GOVERNMENT

'Organic' doesn't necessarily mean 'healthy.'

What Does 'Organic' Mean?

To be certified as organic, farmers can’t use prohibited synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, or hormones for three full years before applying. Further, any animals they have must be raised on organic foods.

Smokey Bear with Girl Scouts in front of the U.S. Capitol.

How Smokey Bear Helped Win World War II

Smokey Bear’s first ad slogan wasn’t quite as catchy as “Only YOU can prevent forest fires.”

15 Facts About the IRS to File Away

There's more scandal involved than you'd think.

People have doubted the 1969 moon landing for decades.

11 of the Wildest Pre-Internet Rumors in American History

People have spread incorrect information long before the invention of the internet.

The Library of Congress’s Thomas Jefferson Building

How Big Is the Library of Congress?

The ”world’s largest public library,” the Library of Congress holds more than 160 million items.

Clockwise from right: Peter Capaldi, Rebecca Front, Joanna Scanlan, Chris Addison, and James Smith star in 'The Thick of It.'

15 Surprising Facts About ‘The Thick of It’

Armando Iannucci’s iconic BBC comedy is one of television’s finest, and sweariest, sitcoms

The connection between Area 51 and UFOs started with a top-secret aircraft.

The Conspiracy Theory That Made Area 51 Synonymous With Aliens

Conspiracy theorists were right to think the government was hiding something.

Women's History Month is a time to celebrate the trailblazers who fought for equality and forever changed the world for the better.

13 Facts About Women’s History Month

Find out everything you need to know about the origins of Women's History Month, including how it went from a daylong celebration born from a socialist idea to a monthlong institution in the United States.

12 Historical Conspiracy Theories

From doubt over Shakespeare’s existence to Lincoln’s assassination, conspiracy theories have been around for centuries.

9 Misconceptions About the FBI

Can FBI agents really take over crime scenes? Do they hunt serial killers? Find out in this list of common FBI misconceptions.

You've probably been within spitting distance of a nuclear warhead without even realizing it.

See How the U.S. Government Transports Its Nuclear Weapons

The U.S. government is constantly moving its nuclear weapons from one facility to another, which means you may have passed one on the highway without even realizing it.

It's unclear if this sign in California breaks the new rules.

Highway Signs Can No Longer Be Fun, Says Government

The Federal Highway Administration thinks funny highway signs defeat the purpose of the sign.

Virginia Woolf, Charlie Chaplin, and Ludwig van Beethoven could be considered nepo babies.

18 Nepo Babies From History

Plenty of nepo babies have earned their places in history. But it’s always good to acknowledge the doors open to people who have rich relatives—or whose dad knows the manager of a clogging troupe.

Martin Van Buren’s nickname wasn’t a compliment.

30 Unusual Presidential Nicknames—And How They Were Acquired

From the obscure (“American Fabius") to the sports-related (“Barry O'Bomber”), here are just a few of the most colorful presidential nicknames.

10 Lesser-Known Royal Love Stories

If you’ve heard enough about King Henry VIII’s many wives or the turbulent relationship between Princess Diana and King Charles III, consider these 10 lesser known royal love stories.

A photo of a woman resembling Patty Hearst, with a weapon in hand, from the robbery of a bank by members of the Symbionese Liberation Army.

9 Infamous Kidnappings From History

On February 4, 1974, publishing heiress Patty Hearst was taken from her Berkeley, California, apartment—but Hearst is far from the only abduction case to have captured public attention.

Portrait of Alexander Hamilton by Thomas Hamilton Crawford.

11 Surprising Facts About Alexander Hamilton

Even if you've seen the Broadway musical 'Hamilton,' there's probably a lot you don't know about this enigmatic founding father.

A detail of ‘Green River Cliffs, Wyoming, 1881’ by Thomas Moran

11 Amazing Facts About the Louisiana Purchase

Napoleon needed cash fast, so he made the U.S. an offer it couldn’t refuse.

A TSA agent examines a passenger for any remaining dignity.

You May Soon Be Able to Screen Yourself at Airports

New technology will soon allow travelers to pat themselves down at airport security checkpoints.

HSAs and FSAs don’t work in exactly the same ways.

HSA vs. FSA: What’s the Difference?

The differences between HSAs and FSAs include how they’re set up, how much you can contribute, and who qualifies.

18 Fascinating Facts About the Boston Tea Party

The Boston Tea Party was a foundational moment in American history—and it was not without controversy. Honor its 250th anniversary with these surprising facts.

Jacques Louis David’s portrait of Antoine and Marie Anne Lavoisier. Antoine Lavoisier was a chemist during the Enlightenment who was later beheaded.

10 Illuminating Facts About the Enlightenment

The period of scientific, artistic, and political revolutions isn’t known as the “Age of Reason” for nothing.

'TIME' has logged the most intriguing person of the year for nearly a century—and for 2023, that person is Taylor Swift.

Every ‘TIME’ Person of the Year Since 1927

The magazine has named the most newsworthy subjects annually for the past century, with a few surprises.

Soviet Chanel: How “Red Moscow” Became the Most Popular Perfume in the USSR

Just a whiff of Krasnaya Moskva (Красная Москва, or “Red Moscow” in English) is enough to transport Russian citizens to the nostalgia of their childhoods.