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Thirty years ago, on 5th July 1996, Dolly the sheep was born at the Roslin Institute in Edinburgh. She was the first cloned mammal. Dolly had three mothers: one provided the egg, another the DNA, and a third carried the cloned embryo to term. Her existence was announced the following February, resulting in much media...

Twenty years ago, on 15th July 2006, Twitter, the online micro-blogging service, was launched. It had been developed earlier that year by Jack Dorsey, Biz Stone, Evan Williams and Noah Glass at the podcasting company Odeo. Originally named “twttr”, it was thought of as an SMS-based, short messaging service, at first with a 140-character limit....

The Royal International Air Tattoo, one of the world’s largest defence shows, has been cancelled due to military operations linked to the Iran war. RIAT 2026 had been scheduled for July 17-19 at RAF Fairford, an ​active Royal Air Force base used by the U.S. ​Air Force, in southwest England. But at present the U.S....

Or rather – the lack of them? A recent survey published by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), found that the total number of gulls wintering in the UK has fallen from 3.9 million to just under 2.5 million over the past two decades. It is thought that the reason for the decline of gulls...

All in the month of JUNE Remembering John Constable Our Marilyn Monroe – born 100 years this month Remembering G K Chesterton BBC Proms will still celebrate the US – despite Trump’s lawsuit Our potholes are killing us ** Editor:  We continue our column that looks at memorable dates in the month (this time, June)...

It was: 250 years ago, on 11 June 1776 that the Second Continental Congress appointed John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Robert R Livingston and Roger Sherman to create the first draft of the Declaration of Independence. Also 250 years ago, on 11th June, that John Constable, British landscape artist, was born. 150 years ago,...

It was 250 years ago, on 11th June 1776, that John Constable, British landscape artist, was born. Widely known as a painter in the Romantic tradition, Constable had a deeply conservative faith centred on the Church of England, which he viewed as an essential stabilising force in society. His painting of Salisbury Cathedral is regarded...

One hundred years ago, on 1st June 1926, the American film actress, model and sex symbol Marilyn Monroe was born. Remembered for Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, The Seven Year Itch and Some Like it Hot, among others, she died in 1962.  Her original name was Norma Jeane Mortenson, and she was born in Los Angeles, spending...

Ninety years ago, on 14th June 1936, G K Chesterton died at his home in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire. Novelist, short story writer, journalist, essayist, poet, social/literary critic and theologian, he is remembered for his stories about the priest-detective Father Brown. Gilbert Keith Chesterton was born in Kensington, London, to an estate agent father and a Swiss-French...

The BBC will mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence with a programme of American classical music this summer. That is while Donald Trump pursues his multi-million lawsuit against the corporation. But he is not the only thing that is making the BBC uneasy. BBC insiders are also wary of the shifting political...

The number of people injured or even killed by falling into potholes has increased by almost 50 per cent in just the last five years. Motorists, passengers and pedestrians are all at risk. From 270 incidents in 2020, it now stands at 393 in 2024, the last year for which figures are available. In 2024,...

All in the month of May The Great Exhibition that started the V & A Remembering the General Strike of 1926 Happy 70th Birthday, Eurovision Song Contest RHS lifts its ban on gnomes for Chelsea National Biscuit Day – 29th May I’ll take Manhattan ** Editor:  We continue our column that looks at memorable dates...