DEATH

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.

Tombstone symbols can sometimes be hard to interpret.

The Hidden Meanings Behind 11 Common Tombstone Symbols

"RIP" has a pretty obvious meaning, but some tombstone symbols—like a corn husk or a camel—can be a little puzzling.

Ed Warren and Lorraine Warren in Amityville II: The Possession (1982).

10 Facts About Famed Paranormal Investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren

While 'The Conjuring' films, 'The Amityville Horror,' and 'The Haunting In Connecticut' brought paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren fame, the question of who they were behind the films remains as interesting as ever.

Ghostly legends surround the mausoleum of George Mackenzie.

The Grim, Ghostly History of Scotland's 'Most Haunted' Graveyard

According to local lore, Greyfriars Kirkyard in Edinburgh, Scotland, is haunted by the malevolent ghost of Lord Advocate George "Bluidy" Mackenzie.

Warren G. Harding looking dapper in June 1920.

The Grandson of Warren G. Harding's Mistress Wants to Prove His Presidential Lineage—By Exhuming Harding's Body

For the record, other DNA tests have already proven that Warren G. Harding’s grandson is, in fact, Warren G. Harding’s grandson.

Weekend at Errol Flynn’s: When John Barrymore’s Friends Stole His Corpse From the Morgue for One Last Prank

Drew Barrymore recently corroborated this epic Hollywood legend, but it’s still highly questionable.

13 Inventors Killed By Their Own Inventions

Get swept away in the tale of how Henry Winstanley was swept away in the lighthouse he designed (and other fascinating yet tragic tales).

Fever in the mornin', fever all through the night.

New Study Suggests That Raphael Died from Bloodletting and Pneumonia—Not Syphilis

Many have long believed that Italian painter Raphael’s excessive philandering led to his untimely death.

Grave Error: A Man Attempting to Fake His Own Death Was Caught Because of a Typo

Robert Berger tried to avoid a jail sentence by forging a death certificate. Unfortunately, there is no such thing as the Office of Vital Statistics and Regsitry.

The Teddy Roosevelt-Inspired Roller Coaster That Killed 7 People at Coney Island

Between 1907 and 1915, Coney Island's Rough Rider-themed roller coaster killed seven people in two separate incidents.

An unlikely cause of death, streaking through the sky.

The First Death By Meteorite Occurred in 1888

Documents discovered by researchers show that a meteorite killed one man and paralyzed another in modern-day Iraq more than a century ago.

Eden, Janine and Jim, Flickr // CC BY 2.0

University College London Moves Jeremy Bentham's Auto-Icon to a New Location

Jeremy Bentham’s auto-icon, consisting of a wax head and a foam body built around his actual skeleton, has been moved to a new location in its London home.

The 50-Year Journey to Solve the Murder of Harvard Student Jane Britton

Strange powder at the crime scene, rumors about Harvard’s drug crowd, and other red herrings created an investigation rife with dead ends.

The Teenage Girl Gang That Seduced and Killed Nazis

In the 1940s, sisters Freddie and Truus Oversteegen used their unassuming profile as teenagers to ambush and kill Nazis in the Netherlands.

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