LISTS

Looking to Move? These Are the 20 Best States to Live In

All personal preferences aside, states with high life expectancies and low poverty rates are objectively good to settle down in.

A circa 1860s lithograph titled "Fire: The horrors of crinoline & the destruction of human life."

7 Very Victorian Ways to Die

In the Victorian era, a glass of water, a beautiful dress, or a brightly colored piece of wallpaper could all spell your doom.

9 Abandoned Islands Reclaimed by Nature

From the farthest reaches of the Pacific Ocean to upstate New York, these nine islands have been abandoned to the elements.

INXS's Michael Hutchence in Mystify: Michael Hutchence (2019).

10 Fascinating Facts About INXS

Over the course of the 1980s, INXS went from fledgling Australian pub rockers to global superstars. Then tragedy struck when, in 1997, lead singer Michael Hutchence was found dead.

11 Terrific Online Courses You Can Take in November 2019

Take advantage of some chilly weather to stay indoors and complete a series of exciting online courses that will keep you warm and busy all season long.

Jack Freulich // Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons

9 Transformative Facts About Lon Chaney Sr.

Lon Chaney Sr. was one of the biggest movie stars of his era—and most famous for hiding in plain sight behind the masks of his various characters.

5 Benefits of Sarcasm, According to Science

The benefits of a cutting remark can go beyond getting some laughs. Properly deployed, sarcasm can have real social rewards.

Jason Tester Guerrilla Futures, Flickr // CC BY-ND 2.0

5 Wild Facts About Mall Madness

The popular 1990s board game, which was hit with criticism for promoting reckless spending and stereotyping women as frenzied shoppers, is about to make a comeback.

2020 World Monuments Watch: 25 Historic and Cultural Landmarks That Are At Risk

The World Monuments Fund recently released its World Monuments Watch for 2020. Here are the cultural and historic sites at risk around the world.

10 Secrets of Victoria’s Secret Employees

Victoria's Secret employees share their most disgusting stories, their best tips, and how to get them to leave you in peace.

by James Carling, Urbancanvas // Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons

Watch 10 Celebrities Read Edgar Allan Poe’s "The Raven"

Edgar Allan Poe's classic—and kind of creepy—narrative poem has been inspiring artists for nearly 175 years.

9 Awesomely Odd American Curiosity Shops You Should Visit

Have a penchant for skulls, specimens, or maybe some human-hair jewelry? We’ve got a place for you!

41 Easter Eggs You Might Have Missed In HBO's Watchmen

HBO’s 'Watchmen' explores what the world looks like 30-plus years after the events of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbon's famed graphic novel. But that doesn't mean you won't find plenty of hidden references to the comic's 1980s setting.

Internet Archive Book Images, Flickr // Wikimedia Commons

12 Facts About William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet

'Romeo and Juliet,' William Shakespeare’s 16th-century play about the tragic story of two star-crossed lovers, continues to intrigue readers today.

The Surprising Origins of 12 Popular Fashions

Let’s explore why we wear—or once wore—socks up to our knees, cloth around our neck, and pants down to the floor.

Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, [LC-USZ62-93318] // No known restrictions on publication

13 Reading Tips From Theodore Roosevelt

According to Teddy Roosevelt, “The reader’s personal and individual taste must be the guiding factor” when choosing a book to read.

Gary Oldman stars in Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992).

The 60 Greatest Guilty Pleasure Movies

There are good movies, there are bad movies, and there are movies that are so infinitely terrible that it’s hard not to love them just a little bit.

The sheriff of Orange County, California, dumping bootleg booze during Prohibition

50 Facts About Prohibition

How do you buy alcohol in the United States during prohibition? If you're Winston Churchill, you've got a doctor's note.

The New York Public Library's Rose Main Reading Room

10 Strange Questions People Asked NYPL Librarians Before Google

A few years ago, NYPL librarians found a small gray box containing a host of unusual questions patrons asked between 1940 and 1980. 'Peculiar Questions and Practical Answers,' excerpted here, rounds up some favorites.

Victor Blackman/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

16 Grand Facts About Princess Margaret

There’s more to the story of Queen Elizabeth II’s younger sister than what you’ve seen on Netflix’s ‘The Crown.’

9 Words That Were Borrowed From One Language, Transformed, Then Borrowed Back

These words found new meanings on a foreign exchange adventure and returned home with a fresh perspective.

Paul Newman and Robert Redford star in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969).

12 Wild Facts About Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

Lovable outlaws, buddy comedies, and Westerns have long been part of the cinematic landscape. But it's this 1969 classic that first combined those elements into a box office smash.

6 Puzzling Anachronisms That Made It Into Shakespeare’s Plays

From the clock in ‘Julius Caesar’ to Machiavelli in ‘Henry VI,’ the Bard made a few (possibly intentional) mistakes.

Chernabog from Disney's Fantasia (1940).

15 Terrifying Cartoon Characters From Your Childhood Who Scarred You For Life

From Anastasia's decaying Rasputin to Fantasia's smoky, sinister Chernabog, these cartoons might still feature in your nightmares.

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