MYSTERY

The pyramid and all-seeing eye were symbols of the Illuminati.

The Real Stories Behind 8 Secret Societies

Let’s peer in the windows of mysterious clubs, from not-so-secret societies like the Freemasons to lesser-known groups like the Bullingdon Club.

The St. Augustine globster washed ashore in 1896.

7 Bizarre Globsters That Have Washed Ashore

Though these marine mysteries are often solved, globsters—unidentified organic masses that wash up on beaches—continue to capture the public’s imagination.

A lithograph of the 1889 Johnstown Flood made in the 1890s shows the debris caused by the flood in flames.

10 Things You Need to Know About the Johnstown Flood

The Great Flood of 1889 killed more than 2000 people, swept away 1600 homes, and caused $17 million in damage. And it wasn’t the last time Johnstown would flood.

The Eerie Legend of the ‘Old Leatherman,’ Connecticut’s Silent Wanderer

For decades, a man dressed head to toe in leather moved through Connecticut and New York. Who was he, and what did he want?

The United States is host to a number of wild and weird urban legends.

The Spookiest Urban Legend in All 50 States

From classics like the vanishing hitchhiker to creepy cryptids, ghostly vehicles, deadly curses, and some stuff you’ve probably seen on Facebook.

Artist’s rendition of Betty and Barney Hill’s alien encounter in the White Mountains.

Close Encounter: When Betty and Barney Hill’s Alien Abduction Story Shocked the World

In 1961, an ordinary New Hampshire couple claimed to have been abducted by aliens. Betty and Barney Hill's tale still reverberates through pop culture today.

30 Fascinating Facts About ‘Unsolved Mysteries’

Join me. Perhaps you will learn some things you didn't know about the wonderfully spooky 'Unsolved Mysteries,' which celebrates its 35th anniversary this year.

Curtis Chillingworth, the Florida Judge Who Vanished From the Bench

Curtis Chillingworth was the most esteemed judge in Palm Beach County. But someone wanted him dead.

The legend of Victorio Peak has been a source of obsession for almost a century.

The Enduring Enigma of the Victorio Peak Treasure

In 1937, "Doc" Noss found billions in gold in a New Mexico mountain peak. The only thing stopping his family from a windfall? The U.S. Army.

More than a century later, the murders at the Hinterkaifeck farm remain unsolved.

The Chilling Story of the Hinterkaifeck Killings, Germany’s Most Famous Unsolved Crime

Did someone hide at the Hinterkaifeck farm in the days before its six residents were found murdered?

The Bizarre Mystery of Virginia's 'TV Fairy'

In 2018, a mysterious stranger left roughly 20 vintage television sets at random doorsteps in Virginia. Then they struck again.

7 of History’s Strangest Mass Hysteria Events

Whether an entire town can’t stop dancing or people suddenly start worrying about minor marks on their windshields, these seemingly unbelievable events have had some surprising (and sometimes devastating) effects.

What Exactly is American Cheese?

The ooey-gooey goodness that is American cheese is delicious ... but what is it?

7 Ships That Disappeared Without a Trace

The true fate of many of these ships will never be known, but speculation suggests that storms, piracy, mutiny, accidental bombing, and even the attack of a giant squid could be responsible for their vanishings.

Vermont has been home to a strange series of disappearances.

The Lost Girl of Vermont's 'Bennington Triangle'

In 1946, college student Paula Welden went for a hike on a local path known as the Long Trail. Her fate has become part of Vermont's folklore.

The Dare Stones: The Elaborate Hoax That “Solved” the Mystery of the Lost Colony of Roanoke

What really happened to Virginia Dare and the rest of the Lost Colony of Roanoke? In the late 1930s, an enterprising con man claimed to know.

7 Mysterious People Without a Past

History is loaded with people who have disappeared without a trace; rarer are the ones who seem to have emerged from nowhere.

'Kryptos' at CIA headquarters in Virginia.

8 of History’s Most Mysterious Uncracked Codes

The world of cryptology is full of stumpers. Here are the stories behind eight especially infamous ones.

Agatha Christie's work is under fresh scrutiny.

Agatha, Edited: Mystery Author Agatha Christie's Work Is Being Reworked to Remove Objectionable Content

Some passages from Agatha Christie's library are being eliminated in an effort to address concerns over alleged xenophobia and racist descriptions.

Treasure Island: The Enduring Enigma of Tucker’s Cross

Finding a highly valuable treasure is one thing. Keeping it is another.

When Joyce Carol Oates Tried—and Failed—to Fool the World As 'Rosamond Smith'

The celebrated author decided she wanted to adopt a new writing identity for a mystery novel. It didn't turn out well.

Mary, Queen of Scots, painted by an unknown artist; and symbols from her correspondence in a graphical user interface tool developed by CrypTool 2.

How Codebreakers Decrypted a Trove of Long-Lost Letters Written by Mary, Queen of Scots

The letters, mysteriously misfiled among Italian documents, shed new light on Mary Stuart’s political machinations during her years in captivity.

An illustration by William L. Sheppard of John White and company discussing the ‘CROATOAN’ clue.

13 Tantalizing Facts About the Lost Colony of Roanoke

What happened to the Lost Colony of Roanoke? Corporate greed, dreadful diplomacy, and the wrath of Mother Nature. Also, we don’t know.

What’s on Alexander Graham Bell’s Early Audio Recordings? The Mystery Might Finally Be Solved

Alexander Graham Bell’s telephone helped fund his future experiments—some of which have proven tough to decipher.