Vintage science & classic technology
That time NASA hired a hat maker to make headgear for astronauts (1965)
United States astronauts who go to the moon may wear headgear designed and produced by a ladies’ milliner.
United States astronauts who go to the moon may wear headgear designed and produced by a ladies’ milliner.
When the old Victrola record players were first introduced, those turntables were some cutting-edge tech. Here’s a look at the history of the famous Victor Talking Machines!
Whether plain or fancy, antique kerosene lamps like these were more than home decor – they made it possible for people to work and play late into the night. Find out more here!
Did Coca-Cola once have cocaine in it? Amazingly, yes. Originally marketed as a health drink when it debuted in the 1880s, Coca-Cola was said to cure everything from a migraine (aka “sick headache”) to physical exhaustion to depression.
What was vintage ’80s tech like? The Good Guys were a big consumer electronics specialty retailer selling brand-name audio and video gear. See the hottest retro TVs, stereos and more from 1987!
When these vintage Zenith ‘Space Command’ TV remote controls first came out, they were revolutionary tech – and everyone wanted one.
Here’s a little guide from the thirties to teach people how to make art using their vintage manual typewriters – pretty much old-fashioned ascii art and old-school smileys!
What’s the history of golf balls? The first ones were made of leather of untanned bull’s hide – but golf balls have changed a lot over the years. Here’s a look!
These retro cash registers were big news because they showed the prices, item types, total purchased, tax (if any), money or check given checker, and exact change due.
Lennie’s Story: How Hub Prodigy, Bernstein, became “Nation’s No. 1 Musician.” What kind of man, husband and father is Boston’s musical genius, Leonard Bernstein? When
When color TV was first invented, people wondered if you could convert a black & white TV to color, and which shows would appear in color – and when. Here are some of the answers they were given.
The measles vaccine was invented because it was a common but dangerous disease that could cause inflammation of the brain – and could also be fatal.
Known as the speaking clock or POPCORN, calling the phone company for the time was a handy service helped people reset clocks years ago.
Inventor Thomas Edison’s mansion home in New Jersey housed both new inventions and priceless antiques – and was where his children were born, and where he died.
Imagine being able to call someone when you *weren’t at home*! It was a big deal back in the day. See the history of vintage payphones & phonebooths here!
For years, curious kids have loved experimenting with vintage chemistry sets and science kits like these with countless things to explore!
Back in 1961, a little 37-pound chimpanzee named Ham helped pave the way for human astronauts to launch into space.
If you grew up in the age of film, you will know the excitement that came from vintage instant cameras, like these ones from Polaroid and Kodak.
Nikola Tesla’s life story is notable, as he saw the world of the covered wagon turn into today’s world of electricity & electronics – and he was a big part of how that happened.
Albert Einstein was a man whose life, philosophies, discoveries and theories changed the way we looked at the world, and at life itself. Find out about him here.
While demonstrating a prototype of the Boeing 707 passenger jet, the pilot decided to show just how remarkable the plane was… and flew it upside down. Twice.
Remember that little toy from the 70s where you pressed on the back with your finger and it changed colors? Find out about Space Fidgits here.
Cash register history goes back to the Victorian era, and were used to both streamline accounting, and to keep cashiers from stealing money. Find out more here!
This new, revolutionary wall-mounted refrigerator and freezer that hangs from the wall is a completely new and advanced concept of modern living. Truly, it is the most convenient and magnificent refrigerator-freezer ever produced!
Imagine getting paid to think up the wildest retro-futuristic space-age inventions. Back in the ’50s-’60s, that’s what commercial artist Arthur Radebaugh got to do.
Watches are popular gift items, and as many as seven out of every 10 digital watches are bought by customers as gifts for someone else. Prices begin as low as about $10 and run up into the hundreds of dollars for either of two different types of digital watches.
Back in the late ’80s we were happy for some of the first laptop computers, despite being big and heavy with tiny hard drives and huge price tags.
Swatch was a quartz watch introduced in 1983 that had bold colors and zappy graphics, and became one of the hottest trends of the 1980s.
Clyde Tombaugh, a Kansas farmer, loved astronomy, and cemented his name in history by discovering Pluto. Here’s how he found it.
Find out how X-rays were discovered, see the earliest X-rays, learn where the name came from, and meet Wilhelm Röntgen – the man behind the innovation.
Jack Swigert, the emergency substitute member of the Apollo 13 crew, is a swinging bachelor with a playboy-type pad — but he would rather fly than play.
If you need a book, you used to need to look for the most important item in the library — the vintage card catalog.
What was the Canon Cat? They called it a Work Processor. It could help write and edit, communicate and calculate. It would even dial a phone.
They weren’t cheap, but these vintage Kodak home movie cameras were really popular, and helped people save moving-picture memories.
This popular fast food chain started small in the ’50s, but grew the business & kept the menu small. Look back at vintage Taco Bell restaurants & food here!
Vintage cordless phones were the essential step between wired pushbutton phones and today’s modern cell phones. Here’s a look back at the telephone tech from the ’80s!
What did the future look like from the ’60s? See some modernist-style retro futuristic home concepts that captured the midcentury era’s sleek style and space-age optimism.
The invention of the dishwasher was a kitchen game-changer, and cleanly earned its inventor, Josephine Garis Cochrane, a spot-free finish in history.
Have you ever wondered where products like Formula 409, 7-Up, WD-40 and Preparation H got those famous vintage brand names? Find out here.
Radium earned Marie Curie worldwide fame, and changed the face of medicine. Here, she describes how this historic scientific discovery was made.
It took only 12 seconds and covered 120 feet, but the Wright Brothers’ first powered flight made the moon as reachable as sailing ships once made America. Here’s how they made history.
Kodak Brownie movie cameras made it easy for moms and dads and millions of others record every little moving moment on video.
After hitting the market in the ’80s, it didn’t take long for the Rubik’s Cube to become one of the most popular toys ever. Here’s a look back!
Henry Ford developed assembly lines for automobile factories, and mass production sparked another industrial revolution. See here how Ford churned out Model T cars!
Have a look at 126 of the most popular toys from the ’40s that millions of kids found under their Christmas trees back in 1948, courtesy of Santa… or from mom and dad.
Through observation, experimentation and genius, scientist Louis Pasteur was able to create the first rabies vaccine – even though he didn’t exactly know what caused the disease.
This is the new, wonderful 45 rpm changer unit that lets you enjoy distortion-free music. It’s yours for the unbelievably low price of only $12.95.
When vintage Instamatic cameras were introduced in 1963, they came along with the invention of the quick-load film cartridge – and both were so affordable and easy to use that they were instantly successful. Take a look back here!
The pocket Instamatic 110 cameras introduced by Kodak in 1972 were – by ’70s standards – incredibly small, and super-affordable, which led to their huge popularity. See some of these old cameras here!
These vintage personal computers from the ’80s weren’t just expensive, but some had hard drives so small that just one of these old PC ad images would have maxed them out.
When King Tut’s tomb was discovered – and then opened – people all over the globe were riveted by the mysterious Tutankhamun and his golden treasures. Here’s what they found.
Kodak’s disc camera was was lightweight, foolproof (with auto-exposure and built-in flash), affordable, and used a brand new kind of film cartridge… but it was only sold for six years.
Hershey’s rich cocoa fudge recipe from the ’70s & ’80s 
Women: Do you have the ideal figure? Here’s what ‘they’ thought in 1950 
The famous Bacardi rum cake recipe 
The Beverly Hillbillies backstory, plus the theme song & lyrics (1962-1971) 
Easy-Bake Ovens: The vintage kitchen toys that let kids bake their own mini cakes Want to remember to remember? Our weekly newsletter shows you the latest vintage, old-fashioned & historic stuff that we have published or refreshed during the past seven days. Sign up here.
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