Longform

Pretending to be a ghost was a popular pastime in 19th century England. But in London's neighborhood of Hammersmith, it could also get you killed.

Washington Irving, the Knicks' biggest fan.

‘Knickerbocker’ has many meanings. Without Washington Irving, it would likely only have one.

The groundbreaking artist made history in 1999 with his album ‘Hours’ when he sold it as an internet download before it hit stores: “Mark my words … we are not going back to record companies and through shops.”

Blue jeans can be an important forensic tool.

The distinctive wear patterns on your Levi's could put you behind bars.

The Pattersons left everything behind in 1957.

The Pattersons said they were merely going on vacation. That was nearly 70 years ago.

Fazlur Khan and the idea that would turn architecture on its head.

Victor Noir was killed by a Bonaparte. These days, he’s more famous for something else.

A small sampling of our 50+ regional dish selections.

Did your favorite dish make the list?

Andrew Irvine (left) circa 1920 and George Mallory circa 1915.

What happened during George Mallory's fatal Everest ascent is one of mountaineering's greatest mysteries. Here's what we know.

Leo Tolstoy with grandchildren Leo and Sofia, 1909

Author Leo Tolstoy had a big family with his wife, Sophia. Now, you can get an inside glimpse at what a family reunion is like for his living descendants.

This fox is obviously not actually radioactive.

Allied officials came up with some strange strategies to win World War II. Operation Fantasia planned to use glow-in-the-dark foxes to spook Japanese forces into defeat.

Stephen King owes his career to the support of his wife, Tabitha.

Take a look back at the surprising origins of “Carrie,” Stephen King’s first book—and more importantly, discover how his wife Tabitha King played a pivotal role in its creation.

Is it a time machine? Or a teleportation chamber?

Deep in London’s historic Brompton Cemetery sits a mausoleum that houses a Victorian heiress, her daughters, and a time-travel story that keeps growing.

An 1878 painting of Richard, Duke of York, and Edward V (right) by John Everett Millais.

An heir and a spare disappeared during England's War of the Roses. Here's what happened—and how we might hope to solve the mystery today.

To win a nuclear arms race, Leona Libby hid a pregnancy and brushed off being irradiated.

Barbara Newhall Follett in an undated photo.

A gifted writer, Follett finished her first novel at age 12. By age 25, she was never seen or heard from again.

Jake Gyllenhaal stars in (another) 'Road House' (2024).

Pain don't hurt, but trying to understand the difference between remakes and reboots can.

An interior view of Paris’s morgue in the 19th century.

Uncover the origins of the term ‘morgue’ in 18th-century Paris—and the morgue’s transformation from a place of spectacle to medical institute.

The Vinland Map courted controversy from the moment its discovery was announced.

Unravel the mystery of the Vinland Map—a controversial document that claimed Vikings arrived in North America before Columbus. Discover the truth now.

“Polar exploration is at once the cleanest and most isolated way of having a bad time which has been devised,” he later wrote.

In 1919, Canadian businessman Ambrose Small cashed a check for 1 million dollars. Hours later, he vanished.

Turner and Crawford once went head-to-head.

Glamour girl Lana Turner and gangster Mickey Cohen were both young and hungry. Each wanted to take over the Hollywood movie studios and the crime ridden streets of Los Angeles, but Lana and Mickey had two major obstacles standing in their way.

Hopefully this kid washed his hands before returning to his fries.

Following a string of PR nightmares, McDonald's began quietly removing its PlayPlaces in the 2000s.

In 1975, Bum Farto had it all. A dead body and a drug deal gone wrong changed everything.

Assault, Robbery, and Murder: The Dark History of “Bedsheet Ghosts”

The Disappearance of Diedrich Knickerbocker: How Washington Irving’s Clever Hoax Named the New York Knicks

How David Bowie Helped Pave the Way For the Download Age

Jean Theory: How the FBI Has Solved Crimes Using Denim

The El Paso Enigma: The Disappearance of William and Margaret Patterson

The Man Who Saved the Skyscraper

There’s the Rub: How One Murder Victim’s Risqué Grave Became a French Fertility Icon

55 Beloved Regional Dishes From Across the U.S.

George Mallory’s Final Dash up Mount Everest: 100 Years of Mystery and Myth

Inside the Tolstoy Family Reunion

When the U.S. Tried to Win World War II with Radioactive Foxes

How Stephen King’s Wife Saved ‘Carrie’ and Helped Launch His Career

The Legend of London’s Time-Traveling Tomb

The Princes in the Tower: British Royal History’s Most Tantalizing Murder Mystery

Leona Libby, the Pioneering Nuclear Physicist Who Helped Build the Atomic Bomb

Barbara Newhall Follett: The Child Novelist Who Later Vanished Into Thin Air

Movie Remake vs. Reboot: What's the Difference?

The Surprising Origin of the Word ‘Morgue’

The Vinland Map: How a Mysterious Forgery Fooled Experts for Decades

Frost Bite: When Sub-Zero Temperatures Shattered an Antarctic Explorer’s Teeth

The Cryptic Case of Ambrose Small, Missing Millionaire

When Lana Turner Came for Joan Crawford's Crown as Queen of Hollywood

Rough Play: The Dirty and Dangerous History of McDonald's PlayPlaces

The Legend of ‘Bum’ Farto, the Key West Fire Chief-Turned-Drug Dealer Who Vanished