MYSTERY

‘Searching for Franklin,’ ‘The Indifferent Stars Above,’ and ‘Cannibalism.’

8 Books About Historical Cannibalism

You might want to skip dinner after reading these.

The Creepy Cryptids from Appalachia You Probably Haven’t Heard Of

You don’t want to run into these creatures in the woods after dark—or ever.

Who Exactly Was D.B. Cooper?

The man going by D.B. Cooper hijacked a plane in 1971 and got away (almost) without a trace. Now, new evidence has been uncovered that might point to his identity.

An obscure song has stumped internet detectives for years.

The Origins of the Internet’s Most Mysterious Song Have Been Revealed

An obscure German new wave song has stumped internet sleuths for years. One of them finally cracked the case.

Mel Wiley, the Ohio Police Chief Who May Have Authored His Own Demise

In 1985, Chief Wiley went for a swim and was never seen or heard from again. What he left behind shocked his community.

Get a better sense of how illnesses have shaped history in these gripping reads.

12 Fascinating Books on History’s Most Notorious Diseases

Get a better sense of how illnesses have shaped history with these gripping reads about history’s most notorious diseases.

The beaches of Newfoundland are covered with gooey white blobs.

Weird White Blobs Are Taking Over Some Canadian Beaches

The beaches of Newfoundland are a little less pleasant since white blobs have appeared everywhere.

‘Alchemist in His Workshop’ by David Teniers the Younger, 17th century.

8 Fascinating Facts about Alchemy

There’s more to this spooky pseudo-science than simply turning lead into gold.

Found: Remains of Andrew “Sandy” Irvine, Who Vanished Summiting Mount Everest in 1924

What happened during George Mallory and Sandy Irvine's fatal Everest summit attempt? We're much closer to answering that question.

Crystal balls were all the rage among spiritualists a century ago.

A Brief History of the Crystal Ball

Crystal balls aren’t just a prop in your Halloween décor—they represent our ancient desire for otherworldly knowledge.

George Joseph Smith was very unlucky in marriage.

The ‘Brides in the Bath’ Murders That Shocked Edwardian London

George Joseph Smith was widower three times over. His wives had a nasty habit of drowning in the bathtub.

Washington Irving, the Knicks' biggest fan.

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

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

Who pulled off these heists has never officially been determined.

6 Infamous Unsolved Bank Robberies

Whether they were tunneling into vaults or blowing their way into them through church walls, these thieves were brazen—and in each case, whodunit remains a mystery.

New Fossils Add to Mystery Surrounding the “Hobbit,” Our Smallest Human Ancestor

A fragment of an arm bone found on Flores, Indonesia, suggests that some of our human ancestors were even smaller than we thought.

Transorbital lobotomies have now entered the chat.

10 Riveting Nonfiction Books on History’s Greatest Medical Mysteries

These gory yet fascinating reads delve into the weirdest chapters of medical history, from the dancing plague of 1518 to the bizarre saga of Typhoid Mary.

The Pattersons left everything behind in 1957.

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

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

Rapa Nui (Easter Island) Moai at Ahu Tahai with dramatic clouds.

Rock Gardens Contradict Easter Island “Ecocide” Theory, Study Finds

New satellite data of ancient rock gardens on Rapa Nui (Easter Island) is countering the “ecocide” narrative of the population’s supposed collapse—and offering a clue to a historical mystery.

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

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

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

Bootlegger’s Bounty: The Hidden Treasure of Gangster Dutch Schultz

The ruthless criminal is believed to have buried $100 million in bloody profits nearly 90 years ago. People have been looking for it ever since.

For Sale: John Lennon’s Long-Lost ‘Help!’ Guitar

You can’t buy me love, but one lucky Beatles fan can fork over a small fortune to own John Lennon’s beloved guitar.

Why Is It So Common to See Just One Shoe, Not Two, On the Side of the Road?

You may not have given it much thought in the past, but you've most definitely seen a single shoe hanging around the side of the road. How did it get there?

Is it a time machine? Or a teleportation chamber?

The Legend of London’s Time-Traveling Tomb

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.

What happened in these deaths is far from clear.

25 of the Most Mysterious Deaths in History

Explorers who vanished off the face of the earth. Conquerors, composers, and scientists who expired from strange illnesses. People tantalizingly close to power who wound up dead. When it comes to these deaths, we might never know what really happened.

Illustration of William Shakespeare Reciting Hamlet to His Family

William Shakespeare’s Sister, Joan, Emerges in Long-Lost Writings

A fascinating new discovery has emerged about a pamphlet found in the rafters of William Shakespeare’s childhood home.