HISTORY

Photo illustration by Lucy Quintanilla, Mental Floss. Saint Nicholas: HULTON ARCHIVE, GETTY IMAGES. Skulls, backgrounds: iStock

Tomb Raider: The Story of Saint Nicholas's Stolen Bones

The Santa Claus of folklore doesn't have a skeleton. But his inspiration, Saint Nicholas, does, and people have been fighting over his bones since they were stolen nearly a millennium ago.

Today's Wine Glasses Are Almost Seven Times Larger Than They Were in 1700

Drinking from a larger glass might trick us into drinking more—something to remember this holiday party season.

8 Surprising Facts About the Suez Crisis

The 1956 invasion of Egypt, which plays a prominent role in season two of 'The Crown,' was a very messy international affair.

The Book So Big It Needed Its Own Furniture

John James Audubon dreamed of creating life-sized portraits of every species of bird in North America. The portraits, when bound, became some of the biggest books ever made—and to read them, his customers would need to hire a carpenter.

8 Odd Items People Have Used to Decorate Christmas Trees

From ears of corn to live canaries, these old-school trimmings didn't make the jump to modern times.

10 Treasures From the New York Academy of Medicine Library

From "urine wheels" to 16th-century pop-up books.

12 Events Correctly Predicted by The Simpsons

'The Simpsons' has had an impressive track record for predicting future events. A 1998 episode showed the 20th Century Fox logo with "A Division of Walt Disney Co" beneath it.

23 Funny Historical Letters to Santa

"I wish you would please bring me a typewriter and a drum and a doll dressed in a sailor suit so I can call it Raymond."

30 Cities Around the World That No Longer Exist

History is filled with cities that emerged and then were abandoned or forgotten. Some have been rediscovered—others are still out there, waiting to be found.

Photo illustration by Lucy Quintanilla, Mental Floss. Images from iStock.

The Man Who Killed Santa Claus

Santa was supposed to glide gently down from an airplane via parachute. It didn't go according to plan.

15 Dramatic Nature Illustrations by 19th-Century Scientist Ernst Haeckel

His artworks showed the wonders of evolution to a wide audience.

Newly Discovered 350-Year-Old Graffiti Shows Sir Isaac Newton's Obsession With Motion Started Early

Conservators used light imaging techniques to spot a tiny windmill sketch that's invisible to the naked eye.

Ralph Heimans/Buckingham Palace/PA Wire via Getty Images

The Cult of Prince Philip: In Tanna, Vanuatu, Prince Philip Was Worshipped As a Deity

To the people of Tanna in Vanuatu, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh was more than royalty—he was a bona fide deity.

The Secret World War II History Hidden in London's Fences

London's housing developments often feature a unique form of fencing: stretchers reused after World War II.

A.C. Gilbert, the Toymaker Who (Actually) Saved Christmas

In 1918, the U.S. government threatened to close down toy factories and discourage gift-giving to shift focus toward the war. A.C. Gilbert wasn't having it.

The Funky History of George Washington's Fake Teeth

Mount Vernon holds perhaps the most famous dentures in American history: those of Founding Father George Washington.

Thin Ice: The Bizarre Boxing Career of Tonya Harding

After being banned from competitive skating, the beleaguered athlete turned to a new vocation: Getting her nose broken for money.

How the Civil War Inspired 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day'

When Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote the poem that inspired the holiday tune, he definitely had the horrors of the Civil War on his mind.

For $61, You Can Become a Co-Owner of This 13th-Century French Castle

A ruined castle will be restored thanks to the powers of the internet.

How 9 Famous Acquitted Defendants Spent Their Lives

Here’s how life shook out for a few acquitted defendants in high-profile trials.

For the First Time Ever, Rome's Barberini Tomb is Now Open to the Public

Dating back to the 2nd century BCE, the ancient structure once contained sumptuous treasures and still contains traces of vibrant frescoes.

The Terrible Crime at Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin

The servant locked the door, and started pouring in the gasoline.

A huge queue outside the Board of Health offices in Centre Street, New York, for licenses to sell alcohol shortly after the repeal of prohibition. The repeal of prohibition was a key policy of Franklin Roosevelt's government as it allowed the government an opportunity to raise tax revenues at a time of economic hardship.

84 Years Ago Today: Goodbye Prohibition!

It was 84 years ago today that the Twenty-First Amendment to the Constitution was ratified, repealing the earlier Amendment that declared the manufacture, sale, and transport of alcohol illegal in the United States.

Maine Residents Celebrate the Inventor of Modern-Day Earmuffs

As a teenager, Chester Greenwood of Farmington, Maine, had sensitive ears and a creative imagination.

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