HISTORY

A beaver that may or may not have parachuted out of a plane.

Watch Beavers Parachute From Planes in Footage From 1948

The best way to relocate beavers in the 1940s? Drop them out of planes, of course.

An 1878 painting of Richard, Duke of York, and Edward V (right) by John Everett Millais.

The Princes in the Tower: British Royal History’s Most Tantalizing Murder Mystery

An heir and a spare disappeared during England's War of the Roses. Here's what happened—and how we might hope to solve the mystery today.

Why Do We Capitalize ‘I’?

Some languages capitalize several of their pronouns. Some don’t capitalize any of them. English just capitalizes ‘I’—but why?

‘A Village Fair, with a Church behind,’ by Isack van Ostade

The Hidden Pooper in Isack van Ostade’s ‘A Village Fair, With a Church Behind’

Art conservators for the UK’s Royal Collection were in for quite a surprise when they set about cleaning a 17th-century oil painting.

The mystery of the ‘Mary Celeste’ has confounded historians for more 150 years.

The Unsolved Mystery of the ‘Mary Celeste’

What really happened to the crew of the ‘Mary Celeste’? Delve into the theories and speculation surrounding this enduring maritime mystery.

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.

6 Easter Traditions From Around the World

When it comes to Easter, the feast dishes, public celebrations, and even the candy often vary depending on where you live.

The Man Who ‘Invented’ the Labradoodle Called the Dog Crossbreed His Biggest Regret

The Labradoodle is a beloved designer dog breed, but in the eyes of the dog's creator, it's a 'Frankenstein['s] monster.'

Illustrations from 1997’s ‘Get Fit! ... How To Get in Shape To Meet the President’s Challenge and Earn the Presidential Fitness Award’

The Origins of the Presidential Fitness Test

Almost as soon as it was introduced—and for generations after—the Presidential Fitness Test was absolutely traumatizing to students who had to endure it. Here’s how the program started—and ended.

Leona Libby, the Pioneering Nuclear Physicist Who Helped Build the Atomic Bomb

To win a nuclear arms race, Leona Libby hid a pregnancy and brushed off being irradiated.

Why the Filet-O-Fish Sandwich Has Been on McDonald’s Menu for More Than 60 Years

The McDonald's Filet-O-Fish sandwich was introduced as an alternative for Catholics avoiding meat on Fridays during Lent—and it almost lost its spot on the menu to a pineapple burger.

‘Listen to me! I’m old and know things!’

Boomer Slang: 26 Terms You Should Know

The generational group born between 1946 and 1964 contributed a lot to slang.

14 Fascinating Facts About Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Despite what you might have heard (or seen on the big screen), famed composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart probably wasn’t poisoned by Antonio Salieri—but he did spend time with a young Marie Antoinette and keep a starling as a pet.

Curious about what your state's name means?

This Map Shows the Literal Translations of U.S. Place Names

From California to Boston, here are the literal translations of every American state and capital city name.

20 Iconic Things Turning 50 in 2024

The year 1974 gave us Post-It Notes, the Rubik's Cube, Bailey's Irish Cream, and more.

You’ll be searching for these spots forever.

10 Places That No Longer Exist

Not even a compass could help you get to lost places like Doggerland, Guaíra Falls, and Rungholt.

Barbara Newhall Follett in an undated photo.

Barbara Newhall Follett: The Child Novelist Who Later Vanished Into Thin Air

A gifted writer, Follett finished her first novel at age 12. By age 25, she was never seen or heard from again.

Many of these mysteries continue to endure.

15 of History’s Greatest Mysteries

From a book no one can decipher and puzzling disappearances to unsolved crimes and beyond, many of these historical mysteries still have us scratching our heads.

Hopefully this kid washed his hands before returning to his fries.

Rough Play: The Dirty and Dangerous History of McDonald's PlayPlaces

Following a string of PR nightmares, McDonald's began quietly removing its PlayPlaces in the 2000s.

Agatha Christie, Surfing Pioneer

A lesser-known fact about the famed crime novelist: She was a beach bum.

If You Knew: The Short, Brilliant Life—and Lasting Legacy—of Jeff Buckley

If the only thing Jeff Buckley ever did was record his 1994 cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” he would still have a permanent spot in music history.

Watch: Mysterious Footage from a 1950s Psychiatric Hospital

Uncovered on the grounds of the now-demolished Bahr Treatment Center in Indianapolis, this time capsule contained film reels that are still shrouded in a layer of mystery.

Rutherford B. Hayes, National Hero of Paraguay

How a largely forgotten U.S. president became a South American idol.

The Origin of ‘Talk to the Hand’

The dismissive gesture is a 1990s original thanks to two very different sitcom stars.

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