From The Archive

8 Times Companies Were Sued Over Their Slogans

We combed through the news to pick a few favorites from the (somewhat) recent past.

10 Dangerous Ways to Amuse Yourself from an 1820 Book

The second edition of Endless Amusement, published in 1820, promises “nearly 400 entertaining experiments in various branches of science.”

Where Does Tea Time Come From?

The Origins of 6 Odd Canadian Place Names

10 Things to Know About 22 Jump Street

From Dartmouth style beer pong to on-set head butts, here are 10 things the directors and cast told us about making '22 Jump Street,' out today.

How Missed Calls Amplify Farmers' Voices

11 Highly Specific Podcasts

Even if you're not a fan of sports or popular culture, there's probably a podcast out there that's right up your alley.

TV Shows That Failed Despite Having a Super Bowl Lead-In

Why Did We Invent Pants?

These days, pants are our garment of choice. But for years, our ancestors draped themselves in tunics, robes, and gowns, until someone decided they were tired of having the wind up their skirt. So, what prompted the change? When, exactly, did two-legged t

11 Facebook Status Updates Gone Horribly Wrong

Sometimes Facebook status updates are a little more interesting. And by “interesting,” we mean “criminal.”

Lessons in the Art of Acting by Edmund Shaftesbury

11 Tragic Emotions and How to Properly Act Them on Stage

Webster Edgerly had developed a system for “the management of the body and its members” that if carefully studied and committed to memory would turn anyone into “the PERFECT ACTOR.” Here are explicit instructions from “the Shaftesbury Method” on how to pe

11 Stores That Used to Sell Unexpected Items

It’s no surprise that not every hugely popular retail giant was an instant success, but it may be a little shocking to realize that plenty of well-known stores didn’t even start out selling the stuff they’re best known for now.

7 Highlights from a 19th Century Book of Sample Love Letters

The book provides advice in the form of example letters for all sorts of situations. But it is the many matters of the heart that come across as particularly dated and worthy of unraveling more than a century and a half later. Let's take a look at some of

15 Shelved Movies That Were Eventually Released Years Later

Better late than never.

15 Dissertation Titles Translated Into Clickbait Headlines

These dissertation topics were kind of boring. You won't believe what happened next.

You Can Catch Flies With Honey, But Fake Sweetener Kills Them

Flickr / Mike Grauer Jr / Creative Commons

5 Crucial Services I Take for Granted

7 Practical Uses for Tattoos

Tattooing has become a legitimate art form. And, like art, something magical happens when design and function meet.

A Brief History of the Cat Café

What starts with a C and wakes you up first thing in the morning? If you said coffee, you’re half right. But the other half you may not have considered.

Can You Decipher These 11 Historical Political Cartoons?

Few things are more baffling than an outdated political cartoon. Jokes about history lessons you don’t remember are presented in a style that is usually disturbing, if not flat out terrifying. So here’s the game: We encourage historically inclined readers

8 Notable Price Points Adjusted for Inflation

Were those prices as cheap as they sound in retrospect, or were they on par with what we’d pay today?

Marilyn Monroe

After realizing that there are a lot of taphophiles (cemetery and/or tombstone enthusiasts) out there, I’m finally putting my archive of interesting tombstones to good use.

4 Coin Flips That Changed History

In honor of Flip a Coin Day, here are four big decisions that came down to a simple question: Heads or tails?

A Twitter Scavenger Hunt for Cold Hard Cash

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