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People have doubted the 1969 moon landing for decades.

11 of the Wildest Pre-Internet Rumors in American History

People have spread incorrect information long before the invention of the internet.

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

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

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.

Illustrations from 1997’s ‘Get Fit! ... How To Get in Shape To Meet the President’s Challenge and Earn the Presidential Fitness Award’

The Origins of the Presidential Fitness Test

Almost as soon as it was introduced—and for generations after—the Presidential Fitness Test was absolutely traumatizing to students who had to endure it. Here’s how the program started—and ended.

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

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

Rutherford B. Hayes, National Hero of Paraguay

How a largely forgotten U.S. president became a South American idol.

Why Do We Scream “Geronimo” When Jumping Out of Airplanes?

Uncover why people yell “Geronimo!” when they jump—and what it has to do with a beer-fueled boast.

Harry Belafonte performing in Munich circa 1980.

8 Entertaining Facts About Harry Belafonte

You know Harry Belafonte's hits—here are some facts about the artist behind them.

The cover of Ernest Hemingway’s ‘A Farewell to Arms.’

14 Fascinating Facts About Ernest Hemingway’s ‘A Farewell to Arms’

Discover the controversy behind Hemingway’s classic novel, ‘A Farewell to Arms,’ as well as the inspiration for the title, the real-life love story that influenced the book, and how Bach inspired the author.

Times weren't as simple as they seemed for members of the Silent Generation.

Why Is It Called the Silent Generation?

The Silent Generation may not be as flashy a group as Millennials, but they wield a surprising amount of influence over our culture.

You've probably been within spitting distance of a nuclear warhead without even realizing it.

See How the U.S. Government Transports Its Nuclear Weapons

The U.S. government is constantly moving its nuclear weapons from one facility to another, which means you may have passed one on the highway without even realizing it.

16 Fascinating Facts About Picasso’s ‘Guernica’

Though it’s now considered one of Pablo Picasso’s masterpieces, ‘Guernica’ didn’t have many fans when it debuted—one critic even called the artwork “one of the poorest things produced in the world.”

A detail of ‘Green River Cliffs, Wyoming, 1881’ by Thomas Moran

11 Amazing Facts About the Louisiana Purchase

Napoleon needed cash fast, so he made the U.S. an offer it couldn’t refuse.

Dumbo Drop: How World War II Kept Dumbo From Becoming ’TIME’ Magazine’s “Mammal of the Year”

The precocious pachyderm nearly made the cover. Then Pearl Harbor was attacked.

Charlemagne surrounded by his principal officers by Jules Laure.

13 Facts About Charlemagne, the First King of the Franks

Charlemagne built one of the greatest empires in world history, but less than a century after his death, it was gone.

Veterans Day honors those who served in the past and active military members.

11 Things to Remember This Veterans Day

The date was chosen to coincide with the anniversary of the end of World War I, which occurred at the 11th hour of 11th day of the 11th month.

President Eisenhower making Veterans Day the holiday’s official name.

The Kansas Shoe Repairman Responsible for Veterans Day

Alvin King—a shoe repairman from Emporia, Kansas—probably isn’t in many history books, but he deserves at least a paragraph.

Are these flags flying for Memorial Day or Veterans Day?

What’s the Difference Between Memorial Day and Veterans Day?

Both Memorial Day and Veterans Day are meant to celebrate military veterans, but there's one important distinction you should remember.

11 Facts About the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Find out more about the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, from the first soldier ever interred in it to the rigorous process of guarding it.

Never underestimate the power of belief.

‘Dogged by Death’: The True Story Behind the Bizarre Syndrome That Inspired ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’

Here’s how a wave of mysterious deaths in the late 1970s and early 1980s among Southeast Asian refugees living in America inspired Wes Craven to pen his 1984 horror classic, “A Nightmare on Elm Street.”

These spots aren't for the faint of heart.

10 Haunting Dark Tourism Destinations From Around the World

From Auschwitz to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, these dark tourism destinations are fascinating—and definitely not for the faint of heart.

These cats went to sea and to space, and inspired artists, writers, and scientists.

17 of History's Coolest Cats

Anyone with a cat will probably argue that their feline is the coolest—but there have been at least a few other candidates through the ages, from Able Seacat Simon to Abraham Lincoln’s kitties to the feline that inspired Nikola Tesla.

The U.S. government recruited a (phony) vampire-esque creature.

False Fang: When the CIA Staged a Vampire Attack

In the 1950s, American counterinsurgents decided to play into Philippine folklore by orchestrating a deadly 'vampire' attack.

Scientists who worked on the Chicago Pile-1, a component of the Manhattan Project. Leo Szilard is pictured in the middle row in the trench coat.

“I Will Have Nothing to Do with a Bomb!”: The Scientists Who Opposed the Manhattan Project

Before J. Robert Oppenheimer had a change of heart, some of his fellow scientists opposed the U.S. government’s plan to make and deploy an atomic bomb.

A detail from ‘Napoleon Crossing the Alps’ by Jacques-Louis David

15 Epic Facts About Napoleon Bonaparte

One of the most fascinating figures to ever live was born 246 years ago.

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