Colin Scanlon

Joined: Jan 6, 2025

Colin is a Pittsburgh-based writer whose work explores culture, media, and the strange side of history. His writing has appeared in publications such as Esquire, Harper’s Bazaar, and Cosmopolitan, among others. He can usually be found reading, researching, or wandering around Pittsburgh's parks with a coffee in tow.

Predjama Castle. Predjama. Inner Carniola region. Slovenia, Europe.

These seven nautical tragedies surpassed the horror of the RMS Titanic, yet few people know their names.

These beloved films were once certifiable Cannes catastrophes.

A golden Oscars statue stands against a red curtain

From Will Smith and Chris Rock's clash to Sacheen Littlefeather's refusal, the Academy Awards biggest night has always been punctuated by scandal.

Once designed to teach, preach, or persuade, these familiar board games now mask the strange historical forces that informed their conception.

Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan during a practice session for the 1994 Winter Olympics

Where there’s competition, there’s sure to be controversy. Here are six scandals throughout Winter Olympics history.

These cold seasons pushed cities and civilizations alike to the brink.

Equal parts strange and terrifying: these are some of the many monsters that have haunted Greek mythology since antiquity.

While you might not know their names, you certainly know their influence. Read our list of female revolutionaries, including Charlotte Corday, Kathleen Neal Cleaver, and more.

If you’ve ever wondered how far someone can get on confidence alone, these impersonators offer some unsettling answers.

From coded confessions to bone-chilling firsthand accounts of battle, these diarists used private confession to illuminate history for generations to come.