The Most Over-The-Top Royal Palaces In The World
Some palaces aren't just your standard royal residences. They're mini-cities, full of obscene displays of wealth. These are the most over-the-top royal palaces in the world.
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Why No Walking Dead Character Has Ever Said 'Zombie'
It's accepted wisdom that nothing succeeds like success — if it worked one time, it'll probably work the next time, too. Oscar Wilde once observed, "Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess." Both lines would apply to the phenomenon known as The Walking Dead ...
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The Legend Of The Phoenix Explained
Ah, yes, the phoenix! Today, the fiery bird's name is rather unfairly associated with two of the most infamous X-Men movies in existence (Last Stand and Dark Phoenix, natch), but the original beast of legend is considerably more hardcore.
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Here's Why Elon Musk May Not Have As Much Money As You Think
Musk is CEO not only of SpaceX, but also Tesla, with those ever-so-cool electric vehicles. Some call him the real-life Tony Stark. But he may not be as rich as you think.
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Idi Amin: The Truth About The 'Last King Of Scotland'
Ugandan dictator Idi Amin was a man of many titles and epithets. According to ThoughtCo, people called him the "Butcher of Uganda." When Amin died in 2003, the BBC dubbed him "the buffoon tyrant" in a scathing obituary. The names he gave himself were far more charitable.
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The Real Reason Queen Elizabeth I Was Nearly Executed
Before Elizabeth I became queen, she was nearly executed by her half-sister.
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The Legend Of The Mythical Roc Explained
Long before Jumanji, long before Moana, even long before The Mummy Returns, back when Dwayne Johnson was still the Rock ... long before all of that, there was another kind of "Roc," who played with people's emotions and fears and sense of the mythic. No K, thank you very much.
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The Real Reason North And South Korea Split
The first dictator of North Korea was born on April 15, 1912, the same day that the Titanic sank. This was no accident, according to North Korea's United Front Department (UFD).
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The Legend Of The Mary Celeste Explained
How does an entire boatload of people just disappear in the middle of the ocean? The Mary Celeste is one of the most well-known examples of this phenomenon, and to this day, no one knows what happened. This is the legend of the Mary Celeste explained.
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The Truth About Henry VIII's Relationship With The Catholic Church
If Henry Tudor -- England's King Henry VIII -- had posted a dating profile, no doubt it would have included the words "It's complicated." Words which also extended to his relationship with the Catholic Church.
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The Legend Of Giants Explained
In Northern Ireland, you'll find a breathtaking collection of over 40,000 basalt pillars known as Giant's Causeway. The scientific explanation is that 60 million years ago, volcanic eruptions created that breathtaking formation. The slightly less scientific explanation? Well, a giant caused it.
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The Legend Of The Griffin Explained
If you find yourself seeking a mythical beast with lion legs and an eagle's head -- or some variation on that theme -- what you are looking for is a griffin, a griffon, or a gryphon. Depictions of griffins date back as far as 2000 BCE. Here's the legend of the griffin explained.
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The Real Reason Henry VII Is Blamed For Henry VIII's Tyranny
People forget that Henry VIII was necessarily preceded by a Henry VII. And according to historians, there's an argument to be made that his grim-reboot-of-Van-Wilder lifestyle all came down to his relationship with his old man. This is the real reason Henry VII is blamed for Henry VIII's tyranny.
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The Reason Some Nurses Are Quitting Amid The Pandemic
In the U.S., nurses have reported being ordered not to wear masks even when they're available while others have resorted to donning Halloween masks amid PPE shortages. Some have responded with walk-outs. Others walked away entirely.
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The Legend Of The Nain Rouge Explained
This grinning, crimson-skinned devil is the Nain Rouge, or "red dwarf," and he's what paranormal experts describe as "a real Jerk McGurk."
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False Facts About Cult Leaders You Always Thought Were True
Being a cult leader basically requires being pretty crazy. That's why some myths about them have persisted for so long. But if you believe the supposed facts about cult leaders listed here, it's time for some reeducation. Here are false facts about cult leaders you always thought were true.
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The Legend Of The Pukwudgie Explained
These days, kids know Pukwudgie as the name of a house from Ilvermorny, the American version of Hogwarts, in the Harry Potter series. The Pukwudgie is one of many mythical creatures referenced in the books. But what exactly is a Pukwudgie?
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The Reason Napoleon's First Wife Was Nearly Executed
When Napoleon Bonaparte married Josephine, the future emperor saw greatness on the horizon. But if if it weren't for a crazy twist of fate, instead of marrying Napoleon, Josephine would have gotten a forced divorce from her own head. Here's the reason Napoleon's first wife was nearly executed.
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The Ruby Ridge Standoff Was Worse Than You Think
In 1983, Randy and Vicki Weaver packed up their belongings and moved to a place in rural Idaho, just 40 miles south of the Canadian border, known as Ruby Ridge. A decade later, an 11-day standoff with the government ended in tragedy. Here's why the Ruby Ridge standoff was worse than you think.
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The Dog-Celebrating Holiday You Never Knew About
The whole world loves dogs. But in Nepal, they really show it. During the five-day Hindu festival of Tihar, one day is set aside as "Kukur Tihar," or "Day of the Dogs."
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The Spanish Flu Was Worse Than You Thought
The Spanish flu was very different than seasonal flu - it kicked off in the spring of 1918 on the tail end of World War I, and it was downright brutal.
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The Truth About Napoleon's Major Historical Discovery
Rosetta Stone: It's not just a linguistics software company. And Napoleon isn't just the name of a cream-filled dessert pastry. But they are inextricably linked, and for good reason.
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What Life Was Really Like For Women At Versailles
Women at Versailles lived in the seat of political power but had none of it themselves. This is what life was really like for women at Versailles.
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The Truth About America's Most Decorated War Dog
William Tecumseh Sherman famously observed that "war is hell," and Don Bluth asserted on several occasions that "all dogs go to heaven." They can't both be right.
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The Truth About The First Man To Reach The North Pole
In the 1890s, explorer Robert Peary (left) started an Arctic expedition with all ten of his toes. He returned with only two. As recounted in Explorers and Exploration, the other eight toes snapped off when fellow explorer Matthew Henson removed Peary's sealskin boots ...
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The Real Reason Florence Nightingale Never Got Married
You'd think that being directly responsible for saving thousands of lives, of amassing and analyzing data that contributed to massive improvements in sanitation and health care, and honored by Queen Victoria herself would be enough. But no. Florence Nightingale never married.
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This Was The Earliest Attempt At A Self-Driving Car
It turns out that people have been trying to make self-driving cars a reality for quite a long time ... in fact, possibly even longer than you can imagine.
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