THIS WEEK we bring you the results of the Feedback Summer Competition. Readers were invited to describe a famous historical event which would have turned out very differently with the benefits of modern scientific or technological knowledge.
Morphic resonance was in operation as never before in this competition, with certain ideas proving hugely popular. So while some of our winning entries have been chosen for their originality, others made it as the best presentation of a popular idea. Themes not included amongst the winners, but which also cropped up frequently, include: birth control for Adam and Eve and also for Hitler鈥檚 parents; DNA testing to determine Jesus鈥檚 true parents; airport scanners for the Trojan horse; Superglue for Icarus; an eye shield for King Harold; modern medicine to avert the Black Death; IVF for Henry VIII鈥檚 first wife Catherine of Aragon; fungicides to prevent the Irish potato famine; radar for the Titanic; and modern communications systems and/or military technology changing the outcome of numerous great battles.
One difficulty was the flexible view of 鈥渉istory鈥� that some entrants took. Many imagined different outcomes to Greek myths, Shakespearean plays, various legends and, especially, Bible stories. We decided to be lenient about this in choosing our winners, even though some might well argue that the Bible, for example, is hardly an accurate historical document.
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Finally, this competition was also unusual in that many people took the trouble to write at length, describing not only the details of the historical event, but also speculating on the ramifications had the outcome been different. Some, too, sent in cartoons rather than text. We considered all these entries, and enjoyed doing so. It was, in fact, a very difficult competition to judge. So many thanks to the hundreds who entered. Even if you didn鈥檛 win, we hope you enjoyed the attempt.
Here are the winning entries:
鈥淣ow, Mr Darwin, let me show you my little pride and joy: Fitzroy鈥檚 Portable Desalination Engine. Note the solar cells for power. Rather a knacky notion, I thought. Of course, it wouldn鈥檛 be the thing at home 鈥� too much cloud. But in these latitudes it will mean that we shall never have to put ashore for water between Valparaiso and Tahiti. What do you think of that, sir? By the way, those are the Gal脿pagos Islands over to starboard. Tedious, dull place. Nothing to see. We won鈥檛 waste our time, eh? 鈥� Will you take a glass of grog before we dine, sir?鈥�
Chris Young, Sheffield
1606: Guy Fawkes is acquitted on terrorism charge. Home Office forensic expert says he could have been playing cards.
and:
1871: H. M. Stanley sends e-mail message to Livingstone@holidayinn.ujiji.cent.afr.
鈥淩e offer of exclusive interview for New York Herald: no dice. Reader interest in source of Nile is zilch, given satellite pix available worth a thousand words. Why not try article on Sex among the Savages?鈥�
Phillip Gething, Fleet, Hampshire
鈥淩ight,鈥� said King Herod as he stood by the shore of the Sea of Galilee watching the robed figure 50 metres offshore. 鈥淭his should fix him.鈥�
鈥淲hat will?鈥� inquired his commander in chief.
鈥淒etergent,鈥� sniggered Herod as he upended the bottle.
Andrew McNaughton, Trondheim, Norway
And here are the first of the 20 runners-up:
鈥淪miling broadly, Queen Anne has revealed to Hail! the secret of her ten years of blissful marriage to Hal the Happy. 鈥楽imply pop a Prozac,鈥� she told Tom Wolsey, our very own royal-watcher and palace confidante. 鈥楬al has had three a day ever since he split from Catherine and I鈥檝e never once heard him make a cutting remark鈥�.鈥�
Tony Crisp, Shrewsbury
鈥淲elcome to the BBC鈥檚 coverage of the 13th London Marathon. Before me I can see the thousands of competitors poised to dial up Athens on their mobiles to celebrate once again Pheidippides鈥檚 phone call announcing victory over the Persians 鈥︹��
and:
鈥淎be, stop moping about the house. The Civil War is over and we鈥檝e got these free tickets for some play at the Ford Theatre.鈥�
鈥淥h, I don鈥檛 know, dear. I think I鈥檇 rather stay in, order some takeaway hominy grits and watch a video.鈥�
Bob Pite, Enfield, Middlesex
The eruption today of Mount Vesuvius is being hailed as a major step forward in the understanding and prediction of volcanic activity. Ten days ago, a team of scientists monitoring Vesuvius predicted an eruption was imminent and ordered the evacuation of Pompeii and other nearby towns. Though the damage to property has been great 鈥� Pompeii now lies buried under 10 metres of volcanic ash and debris 鈥� the evacuation undoubtedly saved many lives and averted a national tragedy.
It was only six months ago that a team led by Marcus Pollonius established monitoring equipment on the volcano. Two months ago, the team鈥檚 gravitometers detected a gradual reduction in the local gravity and evidence from laser range finding equipment indicated that the mountain surface was swelling. Then, just two weeks ago, gas emissions from the crater began to increase rapidly, indicating that an eruption was imminent and leading to the scientists鈥� warning.
Professor Pollonius, though agreeing that the successful prediction was a great step forward, cautioned that the study of volcanoes remained an inexact science and there was still a long way to go before all eruptions could be reliably forecast. 鈥淲e were lucky,鈥� he said last night. 鈥淪ome people had already begun to believe nothing would happen and were getting ready to go back.鈥�
Mike Barcroft, Chester
Solomon could have used DNA fingerprinting, not just his wisdom, to sort out the child鈥檚 mother.
and:
Beethoven could have had a cochlea implant.
Ken Lang, Orpington, Kent
Chris Young, Phillip Gething and Andrew McNaughton each receive an original limited edition print called Light up the Senses by Jake Tilson for their winning entries. The runners-up each receive the Book of the Best, a guide to the world鈥檚 best restaurants, clubs and galleries. All prizes courtesy of Cognac Courvoisier, to whom we offer our thanks. We will publish the rest of the runners-up next week.