technology
12
Published: 2/2/26
Civil War Inventions
A look at a variety of proposed wartime inventions—some more practical than others—highlighted in the pages of The Scientific American.
Published: 1/26/26
A Crab Warship
An 1864 letter to "The Scientific American" outlines a fantastical idea for a new kind of Civil War warship.
8
Published: 11/13/25
Ericsson’s Other Folly
John Ericsson is best remembered for the ironclad USS Monitor, initially dubbed Ericsson's Folly. He proved detractors wrong then, but not all of his designs succeeded.
Published: 9/22/25
A Civil War Tank
Learn about Indiana inventor Albert E. Redstone's proposed "Land Monitor," a Civil War tank that never was.
Published: 3/31/25
CSS Hunley Reconsidered
What happened to the crew of the Confederate submarine Hunley? A scientist offers his expert opinion.
Published: 11/18/24
A Helping Hand
The Civil War saw many advances in devices to aid amputees, including the practical tool known as a “knork.”
8
Published: 5/27/24
Sailing in the Air
Explore the fascinating world of Civil War era balloons and their role in the future of air travel. Discover the innovative designs and concepts proposed by inventors of the time.
Published: 7/25/20
An Infernal Machine
Read an article from Harper's Weekly about the discover of an "infernal machine," or mine, used against Union ships in the Potomac River.
Published: 6/26/12
The Intrepid
This week marks the sesquicentennial of the Seven Days’ Campaign. As such, we thought we would bring you this image of the Intrepid—one of the Union Army Balloon Corps’ aerial...
Published: 11/8/11
A Regiment of Inventors
“In the arts of life man invents nothing; but in the arts of death he outdoes Nature herself, and produces by chemistry and machinery all the slaughter of plague, pestilence,...