Kara Wexler

Kara Wexler

Digital Marketing Coordinator
Kara-Wexler

Kara Wexler

Digital Marketing Coordinator

Kara is our Digital Marketing Coordinator by day, and a playwright by night. She loves both science and history, and is curious about pretty much everything.

Recent Blogs by Author

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groundhog

The Surprising History of Groundhog Day

An unusual, yet beloved holiday 

February 2nd  is Groundhog Day, the day when a groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil predicts whether or not we will have six more weeks of winter. If he sees his shadow, more cold is on the way; if not, warmer weather is coming. While this holiday may seem like a silly tradition, it has a surprisingly deep history. 

Ancient Traditions 

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Several traffic lights hang from wires over a street in a mountainous area.

Stop, Go, Caution: The Colorful Journey of Traffic Light Innovations

The Dawn of a New Era: The Invention that Re-Defined Road Safety

When the automobile was invented in the 19th century, it changed transportation forever. People could go wherever they wanted, whenever they wanted, faster than they ever could before. As cars became more ubiquitous, however, so did injuries and deaths from car accidents. One of the biggest issues was intersections, where cars, horses, and pedestrians tried to move through simultaneously. The solution was something that we’re all used to seeing today – the traffic light.

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Telegraph Register (FI Cat.#75-3-14) The Franklin Institute Collection

The Origins of the Telegraph

Origins of the Telegraph
For centuries, people tried to find ways to communicate across long distances quickly. Flags, sounds, smoke, or lights would only go as far as they could be seen or heard. While the idea for a machine dates back to the 1700s, it wasn’t until the 19th century that the telegraph – a machine that transmits text across distance – was developed. While many inventors came up with different versions, the man who truly brought the telegraph to the world is Samuel Morse.