HISTORY

Lewis and Clark encountered grizzly bears, coyotes, and pronghorns.

14 Animals Lewis and Clark “Discovered”

Lewis and Clark were not the first people to see animals like coyotes, elk, and pronghorn, but they did introduce them to Western science.

GPS is just one thing in our daily lives originally invented for military use.

9 Everyday Things Originally Invented for the Military

From Jeeps to GPS and jerrycans, the military has fostered inventions that we use every day.

Memorial Day is a day to remember those lost to war.

10 Things to Remember About Memorial Day

Memorial Day arose from the tragedy of the Civil War. It's a time to remember the people who sacrificed their lives for their country.

25 Outrageous Quotes from Salvador Dalí

Salvador Dalí had a lot of interesting things to say about art, ambitions, and more.

What Are the National Animals of the United States?

The bison and bald eagle have been chosen to represent the U.S. Here's why.

Get ready to welcome summer, however you see fit.

15 Facts About the Summer Solstice

In 2024, the summer solstice will fall on Thursday, June 20. Here are some fascinating facts to celebrate the celestial occasion.

10 Bits of Wisdom From Alfred Hitchcock

“The length of a film should be directly related to the endurance of the human bladder.”

10 Charming Chinese Idioms and Proverbs (and Their Origins)

From ghosts that eat tofu to an angry Buddha and beyond.

This fox is obviously not actually radioactive.

When the U.S. Tried to Win World War II with Radioactive Foxes

Allied officials came up with some strange strategies to win World War II. Operation Fantasia planned to use glow-in-the-dark foxes to spook Japanese forces into defeat.

The vast majority of tonsillectomies are performed on children.

Why Don’t Doctors Perform Tonsillectomies Like They Used To?

The surgical extraction of the tonsils was a hallmark of a 1950s childhood, but now the operation is not nearly as common.

Pyramids of Giza, Egypt, at sunset, c26th century BC.

Egypt’s Giza Pyramids Might Have Been Built Next To A Now-Vanished River

A recent study claims that the pyramids of Giza were constructed alongside an almost 40-mile long artery of the Nile river that no longer exists today.

Bootlegger’s Bounty: The Hidden Treasure of Gangster Dutch Schultz

The ruthless criminal is believed to have buried $100 million in bloody profits nearly 90 years ago. People have been looking for it ever since.

The Delicious Origins of 18 Summer Fruit Names

Just as juicy as summer’s many berries, stone fruits, and melons are the far-flung, surprising, and often obscure origins of their names.

British Navy landing crafts carry U.S. troops to a ship in Southern England in preparation for D-Day.

The Meteorologists Who Helped Plan D-Day

“Meteorologically, D-Day was bound to be a gamble against the odds.”

Why Do Babies in Medieval Paintings Look So Scary?

If you’ve ever found yourself chuckling at the angry man-heads on human babies in medieval art, the joke is actually on you.

Ranch dressing: the highlight of any veggie tray.

How Ranch Dressing Became the All-American Condiment

Yes, Hidden Valley Ranch was a real place. But that isn't where Steve Henson first invented the iconic salad dressing.

An American flying fortress enacts a maneuver against Japanese forces in the Solomon Islands during World War II.

15 Unexpected Military Operation Codenames

Though there’s rarely a (public) explanation of why these weird codenames were assigned, that doesn’t make them any less amusing.

Joseph Welch (left), with Sen. Joe McCarthy (right), at the Senate Subcommittee on Investigations' McCarthy-Army hearings, June 9, 1954.

“Have You No Sense of Decency?”: The Question That Took Down Senator Joe McCarthy

Joseph N. Welch is credited with bringing down the fearmongering Sen. Joseph McCarthy during a congressional hearing in 1954. But his famous plea has since taken on a life of its own.

“Frère Jacques”: The History of the Classic Nursery Rhyme

This simple nursery rhyme comes with a number of unanswered questions about everything from its authorship to who inspired it.

A spoonful of sugar would definitely taste a lot better.

Here’s Why So Many Medicines Are Cherry-Flavored

There's a reason that cough syrup you're trying to choke down tastes like cherry.

Lightning strikes over the Freedom Tower (a.k.a. One World Trade Center) in New York City.

Did Ben Franklin Really Invent the Lightning Rod?

Ben Franklin’s famous experiment with the kite and key gave him a better understanding of the nature of electricity. But did that event lead to the lightning rod?

Replicas of golden sarcophagi are showcased in “Tutankhamun: His Tomb and His Treasures.”

See Exact Replicas of King Tut’s Treasures in His Recreated Tomb

If you can’t make it to Egypt, head to Washington, D.C., where “Tutankhamun: His Tomb and His Treasures” puts visitors inside the artifact-stuffed rooms of King Tut’s tomb.

We can thank Shakespeare for popularizing it, sort of.

Why Do We Say ‘In a Pickle’?

Contrary to popular belief, Shakespeare wasn’t the one who invented this common idiom. But trying to unravel its origins will land you in a bit of a tricky situation.

Angkor Wat reflected in one of its waterways.

10 Facts about Angkor Wat, the World’s Largest Religious Temple

Angkor Wat is one of the most significant archaeological sites in Southeast Asia. Here is what we know of its story, from its countless carvings to feats of engineering.

Prev Next