DEATH

10 Destructive Non-Water Floods Throughout History

A wave of butter, molasses, or chocolate barreling toward you may sound like a food-lover’s fantasy—but such incidents can actually be deadly.

Driving down these routes can be treacherous.

Map: The Most Dangerous Road in Every Country

If you want to have a safe trip, avoid driving on the deadly roads featured on this map of the world.

How 5 Influential People Responded to False Reports of Their Death

Some people made jokes; one person established the Nobel Prize.

Rasputin, Russian mystic and ‘holy man.’

The Murder of Rasputin: The Mystery That Won’t Die

Delve into the mystery surrounding the assassination of Grigori Rasputin, and see how the circumstances of his death have taken on a life of their own.

Members of the royal family attending the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.

The Reason Why Members of the Royal Family Must Always Travel With One All-Black Outfit

It all began in 1952 when then-Princess Elizabeth was caught without a black outfit when the circumstances called for one.

7 Cases of Alleged Spontaneous Human Combustion

The cause of death in these mysterious cases has, at one time or another, been reported as spontaneous human combustion—but there was often a more realistic explanation.

As beautiful as it is, the Grand Canyon has seen many deaths.

The 10 Deadliest National Park Properties in the U.S.

Find out which national parks have recorded the most fatal incidents in recent years.

The Scandalous History of Oscar Wilde’s Memorial Tomb

The author’s tomb was erected in 1912—and its anatomical correctness was a problem.

Robert Kennicott, pictured against Alaska’s Kennicott Glacier, was a key figure in the Smithsonian’s formative years.

Death of a Scientist: The Mysterious Demise of Smithsonian Pioneer Robert Kennicott

In 1866, Kennicott was found dead near the Yukon River. It would be 150 years before anyone knew why.

5 Terrible Things That Happened on Valentine’s Day

February 14 is often celebrates as a day of love—but it has also been marked as a day of tragedy.

Where Are They Now? Diseases That Killed You in ‘Oregon Trail’

Spoiler alert: They’re still around.

The 1925 Cave Rescue That Captivated the Nation

On January 30, 1925, Kentucky cave explorer Floyd Collins went underground—and didn’t come out. The epic effort to rescue him gripped national headlines and transformed into a battle between heroism and folly, selflessness and selfishness, life and death.

The corpse flower‘s name comes from its nasty smell.

Tune Into a Livestream of a Blooming Corpse Flower in Sydney

Catch the blooming of Sydney‘s corpse flower without being exposed to its infamous odor.

6 Misconceptions About the Oregon Trail

The Oregon Trail had 4 to 10 percent death rate, which is lower than you might assume if you’ve played the computer game.

Halloween isn't the only holiday with superstitions.

Odd Lang Syne: 7 Creepy New Year’s Superstitions That’ll Keep You Up Past Midnight

Some New Year’s superstitions and traditions are spookier than others, but these are some of those most memorable from around the world.

The Tower of London as seen from the River Thames.

7 Formidable Facts About the Tower of London

The Tower of London inspires awe, fear, and intrigue. Here are seven facts you may not know about the iconic British fortress.

‘Searching for Franklin,’ ‘The Indifferent Stars Above,’ and ‘Cannibalism.’

8 Books About Historical Cannibalism

You might want to skip dinner after reading these.

The hustle and bustle around these events was next level.

6 of History’s Most Tragic Shopping Stampedes

Black Friday shopping may stress you out, but as these tragic shopping stampedes from history show, things could always end up looking a lot worse.

A group of 18th-century anatomists dissect a body.

Hidden Bodies: How a Harvard Chapel Renovation Unearthed Human Remains

What began as a routine renovation revealed Harvard's history of body snatching.

New Study Reveals the Source of the Corpse Flower’s Horrible Stench

Research (and lots of dry-heaving) has revealed why the flower reeks of weeks-old road kill.

DNA Identifies Medieval Man Thrown Down a Well, Confirming a Norse Saga’s Tale

According to a medieval saga, the Norwegian “Well Man” might have been used as a biological weapon.

Get a better sense of how illnesses have shaped history in these gripping reads.

12 Fascinating Books on History’s Most Notorious Diseases

Get a better sense of how illnesses have shaped history with these gripping reads about history’s most notorious diseases.

A hearse with S-shaped bars in place of back windows.

Why Do Hearses Have Metal S-Shaped Scrolls Where the Back Windows Should Be?

Those evocative scrolls you see on hearses actually have a name—and going back in the 1800s, they actually served an important purpose.

A black-throated green warbler perches on a funerary statue at Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York.

From Snakeroot to Salamanders, Life Thrives in Cemeteries

Three historic cemeteries, designed as refuges of the dead, are bringing their landscapes back to life for native plants and animals.