Maxime Marquette
MadMax is an independent bilingual news outlet based in Québec, publishing analysis on geopolitics, technology, democracy, and culture.
Our mission: rigorous, source-cited analysis carried out with full editorial independence — no sponsorship, no party line.
Our editorial standards: sources are cited inline, corrections are fixed and logged publicly, and any use of artificial intelligence is disclosed.
“Burn rather than rot. Write rather than stay silent.”
Fire first. Sentences after. No lukewarm takes.
Always answer the strongest version of the opposing point. No strawmen.
No commissioned pieces. No editorial masters. No compromise.
Columns by Maxime Marquette
4,540 columns published
Bubble Wrap was supposed to become wallpaper, not packaging
In 1957, American engineers Alfred Fielding and Marc Chavannes were working on a project that, at first glance, had nothing to do
The first digital camera was invented, then buried by Kodak itself
In 1975, engineer Steven Sasson, then employed at Kodak, received an assignment that seemed almost trivial: explore the possibilities of electronic sensors
The very first internet message stopped after two letters
On October 29, 1969, a group of researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, better known by its acronym UCLA, prepared
Coca-Cola was invented as a remedy for headaches
In 1886, in the city of Atlanta, pharmacist John Pemberton developed a preparation he marketed as a nerve tonic intended to relieve
DID YOU KNOW Viagra was discovered by accident during a heart drug trial
In the early 1990s, the Pfizer laboratories were working on a molecule called sildenafil, with one clear goal: treating angina and high
Velcro Was Born From Burdock Seeds Stuck to a Dog
In 1941, Swiss engineer George de Mestral returned from a walk in the Alps with his dog when he noticed that tiny
The Melted Chocolate Bar That Invented the Microwave Oven
In 1945, American engineer Percy Spencer was working for the company Raytheon on military equipment using magnetrons, the tubes that generate microwaves
How a Failed Adhesive Became the Global Post-it
In 1968, American chemist Spencer Silver, employed by the company 3M, was conducting research to develop an ultra-strong adhesive for demanding industrial
The Académie Française Takes a Century to Publish Its Dictionary
Founded in 1635 by Cardinal Richelieu, the Académie française remains today one of the most iconic cultural institutions in France, tasked notably