HISTORY

Caricature of the Chevalier D'Eon a.k.a. Mademoiselle de Beaumont

A diplomat, spy, and celebrated fencer, D'Éon lived the first half of life as a man and the second half as a woman.

Watch a Vintage Candy Maker Churn Out Old-Fashioned Sweets

These machines are hard to find.

Nyttend via Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain

100 Years Ago, You Could Buy a House From a Sears Catalog

The company sold housing designs and pre-cut materials from 1908 to 1940.

Altar Cloth in Rural Church May Be Rare Segment of Elizabeth I’s Gown

The fabric, woven with strands of real silver, may have been a gift from the queen to one of her favored ladies-in-waiting.

Why Do Diamonds Cost So Much?

Two words: monopoly and propaganda.

Find Out How 50 Peculiar State Laws Came To Be

Why is it illegal to get a fish drunk in Ohio?

This NASA Satellite From the ‘70s Looks Like a Space-Bound Disco Ball

...it's also been a valuable source for scientific research and discovery for four decades.

The Worst Industrial Disaster in U.S. History

The deadliest industrial disaster in U.S. history occurred on April 16, 1947, in Texas City, Texas.

Daderot, Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain

Archaeologists Plan to Restore Emily Dickinson's Gardens

The famous poet had a green thumb.

University of Edinburgh’s Anatomical Collections

New App Lets You Virtually Visit a Famous Anatomy Museum

Medicine might not be the first thing you think when you think of Edinburgh, but it should be.

Ashford Castle by Larry Koester, Flickr // CC BY 2.0

15 Castles You Can Stay In

These castles are the perfect places to visit when you're looking to get the royal treatment.

15 Facts About the Maya Civilization

Across Mesoamerica today, you can find sprawling ancient cities with towering pyramids, ballcourts, saunas, monumental sculptures, and enigmatic hieroglyphs—all thanks to the Maya. Here are 15 things you might not know about this ancient civilization.

9 Common Words That Come From Railroad Lingo

Since the introduction of the first working steam locomotive in Great Britain over 200 years ago, trains have been a great influence on Western culture, whether in the world of books, music, or the movies. The language of the railroad has also infused the

Archaeologists Identify World's Oldest Hafted Axe

The researchers date the rock chip between 44,000 and 49,000 years old.

Thomas Jefferson via NYPL // Public Domain

Flip Through Thomas Jefferson’s 18th Century Wine Records

He kept meticulous accounts of his financial transactions.

Washington Irving Bishop entertains a crowd.

Washington Irving Bishop: The Mind Reader Who Was Killed By His Own Autopsy

Washington Irving Bishop was an American mentalist and mind reader of some repute toward the end of the 1800s. But he probably didn't see this story coming.

14 Navigable Facts About the Erie Canal

It was designed by amateurs.

The Little-Known Spy Agency That Inspired the Creation of James Bond

In 'The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare,' Damien Lewis reveals the secret story of the Special Operations Executive, whose daring agents and commandos would go on to invent many of the tactics and techniques of special operations today.

The Time the Crown Jewels Were Stolen

Remarkably, the thief wasn’t punished for his actions.

10 Resolute Facts About William Seward

Abraham Lincoln's most trusted advisor may have also been the most divisive politician of his time.

People still follow Marie Antoinette's beauty advice.

11 Tips From Marie Antoinette’s Beauty Regimen

You can find beauty and fashion tips almost anywhere, but few compare to those from the Queen of Style herself—Marie Antoinette.

Meet the Unsung "Rocket Girls" Who Helped Get NASA Into Space

These "human computers" were an integral part of the early space program, but were largely unheralded.

A Brief History of the Mint Julep

The mint julep is the official drink of the Kentucky Derby—but the cocktail's history dates back to long before the famous event was even conceptualized.

How Large Hats and Other Fabulous Fashions Changed the Course of American Horse Racing

A case could be made that the Kentucky Derby is the country's longest-running fashion show.

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