Edmund Hillary made history in 1953 when he scaled Everest for the first time with Nepali climber Tenzing Norgay, but that was hardly his only achievement. Here's a look inside Sir Edmund Hillary's fascinating life of adventure.
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The written word is a powerful thing. You never know when something as simple as a letter is going to spark an idea, a feeling, or a determination to do something that's going to change the world, and literally? That can happen at any time. These are letters that changed the course of history.
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Yes, the Wild West was awesome, but that's not to say it was as awesome as video games, television, and film make it out to be.
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Larry King was simply an American institution, known for his tough, direct, and fair interviews with just about anyone. Here's the real story of Larry King.
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Auschwitz. There are few places that conjure up more images of death and horror than the Nazi's most infamous concentration camp. But it was worse than you ever learned, because there are some places history classes just won't go. Here's what your history class didn't teach you about Auschwitz.
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The Sistine Chapel is a major tourist attraction that's also packed with over five centuries of art history, most notably works by Michelangelo, who may have left more than a few subtle clues in his art. Here are the mysteries of the Sistine Chapel revealed.
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You can actually learn something from Drunk History, be it a about forgotten war hero or how one shouldn't mix tequila with wine. This is the untold truth of Drunk History.
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Freemasonry has a murky history, but it's several centuries old, and it claims to be even older than that. Here's what life is really like as a Freemason.
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Charles Dickens was one of the greatest writers the English language has ever seen, but few know the man behind the writing. This is the troubled story of Charles Dickens.
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The Pilgrim State Psychiatric Center's history is as notorious as the history of psychiatric care itself. Here's what really went on behind closed doors there.
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Compared to some televangelists, Joel Osteen has kept himself relatively free of scandals. But he's not squeaky clean. Osteen has plenty of critics, who are quick to point out that the powerful preacher man is not without his controversies. Let's look at the troubled history of Joel Osteen.
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In June of 2001, a soft-spoken old white guy hit the soft-spoken old white guy lottery when he brought his grandmother's old Navajo blanket to an Antiques Roadshow taping and discovered that it had more than just sentimental value. It was worth big time money.
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Throughout history, explorers ventured into uncharted territories to source a body of water that could turn back biological clocks, but how seriously did they take their quests for curing waters? Here is the perplexing, sometimes tragic history of the search for the Fountain of Youth.
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Feuding artists can behave like reasonable adults, but some pretty big names in art history have been involved in some incredibly petty disputes. Here are some art rivalries that took things too far.
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Science has had rivalries like any other field, but sometimes, dueling smart people take things too far. People get hurt, careers are ended, and occasionally, the onward march of science is actually hampered by competition instead of bolstered. The following science rivalries took things too far.
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The Shroud of Turin is arguably the most famous Christian relic in the world. Devotees claim that it shows the authentic Holy Face of Jesus, while skeptics claim that it's nothing but an impressive and puzzling forgery. Read on for some mysteries and secrets of the Shroud of Turin.
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Whitney Houston's life was filled with tragedy, including struggles with addiction and grappling with the downsides of fame. She dealt with heartbreak and personal issues while also fighting roadblocks in her career. This is the tragic real-life story of Whitney Houston.
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Sonny and Cher brought love, laughter, and light to people. But fans would also languish over Sonny and Cher as their public life included much tragedy.
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From the Jackson 5 to the King of Pop, the Jacksons are one of the most famous families in music history, but their story is full of secrets and tragedies.
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The Silk Road allowed for the spread of people and goods, becoming the earliest global network. Here is why the Silk Road was more important than you realize.
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Given our love of gemstones, it's not surprising some of the biggest and most beautiful examples have been passed down through generations, usually of the rich and famous. Some, though, seem to bring more than just bling: some, it's said, bring along a curse. These are history's most cursed gems.
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Robin Williams' comedic genius and acting chops earned him a lot of love from his fans. However, away from the spotlight, his final year was defined by his struggle against a mysterious illness. This is what the last 12 months of Robin Williams' life were like.
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Woody Guthrie was a giant of Western American folk music, looming large in the American imagination. But the man who helped pioneer resistance music was also unfairly blacklisted and didn't have an easy life. Here's the tragic story of Woody Guthrie.
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From Civil War ghosts to asylum inmates, people believe some hospitals have admitted patients that never left. Here are some creepy tales of hospital ghosts.
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Like much of American history, the story of the Louisiana Purchase is much darker and more complicated than what's taught in schools. It paved the way for the oppression of Native Americans, the expansion of slavery, and even the Civil War. This is the messed up truth about the Louisiana Purchase.
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Archaeologists and explorers have found tons of super cool stuff in the jungle, and seeing it for the first time? That had to be a case of not believing your eyes. Heck, some of this stuff is still hard to believe — but they're all very real. Here are some fascinating discoveries made in the jungle.
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The story of the Persian Princess hoax begins in 2000, when a mummy and sarcophagus showed up on the black market, sparking an international argument, lots of confused archaeologists and historians, and a story full of twists and turns. This is the crazy true story of the Persian Princess.
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