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#OTD in 1922.

At Toronto General Hospital, 14-year old Leonard Thompson became the first human to receive an injection of insulin as a treatment for diabetes, administered by Dr. James Collip.

More about insulin:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insulin

#science #medicine
J. B. Collip in his office at McGill University. Collip is seated and photographed from approximately chest level up. He wears round wire-rimmed glasses and has neatly combed dark hair parted to the side, styled in the fashion typical of the era. He is dressed formally in a white laboratory coat over a shirt and tie. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/January_1922#/media/File:J._B._Collip_in_his_office_at_McGill_University_ca._1930.png
January 11, 2026 at 12:28 PM
gutenberg.org
Fimbulvetr: When the Medieval World Saw the Sun Go Dark

In the medieval world, strange signs in the sky were rarely ignored.

By Andrea Maraschi

www.medievalists.net/2026/01/fimb...

Norse mythology at PG:
www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/subje...

#books #literature #mythology
A scene from the last phase of Ragnarök, after Surtr has engulfed the world with fire. The surrounding text implies that this is Ásgarðr (Asgard) burning (by Emil Doepler, 1905). This image depicts a dramatic scene from Norse mythology by German artist Emil Doepler (1905), illustrating the final phase of Ragnarök—the apocalyptic destruction of the world in Norse cosmology. The painting shows a fortress or stronghold, silhouetted in dark tones against an intensely fiery sky. The structure, which represents Ásgarðr (Asgard, the realm of the gods), appears as a dark mass with towers and battlements rising against the flames. The sky is engulfed in vivid oranges, reds, and yellows, creating a sense of overwhelming conflagration. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ragnar%C3%B6k#/media/File:Ragnar%C3%B6k_by_Doepler.jpg
January 11, 2026 at 11:47 AM
gutenberg.org
10,000 books were tossed at a London school. Librarians say there are other ways to give books a second life

by Kendra Seguin

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Librarians at PG:
www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/subje...

#books #literature #librarians
"Morrisania, Thirteen women, librarians?" The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1875. The photograph shows a group of thirteen women arranged in two rows - seven standing in the back row and six seated or kneeling in the front row. They are photographed outdoors against a wall heavily covered with ivy or climbing vines. The women are dressed in typical late 19th-century attire. Most wear white blouses (shirtwaists) with high collars and long sleeves, paired with dark skirts. Some have decorative brooches or pins at their collars. Their hair is styled in the fashion of the era, with most wearing it pulled back or up. One woman in the back row appears to be wearing a hat. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/4343e1d0-c5b3-012f-faca-58d385a7bc34?canvasIndex=0
January 11, 2026 at 10:24 AM
gutenberg.org
33 Of The Most Famous Newspaper Front Pages From History

"These memorable headlines capture some of the most important historical events, from John F. Kennedy's assassination to the Titanic sinking to the fall of the Berlin Wall."

allthatsinteresting.com/famous-newsp...

#history #journalism
Stack of newspapers
January 10, 2026 at 2:08 PM
gutenberg.org
She Is an Icon of Finnish Art. Now Modernist Helene Schjerfbeck Takes a Global Stage

by Annikka Olsen

news.artnet.com/art-world/sh...

More about Helene Schjerfbeck:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helene_...

#art #history #womeninart
The Family Heirloom, 1916. The painting depicts a figure in a contemplative, downward-gazing pose against a warm reddish-orange background. The figure wears what appears to be a dark hat or head covering with a yellowish accent, and their face is turned down, creating an introspective mood. The figure is rendered in pale, muted tones of cream, white, and soft yellows, with loose, gestural brushwork that suggests form rather than defining it precisely. There are touches of red-orange appearing as accents on what might be the figure's clothing or body. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helene_Schjerfbeck#/media/File:Helene_Schjerfbeck_-_The_Family_Heirloom.jpg
January 10, 2026 at 10:43 AM
gutenberg.org
The erotic poems of Bilitis

A lush translation of this late-discovered lesbian poet added to the legacy of Sappho, but there was a trickster at work

by Cat Lambert

aeon.co/essays/how-a...

Les Chansons de Bilitis at PG:
www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/4708

#books #literature #poetry
Title : Les chansons de Bilitis : traduit du grec / Pierre Louÿs ; ill. de G. Barbier, gravées sur bois par F. L. Schmied Author : Louÿs, Pierre (1870-1925). Auteur du texte Publisher : P. Corrard (Paris) Publication date : 1922 Contributor : Barbier, George (1882-1932). Illustrateur Contributor : Schmied, François-Louis (1873-1941). Graveur The illustration is presented as a decorative page or bookplate, featuring a rectangular composition with elaborate framing. The entire design is set against cream-colored paper with a sophisticated multi-layered border treatment that creates depth and visual richness. Across the top of the black panel stretches an arbor or trellis laden with grapevines. Standing gracefully on the left side is a woman in classical Greek or Roman dress. Crouched or kneeling on the right side is a striking figure rendered entirely in coral-red or terracotta tones. In the upper portion of the black space, four white bird silhouettes are visible. https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k15164019/f23.item.texteImage#
January 9, 2026 at 11:23 AM
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Science history: Sophie Germain, first woman to win France's prestigious 'Grand Mathematics Prize' is snubbed when tickets to award ceremony are 'lost in the mail' — Jan. 9, 1816

By Tia Ghose

www.livescience.com/physics-math...

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophie_...

#books #mathematics #womeninstem
Portrait of Sophie Germain (April 1, 1776 - June 27, 1831). Sophie Germain is depicted with refined, classical features: a straight, elegant nose, well-defined lips, a curved chin and a graceful neck. Her hair is pulled up and back from her face, arranged in what appears to be a bun or chignon at the back of her head and it shows curls arranged in horizontal bands around the crown. https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophie_Germain#/media/Ficheiro:Germain.jpeg
January 9, 2026 at 10:28 AM
gutenberg.org
Among the Sleuths: Looking for Answers at the Nancy Drew Convention

Jadie Stillwell and Nicole Blackwood on the Mystery of the Missing Discernible Character Traits

lithub.com/among-the-sl...

Carolyn Keene at PG:
www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho...

#books #literature
Cover page of The hidden staircase by Carolyn Keene, illustratated by Russell H. Tandy. At the top of the cover, "Nancy Drew Mystery Stories" appears in a stylized script font in yellow/gold lettering. Below this, the title "THE HIDDEN STAIRCASE" is displayed prominently in bold, uppercase blue letters. The cover features an illustration showing Nancy Drew descending a mysterious hidden staircase. https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/77602/pg77602-images.html
January 8, 2026 at 10:33 AM
gutenberg.org
Medieval Self-Portraits: Ten Artists Who Put Themselves in the Picture

www.medievalists.net/2026/01/medi...

Medieval artists at PG:
www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/searc...

#books #literature #painting
Giovanni Boccaccio’s De Mulieribus Claris (On Famous Women). A woman is shown seated at a desk or writing table, engaged in what appears to be a scholarly or artistic activity. She is depicted in profile or three-quarter view, dressed in flowing robes of soft pink or coral color with golden blonde hair. Her posture and the positioning of her hands suggest she is either writing, painting, or examining a manuscript or mirror. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Mulieribus_Claris
January 8, 2026 at 9:46 AM
gutenberg.org
The ratio of words written by Kafka to words written about Kafka is estimated to be about 1:10,000,000. Is anything left to say?

by Jared Marcel Pollen

libertiesjournal.com/online-artic...

Kafka at PG:
www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho...

#books #literature
First page of Kafka's Letter to His Father. The document shows aged paper with a cream or beige tone, typical of early 20th-century stationery that has yellowed over time. The page appears to be standard letter-size paper with some visible wear, creases, and aging marks. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Kafka#/media/File:De_Kafka_Brief_an_den_Vater_001.jpg
January 7, 2026 at 11:23 AM
gutenberg.org
How the Telegraph Went From Semaphore to Communication Game Changer

by Jimmy Stamp (from the archives)

www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture...

Morse at PG:
www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho...

#science #technology
1900 illustration of Professor Morse sending the first long-distance message – "WHAT HATH GOD WROUGHT" – on 24 May 1844. Seated at the center of the composition is Professor Samuel F.B. Morse himself, operating the telegraph key. On the desk before Morse is the telegraph equipment—a wooden box-like device that houses the telegraph key and receiving mechanism. Standing close beside Morse, leaning in to observe the process, is a young woman in a light-colored dress typical of 1840s fashion. Surrounding the central figures is a group of distinguished gentlemen. https://archive.org/details/storyofnineteent01broo/page/n5/mode/1up
January 7, 2026 at 10:56 AM
gutenberg.org
#OTD in 1944 Ida Tarbell died. She "was an American writer, investigative journalist, biographer, and lecturer."

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ida_Tar...

Books by Tarbell at PG:

www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho...

#books #literature
Photograph of Ida Tarbell
January 6, 2026 at 1:45 PM
gutenberg.org
Long before numbers were written down or equations were formalized, human beings were already thinking mathematically; not on tablets or scrolls, but in clay.

By Sage Helene

mymodernmet.com/geometric-fl...

At PG:
www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/subje...

#books #mathematics #antropology #archeology
KYLIX BY DURIS. THE LABOURS OF THESEUS. (British Museum). A kylix is a shallow, wide drinking cup with two horizontal handles and a stem with a foot. This photograph shows the vessel photographed from above and displayed in a way that reveals both the central tondo (circular medallion in the interior bottom of the cup) and the exterior decorative bands. The presentation shows the cup as if flattened out, with the circular interior scene in the center and the two curved exterior panels (from opposite sides of the cup) arranged above and below. https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/48154/pg48154-images.html
January 6, 2026 at 10:12 AM
gutenberg.org
Medieval Friendships: No Girls Allowed

By: Livia Gershon

daily.jstor.org/medieval-fri...

Christine de Pizan & Margery Kempe
www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho...
www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/searc...

#books #literature #womenhistory
Master of the City of Ladies by Christine de Pisan. The illumination is divided into two main sections showing women engaged in the symbolic construction of the "City of Ladies." The scene depicts Christine de Pizan's allegorical vision of building an ideal city for virtuous women. Inside an architectural space with elegant white arches and a tiled vaulted ceiling in warm orange/gold tones, a group of noble women are gathered. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Meister_der_%27Cit%C3%A9_des_Dames%27_002.jpg
January 6, 2026 at 9:57 AM
gutenberg.org
How This Fairytale Painting of Doomed Lovers Became a Victorian Sensation

by Annikka Olsen

news.artnet.com/art-world/bu...

More about Burton:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederi...

#art #history #painting
Hellelil and Hildebrand, the meeting on the turret stairs, by Frederic William Burton. The painting depicts an intimate, poignant moment between two lovers in a narrow medieval turret stairway. On the left stands Hellelil, a medieval noblewoman dressed in a magnificent flowing gown of deep, vibrant blue. On the right is Hildebrand, a knight or warrior in full medieval armor: He wears chainmail covering his head (a mail coif), arms, and legs Over the chainmail is a rich crimson or burgundy surcoat decorated with elaborate gold embroidery or tooling showing heraldic or decorative patterns A large sword hangs at his side, suspended from an ornately decorated belt and scabbard with intricate metalwork His legs are wrapped in cloth bindings (leg wrappings or hose) over the mail Brown leather boots His head is bowed, and his eyes are closed, lost in the embrace One armored hand reaches around to hold Hellelil https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Meeting_on_the_Turret_Stairs#/media/File:Hellelil_and_Hildebrand,_the_meeting_on_the_turret_stairs,_by_Frederic_William_Burton.jpg
January 5, 2026 at 5:32 PM
gutenberg.org
“A Conflicted, Imperfect Love.” Jesmyn Ward on William Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying

“I realized he was kin in telling this complicated, complex story that is Mississippi.” (from the archives)

lithub.com/a-conflicted...

Mississippi at PG:
www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/subje...

#books #literature
Faulkner in 1954 by Carl Van Vechten - Van Vechten Collection at Library of Congress Faulkner is photographed in profile, seated and turned to his left, gazing off into the distance with a contemplative expression. It shows him with Graying hair, neatly combed back a well-groomed mustache, also gray and a slight receding hairline. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Faulkner#/media/File:William_Faulkner_1954_(2)_(photo_by_Carl_van_Vechten).jpg
January 5, 2026 at 9:53 AM
gutenberg.org
The Hidden Aesthetics of Early Astrophotography

Behind the transformative star photographs of the 1880s lay a complex collaboration between astronomers and engravers.

By Danny Robb

daily.jstor.org/the-hidden-a...

Astronomy at PG
www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/books...

#books #astronomy #photography
Spiral nebula M 51 by the Lick observatory 1900. The center of the image shows a spectacular spiral galaxy with clearly defined spiral arm structure. The galaxy appears as a bright, roughly circular object with luminous spiral arms curving outward from a bright central core. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:PSM_V58_D028_Spiral_nebula_m_51_by_the_lick_observatory_1900.png
January 5, 2026 at 9:26 AM
gutenberg.org
Johnson City, Tennessee

The Last Boone Bear Tree

"The last tree on which Pioneer Daniel Boone carved that he "cilled" a bear during his journeys."

www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-l...

Books about Daniel Boone at PG:

www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/subje...

#history #travel #ushistory
"Engraving of Daniel Boone by James Longacre (1835), from 1820 painting by Chester Harding" - picryl.com
January 4, 2026 at 1:16 PM
gutenberg.org
"Geometry does not teach us to draw these lines, but requires them to be drawn ... then it shows how by these operations problems may be solved."

Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica (1687)

~Isaac Newton born #OTD in 1643.

Newton at PG:
www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho...

#books
William Blake's Newton (1795), colour print with pen & ink and watercolour. Blake's picture of Newton as a divine geometer was one of a series he created while living in Lambeth in the late 1790s. Blake's printing appears to have been a form of self-developed monoprint which he then finished with additions in pen and ink coupled with watercolour washes. The image depicts Sir Isaac Newton as a muscular, heroic nude figure crouched on what appears to be a rocky outcrop or ledge at the bottom of an underwater or subterranean world. Newton is shown in profile, bent over in intense concentration as he uses a compass to draw geometric diagrams on a scroll or parchment that unfurls before him. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Newton-WilliamBlake.jpg
January 4, 2026 at 10:45 AM
gutenberg.org
Why René Descartes Believed That Machines Will Never Be Able to Genuinely “Think”

by Scott Mclaughlan

www.thecollector.com/descartes-pa...

Descartes at PG:
www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho...

#books #literature #philosophy
René Descartes at his desk. Dscartes is shown seated in three-quarter view, turned slightly toward the viewer while positioned at an ornate writing desk or table. His right hand gestures toward or rests near an open book or manuscript on the desk. Descartes is portrayed with long, dark hair falling past his shoulders and a prominent mustache. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Ren%C3%A9_Descartes?uselang=fr#/media/File:Descartes3.jpg
January 4, 2026 at 10:37 AM
gutenberg.org
What were books like in ancient Greece and Rome?

If you were to visit a bookshop in the ancient world, what would it be like?

by Konstantine Panegyres

theconversation.com/what-were-bo...

Ancient world at PG:
www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/searc...

#books #literature
Initiation ritual into the Mysteries. Detail of the fresco in the Villa dei Misteri in Pompeii, painted in the “second style” of Pompeii, circa 60 BC. The fresco is designed as a panel with an elaborate architectural frame. At the top runs a decorative border featuring a Greek key (meander) pattern in gold and brown tones against a light background. The main scene is set against a vibrant red (Pompeian red) background and is flanked by dark maroon or purple-brown vertical columns on either side, with additional decorative borders in green/teal creating a sophisticated framing system. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Roman_fresco_Villa_dei_Misteri_Pompeii_001.jpg
January 4, 2026 at 10:17 AM
gutenberg.org
Going to the Moon: Early Cartography of the Lunar Surface

by: Cynthia Smith (from the archives)

blogs.loc.gov/maps/2020/03...

Galileo at PG:
www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho...

#books #astronomy
This is a historic page showing three of Galileo Galilei's pioneering telescopic observations of the Moon, from his Opere di Galileo Galilei (1655), held in the Rare Books and Special Collections Division at the Library of Congress. The page displays three circular illustrations of the Moon in different phases, arranged with two at the top (left and right) and one at the bottom right. The page header reads "OBSERVAT SIDERUM" (Observations of the Stars/Heavens), with page numbers visible (34 and 35, suggesting this is a two-page spread). https://brescia-raccoltestoriche.unicatt.it/storie/la-sezione-galileo-galilei/
January 3, 2026 at 3:50 PM
gutenberg.org
“Open Me Carefully.” Emily Dickinson’s Intimate Letters to Susan Huntington Dickinson

"A Look Inside the Poet’s Personal Life and the Making of Her Mythical Reclusiveness"

lithub.com/open-me-care...

Books by Dickinson at PG:

www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho...

#books #literature #poetry
Emily Dickinson seated by a table with a tablecloth and two books stacked on top.
January 3, 2026 at 2:05 PM
gutenberg.org
"Ours is essentially a tragic age, so we refuse to take it tragically. "

‘Lady Chatterley’s Lover’: The raunchy banned book that became a best-seller and helped to launch counterculture

by Paulina Subia

faroutmagazine.co.uk/raunchy-bann...

At PG
www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/73144

#books #literature
A photo of Lawrence by Lady Ottoline Morrell in November 1915. Lawrence stands in a formal, frontal pose facing the camera directly, with his body slightly stiff and arms at his sides. Lawrence has a distinctive full beard that covers much of his lower face, and his hair is parted and styled in the fashion of the Edwardian period. He is dressed formally in what appears to be: A dark jacket or suit coat with visible buttons down the front Light-colored trousers Dark shoes or boots What appears to be a white collar visible at the neck. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D._H._Lawrence#/media/File:D.H._Lawrence,_29_November_1915.jpg
January 3, 2026 at 10:05 AM
gutenberg.org
Lewis Carroll’s Personal Copy of ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ Returns to its ‘Spiritual Home’ in Oxford

by Sarah Kuta

www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/l...

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland at PG:
www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/11

#books #literature
Cover of the book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll The cover has a beige or cream-colored background with the title "ALICE IN WONDERLAND" displayed at the top in a bold, serif typeface in dark blue or black. At the bottom, "LEWIS CARROLL" appears in the same typeface and color. The main image is contained within a dark blue border and depicts a whimsical garden scene featuring two central figures: On the right stands Alice, portrayed as a young girl with shoulder-length blonde hair with bangs. She wears a classic white pinafore dress over a white blouse, with the dress featuring a decorative orange or coral-colored hem with a scalloped pattern. Her expression is calm and pleasant. On the left is a rotund figure in elaborate costume consisting of: An enormous round red or orange hat or headdress that dominates the upper portion A smiling, chubby face with rosy cheeks An orange and yellow striped collar or ruff A flowing orange robe or dress decorated with circular patterns and ornate details The figure has a jovial, almost comical appearance https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/11/pg11-images.html
January 3, 2026 at 9:46 AM