Countdown's Queen: Rachel Riley on Numbers and Nonsense

Rachel Riley has transformed as a household name thanks to her stint on Countdown. The brainy beauty isn't solely known for her dazzling style, though. Her sharp brainpower and ability in solving those tricky numerical puzzles have earned her a legion of fans. From tackling the infamous Conundrums to revealing her knack for spotting patterns, Rache

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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 alteration was not merely a matter of

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The Spectral Jig: The Strasbourg Plague of 1518

In the heart amidst Strasbourg in a year of 1518, a peculiar began to unfold. {A{ a woman, Frau Troffea, was overcome with an feverish urge to twirl. Days turned into months, and her relentless spinning became a sight that could not be ignored. As if driven by an unseen force, others began to yield to this strange affliction. Men, women, children-

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