LONGFORM

Leo Tolstoy with grandchildren Leo and Sofia, 1909

Inside the Tolstoy Family Reunion

Author Leo Tolstoy had a big family with his wife, Sophia. Now, you can get an inside glimpse at what a family reunion is like for his living descendants.

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.

Stephen King owes his career to the support of his wife, Tabitha.

How Stephen King’s Wife Saved ‘Carrie’ and Helped Launch His Career

Take a look back at the surprising origins of “Carrie,” Stephen King’s first book—and more importantly, discover how his wife Tabitha King played a pivotal role in its creation.

Is it a time machine? Or a teleportation chamber?

The Legend of London’s Time-Traveling Tomb

Deep in London’s historic Brompton Cemetery sits a mausoleum that houses a Victorian heiress, her daughters, and a time-travel story that keeps growing.

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.

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.

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.

Jake Gyllenhaal stars in (another) 'Road House' (2024).

Movie Remake vs. Reboot: What's the Difference?

Pain don't hurt, but trying to understand the difference between remakes and reboots can.

An interior view of Paris’s morgue in the 19th century.

The Surprising Origin of the Word ‘Morgue’

Uncover the origins of the term ‘morgue’ in 18th-century Paris—and the morgue’s transformation from a place of spectacle to medical institute.

The Vinland Map courted controversy from the moment its discovery was announced.

The Vinland Map: How a Mysterious Forgery Fooled Experts for Decades

Unravel the mystery of the Vinland Map—a controversial document that claimed Vikings arrived in North America before Columbus. Discover the truth now.

Frost Bite: When Sub-Zero Temperatures Shattered an Antarctic Explorer’s Teeth

“Polar exploration is at once the cleanest and most isolated way of having a bad time which has been devised,” he later wrote.

The Cryptic Case of Ambrose Small, Missing Millionaire

In 1919, Canadian businessman Ambrose Small cashed a check for 1 million dollars. Hours later, he vanished.

Turner and Crawford once went head-to-head.

When Lana Turner Came for Joan Crawford's Crown as Queen of Hollywood

Glamour girl Lana Turner and gangster Mickey Cohen were both young and hungry. Each wanted to take over the Hollywood movie studios and the crime ridden streets of Los Angeles, but Lana and Mickey had two major obstacles standing in their way.

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.

The Legend of ‘Bum’ Farto, the Key West Fire Chief-Turned-Drug Dealer Who Vanished

In 1975, Bum Farto had it all. A dead body and a drug deal gone wrong changed everything.

‘Red Nails’: The Violent Animated Conan Movie That Was Never Finished

A bloody take on the Conan legend was announced in 2005—and then all but vanished.

Let’s dive into the delicious history of the dumpling.

An International History of Dumplings

Dumplings are a delicious staple that transcends borders, but how did these doughy delights rise to international fame?

Actress Bernice Golden as Tess in David Belasco’s stage production of ‘Tess of the d’Urbervilles,’ c. 1903.

Remembering Elizabeth Martha Brown, the Convict Who Inspired Thomas Hardy’s ‘Tess of the D’Urbervilles’

Thomas Hardy’s memorable heroine was modeled after the last woman to be hanged in Dorset, England.

J.R.R. Tolkien’s ‘Letters From Father Christmas.’

When J.R.R. Tolkien Posed as ‘Father Christmas’ for 23 Years

The Middle-earth author spent some imaginary time in the North Pole for an audience of just four people: his children.

She's erasing herself from the narrative.

Penelope, the Bronx Zoo Platypus That “Faked” a Pregnancy and Then Disappeared

The Bronx Zoo wanted a baby platypus. Penelope gave them something better: publicity.

The Final Days of John Lennon

Shortly before 11 p.m. on Monday, December 8, 1980, John Lennon was gunned down in front of his New York City apartment building by an obsessed fan. This is the story of the days leading up to that tragedy.

Rules for Murder: The Detection Club and the Evolution of the Murder Mystery

While the club initially formed as a social group for writers of detective fiction, it did have an official purpose: to uphold a rigid set of standards for crime fiction, and weed out any potential members who wouldn’t agree to meet them.

Arizona judge Sandra Day O'Connor testifies at her confirmation as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States in 1981.

How Sandra Day O’Connor Beat the Odds, Ruled the Court, and Became the Most Powerful Woman in America

Discover how Sandra Day O’Connor overcame the odds to become the first female U.S. Supreme Court justice.

Kay Powell has written some stunning obituaries.

America’s Greatest Obituary Writer

Forget about the funny pages. If Kay Powell wrote for your paper, you dove straight into the death notices.

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