HISTORY

10 Surprising Facts About Band of Brothers

9. James McAvoy, Tom Hardy, Simon Pegg, Michael Fassbender, Colin Hanks, Dominic Cooper, and Andrew Scott were among some of the up-and-coming actors who appeared in it.

Farrin Abbott, SLAC/Flickr // CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

An Ancient Book Blasted with High-Powered X-Rays Reveals Text Erased Centuries Ago

The particle accelerator revs electrons to nearly the speed of light.

10 Lines From Napoleon's Love Letters That Sound Like Crazy Texts

“I don’t love you, not at all; on the contrary I detest you—you’re a naughty, gawky, foolish slut.”

What is the Riot Act, and Why Don't I Want It Read to Me?

In the 1700s, unlawful assemblies were forced to listen as the Riot Act was read aloud. If they didn't disperse, the punishment was—quite reasonably—death.

Why Do Radio Stations Begin With 'K' or 'W'?

Bureaucracy works in mysterious ways.

10 Rugged Facts About Badlands National Park

It erodes at a rate of one inch per year.

On This Day in 1933, FDR Gave His First Fireside Chat

"I want to talk for a few minutes with the people of the United States about banking."

Department of the Treasury/Public Health Service, National Archives // Public Domain

The Time New Jersey Took New York to the Supreme Court to Lay Claim to Ellis Island

In 1998, the Supreme Court had to step in.

The Virtually Unknown Book That Lived in Queen Mary's Dollhouse for Almost a Century

For decades, the only way to read Vita Sackville-West's 'A Note of Explanation' was by really, really squinting.

7 Shockingly Expensive Barbies You Can Buy Right Now

Some Barbies that you may have played with as a child will set you back quite a bit if you want to recreate your original collection.

Forensic Analysis Suggests Bones Discovered on a Pacific Island May Belong to Amelia Earhart

The analysis supports the theory that Earhart died a castaway.

Viola Desmond hand-coloured portrait, 16-80-30220, ca. 1945. Wanda and Joe Robson Collection, Sydney NS. Beaton Institute, Cape Breton University // Used With Permission

Meet Civil Rights Pioneer Viola Desmond, the New Face on the Canadian $10 Bill

Nearly a decade before Rosa Parks's civil rights game-changer on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, Viola Desmond made her stand by sitting down in Nova Scotia, Canada.

The Oldest-Known Message in a Bottle Was Found in Australia

It's 132 years old, proving once again that bottled messages were the slow wi-fi of their day.

20 Bizarre Beasts From Ancient Bestiaries

1. The bonnacon sprayed flaming hot dung, leaving a stinking trail as long as 660 yards behind it.

By Benjamin F. Powelson, Swann Galleries, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons

15 Women Who Deserve Their Own Biopics

If the success of female-centric biopics like 'Hidden Figures' has taught Hollywood anything, it's that there are riches to be found in the lives of history-making women.

The Enigma of Edinburgh’s Miniature Coffins

In 1836 some boys found a series of little wooden coffins with dolls inside. Was it witchcraft, or a tribute to one of Edinburgh's most gruesome crimes?

New Guidelines Redefine Birth Years for Millennials, Gen-X, and 'Post-Millennials'

You hear about Generation Z, Millennials, Generation X, and the Baby Boomers all the time, but it’s not always clear who’s a part of these groups.

Brooklyn Museum, Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain

Emily Warren Roebling, the Woman Who Helped Build the Brooklyn Bridge

With her husband bedridden, Emily Roebling helped keep the dream of the Brooklyn Bridge alive.

The Unlikely Friendship Between Albert Einstein and Charlie Chaplin

They had more in common than you might think.

Why Does the Leaning Tower of Pisa Lean?

Soft soil is only the beginning of the story.

The Only 4 Private Citizens to Lie in Honor at the U.S. Capitol

Billy Graham will be one of just a handful to receive the honor.

5 Utterly Bizarre Facts About Victor Hugo

The famed French novelist, who was born on this day in 1802, installed peepholes in his guest bedrooms.

Northwestern University/Courtesy of the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology and the Regents of the University of California and NU-ACCESS

See Lifelike Mummy Portraits From Roman Egypt, Now at Northwestern University

The exhibit is named after an ancient piece of art criticism.

The Most Decorated Winter Olympians in History

For most athletes, winning a medal at the Olympics would be the pinnacle of their career. But these athletes didn't stop at just one. They excelled under pressure and earned themselves a spot in the annals of their respective sports as the Most Decorated

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