One of the little joys of our website is discovering little-known, awesome Jews. Jews like Josef Popper-Lynkeus. (Lynkeus? A pseudonym from Greek mythology, in case you're wondering.)

Popper was a scientist and an inventor, a thinker and a writer. His inventions were innovations in steam engine design. His theories influenced Freud and Einstein, Zweig and Jabotinsky.

One of Popper's ideas foreshadowed the dark side of the 20th century: march music! Popper warned how tyrants can use march music to brainwash the masses. Unfortunately, he wasn't the only one who noted that...

His other ideas dealt with the right of the man to exist, the expedience of punishment, and... Zionism. Years before Theodor Herzl, Popper proposed a Jewish state as a sanctuary from antisemitism.

So, we're very glad that we discovered Popper-Lynkeus — clearly, a man ahead of his time. What a shame that he is so little-known...