Charles Dickens. The man's very name gave us an adjective for a situation that basically sucks: Dickensian this, Dickensian that. Nobody wants an Airbnb described in the brochures as "Dickensian." Well, almost nobody. We don't judge. But how was Dickens' financial situation? How much was he worth?
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During the construction of a motorway in the Czech Republic, archaeologists were thrilled to discover a wooden water well now believed to have been constructed around 5255 BC. What the archaeologists were doing at the construction site is unclear...
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In 1534, King Henry VIII did what every Catholic school kid has imagined doing while being ostracized by a nun for chewing gum during mass: he started his own church where nobody was allowed to tell him what to do. Here's why he created the Church of England.
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Some dark and disturbing stuff happened during the Texas Revolution, events that are less "remember the Alamo!" and more "what the heck, Texas?"
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Lizzie Borden. Not Elizabeth. Her story is one of the better mostly-unsolved murders in American history. Here's the truth about the house where the Borden murders took place.
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When the Kansas City Chiefs were proclaimed the victors of the 2020 Super Bowl, President Trump made a rather embarrassing blunder on Twitter: he congratulated the wrong state, crediting the victory to the "Great state of Kansas." Oops. Here's the real reason why Kansas City is in Missouri.
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Arguably one of America's most famous and revered novelists, Twain didn't start out with a yen for a pen. Growing up on the banks of the Mississippi River, what he wanted more than anything was to become a riverboat captain. Here's how much he was worth when he died.
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Dinosaurs were some seriously big mofos. There were also an array of smaller ones, and no, that doesn't just include cute little newborns like the baby T-rex, and those famously small compsognathus critters you remember from Jurassic Park. Here's the truth about the smallest dino in the world.
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Victoria's reign was marked by a period of great economic progress in England, as well as advances in learning and technology. There was still grinding poverty, but it was a start. She made it into the 20th century, however briefly, before her death. Here's what killed her.
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Shakespeare was a poet as well as a storyteller, and when he didn't find a word that suited, he felt well within his capacity to invent one from whole cloth. As a result, he is credited with coining some of the most common words and turns-of-phrase still in use today.
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Everyone knows the pyramids of Egypt are old, but it can be hard to conceptualize just how long ago these ancient wonders were constructed. They're so old that the Egyptians had a different North Star. Here is its story.
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Today, a genuine Rolex sells for a near-sacrilegious amount of money. So much money that, at a certain point, there's no real reason to list actual prices. Why are Rolex watches so expensive?
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William Shakespeare: author, theater nerd, and exception that makes the rule "just shave your head if you're going bald." Here's the truth about his death. We think.
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Born at Westminster Palace in 1489, Margaret Tudor didn't need a silver spoon in her mouth because, according to biographer Sarah-Beth Watkins, the infant princess was baptized in a silver font "lined with fine linen cloth of Rennes." Here's the truth about King Henry's sister.
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We all know Henry VIII, the iron-fisted monarch who mastered the art of multiple wives. But what, you may well ask, about his sister Mary Tudor?
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About 30 miles outside of Columbia, South Carolina, there exists a place where, at long last, man and pig may live in harmony. That's because the Cotton Branch Farm Sanctuary is seeking 'piggy cuddlers' to socialize its rescued swine.
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Let's be honest: there are a million perfectly reasonable reasons for putting your little sister to death. Here's why Cleopatra decided to execute hers.
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Wealthy businessmen have been known to run for President, and as a cursory glance at your news feed will no doubt tell you, they have been even known to succeed. So why won't Bill Gates, one of the wealthiest ever, run for president?
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As if Australia hasn't suffered enough, it now has sharks that – wait for it – walk. First Steve Irwin, and then bush fires turning koalas into tiki torches, and let's not even mention Paul Hogan.
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Snow White is a Disney movie that's inspired by a seriously dark story, courtesy of the Brothers Grimm. So if you want the grisly details, here are the messed up origins of the classic Disney film.
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The price of hearing aids, for the record, is a scam. They don't need to be so expensive. Here's why they are, anyway.
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The daughter of a yeoman farmer, Anne Hathaway lived with her family in a farmhouse in Shottery, England, less than a mile and a half away from Shakespeare's birthplace -- just a spear's throw away.
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Insulin hasn't always been expensive. In fact, in most places it's quite cheap. So, what gives? What has happened within the last century or so to make diabetics have to ration their insulin and potentially risk their lives? Let's find out!
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Like with most freelance writing projects, the Bible had plenty of excited contributors and a finite amount of space. One of the more conspicuously absent members of the list is the Book of Enoch. So why didn't it make it into the Bible proper?
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Mao Zedong: The Communist revolutionary and founding father of the People's Republic of China. The man who dragged "The Middle Kingdom" kicking and screaming into his particular brand of The Future, which involved plenty of actual kicking and screaming. This the messed up truth of Mao Zedong.
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Poison has had a major impact on history. It's taken out world leaders, caused massive casualties, and changed government policies. From ancient Rome to 1980s Chicago, here are the most extreme poisoning cases in history.
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Thomas Edison is one of the most prolific inventors who ever lived, if not the most prolific one. But how much did this prolific entrepreneur and inventor make over his lifetime?
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