HISTORY

By Anonymous, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons

15th-Century Cannonballs Likely Used by Vlad the Impaler Discovered in Bulgaria

The man who inspired 'Dracula' was known for using his fangs and otherworldly powers to conquer his victims. But he apparently liked to have a few cannonballs by his side as well (just in case).

Uncle Tom's Cabin author Harriet Beecher Stowe

10 Amazing Facts About Harriet Beecher Stowe

Harriet Beecher Stowe came from a family of abolitionists, and her novel 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' turned public opinion against slavery.

Letters by Otto Frank, Anne Frank's Father, Are Being Digitized for the First Time

In the 1970s, Otto Frank took up correspondence with a pen pal from California. His letters reveal his thoughts on his daughter Anne's legacy and his determination to keep her memory alive.

Rare Audio Clip of Frida Kahlo Discovered in Mexican Sound Library

The clip, reportedly of Frida Kahlo reciting a text about her husband shortly before her death, was played on a Mexican radio show from 1955.

Items from the Musée d’Histoire de la Médecine (Museum of the History of Medicine)

9 of the Most Unusual Museums in Paris

From medicine to maps to taxidermy, the author of the new book 'The Little(r) Museums of Paris' takes us through some of the most unusual museums in the French capital.

The Liver of Piacenza, a model of a sheep's liver used in Etruscan divination and unearthed in Italy in 1877.

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.

Chernobyl Miniseries Prompts 35 Percent Spike in Travel to Chernobyl Exclusion Zone

After watching 'Chernobyl' on HBO, many tourists have booked visits to the radioactive exclusion zone in Ukraine.

Wild New Fan Theory Predicts Connection Between Stranger Things and Chernobyl

HBO's 'Chernobyl' has been a major post-'Game of Thrones' triumph for the network—and has at least one fan wondering if the nuclear disaster might play a part in 'Stranger Things.'

American writer, journalist, and feminist Dorothy Thompson in London in 1941

Dorothy Thompson, the Journalist Who Warned the World About Adolf Hitler

After this crusading reporter was kicked out of Germany, she continued her anti-Nazi coverage at home.

Mollusk Mania: Why New York City Could Have Easily Been Dubbed 'The Big Oyster'

New York City may be famously known as "The Big Apple," but it was once the home of America's most booming bivalve business.

15 Most Excellent Facts About Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure

10. The script for the comedy classic, starring Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter, was written in four days. By hand.

Apocalypse Town: The Doomsday Disciples of Stelle, Illinois

In the 1970s, people flocked to the tiny Illinois town in anticipation of the world's end. It didn't go as planned.

Navy Sailor Who Was Killed During Pearl Harbor Is Finally Laid to Rest, 77 Years Later, On His 97th Birthday

Charles Gomez Jr. was 20 years old when he was killed in the Pearl Harbor attacks. On what would have been his 97th birthday, he was finally buried at home.

15 Fascinating Facts About Saving Private Ryan

Steven Spielberg's Oscar-winning WWII drama—which arrived in theaters more than 20 years ago—came together in a single day.

Collector Finds Rare Footage of The Beatles's Top of the Pops Performance in His Attic

In 1966, all four members of The Beatles performed on the BBC show 'Top of the Pops.' A few weeks later, they gave their last scheduled concert.

The Reason We Celebrate Flag Day

Support for Flag Day, a sometimes-overlooked holiday, was ignited during the Civil War. But there was a commercial purpose behind it.

5 Fascinating Facts About Josephine Baker

Josephine Baker was probably the closest thing the Jazz Age had to a mega-star. The Black actress/dancer was a worldwide celebrity and devoted civil rights activist who first rose to fame by dancing in a "skirt" of artificial bananas (and very little else

15 Huge Facts About Big Ben

You may have snapped a photo of England’s most iconic clock, but how well do you really know the United Kingdom’s towering timepiece?

Anne Frank's Letters From Early World War II to Be Published in Full for the First Time

Anne Frank wrote the letters to her grandmother up to 1941: the year before she and her family went into hiding and she started her famous diary.

Long-Lost Film Footage of Queen Victoria on Her Final Trip to Ireland Has Been Rediscovered

The clip, which shows Queen Victoria grinning and wearing sunglasses, was shot in Ireland a year before the monarch's death.

25 Surprising Facts About Deadwood

David Milch's 'Deadwood' earned critical praise, launched careers, and won a devoted fan following over its three seasons—even if admirers of the dark Western crime drama have long lamented its too-short television run.

6 Amazing Facts About Sally Ride

Sally Ride—the first American woman in space—paved the way for female astronauts, and proved there is such thing as a stupid question.

Remains of World War II Soldier From Texas Finally Identified Nearly 75 Years After His Death

Decades after John W. Hayes died in World War II, his remains were discovered in a Belgian American military cemetery.

National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of A'Lelia Bundles/Walker Family // Addison N. Scurlock

5 Fast Facts about Madam C.J. Walker

Madam C.J. Walker built her beauty empire by inventing hair products targeted at black women—and it made her one of the first female and wealthiest self-made businesswomen in America.

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