HISTORY

Skeleton of 19th-Century British Man Reveals He Wore a Corset

Medicine and fashion may have collided in this tuberculosis treatment.

8 World-Famous Historical Hats

Such is the power of a good hat that certain styles have become intrinsically linked with famous individuals.

Archaeological Repository Showcases New York City’s Rich History

The archive includes artifacts from all five boroughs spanning 8000 years.

Immerse Yourself in the Sounds of 18th Century Paris

The only artificially created noise in this historic soundscape is of a water pump.

10 Surprising Secrets From Seattle’s History

From local mummies to the windshield damage hysteria of 1954.

Did a British Soldier Accidentally Spare Hitler’s Life in 1918?

According to the dictator, that's exactly what happened.

7 Real-Life Horror Stories Behind American Horror Story

From unsolved murders to alien abductions, the hit series regularly rips its storylines from real life.

Julia Margaret Cameron via Wikimedia // Public domain

Hypatia, Scholar and Teacher of Ancient Alexandria

She was one of the last great thinkers of ancient Alexandria—before she was brutally murdered.

The Mysterious English Sweating Sickness

Some historians believe it killed Arthur, Prince of Wales in 1502—and changed the course of history.

10 Questions About Columbus Day

How did a 15th-century voyager from what is now Italy get his own federal holiday? How do alternative celebrations of Columbus Day address the resistance of native cultures in North America? Let's take a look.

Courtesy of Calvin Coolidge Presidential Library & Museum, Forbes Library, Northampton, MA

Show & Tell: Calvin Coolidge’s Electric Exercise Horse

"Silent Cal" rode it three times a day for fitness—and fun.

The Doctor Who Designed a Cipher Wheel to Decode Shakespeare

Dr. Orville Ward Owen was so well versed in Shakespeare’s works that he could pinpoint the exact play, act, and scene from which any line given to him was taken.

$1.65 Million Chess Set Recreates Battle of Issus

The pieces depict Athena, King Darius III, and Alexander the Great.

Edwin Austin Abbey, "The Penance of Eleanor, Duchess of Gloucester," Carnegie Museum of Art // Public Domain

The Necromancer Roger Bolingbroke and the Plot to Kill King Henry VI

Back in the 15th century, being an astrologer was a dangerous business.

6 Early Versions of Classic Movies

No matter how much potential a movie might have, sometimes a studio just doesn't get it right the first time.

The Photo That Showed the World What the Hubble Space Telescope Could Do

The unusual decision to photograph nothing in particular revealed the early universe in all its glory.

6 Incredible True Stories That Should Be Made Into Movies

Angsar Walk via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 3.0

Whaling Voyages Also Devastated Walruses and Many Other Animals

A forthcoming study by a class of undergraduate scientists explores the widespread and surprising ecological costs of the 19th-century whaling boom in the United States.

The 19th Century Manual That Claimed the Color Blue Could Cure All Ills

A retired Civil War general's assertions about the color blue led to what was known as the "Blue-glass craze."

You Can Help Reissue a Copy of Carl Sagan's Voyager Golden Record

A Kickstarter is turning the only government-authorized alien playlist in history into a vinyl box set.

A Book Made From “Washington’s Tree”

George Washington definitely had a thing for trees—or at least his legend did.

Patrick Manson, the Man Who First Linked Mosquitoes to Disease

He was the first to figure out that irritating buzz could be a danger sign.

DNA of Ancient Cats Traces the Path of Their Global Conquest

Cats have been using humans for thousands of years.

The Earliest Known Descriptions of 5 U.S. Landmarks

From the European discovery of America through to the land rushes and gold rushes of the 19th century, a host of explorers, navigators, cartographers, and prospectors have opened up the landscape of the United States over the years—and provided vivid acco

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