How The Astor Family Really Got So Rich
At one point in the 19th century, the Astors owned so much real estate in the Big Apple that they earned themselves the nickname the "landlords of New York."
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The One Period In History 25% Of People Would Travel To If They Could
The idea of time travel didn't stop with the ancient poets. Scientists like Albert Einstein considered the possibility that time is relative and illusionary.
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Setsubun: The Japanese Festival Of Throwing Beans At Demons
During Setsubun, you'll see kids throwing dried soy beans at adults dancing in cloaks and wearing furry demon masks in parks or at schools come February 2-4.
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What You Didn't Know About John Dillinger's Time In The Navy
Dillinger was caught joyriding a stolen car through Indiana, and, after a showdown with police, he chose to enlist in the service rather than face punishment.
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The Messed Up Truth About The Berrima Axe Murderer
John Lynch was perhaps the most prolific serial killer in Australian history, killing as many as 10 people between the years of 1835 and 1841.
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The Messed Up Way Marijuana Was Made Illegal
With the culture of marijuana smoking becoming more normalized, lots of folks might be asking how and why this plant was made illegal in the first place.
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What It's Really Like To Serve On A Submarine
Lurking under our waters are hidden beasts. Not the Loch Ness Monster, or some other supposedly extinct underwater dinosaur. We're talking about submarines.
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The World's First Black Fighter Pilot Was More Important Than You Realize
Eugene Bullard left the post-Civil War American South to travel Europe as a boxer, vaudeville performer, and, eventually the first known Black fighter pilot
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The Legend Of Genies Explained
Genies have morphed over time from godlike entities to cartoonish pop culture renderings. This is the legend of genies explained.
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The Backbreaking Truth Of Life In A Sod House On The American Frontier
The flat land of the prairie made building a home exhausting. Stones and trees were scarce; many homesteaders used prairie sod, a layer of earth and grass.
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Josephine Earp: The Truth About Wyatt Earp's Wife
The unpleasant reality of many western legends is that their exaggerated exploits have eclipsed some truly fascinating characters.
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How The Sears Catalog Helped Fight Jim Crow Racism
Blacks were subjected to laws and etiquette that were imposed by whites in an effort to keep the races separate. The Sears Catalog became a great equalizer.
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Where Did The Peaky Blinders Get Their Name?
The fun version that lends itself to the tough guy persona put forth in the show claims that the name came from the weaponized hats the gang members wore.
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These Are The Presidential Elections Where The Winner Lost The Popular Vote
It's usually safe to assume that the winner of the popular vote will win the electoral college. That assumption has fallen flat five times in American history.
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The Messed Up History Of Dead Whales And Arthritis
At one point in medical history, a popular method of treating rheumatoid arthritis involved afflicted patients sitting inside whale carcasses.
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Here's How Ireland Really Celebrates St. Patrick's Day
Was there anything that the original Irish-American immigrants once did that Irish people also do to celebrate St. Patrick's Day?
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The Dramatic True Story Of The Laki Volcanic Eruption
In 1783, when Iceland's Laki volcano began to erupt, it spewed forth toxic gases and produced lava flows that threatened to overtake entire villages.
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Bizarre Reasons People Could Be Excommunicated
There's been a lot of super weird reasons that people have found themselves excommunicated from the church, and some of them are pretty epic.
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The Untold Truth Of The Hatfield-McCoy Feud
The family names have become such a part of our language that people sometimes forget there were two actual families called the Hatfields and the McCoys.
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Historical Figures From 'We Didn't Start The Fire' You Don't Know Anything About
In "We Didn't Start the Fire," Billy Joel lists off dozens of people. Here are some historical figures from "We Didn't Start the Fire" you know nothing about.
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Survey Reveals Surprising Number Of People Who Think Bigfoot Actually Exists
If you don't believe that mythical creatures like mermaids, unicorns or werewolves actually exist, you're probably in the majority. But where's the fun in that?
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Who Is The Oldest Guinness World Record Holder?
The Guinness record for oldest person in the world is undeniably impressive and merely requires the work of living one's life, albeit for a long, long time.
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The Truth About One Of The Biggest Hoaxes In California History
In 1936, California historian Herbert Eugene Bolton found a real treasure. Or at least he thought he had. And he really needed the win.
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This Is The Longest Sword In Japan
History, legend, and fiction are full of famous swords and their wielders. But there is an actual sword that's larger than life, the Norimitsu Odachi.
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Why The Templars Are The Most Powerful Secret Society In History
The title of "most powerful" secret society might have to go to the Knights Templar. During the Crusades, they were an arm of the pope and had lots of wealth.
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The Real Reason Native Americans Weren't US Citizens Until 1924
Despite settling in what became the US long before Christopher Columbus was even born, Native Americans did not become US citizens until the 1920s. Here's why.
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The Frenchman Who Turned Corpses Into Art
Art can come from unexpected places — the funny, the terrifying, the banal. And in some cases, the gruesome.
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