HISTORY

Why the Berlin Wall Rose and Fell

The wall stabilized the East German economy—but tarnished its reputation.

WWI Centennial: Salonika In Flames

Erik Sass is covering the events of the war exactly 100 years after they happened. This is the 285th installment in the series.

13 Vintage Photos of People Watching Solar Eclipses

Ahead of the total solar eclipse on August 21, 2017, take a peek at these old photos of Earthlings with their eyes glued to the skies.

10 Facts About the Battle of Bunker Hill

Though the colonies were defeated in the Battle of Bunker Hill, American forces performed so impressively and inflicted so many casualties on their powerful opponent that most rebels took it as a moral victory.

You Can Buy the Oldest Surviving Photo of a U.S. President

Lookin’ good, John Quincy Adams.

This Newspaper Article Was Hyping the 2017 Eclipse All the Way Back in 1932

The much-hyped event is finally happening on Monday, August 21.

Leech collecting was a job that, quite literally, sucked.

10 of the Worst Jobs in the Victorian Era

Next time you complain about your boring desk job, be glad you're not a tosher or a leech collector.

The Man Who First Made Childbirth Pain-Free

James Young Simpson didn't think women should have to suffer in labor.

Agnes the Rubber Skin Lady and other performers, including Frieda Pushnik, Major Small, and John Williams the Alligator-Skin Boy.

Inside the Never-Before-Seen Scrapbook of the Rubber Skin Lady, a 1930s-era Sideshow Star

The scrapbook revealed a life in the circus—and a family secret.

The Polish Doctors Who Used Science to Outwit the Nazis

The fake typhus epidemic staged by Eugene Lazowski and Stasiek Matulewicz during World War II saved thousands of lives.

12 Amazing Items From the World’s Largest McDonald’s Memorabilia Collection

Suspicious Minds: The Bizarre, 40-Year History of Elvis Presley Sightings

Fans just won't let the King die.

25 Things You Should Know About Jackson, Mississippi

The Mississippi capital witnessed the invention of Pine-Sol, the birth of the blues, and the very late repeal of Prohibition.

8 Historic Pregnancies Everyone Was Watching

We've come a long way since you couldn't say "pregnant" on television.

Researchers Find 100-Year-Old Antarctic Fruitcake in 'Excellent Condition'

Yum.

6 Chefs Who Died in the Line of Duty

Dedication to culinary excellence can be deadly.

Uncovered WWII Blueprints Could Be Used to Restore a Mosquito Plane

"The Wooden Wonder" is one of the most iconic planes to come out of World War II.

Queen Christina, Who Ruled as a King

This learned, opinionated Renaissance monarch caused a sensation throughout Europe.

5 Times Kids Corrected Museums

Museums are bastions of knowledge, but they're occasionally no match for eagle-eyed kids. Here are five times that kids corrected their mistakes.

Oblique cuts in the bottom third of the legs of a medieval skeleton found in Portugal.

Archaeologists Make Rare, Gruesome Find in Portugal

A team recently excavated three graves located at the edge of a medieval cemetery.

The True Identity of Jack the Ripper May Have Just Been Confirmed

Researchers say they have strong evidence that a diary detailing the murders is authentic.

8 Amazing Things Uncovered by Melting Glaciers and Ice

Global warming has revealed some fascinating bodies, objects, and landscapes, as well as a few deadly pathogens.

6 Memorable Letters From Neil Armstrong

Neil Armstrong, who would have turned 87 years old today, is remembered as both a "reluctant American hero" and "the spiritual repository of spacefaring dreams and ambitions."

The Great Presidential Pardon Heist

There's more than one way to get a presidential pardon.

Prev Next