DEATH

One of the beheaded skeletons in Fleet Marston.

Archaeologists Just Unearthed Dozens of Ancient Beheaded Skeletons in a Tiny British Village

Were they all executed criminals, or were some decapitated after death (possibly to prevent haunting)? Researchers aren’t sure.

For the First Time Ever, Scientists Witnessed—and Recorded—Orcas Stalking and Killing a Blue Whale

New video evidence shows that orcas are capable of hunting and killing blue whales—the largest animals on Earth.

Albert Victor and Princess Victoria Mary of Teck.

10 Royal Heirs Who Died Before They Reigned

These are some of the least fortunate royal heirs in English history—those who waited in vain and died before they could ever reign.

Cleopatra depicted in a calendar print by Beatrice Decker.

The Royal Rundown on Cleopatra's Children

Cleopatra famously had relationships with the Roman generals Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. Less, however, is remembered about the four children she had with these men.

The plague devastated Eyam in the 17th century.

How One Small English Village Sacrificed Itself to Stop the Plague From Spreading

Eyam, England's drastic response to the plague—including quarantines and social distancing—influenced later medical practice.

When Marie and Pierre Curie Investigated a Psychic Medium

Marie and Pierre Curie admitted to not fully understanding the source of radioactivity. Could a psychic medium named Eusapia Palladino reveal some clues?

Why Do Fire Departments Have Chaplains?

What does a fire department chaplain do? It all depends on where they work—here’s how they help out.

Klaus Kinski stars in Crawlspace (1986).

Crawlspace: When the Makers of a Sleazy '80s Slasher Movie Nearly Killed Klaus Kinski for Real

“You can’t hope to direct [Klaus] Kinski,” John Vulich, a makeup effects artist on 'Crawlspace' once said about the 1986 low-budget horror movie’s leading man. “You can only document him.”

11 Graves in Unexpected Places

Not everyone is buried six feet under the verdant grass of a cemetery. Some choose to spend eternity at the bottom of the ocean or the top of a high rise.

A photo of the skeleton taken when it was originally excavated from the burial site.

3000-Year-Old Remains in Japan Belong to the World’s Oldest Known Shark Attack Victim, Study Finds

The skeleton, unearthed at an archaeological site near Japan’s Seto Inland Sea, had almost 800 injuries.

8 Bizarre Places Where Bodies Have Been Found

For employees at Disneyland Paris’s Phantom Manor in 2016, the attraction’s harmless spookiness turned genuinely macabre.

Rosary Beads Belonging to Mary, Queen of Scots Were Just Stolen As Part of a $1.4 Million Heist at Arundel Castle

Is the culprit Elizabeth I’s ghost, trying to make sure every last symbol of her cousin’s Catholic faith gets destroyed, once and for all?

The abandoned Dyatlov party tent as it was found by searchers.

How Disney's Frozen Led to a Breakthrough in Russia's Dyatlov Pass Mystery

Sixty-two years ago, nine hikers died in what's now Dyatlov Pass in Russia after fleeing their tent for unknown reasons. Using models inspired by Disney's 'Frozen,' scientists have come up with an explanation for the incident.

John Gregory's actual skull alongside a 3D rendering of his head.

A Skull From the 1845 Franklin Expedition Was Just Identified Using a Descendant’s DNA

Nobody made it out of Sir John Franklin’s 1845 expedition alive. But now we know just how far one sailor got.

10 Pieces of Playground Equipment that Nearly Killed Your Grandparents

These vintage playground devices were so perilous, kids of yesteryear were lucky to live through recess.

For years, a silent, deadly danger lurked beneath the surface of Lake Nyos.

How a West African Lake Killed 1800 People—And How It Could Happen Again

Lake Nyos was once known by locals as the “good” lake. But one night in 1986, it was responsible for one of the deadliest natural disasters in African history.

Chumbawamba's Danbert Nobacon and June Abbott in 1992.

When Chumbawamba Released an Album Celebrating Margaret Thatcher’s Death

The “Tubthumping” rockers bid adieu to the Iron Lady with a touching musical tribute featuring “Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead.”

Researchers Uncover 29 Graves at the Original Site of a Razed Black Cemetery in Clearwater, Florida

People have long believed that a 1954 cemetery relocation process in Clearwater, Florida, was incomplete. They were right.

Scar, plotting murder (and possibly his next meal, too).

What Happened to Mufasa’s Carcass in The Lion King? A New Fan Theory Suggests Cannibalism

The Lion King’s Scar killed his brother, which already earned him a spot in the unofficial Disney Villain Hall of Infamy. Did he eat him, too?

Yes, we're about to be living in another Black Mirror episode.

Microsoft Files Patent for Technology That Could Resurrect Dead Loved Ones as Chat Bots

Anyone who’s seen the 'Black Mirror’ season 2 episode 'Be Right Back' might have mixed feelings about Microsoft’s fledgling technology.

The Lizzie Borden Ax Murder House Has Hit the Market

The house where Lizzie Borden's father and stepmother were discovered bludgeoned with an ax is in need of a new owner.

The U.S. Capitol Crypt in all its splendor.

The Empty Crypt Beneath the U.S. Capitol Rotunda

Beneath the ornate Capitol Rotunda is a drafty crypt with 40 Doric columns, a dozen statues, and zero human remains.

The Trailblazing Story of Alexandrine Tinné, the Victorian Explorer Who Attempted to Cross the Sahara Desert

Alexine Tinné's quests to find the source of the Nile River and cross the Sahara Desert were no luxury holiday.

Skeletons have been known to lurk in abandoned lodges of fraternal organizations.

The Secret Society That Left a Trail of Human Skeletons in its Wake

The Independent Order of Odd Fellows has long promoted goodwill among all, but its disbanded lodges had a habit of leaving behind human remains for the new occupants to discover.

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