DEATH

Queen Elizabeth II sometimes went by Sharon.

11 Royal Code Names

When she was trying to fly under the radar, Queen Elizabeth II went by the name ‘Sharon.’

Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx star in 'Collateral' (2004).

12 Killer Hit Man Movies

The best hit man movies expand beyond the simple idea of murder-for-hire stories.

Recent decades have witnessed too many music festival disasters.

9 of the Worst Music Festival Disasters in United States History

The Route 91 Harvest Festival, Astroworld, South by Southwest, and more have been afflicted by tragedy.

An illustration of the counting-out game “eeny, meeny, miny, moe” from Clara E. Atwood’s ‘A Book of Nursery Rhymes,’ published in 1901.

“Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe”: The Dark Theories—and Racist History—Behind the Childhood Rhyme

Different versions of “eeny, meeny, miny, moe” exist around the world, and there seem to be just as many theories about the rhyme’s potential origin—ranging from shepherds counting sheep to priests selecting sacrificial victims.

Can a Dead Body Still Get a Suntan?

So, you're dead. Do you still need sunscreen?

Bootlegger’s Bounty: The Hidden Treasure of Gangster Dutch Schultz

The ruthless criminal is believed to have buried $100 million in bloody profits nearly 90 years ago. People have been looking for it ever since.

When Big Bird Sang “Bein’ Green” at Jim Henson’s Memorial Service

Before his death in 1990, Jim Henson gave very clear instructions about what his memorial service should look like: no attendees should wear black and a jazz band should be in attendance.

Tibetan prayer flags wave in the Himalayas.

Mount Everest: The World’s Highest Graveyard

Mount Everest’s bitter temperatures, unpredictable weather, icy terrain, and lack of oxygen make climbing it so difficult, in fact, that many don’t survive to tell the tale.

8 Myths About Dead Bodies, Debunked

Corpses are less scary than you think.

Missouri Lawmaker Aims to Bring Back Dueling

The history of political dueling in the U.S. doesn’t end with Hamilton and Burr.

The Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center in Santa Rosa, California.

Charlotte Braun, the ‘Peanuts’ Character Who Met a Gruesome End

When readers failed to warm to a new 'Peanuts' character, Charles Schulz erased her. Permanently.

Is it a time machine? Or a teleportation chamber?

The Legend of London’s Time-Traveling Tomb

Deep in London’s historic Brompton Cemetery sits a mausoleum that houses a Victorian heiress, her daughters, and a time-travel story that keeps growing.

What happened in these deaths is far from clear.

25 of the Most Mysterious Deaths in History

Explorers who vanished off the face of the earth. Conquerors, composers, and scientists who expired from strange illnesses. People tantalizingly close to power who wound up dead. When it comes to these deaths, we might never know what really happened.

7 Misconceptions About Funerals

From funeral homes only using hearses to transport bodies to having to wear black to a memorial service, we’re laying some common myths about funerals to rest in the latest episode of ‘Misconceptions.’

“The Plague Hospital,” a painting by Francisco Goya.

13 Facts About the Black Death

The Black Death—the world's second bubonic plague pandemic—decimated the populations of Asia, the Middle East, and Europe in the 14th century. But there was a silver lining.

Why Are Bagpipes Played at Police Funerals?

The bagpipe is a tradition at first responder services. How did that happen?

10 Songs Inspired by the RMS ‘Titanic’

Songs about ‘Titanic’ go way beyond Celine Dion’s smash hit “My Heart Will Go On.”

Zelda Rubinstein during a scene from "Poltergeist" (1982).

The ‘Poltergeist’ Curse: Uncovering the Haunting Mysteries Behind the Classic Horror Franchise

The tragic deaths and mysterious events surrounding this classic horror franchise have given rise to the urban legend that a real-life “Poltergeist” curse exists.

Is Death by Guillotine Painless?

Dr. Joseph-Ignace Guillotin described the guillotine's effect as being “Like a cool breath on the back of the neck.” Anne Boleyn would likely disagree.

An 1878 painting of Richard, Duke of York, and Edward V (right) by John Everett Millais.

The Princes in the Tower: British Royal History’s Most Tantalizing Murder Mystery

An heir and a spare disappeared during England's War of the Roses. Here's what happened—and how we might hope to solve the mystery today.

The Tragic Murder of Bridget Cleary, the Irish “Fairy Wife”

Bridget Cleary’s husband burned her because he thought she’d been replaced—by a supernatural being.

These gripping reads shed new light on the coldest cases.

10 Gripping Nonfiction Books About History’s Greatest Mysteries

From the Dyatlov Pass incident to the murder of JonBenét Ramsey, some of the best nonfiction books about history’s greatest mysteries are so gripping, they’ll make you feel like you’re about to crack open a few cold cases yourself.

At least the Grim Reaper has some scenic stomping grounds.

The Macabre Origins of 10 Idioms About Death

You may want to know the ghoulish beginnings of these well-known death idioms before you shuffle off this mortal coil, kick the bucket, or get laid out in lavender.

An interior view of Paris’s morgue in the 19th century.

The Surprising Origin of the Word ‘Morgue’

Uncover the origins of the term ‘morgue’ in 18th-century Paris—and the morgue’s transformation from a place of spectacle to medical institute.

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