THE LIST SHOW

Operators at the switchboard of the Magneto Exchange of the National Telephone Company.

23 Obsolete (Or Nearly Obsolete) Jobs

Thanks to developments in science and technology, you can't add jobs like slubber doffers and night soil men to your resume these days.

Mark Twain, Mariah Carey, Truman Capote, and Elizabeth Taylor are responsible for some of history's most cutting disses.

The 16 Sickest Burns of All Time

“Every time I read ‘Pride and Prejudice’ I want to dig her up and beat her over the skull with her own shin-bone.” Who said it?

An image of Earth from 1 million miles away snapped on July 6, 2015 by a camera on NASA's Deep Space Climate Observatory spacecraft.

100 Facts About Earth

How much do you know about the blue marble we call home? From how our planet formed to just how many species there are, here are 100 things you need to know about Earth.

A photo illustration of Violet Jessop in front of the Olympic (left) and Titanic (right); she survived the wrecks of both ships—and the Britannic.

11 Amazing Historical Coincidences

Sure, you can claim that there is no such thing as coincidence. But just wait ’til you hear these stories.

More than one donkey has been involved in a crime.

25 Animals Involved in Crimes

Whether they were guilty of having potty mouths or stealing shoes, these animals found themselves on the wrong side of the law.

The origin of the smoke detector might surprise you.

The Unusual Origin Stories of 9 Everyday Household Items

What was Kleenex originally used for? The product’s fascinating history has ties to Kotex and World War I.

In 2021, scientists identified what is believed to be the earliest known human victim of a shark attack.

100 Fascinating Facts We Learned in 2021

While many of us spent the bulk of 2021 stuck inside (again), we learned—for the second year in a row—that groundbreaking discoveries in archaeology, paleontology, astrology, and Skeet Ulrich’s filmography don’t stop just because of a pandemic.

21 Fascinating Facts About Vaccines

From facts about the COVID-19 vaccine to tidbits from vaccine history, here’s everything you ever wanted to know about immunization.

Not surprisingly, the Witness Protection Program is pretty mysterious.

23 Facts About the Witness Protection Program

What exactly is the Witness Protection Program, and how does it work? Here's what you need to know about the secretive program.

Old Hollywood wasn't necessarily as glamorous as we think it was.

13 Surprising Facts About Old Hollywood

Behind all that Old Hollywood glamour are plenty of feuds, some probably illegal child labor practices, and tons of asbestos.

Clockwise from left: Gilbert Stuart's unfinished portrait of George Washington on the $1 bill; Basilica de la Sagrada Familia; a page from Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales; Boldt Castle; Reactors 5 and 6 at Chernobyl; and the National Monument of Scotland.

13 Unbelievable Unfinished Projects

Famous presidential portraits, literary masterpieces, and iconic tourist destinations all make the list of amazing unfinished projects.

A poster for Howard Thurston's magic show in 1908.

14 Captivating Facts About Magic

Learn how Harry Houdini betrayed his namesake, why people were wary of the cups and balls illusion, and more facts from the history of magic.

CSA Images // iStock via Getty Images Plus

17 of the Most Unusual Heists in History

Some of history's most unusual heists involve high-profile art, food, bugs and bee hives, bizarre disguises, and, yes, money, jewels, and gold.

Mykyta Dolmatov // iStock via Getty Images Plus

7 Scientific Mysteries

Scientific mysteries continue to stump experts in fields ranging from meteorology to medicine. Here are a few strange things science still hasn't figured out.

Tony Hale stars as Buster Bluth in Arrested Development.

16 Curious Facts About Your Favorite TV Shows

Find out about the ‘Arrested Development’ Easter egg in an MCU movie, the fictional-turned-real podcast in ‘Insecure,’ and more.

When the Titanic sank in April 1912, its architect, Thomas Andrews, went down with it.

13 Inventors Killed By Their Own Inventions

From the inventor who disappeared along with the lighthouse he designed to the daredevil whose contraptions vaulted him to fame then cut his life short, these are the sad stories of inventors killed by their own inventions.

An illustration of a woolly mammoth, blissfully unaware of its species impending doom.

20 Cool Facts About the Ice Age

How many ice ages have there been so far? The same number of ‘Ice Age’ movies that have been released. (Five.)

You won't want to run into any of these cryptids.

22 Creepy Cryptids From Around the World

From Bigfoot and Yeti to the Loch Ness Monster and Ogopogo, the world is full of cryptids. Here are just a few of the many cryptids around the world that you should know.

Jeremy Bentham's preserved head between the feet of his auto-icon, circa the 1950s.

The Strange Stories Behind 10 Historical Body Parts

From Napoleon's penis to Galileo's finger, the body parts of historical figures are steeped in legend.

24 Fascinating Facts About the Solar System

The solar system: It’s big, it’s heliocentric, and it’s got space junk to spare. Here are 24 out-of-this-world facts about the corner of space that’s home to Earth.

Would you let this star-nosed mole touch you with its schnoz?

6 Beautifully Ugly Animals

The ugliest animals ever, from the blobfish to the star-nosed mole, aren’t just hideous for no reason.

21 Ways School Was Different a Century Ago

School has come a long way since the 19th and 20th centuries. From corporal punishment to lunch to recess, here are just a few ways school was different a century ago.

22 Facts About Puberty

Why do voices crack and pimples flare up during puberty? When do boys go through puberty, and when do girls experience it? Read on for pivotal facts you should know about puberty.

An aerial view of Australia's Heart Reef.

17 Forbidden Places You Can't Visit

From an island infested with snakes to a vault holding a very special secret recipe, these dangerous, mysterious, or otherwise forbidden places are off-limits to the public.

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