On July 20, 1969, one of the most momentous events in human history occurred: Men walked on the Moon. Eventually the United States completed six Moon landings, bringing a total of 12 astronauts to the Moon's surface by 1972. Then we stopped. This is the real reason we haven't been back to the moon.
Read MoreSchlitzie the Pinhead was one of the most famous circus sideshow acts ever. Schlitzie's unusual "pinhead" appearance brought swarms of audiences to the circus sideshows he called home. But Schlitzie's life was incredibly hard behind the scenes. Here's the untold truth of "Schlitzie the Pinhead."
Read MoreIf you were one of the thousands who watched the SpaceX launch, you might have noticed that the feed came from Florida. A lot of space shuttles and rockets take off from Cape Canaveral in Florida, and there's a reason for it. But no, it isn't because astronauts get to enjoy the fun and sun.
Read MoreThousands of old men would impersonate our altered vision of what St. Nick looked like and sit in shopping malls to let countless children sit in their laps to ask if they're real. That last one is a Christmas staple these days, but exactly how did it get its start?
Read MoreThe National Confectioners Association reports that candy canes are the most popular non-chocolate candy during December, with 90 percent of them sold between Thanksgiving and Christmas. This comes to 1.76 billion candy canes produced in the United States each year. But where did they originate?
Read MoreWhere did these staunch Christmas helpers come from? Why exactly does an immortal, bearded man with a magic, toy-spawning bag of holding need slave elves to manufacture said toys before the toys are teleported into said bag? This (and other yuletide mysteries of the ages) clearly needs unraveling.
Read MoreWhen we see the cartons of eggnog on grocery store shelves or the bottles of Very Olde Saint Nick at the liquor store, it might trick us into thinking the drink is a modern beverage, but, in truth, eggnog has several centuries worth of history. Check it out.
Read MoreToday, Hawaii celebrates most holidays like the rest of the U.S., but there are differences. Here's what it's really like to celebrate Christmas in Hawaii.
Read MoreIn 1863, Nast drew a popular advertisement for Harper's Weekly magazine that depicted Santa Claus delivering gifts (and copies of Harper's) to Union Army soldiers. Nast later produced annual Christmas drawings, one of which indicated that Santa could be reached via mail addressed to the North Pole.
Read MoreImagine being stuck under a parasitic plant with someone, and the only way out is to kiss them. It honestly sounds like a nightmare, and yet it's a Christmas tradition some people somehow enjoy -- mistletoe, the hemiparasitic plant in question, is an essential part of the holiday.
Read MoreGame shows since 2000 have been more and more about performing physical stunts. But with more dangerous stunts comes the opportunity for more things to go wrong, and now appearing on a game show can mean serious injury or even death. These are the most traumatic experiences in game show history.
Read MoreAt 6'10', the towering Texas native combined gigantic size with agile athleticism and a killer gimmick to truly dominate the sport for longer than most could ever dream of. He almost ended up stomping around the basketball court, rather than the ring, before deciding to wrestle professionally.
Read MoreDespite most of modern communication taking place via texts, messaging via apps, and, for some old-fashioned traditionalists, e-mail, mailing physical Christmas cards remains a popular and beloved custom that continues to stand the test of time. Where and when did this tradition originate?
Read MoreA staple of Christmas, gingerbread houses can be as simple as two rectangles leaning on each other, to mansions recreating some of the world's most famous palaces. Gingerbread houses are a tradition for a reason. But why do we make houses out of gingerbread, instead of just eating it as a cookie?
Read MoreRight before her 1987 Academy Award for Moonstruck (which The Guardian called "hopelessly romantic"), before she "turned back time," Cher aimed her sights at becoming a rock star and formed Black Rose with her boyfriend of the moment, Led Dudek, in 1980.
Read MoreWhere and when did the tale originate? Santa Claus, leaving lumps of coal instead of Christmas presents for naughty children? According to Mental Floss, the tradition predates Santa and is found in tales of several individuals.
Read MoreThe 1980s saw the rise of the video vixen, coinciding with the launch of MTV. Tawny Kitaen rose to fame in rock videos. Here's what happened to her.
Read MoreFollowing the death of Garcia in 1995, the surviving members had made a point of retiring the name The Grateful Dead in their band mate's honor, according to CNN, with the group performing under names such as The Other Ones in the years after, until deciding in 2003 to bill themselves as The Dead.
Read MoreIn all of his in-ring iterations, Nelson Frazier Jr. was an undeniably larger-than-life presence in professional wrestling. Whether he was rocking a spandex onesie or silk pajamas, the formidable 6'9" WWE Superstar struck fear in the hearts of his opponents and excited his throngs of loyal fans.
Read MoreThe pair put out hit song after hit song, including "It's Gonna Work Out" and "Poor Fool." Tina and Ike worked with record producer Phil Spector. The duo covered "Proud Mary," announcing their entrance into the pop world. But underneath all that success was a marriage that was becoming a nightmare.
Read MoreArmstrong described Capone as "a nice, little cute fellow, like some professor who has just come out of college to teach." But Louis would eventually find himself with other dangerous players in the seedy criminal underworld of the Roaring Twenties.
Read MoreT.E. Lawrence -- "Lawrence of Arabia" -- was an archaeologist, writer, and a freedom fighter who created a bond with the Arabs during World War I. His life was marked by tragedy, something that followed him until his untimely death at 49. The accident that took his life, however, raised questions.
Read MoreThe Offspring have been around since the 1980s but took the world by storm during the 90s, with songs like "All I Want," "Days Go By," and "Gone Away." The punk rockers have hadhighs and lows through their career. Here's a trip down memory lane with one of the most notable bands from the 90s.
Read MoreOne question remains to be answered about the indie rock four-piece: Where did the epic name Imagine Dragons come from? The band is not the first to remain coy about their name, but they certainly are among those to turn it into a guessing game of sorts.
Read MoreRolie had been lead vocalist on iconic Santana hits like "Black Magic Woman" and "Oye Como Va," reports Rolling Stone. As Santana launched its Welcome album in 1973, Rolie and lead guitarist Neal Schon had already broken off to begin what is now known as Journey.
Read MoreThere is a dark side to every glitzy American success story, and that of Frank Sinatra is no exception. When Sinatra died in 1998 at the age of 82, it was revealed that the Federal Bureau of Investigation had kept a file on the world-famous crooner for more than 40 years, totaling some 1,300 pages
Read More2021 could hold some of the most exciting scientific advancements yet for our species. From another habitable planet to flying cars to artificial intelligence helping with climate change, there's plenty of reason to be optimistic for our future. Here are possible achievements for 2021.
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