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Bess Lovejoy
Follow @besslovejoy
Bess Lovejoy is a staff editor at Mental Floss, a former editor at Smithsonian.com and Schott's Almanac, and the author of
Rest in Pieces: The Curious Fates of Famous Corpses
.
10 Famous Authors and Their Unfinished Manuscripts
When an author dies with their work unfinished, do we let it molder in vaults, stash it away in archives, or publish it for all the world to see—even if that’s not what the writer wanted?...
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Spooky Halloween Superstitions
Here are a dozen folkloric tidbits from the 1903 Encyclopedia of Superstitions to get you in the Halloween mood....
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When Theodore Roosevelt Refused Geronimo's Plea
The Apache leader Geronimo had just one request of President Theodore Roosevelt when they met in 1905, but it was a big one....
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The Russian Countess Who Wanted Company in Her Tomb
Did the Russian aristocrat Elisabeth Demidoff really offer the family fortune to anyone who would spend a year and a day in her tomb?...
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8 Cursed Gems
Whether it's the Hope Diamond or a Cursed Amethyst, tales of death and destruction seem to follow certain famous jewels....
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10 Famous People Who Were Afraid They'd Be Buried Alive
Over the past several centuries, some well-known people made provisions to avoid being declared dead before their time....
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5 Weird American Cemetery Legends
These strange, spooky cemetery tales of vampires, ghosts, and bloody headstones will keep you up at night....
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7 of the World’s Most Fascinating and Beautiful Catacombs
Here are seven of the most picturesque and historically fascinating catacombs open for visits around the world....
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The Mysterious Deaths of 6 Historical Figures
Was Napoleon murdered by his wallpaper? Was Mozart done in by a pork chop? Read on for six tales of strange deaths....
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9 of the World’s Coolest Mazes You Can Visit
Whether you prefer corn or lavender, Italy or Illinois, the world is full of amazing places to get lost....
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6 Weird Things Embedded in City Streets
When you're hitting the city streets, take a second to look down at the pavement. Plenty of strange things have been embedded where your feet touch the ground....
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9 False Rumors With Real-Life Consequences
Whether it's a king kidnapping children or a government hunting heads for a construction project, don’t believe everything you read—or everything you hear....
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15 of the World’s Most Famous Trees
Some trees can boast A-list status, whether for their massive measurements, the number of years they’ve got under their belt (and inside their trunks), or their place in history....
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10 Shipwrecks You Can Visit
These shipwrecks all have intriguing stories, and they’re all places where you can step foot, although in some cases a boat (and possibly scuba gear) may be necessary. Just remember: Look, don’t touch....
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Monster Presents: Insomniac: Listen to a New Podcast That Explores How Serial Killers Affected One Man's Mind
The new iHeartRadio original podcast is the story of one writer's descent from podcast researcher to its surprising subject....
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10 Historical Divination Methods for Predicting the Future
These divination methods—using chickens, entrails, and even cheese—show our ancestors were pretty inventive when it came to trying to predict the future....
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7 Ways Victorian Fashion Could Kill You
Whether it's poisonous dyes, pestilential fabrics, or flammable skirts, here are some reasons to be glad you're not getting dressed in 1837....
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The Tower of London Welcomes New Baby Ravens for the First Time in 30 Years
The new chicks aren't just cute—they're helping protect the Tower of London, and the monarchy, from a prophesied doom....
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10 American Ghost Towns You Can Visit
Ghost towns are great, because let's face it, most towns inhabited by actual people are so overrated....
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10 Legendary (and Probably Made-Up) Islands
These imaginary isles all have a place in world history, literature, or mythology—despite not having a place on the map....
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30 Astonishing Facts About Death
Did you know that you can be declared dead in one state and not another? Here are 29 other amazing facts about making your final exit....
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See What It Was Like to Live in a Secret NYC Library Apartment
These time capsules were once personal apartments for the custodian of the library branches, but they may not last much longer....
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10 Graveside Traditions at Famous Tombs
Whether it's leaving playing cards or bullets, or drinking a cognac toast, there are a variety of traditional ways to pay tribute at famous tombs....
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9 Colors Named After People
From Titian Red to Alice Blue to Scheele’s Green, this is where the history books meet the artist’s palette....
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7 Amazing Facts About the Sedlec Ossuary
At the "Bone Church" (a.k.a. the Sedlec Ossuary), you can see a chandelier made from almost every bone in the human body....
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How Harry Houdini Might Have Pulled Off His Most Daring Trick
Being buried under 3000 pounds of dirt isn't easy....
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Belgium Is Home to the World’s Only Sourdough Library
And it's overseen by a Sourdough Librarian....
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The Time the Church Put a Pope's Corpse on Trial
It's been called "one of the grisliest events in papal history"—for good reason....
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12 Thoughtful Gifts for Mom
Now that you're old enough to have graduated from macaroni and glitter....
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Celebrate the Encyclopedia Britannica's 250th Birthday by Checking Out Its First Edition Online
The first edition featured 39 pages on horse diseases....
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9 Tips for Preventing Food Poisoning
Wash, chill, separate. And thaw appropriately....
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"Enter and Be Damned!": The Macabre Clubs of Belle Epoque Paris
Get your cholera-themed beverages right here!...
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The Truth Behind Italy's Abandoned 'Ghost Mansion'
It's reportedly been home to a murder, suicide, and Aleister Crowley....
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11 Allegedly Haunted or Cursed Graves Around the U.S.
As if cemeteries weren't spooky enough....
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5 Things We Know About Happy Face, a New Podcast About Having a Serial Killer for a Dad
Melissa Moore wondered—could she share a trace of her father's evil?...
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Inside the Great Dismal Swamp, Where Enslaved People Once Roamed Free
The swamp is finally starting to give up its secrets....
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Why Iceland Gets Its Ice From Other Countries
It's all thanks to modern economics....
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8 of the Most Intriguing Disappearances in History
It's usually hard to vanish without a trace, but these folks managed it....
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The Palos Verdes Blue: The Beautiful Butterfly That Wasn't Extinct After All
Reports of its demise were greatly exaggerated....
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Meet the Sisters Who Started a Business Selling Artist-Designed Wheelchair Wheel Covers
You can change them up to suit any mood....
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The Republic of Indian Stream: The Forgotten Country Between the U.S. and Canada
Paying taxes to one country was enough....
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Meet Javier Botet: The Actor Behind Some of Your Favorite Monsters
The Spanish actor has always wanted to play creeps....
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See the World's Only Edible Bioluminescent Species
Bioluminescence? It's what's for dinner....
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This Bright Blue Tarantula Packs a Mean Bite
It's also called the peacock tarantula, but you may want to think twice before picking one up....
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How Your Sleeping Position Can Help (or Harm) Your Health
It all depends on who you are....
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See the Secret Paintings Hidden in Gilded Books
These vanishing paintings will flip you out....
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Meet Japan's Original (Not-so-Fresh) Form of Sushi, 'Funazushi'
Supposedly it tastes like a cross between prosciutto and caviar....
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Authorities Have Cracked a Bizarre Cold Case That Could Have Ties to the Zodiac Killer
Why did a war hero assume the identity of an 8-year-old boy killed in a traffic accident?...
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Meet the Feather Artisans Who Adorn Paris's Cabaret Dancers
Dancers flock to their fashion house....
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Why Does the Sky Look Green Before a Tornado?
And does an emerald hue always mean it's time to run inside?...
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