HISTORY

Douglas Adams's Abandoned 'Doctor Who' Episode is Being Completed Nearly 40 Years Later

The Fourth Doctor, Tom Baker, will step back into the iconic role.

Courtesy of CURIOUS GEORGE is a production of Imagine, WGBH, and Universal. Curious George and related characters, created by Margret and H.A. Rey, are copyrighted and trademarked by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company and using under license. Licensed by UNIVERSAL STUDIOS LICENSING LLC. Television series: (c) 2015 Universal Studios. All rights reserved.

How a Makeshift Bicycle Saved Curious George From the Nazis

The real-life tale of how the beloved children's book character came to be rivals any movie.

4 Famous Recipients of the Nansen Passport, the Travel Document Created for Refugees

Named after legendary adventurer Fridtjof Nansen, the special passport restored the right of half a million stateless people to cross borders and prove their identities.

In 1909, a Door-to-Door Catnip Salesman Incited a Riot in New York

"Why don’t you arrest the catnip? That is collecting the crowd. Not I,” he argued.

For $666, You Can Spend Halloween Eve in a Recreated Alcatraz Jail Cell

For thrill-seekers who prefer true crime to fake blood.

Why People Walked Differently in Medieval Times

Your gait would probably be a little different if you walked around without soles on your shoes, too.

Frank Janssen, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 3.0

These Connected Graves in the Netherlands Prove Love Conquers All

This pair used a crafty design to get around the cemetery's restrictions.

Doctors Didn't Actually Wear Beaked Masks During the Black Plague

The birdlike accessory is credited to French doctor Charles de Lorme, who was chief physician to King Louis XIII.

Courtesy of the George C. Marshall Library, Lexington, Virginia

Elizebeth Friedman, America's Unsung Wartime Codebreaker

She cracked some of the biggest espionage cases of the 20th century, but the press preferred to write about her husband.

7 Fast Facts About AIM to Make You LOL

The game-changing instant messaging service is going offline.

That Time The U.S. Confirmed You Can Only Kill A Yeti In Self-Defense

Just because the creatures are mythical doesn't mean there aren't hunting regulations.

Jean-Pierre Norblin de La Gourdaine, Hanging of Traitors, 1794

6 People Executed in Effigy

How do you execute a criminal who has already escaped? Make an effigy of them.

Divers in Michigan Discover 93-Year-Old Shipwreck at the Bottom of Lake Huron

On September 21, 1924, the cargo steamship SS Clifton sank in Lake Huron—and for nearly a century, its watery grave remained a mystery.

For the First Time in 40 Years, Rome's Colosseum Will Open Its Top Floor to the Public

Starting November 1, 2017, visitors will be able to book guided trips to the tallest reaches of the ancient stadium.

12 of the Most Beautiful Cemeteries Around the World

Falling leaves, stunning statuary, and famous graves—here are a dozen picturesque international spots to rest in peace.

25 Things You Should Know About Jacksonville, Florida

From a famously misnamed oak tree to a virtual museum of dinosaur dung, Jacksonville is filled with quirky attractions.

Who Betrayed Anne Frank? A New Investigation Reopens the Case

Led by an ex-FBI agent, a new team of investigators is using data analysis and modern forensic techniques to solve a 70-year-old mystery.

Lady Ali: How Jackie Tonawanda Changed Women's Boxing

Denied a license to fight because of her gender, Jackie Tonawanda wanted to prove she belonged in the ring. So she fought a man.

When Math Discoveries Led to Banned Numbers

It took mathematicians a while to warm up to these controversial numbers.

32 Things You Should Know About Epcot

Happy 35th birthday to Epcot, the only place where you can drink in 11 countries without ever leaving Florida.

Cyrus E. Dallin, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 3.0

Archaeologists in Boston May Have Unearthed Paul Revere's Bathroom

Listen, my children, and you shall hear, of the brick-lined privy of Paul Revere …

3D Modeling Lets You Step Inside a 13th-Century Chapel Filled With Human Remains

Take a virtual tour of England's Rothwell charnel chapel. They call it a digital ossuary.

15 Things You Should Know About Jacques-Louis David's 'Napoleon Crossing the Alps'

It was a gift to Napoleon—though he didn't get to keep it.

How Baltimore's Neighborhoods Got Their Names

With so much history to go around in Charm City, there are some interesting stories behind the names of its districts.

Prev Next