HISTORY

People had some interesting ideas about eels (top) and lamprey (bottom).

Putting a Skirt on a Herring, and Other Fishy Folklore From the British Isles

This excerpt from Ben Gazur’s book ‘A Feast of Folklore: The Bizarre Stories Behind British Food,’ out September 19 in the UK and November 19 in the U.S., dives into some unusual history.

Legionella in a Petri dish under UV light.

What Is Legionnaires’ Disease?

The unusual respiratory illness was named for a 1976 outbreak among attendees of an American Legion conference.

You never know what treasures you’ll find.

20 Amazingly Valuable Thrift Store Finds

Thrift stores are always a treasure trove of vintage items—but sometimes a lucky shopper comes across an actual treasure.

Why 7 Animals Became Associated With Halloween

Black cats, bats, and spiders commonly appear in people’s Halloween decorations. Here’s why.

Who pulled off these heists has never officially been determined.

6 Infamous Unsolved Bank Robberies

Whether they were tunneling into vaults or blowing their way into them through church walls, these thieves were brazen—and in each case, whodunit remains a mystery.

All this sugar would have horrified the inventor of graham crackers.

Graham Crackers Were Invented to Combat the Evils of Coffee, Alcohol, and Masturbation

Social media users regularly joke about the origins of the simple graham cracker as a way to curtail sexual impulses. And while it might sound bizarre, this is one viral trend that is based in truth.

Rare Rembrandt painting sells for more than a million dollars

A Purported Rembrandt Found In an Attic Just Sold for $1.4 Million

The portrait of a teen girl has been chilling in a Maine attic for decades.

Can You Match the Last Words to the Person Who Said Them?

See if these famous last words really are as famous as people think.

It’s kind of weird that ‘ghost’ is spelled with a ‘gh.’

Why are ‘Ghost,’ ‘Ghastly,’ and ‘Ghoul’ Spelled with ‘gh’?

Only a handful of English words start with ‘gh’—what gives?

19 Things You Might Not Have Known About Gene Roddenberry

Roddenberry flew planes in World War II, worked as a traffic cop in the LAPD, and wrote for TV under an assumed name before launching ‘Star Trek.’

A detail from Rembrandt’s masterpiece ‘The Night Watch.’

16 Things You Might Not Know About Rembrandt’s ‘The Night Watch’

Completed in 1642, Rembrandt van Rijn's The Night Watch is not only a highlight of a career that spanned over 600 paintings, but also acclaimed as arguably the greatest portrait of the Dutch Baroque era.

Scenes from the 2019 Hispanic Heritage Parade in New York City.

5 Ways to Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month

National Hispanic Heritage Month, a celebration of Hispanic culture and history, offers a number of in-person and interactive events to get you plugged in.

The Real History of the Folk Song ‘Kumbaya’

From a heartfelt spiritual, to a children’s campfire song, to a powerful protest anthem, to a derisive phrase, “Kumbaya” is certainly a bit of a musical chameleon.

It might not look like much, but this Neolithic door is as old as Stonehenge.

The Secrets of 8 Amazing Historic Doors

Historic doors can reveal a lot about their times—like the medieval trend of covering doors in (allegedly) human skin.

Can You Solve This Old-Timey Riddle? #6

This riddle dates back to the 17th century—can you figure it out?

6 Politicians Who Got Elected Despite Being Dead

Several politicians have won elections posthumously. And no, fraud was not to blame.

Abraham Lincoln just after uttering his last words.

The Last Words and Final Moments of 39 U.S. Presidents

Some presidents’ last words have been profound (“This is the last of earth; I am content”) and others have been merely practical (“Help!”).

The Not-So-Nice Origins of ‘Bookworm’

‘Bookworm,’ which now implies someone is well-read, once meant that you were a total loser.

Resurrectionists raiding a cemetery to provide a cadaver for dissection, 1887.

When Scotland Yard Took On Resurrectionists

In this excerpt from Simon Read’s book ‘Scotland Yard,’ detectives try to determine if the men who turned up at a medical college with a fresh corpse are body snatchers—or murderers.

Howard Hughes, the original rich and eccentric guy.

When Howard Hughes Bought a TV Station Because He Had Insomnia

The reclusive billionaire couldn't sleep and didn't have anything to watch. His solution was to buy a TV station.

7 Facts About Hispanic Heritage Month

Discover the origins of Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from September 15 through October 15 each year. Here’s how the history of this annual celebration took shape—and how you can take part.

Why Is It Called a “Phillips Head” Screwdriver?

Believe it or not, nobody named Phillips actually invented it.

Muhammad Ali makes a prediction of how many rounds it will take for him to win an upcoming fight scheduled for June 1963. He was right.

Criminal Ring: How Muhammad Ali’s 1970 Comeback Led to a Big-Money Heist

When Muhammad Ali returned to the ring after three years in exile, a team of thieves took the opportunity to steal more than $1 million from fans in a brazen armed robbery. A series about the heist hits Peacock September 5.

Three views of the gold Roman-era bracelet discovered in a West Sussex field.

12-Year-Old Boy Stumbles on Ancient Roman Bracelet While Walking His Dog

The rare golden bracelet was probably given to a soldier as a reward for bravery as Roman armies invaded England.

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