HISTORY

Fun fact: The Brooklyn Bridge has hidden wine cellars.

The Brooklyn Bridge Contains Secret Wine Cellars

The empty vaults beneath the Brooklyn Bridge in New York were used to store wine a century ago.

If you see a magpie, have an onion ready.

The History of 12 British Superstitions

When it comes to weird and wacky superstitions, the United Kingdom has developed some real oddities

'Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!' A Crushing History of Monster Trucks

With 66-inch wheels, Bigfoot could crush puny sedans like bugs—and America was here for it.

A Brief History of Paris's Bone-Filled Catacombs

In Paris, what’s beneath the sidewalks is as exciting as the monuments that tower above them.

People had to get clever to beat the heat.

8 Creative Ways People Kept Cool Before Air Conditioning

People have come up with a range of ingenious, harebrained, and sometimes grim but often remarkable ways to stay cool during a summer scorcher.

Earwax Lip Balm, Egg Laundry Detergent, and 27 Other Old-Timey Life Hacks

Sure, the Victorians had some odd life hacks for cleaning and cooking that actually worked. But should you pour borax in your milk? No.

Beauty pageant contestants at the National Rice Festival in Crowley, Louisiana.

10 Unusual Mid-Century Pageant Queens

In the mid-20th century, businesses began to see the huge commercial possibilities of holding a contest where pretty girls would compete just for the honor of representing their product or main export.