably) didn't know existed 🧵 1. Statue of King Arthur, England
SummaryA comprehensive thread showcasing 30 remarkable sculptures from around the world, ranging from ancient masterpieces like the Resting Boxer to modern hyper-realistic works, including underwater statues, colossal monuments, and emotionally evocative pieces that explore themes of grief, migration, and freedom.May 16, 202430 tweets♥ 411KJames Lucas@JamesLucasITThread on the real size of things 🧵 1. Titanic compared to a modern cruise ship
SummaryA comprehensive visual comparison thread showcasing the real sizes of famous landmarks, natural wonders, animals, and celestial bodies using human scale references. The thread demonstrates how maps distort geography, how massive historical structures and modern marvels truly compare to people, and reveals the staggering scale of extinct creatures and astronomical objects.Sep 3, 202431 tweets♥ 410K
Paul Fairie@paulisciA Brief History of Nobody Wants to Work Anymore 🧵
SummaryA humorous thread documenting how "nobody wants to work anymore" has been a recurring headline complaint for over a century, with newspaper clippings dating back to 1894 showing this is a perennial panic rather than a modern phenomenon.Jul 19, 202218 tweets♥ 263K
Fr Dylan Schrader@FrDylanSchraderOpening my @Crayola year-2000 time capsule. 🧵
SummaryA priest opens a Crayola time capsule from the year 2000 that he created 25 years ago, revealing a mix of late-90s artifacts including health pamphlets, Pokémon ads, photos, coins, notes to the future, and recorded messages. He successfully recovers the tape and one disk, sharing highlights of the nostalgic contents including Calvin and Hobbes references and Alanis Morissette songs.Jan 1, 202521 tweets♥ 374K
Wolf of X@WolfofXMike Tyson - A thread 🧵 1. Mike Tyson walking his tiger, 90's
SummaryA comprehensive thread about Mike Tyson's boxing career, legendary status, and lifestyle, featuring iconic moments from his prime years including his infamous ear-biting incident, his dominant training regimen, his respect for Muhammad Ali, and various memorable anecdotes from his professional and personal life.Nov 16, 202421 tweets♥ 360K
Walter Ego@ItsWalterEgoMore than 500,000 people disappear without a trace every year. In 2009, something even stranger happened: a man appeared. No identity. No past. No record of where he came from. Peter Bergmann never...
SummaryPeter Bergmann, a man with no verifiable identity, arrived in Sligo, Ireland in 2009 and systematically erased himself over three days before dying of cardiac arrest on a beach under mysterious circumstances. Despite police investigation, his true identity and purpose remain unknown, making him one of the internet's greatest mysteries.Mar 20, 202517 tweets♥ 323KJames Lucas@JamesLucasITLife in the 1980s 🧵 1. McDonald's in the 80s compared to today
SummaryA nostalgic visual tour of 1980s life covering everything from McDonald's and grocery stores to fashion, pop culture, technology, and major historical events like the fall of the Berlin Wall. The thread showcases how daily life, consumer products, social attitudes, and entertainment differed dramatically from today.Mar 23, 202527 tweets♥ 302K
The Culturist@the_culturist_This 600-year-old painting is one of the most mysterious in history. That mirror at the back is just 3 inches wide — yet it reflects the entire room in immense detail. Look closer at it and you'll r...
SummaryJan van Eyck's 15th-century painting of Giovanni Arnolfini is filled with astonishing micro-details and hidden symbols that reveal it's actually a posthumous tribute to his wife Costanza, who died in childbirth the year before—with every element from the burned-out candle to tiny Passion of Christ scenes carefully encoding this tragic story. The convex mirror's reflection, miniature details painted with single brushstrokes, and symbolic objects create one of art history's most complex and emotionally layered compositions.Sep 3, 202417 tweets♥ 248KJames Lucas@JamesLucasITThread of the most beautiful bridges on Earth 1. Golden Bridge, Vietnam
SummaryA comprehensive tour of 30 of the world's most beautiful and architecturally significant bridges, spanning from ancient Roman structures to modern engineering marvels across six continents, with fascinating historical details about each.Aug 4, 202431 tweets♥ 271KJames Lucas@JamesLucasITThread of surreal places you (probably) didn't know existed 🧵 1. Sverd i fjell, Norway
SummaryA curated thread showcasing 20 surreal and lesser-known locations around the world, including underground cities, massive crystal caves, ancient rock fortresses, otherworldly landscapes, and picturesque beaches with fascinating historical and geological significance.Mar 27, 202522 tweets♥ 257K
Liberal Jane@liberaljanee[THREAD] This #WomensHistoryMonth, let's not forget how many of our rights were only won in recent decades, and weren’t given by asking nicely and waiting. We need to fight for our rights. Here's ar...
SummaryThis Women's History Month thread documents how women's rights in the US—from jury duty to business loans to contraception—were won through legal battles and activism over recent decades, not granted willingly. The examples show rights taken for granted today were denied until the 1960s-1990s, emphasizing that ongoing fights for equality remain necessary.Mar 7, 202521 tweets♥ 212K
Jeremy Wayne Tate@JeremyTate41Details you missed and things you (probably) didn't know about the Sistine Chapel 🧵 1. The genius of Michelangelo
SummaryA thread exploring lesser-known details about the Sistine Chapel, including Michelangelo's anatomical precision (such as brain imagery in The Creation of Adam), his use of optical illusions to create 3D effects on a flat ceiling, hidden tributes to Pope Julius II, and stories of censorship and artistic revenge painted into the frescoes.May 11, 202516 tweets♥ 260KJames Lucas@JamesLucasITThread of last phone calls made by 9/11 victims to their loved ones 🧵 1. Jim Gartenberg, 86th floor
SummaryA thread documenting the final phone calls and last words of 9/11 victims, including passengers and office workers in the Twin Towers. It highlights the heroism of Todd Beamer on Flight 93 who helped prevent further tragedy, along with photographs honoring those who died.Sep 11, 20249 tweets♥ 250K
Oscar Hoole@theoscarhooleIn 1965, Singapore was forced out of Malaysia. No army. No resources. No fresh water. A tiny island of 2M people living in slums. Then ONE man's ruthless vision built modern Asia's greatest suc...
SummaryLee Kuan Yew transformed Singapore from a resource-poor, slum-ridden island nation expelled from Malaysia in 1965 into a global economic powerhouse through pragmatic policies including mandatory English, zero corruption, forced racial integration, and aggressive investment in education and infrastructure. In one generation, Singapore's GDP per capita skyrocketed from $1,500 to $22,000, and it became one of the world's most developed nations.Nov 25, 202416 tweets♥ 219KJames Lucas@JamesLucasITThread of crazy archaeological discoveries 🧵 1. A 3,000-year-old perfectly preserved sword
SummaryA fascinating collection of 20 remarkable archaeological discoveries spanning from ancient Egypt to medieval times, including perfectly preserved artifacts like the 110-million-year-old nodosaur, the mysterious Antikythera Mechanism, the Terracotta Army, and the Dead Sea Scrolls. These finds were often discovered by accident and have provided crucial insights into ancient civilizations, technology, and daily life.Feb 20, 202521 tweets♥ 245KJames Lucas@JamesLucasIT