HISTORY

12 Things You Won't See on Display at The Field Museum

Earlier this year, mental_floss visited The Field Museum to take a peek at the institution's research collections; here are a few things we saw behind the scenes.

7 Wildly Successful People Who Survived Bankruptcy

Bankruptcy may not be the financial kiss of death that you assumed it was.

National Toy Hall of Fame Reveals its 2015 Inductees

It was a tight race among those in the toy box.

A Brief History of the Guy Fawkes Mask

How the iconic visage came to be.

Watch 100 Years of Men’s Hair Trends in One Minute

This history of facial hair is more than just fashion.

When the Pope Ordered the Death of Adolf Hitler

'Church of Spies' by Mark Riebling tells the gripping history of the Vatican’s covert operations during World War II.

9 Strange Courtship Rituals From Around the World

Love wasn't always as simple putting a ring on it.

8 Famous Historical Figures Excommunicated by the Catholic Church

The Vatican doesn't like it when you start your own religion (among other things).

Force of Habit: The Nun Who Became an FBI Agent

How Sister Joanne Pierce went from a convent to carrying a .38 revolver.

Mogens Engelund, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 3.0

Europe's Oldest Tree is Undergoing a Sex Change

The recent change in the ancient organism shocked scientists.

25 Things You Should Know About Dallas

2. Without Dallas, we wouldn't have the Slurpee.

A Brief History of Marbles (Including All That Marble Slang)

If you're the type of mibster that has knuckled down with a taw and shot for an aggie duck, then you already know quite a bit about mibs. If you're among the many people who have no idea what any of that means, stick around as we explore the history of ma

Meet T.S. Eliot's Lost Cat, Cumberleylaude

The fancy feline apparently enjoyed “salmon, duck, or expensive French wines."

S. Gilpin, Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain

There Was a Dominant 18th-Century Racehorse Named Pot8os

Sired by Eclipse, Pot8os (a.k.a. Potoooooooo) was a champion racehorse.

The Stories Behind 6 Vintage Forest Fire Prevention Characters

Smokey wasn't the only cartoon character trying to save the forests!

Major General John G. Parke of the Union Army

A Scientific Analysis of Civil War Beards

How Civil War commanders wore their facial hair, in one chart.

The World's First Vending Machine Dispensed Holy Water

The mechanisms inside wouldn't be widely seen again for thousands of years.

The World's First Vending Machine Dispensed Holy Water

The mechanisms inside wouldn't be widely seen again for thousands of years.

6 of the Best Topical Halloween Costumes for 1915

If you happen to get sucked into a wormhole and sent to 1915 this weekend, your lion-killing dentist outfit won’t make much sense.

How Being Rich in the Middle Ages Made People Sick and Lowered Their IQ

Wealthy individuals dined off glazed pottery, which contained high concentrations of lead.

Friedrich Karl Wunder, Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain

Karl Marx's Grave Costs $6 To Visit

Despite being extremely critical of private property, Marx purchased a plot in the privately-owned Highgate Cemetery.

Alex Nichol, Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain

The Screaming Skulls of England

According to legend, some English manors are haunted by screaming skulls, possessed by the spirits of the dead.

The Revolutionary Story Behind Mary Jane Candies

These little peanut butter and molasses chews are 100 years old, but they have a much older historical link.

16 Ways to Summon Ghosts, Victorian-Style

According to a 19th century book, ghosts are optical illusions—and you can see a "spirit" in your very own living room by following these instructions.

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