HISTORY

Grizzly Bears Once Lived in the White House

In 1807, Thomas Jefferson received an adorable gift of animals that soon went dangerously awry.

ProhibitOnions via Wikimedia // Public Domain

10 Surprising Historical Markers Hidden in Plain Sight

Markers can reveal the fantastic, unusual, or macabre in places you might not expect.

How the Ancient Greeks Did Math With Letters, Not Numbers

They were incredibly talented mathematicians—but they rarely used numbers in their math.

MUSEUM OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK, GIFT OF MR. JOHN W. CAMPBELL, 43.40.147

12 American Propaganda Posters That Sold World War I to the Masses

A new exhibit at the Museum of the City of New York features rarely seen propaganda art commissioned by the U.S. government during World War I.

The Doctor Who Got Hitler Hooked on Drugs—And the Plot to Take Him Down

Many suspected that the dictator’s personal physician, Theodor Morell, was intentionally poisoning him.

Luděk Kovář, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY 3.0

Meet Nicholas Winton, the Man Known as "Britain's Schindler"

In 1938, a British stockbroker heard that Jewish families in Czechoslovakia were desperate to get their children out of the country before Nazis invaded. Faced with an enormous amount of red tape, he decided to take matters into his own hands.

The 19th Century Aristocrat Who Literally Painted The Town Red

What does painting—and, for that matter, painting things red—have to do with what Merriam-Webster defines as “to go out drinking, dancing, etc.”?

9 of the Deadliest Developments in War Strategy

For thousands of years, military strategists have tried everything within their means to suffocate rivals while minimizing casualties of their own.

Lady Deborah Moody, the Dangerous Woman Who Started a Colonial Town

Sometimes being dangerous is a good thing.

Hulton Archive/Getty Images (Henry VIII), iStock (Marmoset)

9 Bizarre Objects Owned by Henry VIII

The most famous king in British history owned some very unusual curiosities indeed.

Revisiting the First 'Trial of the Century,' More Than 215 Years Later

In 1800, Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr—history’s most famous frenemies—teamed up to get Levi Weeks acquitted of murder.

Revisiting the First 'Trial of the Century,' More Than 215 Years Later

In 1800, Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr—history’s most famous frenemies—teamed up to get Levi Weeks acquitted of murder.

10 Famous Birthdays to Celebrate in April

Do you share a birthday with one of these famous figures?

This Giant Bed is a Tourist Attraction From Shakespeare's Day

A sprawling bed built to bring tourists to Ware, England is still turning heads today.

The Founding Father has some sage advice.

11 Life Lessons From Alexander Hamilton

"Don't duel" is a given. Here are few other pearls of wisdom from one of America's most familiar Founding Fathers.

How 7 Richmond Neighborhoods Got Their Names

Here’s how seven of the most memorable districts in Virginia’s capital city got their names.

8 Hidden Museums Around the Globe

Whether it’s a trash museum in NYC or a David Hasselhoff museum in Berlin, these semi-private collections make it worth going out of your way.

The Time a Ghost Had His Day in Court

James Chaffin died before he could tell his family he had revised his will. He haunted his son until the mistake was corrected.

Giovanni Borromeo. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Syndrome K: The Fake Disease That Fooled the Nazis and Saved Lives

A desperate group of doctors in Italy saved dozens of Jews during World War II by simply inventing a disease.

Timebound App Lets You Relive Historic Events in Real Time

Timebound helps you understand what it would be like to live through history by sending you push notifications on the exact same timeline as the original events.

A Luxury Travel Company Will Offer Titanic Tours in 2018

The first trip costs $105,000, and is already booked up.

In 1905, Fingerprints Pointed to Murder for the First Time in London

More than 100 years ago, brothers Alfred and Albert Stratton became the first people in England to be convicted of murder based on fingerprint evidence. The rest of the law enforcement world took notice.

12 Facts About Tennessee Williams

Tennessee Williams is best known for having written 'The Glass Menagerie,' 'A Streetcar Named Desire,' and 'Cat On a Hot Tin Roof.' He also hobnobbed with presidents and worked on a film that shocked the censors.

On This Day in 1953, Jonas Salk Announced His Polio Vaccine

On March 26, 1953, Dr. Jonas Salk went on CBS radio to announce his vaccine for poliomyelitis. He had worked for three years to develop the polio vaccine, attacking a disease that killed 3000 Americans in 1952 alone, along with 58,000 newly reported cases

Prev Next