HISTORY

The Unbelievable True Story Behind A Very English Scandal

The three-episode BBC drama, which premieres on Amazon on June 29, is indeed English to its core.

Willem van Haecht. 'The Gallery of Cornelis van der Geest, 1628.' Found in the Collection of Rubenshuis.

John Tradescant, Royal Gardener and Forefather of the Natural History Museum

He created a "world of wonders in one closet shut."

Flying Saucer Toy Recalled for Its Misleading Take on Nazi History

The model toy kit provided some misleading ideas about technology.

Archaeologists Excavate the Field Where Woodstock Was Held

They found a lot of beer can pull tabs.

How Did Ancient Medics Determine the Medicinal Properties of Substances?

At the dawn of the age of scientific medicine, there were only a handful of remedies that we would recognize today as safe and effective.

The Dog Who Saved the World Cup for England

Although England's Geoff Hurst booted four goals to lead the home team to victory, the real hero of the 1966 World Cup was an English pooch named Pickles.

Art Scholars Say They've Uncovered Leonardo da Vinci's Earliest Work

It would have been painted when Leonardo da Vinci was 18, but not everyone is convinced that the work—which depicts the Archangel Gabriel—is authentic.

'Archivist in a Backpack' Makes It Easy to Record Local History on the Go

Anyone can be an archivist with the right tools.

Rosa Parks's Former House in Detroit Will Be Sold at Auction

The humble house has been built and rebuilt in Detroit, Virginia, and Germany.

15 Riveting Facts About Alan Turing

More than six decades after his death, Alan Turing’s life remains a point of fascination—even for people who have no interest in his groundbreaking work in computer science.

An electric airship departing Paris in 1883.

The 19th Century Poet Who Predicted a 1970s Utopia

He essentially predicted pizza drones.

College Board Wants to Erase Thousands of Years From AP World History, and Teachers Aren't Happy

What would Confucius say?

Sylvia Plath's Pulitzer Prize in Poetry Is Up for Auction

It was awarded 19 years after her death. Bidding begins at $40,000.

Dennis Oulds, Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

When John Lennon and Yoko Ono Mailed Acorns to World Leaders

As the saying goes, "Great oaks from little acorns grow."

An ancient angel mosaic on a wall of the Church of the Nativity

6 Works of Art That Were Hiding in Plain Sight

These gems were hidden behind paint, wallpaper, and plaster.

When Superman Fought Xenophobia in a 1949 Comic

The history of a nationwide tolerance movement and the government officials who just couldn’t tolerate it.

Jean-Baptiste André Gautier-Dagoty, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons

10 Facts About Marie Antoinette

Born Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna, Archduchess of Austria, the woman known as Marie Antoinette never said "let them eat cake."

Interactive Map Shows Where Your House Would Have Been 750 Million Years Ago

Trace the evolution of Earth era by era.

12 Pieces of Magic Memorabilia From David Copperfield's Collection

See a straitjacket that once held Houdini.

Illustration by Mental Floss / Images: iStock

11 Facts About the Appendix

It has a function after all.

The Enduring Mystery of the Ghent Altarpiece, the World's Most-Stolen Painting

Possible police cover-ups, enigmatic dying words, and the Holy Grail: Inside the quest to find the missing piece of Belgium's national treasure.

Gold Artifacts Discovered in 19th-Century Shipwreck That Was the ‘Titanic of Its Time’

The wreckage of the <em>Pulaski</em> was lost for almost 180 years.

Daniel Maclise, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons

Charles Dickens Museum Highlights the Author's Contributions to Science and Medicine

His works of fiction contained a great deal of scientific truth.

On This Day in 1983, Sally Ride Made History

On June 18, 1983, Sally Ride became the first American woman in space. At just 32 years old, she also became the youngest American astronaut in space.

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