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Exposed to the Elements: A Strange 1920s Death on the Scottish Island of Iona

Over the course of a century, several theories have arisen to explain the true cause of Nora Emily Fornario's death.

The Surprising History of the Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich

In honor of National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day, we’re taking a look back at the somewhat surprising history of the sandwich.

Corsets are just the tip of the terrifying beauty iceberg.

6 Terrifying Beauty Practices from History

There are plenty of modern cosmetic practices that run the gamut from physically painful to medically risky. But most don’t hold a candle to the hazardous cosmetic techniques of yore.

11 Delightful Icelandic Words and Phrases

Hunting for new ways to express yourself that don't involve emojis? Look no further than these charming words and phrases hailing from the land of fire and ice.

The Nautical Roots of 11 Common Phrases

Even if you're a landlubber who has never set foot on a paddleboat, you most likely sprinkle your everyday conversation with nautical-inspired phrases. Here are some terms you can thank a sailor for.

25 Foreign Words With Hilarious Literal Meanings

Beware of "paper vampires" and "ghost breath."

16 Jaw-Dropping Facts About Cirque du Soleil

The contemporary circus—which has performed for more than 180 million people in 450 cities—celebrates its 35th anniversary in July 2019.

11 Things Contact Lens Wearers Should Never Do

Admit it—you do some of these all the time.

11 Things You Might Not Know About Neil Armstrong

No matter where private or government space travel may take us in the future, Neil Armstrong will forever have a place as the first human to ever set foot on solid ground outside of our atmosphere.

11 Facts About Golda Meir

She discovered her knack for activism in the fourth grade.

19 Facts About the Franklin Expedition, the Real-Life Inspiration for The Terror

It remains one of the biggest mysteries in Arctic exploration.

12 Facts About Goblin Sharks

With their intricate jaws and ghostly complexions, these fish look like prehistoric monsters—or visitors from another planet.

11 Facts About Tiger Sharks

One of them was a player in Australia’s greatest unsolved murder mystery.

15 Incredible Facts About Pigeons

They were beloved by both Charles Darwin and Nikola Tesla.

Why Do We Call Some People 'Type A'?

You can thank two Californian cardiologists from the 1950s.

15 Facts About Nicolaus Copernicus

He sat on his heliocentric theory of the universe for 30-some years, and only published his ideas on his deathbed.

The Surprising Origins of 12 Popular Fashions

Let’s explore why we wear—or once wore—socks up to our knees, cloth around our neck, and pants down to the floor.

Michael Jackson sits with orphaned and abandoned Ivory Coast children he invited to the Intercontinental Hotel in Abidjan on February 16, 1992.

When King of Pop Michael Jackson Was Officially Crowned King of a Small African Nation

In 1992, the King of Pop became Michael Jackson Amalaman Anoh, Chief of the Agni and King of the Sanwi.

The Gruesome Medieval Masquerade That Inspired Edgar Allan Poe

"The eight corpses swung in their chains, a fetid, blackened, hideous, and indistinguishable mass."

The Roman dodecahedron Brian Campbell found in East London

The Mysterious Bronze Objects That Have Baffled Archaeologists for Centuries

They've been discovered at Roman-era sites, but no one knows what they're for.

Tongue twisters have had people tripping over words for centuries.

The History Behind 8 Famous Tongue Twisters

Whether it's selling seashells by the seashore or buying Betty Botter's bitter butter, some of these difficult phrases go way back to when elocution was practiced as routinely as multiplication tables.

24 Jobs That No Longer Exist

No one has vivandière or groom of the stool on their resume these days.

Narayan Khandekar, director of the Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies

To Dye For: Inside the Vast Library That Stores the World’s Rarest Pigments

The rainbow of jars at the Straus Center can tell us a lot about how art comes into being—and how to save it.

Washington Crossing the Delaware, Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze // Public Domain; Photo illustration by Lucy Quintanilla

5 Poems With Amazing Wordplay

Poets and writers are always playing around with words and their meanings—but some take that linguistic jiggery-pokery to the next level.

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