
HISTORY
First Roman Wood Toilet Seat Found at Vindolanda
Vindolanda, a fort and settlement in Northumberland just south of Hadrian's Wall, has been an unparalleled source of artifacts illuminating daily life.
The Greatest Political Button of All Time
Born in a tenement on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in 1873, Al Smith was a self-made man.
Mongol Miners Were Extreme Polluters
Some of China's modern pollution problems started long ago with the invading Mongols.
Women in Medicine: Dr. Anandi Joshee
Anandabai Gopal Joshee was not only the first Indian woman to receive a Western medical degree, but also the first known Hindu woman to travel to America.
How Susan B. Anthony Fought the Law in 1872
10 Famous People Who Protested Sacco and Vanzetti's Conviction
Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti’s names are associated with one of the most infamous double homicides in American history. But were they guilty? Albert Einstein and a host of other great thinkers didn’t believe so.
Seneca Village: When New York City Destroyed a Thriving Black Community To Make Way for Central Park
Seneca Village was a small but vibrant community founded in 1825 by free working class African-Americans in uptown Manhattan.
7 Incredible Hoards Discovered in the Past 7 Years
For thousands of years, people have buried their treasures to keep them safe from authorities and marauders or as offerings to the gods. Every now and then, someone is lucky enough to find one of these long-lost hoards. Here are seven of the best finds in
Journalist Jennie June Was "Having It All" in the 19th Century
Why Are Baseball Games Nine Innings Long?
A brief history of how we arrived at that number, and who should get credit for it.
This 1960s High School Gym Class Would Ruin You
The media attention surrounding La Sierra was so intense that by 1962, a health-conscious President Kennedy made an open plea for other schools to get involved.
Watch a 1937 Film on the Future of Industry
The Mystery of the Green Children of Woolpit
Louis de Wohl, the Astrologer Who Was Hired By MI5
How a Former First Lady Helped Save Grand Central Terminal
Shortly after New York City's Penn Station was torn down in 1963, its east side counterpart—Grand Central Terminal—nearly suffered the safe fate. Fortunately, there was a former First Lady who understood the importance of preservation.
Baseball's First Rules
8 Pillow Fights That Caused Serious Trouble
Pillow fights can lead to some serious trouble. Don’t believe us? Here are some examples of times pillow fights took a turn for the worse.
The Brief, Enduring Life of the Pony Express
How Thomas Jefferson Invented A New Way Of Saying “Goodbye”
The History of the White House Easter Egg Roll
On April 6, most of us will be filling our lunch bags with egg salad sandwiches and wondering if Cadbury eggs count as a healthy breakfast. The folks who call the White House home, however, will still be celebrating Easter with 35,000 of their closest fri
Medieval Medicine Could Help Fight Superbug MRSA
A 1000-year-old recipe translated from Old English proves effective at killing MRSA.
The Most Secretive Book in History
A bizarre medieval manuscript written in a language no one can read has baffled the world’s best cryptologists, stumped the most powerful code-breaking computers, and been written off as a masterful hoax. Can the hive mind finally unlock the secrets of th
The Fascinating History of Lithuania’s Day of the Book Smugglers
In Lithuania, March 16 is Knygnešio diena, or the Day of the Book Smugglers, to commemorate the birthday of Jurgis Bielinis, who created a secret distribution network in order to smuggle banned Lithuanian books into the country.