Category BackStory

Why do we say “fit as a fiddle”?

When someone is described as “fit as a fiddle,” it means they are in excellent health, physically strong, energetic, and in good condition. But why compare a healthy person to a fiddle? The expression dates back to early 17th-century English.…

How Bobbili got its name

Bobbili in Andhra Pradesh has a fascinating connection to the town’s royal origins and the tiger, and its evolution reflects centuries of local history. Bobbili traces its origins to the 17th century, when Pedda Rayudu, a descendant of the Venkatagiri…

Heart attack vs. cardiac arrest: what is the difference?

Heart attack and cardiac arrest are two terms frequently used interchangeably, but they describe two different medical emergencies. Although both involve the heart and can be life-threatening, their causes, symptoms and immediate treatment differ. Understanding this distinction could help save…

What the Jacquard Loom reveals about ChatGPT

More than 220 years before ChatGPT, a machine was already doing something that feels surprisingly familiar: following instructions encoded by humans and turning them into something new. In 1801, French inventor Joseph-Marie Jacquard demonstrated a loom controlled by a series…

Why successful brands can get marketing wrong

A picture is worth a thousand words. But what happens when the picture communicates an entirely different message from the one a brand intends? There is a fascinating marketing anecdote involving Gerber, the American baby food manufacturer, that illustrates this…

Stop “reinventing” everything

Almost every day, we come across a company proudly announcing that it’s reinventing banking, reimagining healthcare, redefining mobility, or transforming the future of work. Let’s examine the claim. If everyone is reinventing everything, why does ordering food still take 40…