THE THAMES RAN FOUL: A SUMMER OF FILTH, 1858

The city of London sweltered in the heat of summer, 1858. But it was not merely the sun that baked the metropolis. An even more detestable force infested its very heart: the River Thames. Years of industrial discharges had transformed London's lifeblood into a foul-smelling mire. The stench was overwhelming, a miasma that clung to every cobblestone

For centuries, the region of Catalonia flourished under its own distinct culture, fostering a language and traditions that set it apart from its adjacents. However, this autonomy was assailed by the increasing influence of the Spanish crown, leading to growing tensions between the two entities. The Catalan people aspired for self-determination, a d