HISTORY

Virginia Woolf Calls D.H. Lawrence and James Joyce 'Overrated' in Newly Unearthed 1923 Survey

One writer who took the survey called T.S. Eliot the worst living English poet and worst living literary critic. Ouch.

Federal Bureau of Investigation, Wikimedia Commons // Public domain

Last Surviving Person of Interest in Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Heist to Be Released From Prison

Robert Gentile, an 82-year-old in jail for an unrelated crime, has been a person of interest in the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum heist case for at least a decade.

Alice Roosevelt—for whom Alice Blue is named—in 1902.

9 Colors Named After People

From Titian Red to Alice Blue to Scheele’s Green, this is where the history books meet the artist’s palette.

5 Fast Facts About the World Wide Web

Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web on March 12, 1989. Here are some facts about the network in honor of its 30th anniversary.

Laser Scans Detect Hidden Buildings and Tunnels Beneath Alcatraz Prison

The inmates at Alcatraz Prison had lived above a network of potential escape routes leftover from the island's days as a military fortification.

12 Surprising Effects of Daylight Saving Time

Being tired is an obvious effect of Daylight Saving Time, but others—like longer sentences for those going before a judge on "sleepy Monday"—are less expected.

New Exhibition Explores the Life of Alexander Hamilton, Courtesy of Lin-Manuel Miranda

Wait for it: The exhibition is opening on Chicago's Northerly Island next month. In the fall, it will travel to select U.S. cities.

11 Fun Facts About Barbie

Barbie has been a cultural icon since she hit runway—er, toy aisles—60 years ago. Now, Mattel is going all out to celebrate her diamond jubilee.

Could You Keep Up With Theodore Roosevelt's Ruthlessly Efficient Daily Routine?

Theodore Roosevelt never let anything get in the way of completing his daily itinerary. Not even a bullet.

11 Things You Might Not Know About Pigs

Whether you love farmyard piglets, cartoon pigs, or decorative porkers (like piggy banks), go hog-wild reading up on these smart swine.

Believe it or not, unfriended isn't a product of the social media era.

16 Words That Are Much Older Than They Seem

Every generation likes to think it invented slang anew, but often the latest words are actually very old.

Pope Francis Will Unseal Documents Revealing the Vatican Response to the Holocaust

Pius XII has long been criticized for what some have deemed an insufficient response to the atrocities committed against people of the Jewish faith during World War II. New insight from the Vatican's archives could change that.

Kikkoman soy sauce, a company founded by a widow, according to legend

11 Businesses You Might Not Know Were Started By Women

They include Pepperidge Farm, Proactiv, and your favorite soy sauce brand—which was founded by a samurai widow, according to legend.

10 Delicious Facts About Pancakes

Maybe you have a favorite recipe for making pancakes from scratch—or perhaps you're the buttermilk-pancakes-from-a-box type. Either way, every day should be pancake day.

15 Cool Facts About Frozen Food

Frozen foods have a complicated backstory, a long scientific evolution, and a debate over pizza origins that could make your head spin.

Why Do People Toss Beads During Mardi Gras?

Each year, more than 1 million people descend on New Orleans for Mardi Gras, an organized parade of debauchery and alcohol-induced torpor where plastic beads are tossed as a kind of currency.

11 Forgotten but Important Moments in Women's History

America's first female mayor may have been nominated as a prank, but her win paved the way for other women to hold office. Read on for more Women's History Month moments.

Why Do We Say 'Bless You' When Someone Sneezes?

Humans have been conditioned to say "bless you" after someone has sneezed for centuries. Why do we do it?

The Constitution, a.k.a. "Old Ironsides," captures the British vessels Cyane and Levant during the War of 1812.

13 Facts About the War of 1812

The War of 1812 was a defining struggle for Canada, the United States, and Indigenous peoples across North America.

A collage of news clippings related to the Clementine Barnabet murders

The 'Voodoo' Murders of Clementine Barnabet, Who Claimed to Have Killed 35 People

Did Clementine Barnabet, priestess of a strange sacrificial cult, bludgeon seven families to death with an ax?

Bonnie and Clyde Wrote Poetry, And It’s Going Up for Auction

Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow went on a crime spree during the Great Depression. They still found time to compose poetry.

Scientists Solve an Ancient Stonehenge Mystery: Where the Massive Rocks Came From

Archaeologists aren't sure how ancient people moved the rocks used to make Stonehenge 4000 years ago. But now, part of the mystery has been solved.

Street gangs in the mid-19th century had some pretty creative names.

14 Awesome 19th Century Street Gang Names

Here are 14 (mostly) New York street gangs you wouldn’t want to mess with, even if their names made you laugh.

Lincoln Perry (stage name Stepin Fetchit) circa 1927

Lincoln Perry, the First Black Movie Star

Using the stage name Stepin Fetchit, Perry was the first Black actor to become a millionaire—but today, his legacy is controversial.

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