HISTORY

Tim Daly stars in 'In the Line of Duty: Ambush In Waco'

‘In the Line of Duty’: The Waco Movie Made Before The Siege Ended

In 1993, just 34 days after the Waco siege ended, NBC premiered 'In the Line of Duty: Ambush in Waco'—a TV movie greenlit, scripted, and largely shot while the tragedy was still unfolding.

Laverne Cox in 'Orange Is the New Black.'

17 Epic Moments in LGBTQ+ TV History

These TV shows reflected changing social mores and broke new ground in American entertainment, a trend that continues today.

The Salem witch trials were a troubling time in colonial America.

11 Facts About the Salem Witch Trials

The 1692 Salem witch trials caused so much turmoil that the Massachusetts town is still synonymous with them.

When 'Woody Wagons' Ruled the Road

Cars with wood paneling used to be all the rage. And yes, it made perfect sense at the time.

It's like stepping back in time—sort of.

9 Fun Facts About Renaissance Fairs

There are hundreds of different Renaissance fairs that take place across the world, and not all of them actually take place during the Renaissance.

Are these two kaylied up, or are they merely drinking dog’s water?

20 Delightful Slang Terms From the 1930s

These terms are sure to blow your wig.

16 Fascinating Facts About ‘Venus de Milo’

There’s much more to this iconic statue than a couple of absent appendages.

Word Search: Find All 12 Historical Figures (And See What They’d Bring to Your Dinner Party)

There are a dozen historical figures’ names hidden in the word search—the first three you spot are coming to your next dinner party.

British vs. English: What’s the Difference?

First, you have to understand the difference between England and Britain (and the UK, while we’re at it).

Halloween isn't the only time of year to celebrate these cute kitties.

10 Facts About Black Cats

Black cats do not bring bad luck, and they aren’t necessarily harder to adopt than other cats. Here are more facts about these adorably dark furballs.

TV has slowly eased restrictions on strong language.

Bleep This: A Brief History of Profanity on Television

Whether scripted or spontaneous, expletives have been making their way on to the air for decades.

Why Ulysses S. Grant’s Wife Julia Always Posed in Profile

After a sweet plea from her husband not to change her looks, the first lady was careful about how she presented herself in pictures.

The way some words are spelled is downright bizarre.

11 Weirdly Spelled Words—And How They Got That Way

Ever wonder why there’s a ‘k’ in ‘knead,’ or a ‘d’ in ‘Wednesday’? While there isn’t always a good reason for why some English words are spelled the way they are, there are reasons.

Marco Polo with a caravan on his way to Asia.

14 Surprising Facts About Marco Polo

He claimed he was besties with Mongol emperor Kublai Khan.

The eruption of Mt. Vesuvius destroyed Herculaneum—but may have preserved a lost library of Epicurus's writings.

The Lost Library of Herculaneum: Unravelling the Scrolls That Mount Vesuvius Almost Destroyed

Historians were struck by the tantalizing possibility that this library might contain missing works of some of history’s greatest writers—works thought to have been lost forever.

Lily Gladstone and Leonardo DiCaprio in 'Killers of the Flower Moon.'

‘Killers of the Flower Moon’: The Grim True Story of the Osage Murders

'Killers of the Flower Moon' tells the story of the Osage murders, an especially bleak chapter of American history.

The Presidential Candidate Who Ran on a UFO Ticket

Gabriel Green explained that “I’m running for president because I was asked to do so by emissaries from outer space.”

The Noteworthy Fears of 10 Famous Figures

“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself”—unless you also fear the number 13. Or insects. Or being buried alive. Here are the fears of just a few of history’s most notable figures, from FDR to Dalí.

11 Things You Didn’t Know About Vincent Van Gogh’s ‘The Starry Night’

The famous 1889 painting was the artist's second depiction of a twinkling night sky.

There probably isn't any brandy in there.

Why Are St. Bernards Always Depicted With Barrels Around Their Necks?

The barrels we see around St. Bernards' necks in paintings and cartoons is the invention of an artist named Edwin Henry Landseer.

12 Fascinating Facts About Claude Monet

The father of French impressionism paid a gardener to dust his water lilies.

Wearing white after Labor Day? Oh, the horror!

Why Can’t You Wear White After Labor Day?

The unofficial—but widely known—fashion rule can be traced back more than 100 years to some snobby millionaires.

A reconstruction of Ötzi the Iceman at the South Tyrol Archaeological Museum in Italy.

13 Cool Facts About Ötzi the Iceman

Nicknamed Ötzi the Iceman, the mummified man was around 40–50 years old when he died in the Copper Age. Here are 13 surprising facts about him.

Phone numbers with letters look like gibberish to most people making a phone call today.

Why Did Old Phone Numbers Start With Letters?

You may have noticed these weird phone numbers while watching reruns of your favorite ’50s-era TV show—and though they look like gibberish to modern phone-users, they were perfectly normal at the time.

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