HISTORY

The Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Digital Studio

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.

Fall of the South: Last Hurrah, Final Words

5 Theories on Why We Dye Eggs for Easter

Every year at Easter, people hardboil eggs and dye them brilliant colors. Where did this tradition come from?

The Time New England Colonized Kansas

In 1854, one ill-advised bill turned the Great Plains into a war zone. To understand why, we’ll need to wind back the clock.

What American Sign Language Looked Like 100 Years Ago

Bundesarchiv, Bild 146-1976-130-51 / CC-BY-SA

10 Would-Be Assassins Who Tried To Kill Hitler

When Colin Powell Met Sergeant Elvis Presley

"What impressed me at the time was that instead of seeking celebrity treatment, Elvis had done his two-year hitch, uncomplainingly, as an ordinary GI."

5 Graves That Were Lost, Then Found

The Straw Hat Riots of 1922

15 Women Who Could Replace Andrew Jackson on the $20

Andrew Jackson will always be the seventh President of the United States. But if Women on 20s get its way, his mug will no longer be on our money.

How an Intelligence Officer Used Monopoly to Free POWs

Christopher Clayton Hutton's concealments were genius, but the Germans inevitably figured them out. All of them, that is, but one, which wouldn’t come to light until the documents were declassified four decades after the end of the war.

A Brief History of the Magna Carta

Investigators Find Possible Remains of Cervantes

Jeremy Bentham's Memorial Now Watches Its Visitors

John Vanderlyn, Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain

16 Facts About James Madison

At 5 feet 4 inches, Madison was America’s shortest commander-in-chief—but he left behind a towering legacy.

A Brief History of Closed Captioning

Whether you've encountered its unmistakable white text on black background at the gym, in a bar, or on the couch, you're familiar with closed captioning. Which made its network debut 35 years ago.

15 Back-Stabbing Facts About Brutus

15 Last Survivors of Famous Events

Here are 15 people who not only made history, but got to tell the tale for decades.

The Transit of Venus, in Orrery Form

"There's a little black spot on the sun today," -The Police, possibly referring to the Transit of Venus (well, actually, a breakup).

The Insane 6-Day, 500-Mile Race That Riveted America

Even though the two competitive pedestrians—a dandy and a working man's hero—were just ... walking.

Mummy Discovered Inside an Ancient Buddha Statue

10 Odd Jobs of Yesteryear

These are some of the more obscure and decidedly unglamorous professions listed in old English censuses and other records.