HISTORY

The Forgotten History of Amber Valley, Canada’s Northernmost Black Settlement

Today, Amber Valley looks like any number of small, rural communities, but a couple dilapidated log cabins hint at what was once the northernmost all-Black settlement in the world.

A portrait of the Hatfield family, sworn enemies of the McCoys.

4 Bloody Family Feuds in American History

If you have a disagreement with your neighbor today, you might head to small-claims court. In 19th-century rural America, such disputes were often solved with the business end of a gun.

Skylab 2 commander Peter Conrad attempts to take a shower aboard the spacecraft in 1973.

How Do Astronauts Shower in Space?

Here on Earth, we tend to take showering for granted. But getting clean isn’t so easy without the force of gravity helping you out.

5 Misconceptions About Antarctica

Misconception No. 4 : It snows a lot.

Robert Kennicott, pictured against Alaska’s Kennicott Glacier, was a key figure in the Smithsonian’s formative years.

Death of a Scientist: The Mysterious Demise of Smithsonian Pioneer Robert Kennicott

In 1866, Kennicott was found dead near the Yukon River. It would be 150 years before anyone knew why.

This map caused a stir in the early 2000s.

3 Controversial Maps From History

From a U.S. map with only 38 states to a probable hoax, these maps definitely had geographers buzzing.

Where did this weather-related idiom come from?

Why Do We Say “Right as Rain”?

Where did this curious expression come from, and what’s so right about rain, anyway?

A detail of Edvard Munch’s ‘The Sick Child,’ a portrait of his sister who died of tuberculosis at age 15.

12 Facts About Tuberculosis, the Victorian “Robber of Youth”

Tuberculosis may seem like a historic malady, but it’s still the world’s deadliest infectious disease. Here’s what you need to know about its past and current outbreaks.

5 of Abraham Lincoln’s Favorite Foods

The 16th president loved nutritious snacks—and he was also a big fan of bacon.

Martin Van Buren Had a Really Nice Toilet

The eighth president had a commode fit for a commander-in-chief at Lindenwald, his home in Kinderhook, New York.

How ‘Monopoly’ Helped Defend The Free World

For some soldiers confined in German POW camps during World War II, ‘Monopoly’ was so much more than just a board game.

Bessie Coleman, the Black Cherokee Woman Pilot Who Made Aviation History

No aviation schools in America would teach Bessie Coleman how to fly in the 1920s. So, she sailed to France and became the first African American and the first Native American woman to earn a pilot's license.

How the Neighborhoods of Manhattan Got Their Names

For an island of only 24 square miles, Manhattan sure has a lot of neighborhoods. Many have distinct monikers that might not seem intuitive to the lay-tourist, or even to a lifelong New Yorker.

Ancestral Puebloan ruins in Chaco Canyon National Historical Park.

How Pack Rats Solved a Chaco Canyon Mystery

Chaco Canyon was once the vibrant religious center of a Native American culture whose collapse long remained a mystery—until pack rat middens revealed an important clue.

Dana Carvey as the Church Lady on ‘Saturday Night Live.’

50 Surprising Facts About ‘Saturday Night Live’

Live from New York … are some surprising facts about ‘Saturday Night Live,’ which made its debut on October 11, 1975.

Why Do We Say That Love Makes People Go “Weak at the Knees”?

In honor of Valentine’s Day, discover the origins of the phrase ‘weak at the knees,’ including its ties to ancient Rome and even astrology.

8 of History’s Greatest Love Affairs

History is full of sweeping love affairs, from Antony and Cleopatra to Catherine the Great and Grigory Potemkin and many more. Discover some of the most passionate here.

A wooden tablet covered in still-undeciphered Rongorongo script.

8 Ancient Writing Systems That Haven’t Been Deciphered Yet

Without a Rosetta Stone for these centuries-old writing systems, the meaning of the texts may never be known.

2008 Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin had a concession speech written up for election night—but wasn’t allowed to deliver it.

12 Historical Speeches Nobody Ever Heard

For every speech, there are a bunch of versions that ended up on the writers' room floor. Here are 12 speeches that were written but, for a variety of reasons, never delivered.

A child witnessing the will-o’-the-wisps.

10 Captivating Creatures From Celtic Mythology

Although there are a few distinctive beasts that are place-specific, many ghosts, fairies, and goblins pop up in similar forms across the various Celtic mythologies.

5 Terrible Things That Happened on Valentine’s Day

February 14 is often celebrates as a day of love—but it has also been marked as a day of tragedy.

10 Offbeat Terms of Endearment From History

From 'chickabiddy,' to 'tootsicums,' these terms of endearment are more evocative than any garden-variety 'babe.'

Where Are They Now? Diseases That Killed You in ‘Oregon Trail’

Spoiler alert: They’re still around.

Are You Smart Enough to Pass Thomas Edison’s Impossible Employment Test?

Thomas Edison’s 146-question employment test was so difficult that the inventor’s own son—as well as Albert Einstein—reportedly flunked it.

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