HISTORY

What Dress Size Was Marilyn Monroe, Actually?

When discussing Marilyn's measurements, you have to take vintage clothing sizes into account.

Some believed the Virgil's poetry could be used to predict future events.

7 People Who Used Virgil's Poetry to Predict the Future

Known as the 'sortes Virgilianae,' this method of predicting the future has been used by emperors, kings, writers, and scholars.

28 Fascinating Facts About Time

Every person on Earth is living in the past, and more fascinating facts about time that are likely to hurt your brain.

"La Queue à la Boucherie en 1871" by Clément-Auguste Andrieux

'I'll Have the Kangaroo Stew': When Paris Was Forced to Eat Its Zoos

For Christmas dinner in 1870, Paris restaurant Voisin publicized a menu that featured kangaroo stew, elephant stock, stuffed donkey head, and bear chops.

Wikimedia Commons // Getty Images // Chloe Effron

11 Famous Birthdays to Celebrate in May

Have some cake this month on behalf of these historical figures, all of whom were born in May.

A fu-go reinflated at California's Moffett Field in 1945. (The lines of the fu-go have been redrawn to make them easier to see.)

Fu-Go Fire Balloons: Japan’s Last-Ditch Effort to Win WWII

The U.S. military catalogued 285 incidents involving Japanese fu-go, mostly in the Western United States and Canada; one incident resulted in five deaths.

The Chicago World's Fair, a.k.a. the World's Columbian Exposition

11 Vintage Photos from the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition

Between May and October 1893, nearly 26 million visitors gained entry to the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Here are a few photos from the event.

13 Surprising Facts About Ulysses S. Grant

Ulysses S. Grant was a complicated man in one of the most complicated times in United States history.

The Rocky Mountain locust was a force to be reckoned with.

The Locust that Ate the American West

Laura Ingalls Wilder recalled the devastation they caused in the 1870s in 'On the Banks of Plum Creek.'

Why Do We Answer the Phone With ‘Hello’?

If it were up to Alexander Graham Bell, we probably wouldn’t.

Tax Your Brain With These 5 Victorian Riddles

Are you smarter than a Victorian?

Why Does the Queen Have Two Birthdays?

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was born on April 21, 1926. But having a second birthday is one of the many reasons why it's good to be the queen.

The Hershey Company and the RMS 'Titanic' share a surprising link.

How the 'Titanic' Almost Sank Hershey

Milton S. Hershey almost traveled on the RMS 'Titanic.' Fortunately for chocolate lovers, he didn't.

'Francisco Pizarro Seizing the Inca of Peru' by John Everett Millais, 1846.

10 Pivotal Battles That Changed History

The fall of Constantinople isn’t the only battle that helped usher in a whole new era of history.

11 Workout Tips from Ancient Civilizations

Whether you were hoping to drop a few pounds or build that summer six-pack, the ancient world was loaded with helpful pointers about getting in shape.

The sinking of the 'Titanic' shook the world—and forced better maritime laws to be put into place.

4 Ways the ‘Titanic' Changed Maritime Safety

The sinking of the RMS 'Titanic' shook the world—and forced better safety regulations to be put into place.

Helen Mirren and Jim Broadbent in 'The Duke.'

The Stranger-Than-Fiction Art Heist That Inspired ‘The Duke’

In 1965, Kempton Bunton pleaded “not guilty” to stealing a Goya from London’s National Gallery. He then told everyone exactly how and why he took it.

Leonardo Da Vinci : Exhibition At The Louvre museum

15 of the Most Expensive Things Ever Sold

From the priciest painting to the costliest kidney stone, these are the most expensive things ever sold.

Titanic sinking on the cover of Showman's Guide for the Rank Organisation film ' A Night to Remember ' with Kenneth More.

Women and Children First: How a Rarely-Used Maritime Practice Caused Confusion On Board the 'Titanic'

Over 100 years after 'Titanic' sank, the origins and true meaning of “women and children first” remain a source of confusion.

Edward Gooch/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

How Charlie Chaplin Changed Paternity Laws in America

In 1943, Charlie Chaplin became embroiled in a famously scandalous paternity suit that would change the future of family law in America.

Learn more about the traditions behind Passover.

12 Things You Might Not Know About Passover

The festival of Passover (or Pesach) commemorates the story of the Jews' escape from Egypt—and is one of the most important holidays on the Jewish calendar.

8 of History's Strangest Taxes

History is full of kings and governments who have tried to earn money by taxing anything from beards to bachelors.

Violet Jessop volunteered as a nurse in World War I after surviving the Titanic sinking.

7 Facts About ‘Titanic’ Survivor Violet Jessop

Surviving the 'Titanic' was not Jessop’s first escape from a maritime disaster—nor would it be her last.

RMS 'Olympic,' one of the 'Titanic's' sister ships

The Surprising Fates of the 'Titanic's' Sister Ships

The stories of the 'Olympic' and 'Britannic' were overshadowed by their middle sister’s legend.

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