So many of us wish we could peer inside the brain of John Wayne Gacy to see if there is some kind of anomaly or injury that ordinary people do not possess.
For a time in his childhood, Jackie Robinson engaged in an activity that many other poor, minority youth engage in to this day: He joined a street gang.
He is one of the most compelling figures in history. She is one of the most famous and enduring faces on planet earth — though no one is certain of who she is.
It's a distinction likely no one would want. Both terrible and fascinating, Roy Cleveland Sullivan holds the world record for "Most lightning strikes survived."
One of the most important archaeological discoveries of all time, occurred when a Middle Eastern shepherd happened upon some forgotten-about jars in a cave.
Failed musician and cult leader Charles Manson is one of the most infamous and feared criminals of the 20th century, after ordering a series of grisly murders.
Ponce de Leon was far more than an explorer. In his 61 years, he also served in the military, sought gold and established mines, and set up farms and colonies.
They say beauty is pain but it shouldn't be deadly. Unfortunately a lesson learned the hard way. For centuries, cosmetics have been used to augment beauty.
Dated 1907, Twain would have been around 72 in the colorized photo. With his disheveled white hair and prominent pallor, he looks like he could be much older.
The Aztecs of ancient Mexico are another such example. Their polytheistic religion placed an emphasis on sun god, Tonatiuh, who provided both light and life.
Tesla gave the world the alternating current, still widely used today, but also contributed to lighting, robotics, lasers, wireless communications, and x-rays.
The flamethrower is a weapon often associated with 20th-century warfare, however the flamethrower as we know it is, objectively, not an entirely new concept.
Vikings were quite the travelers. From the 8th-11th centuries, they journeyed throughout Europe, the North Atlantic, and to North America -- exploring, raiding.
Perhaps most common of all is the idea of Xanadu as a mysterious Eden, a lavish, exotic city in the Far East, and that would actually be closer to the truth.
In 2005, the disappearance of Natalee Holloway gained international attention, as the 18-year-old high school student seemingly vanished without a trace.
The Black Mafia Family is one of the largest drug-trafficking rings out of Detroit, Michigan. It was created by two brothers, Demetrius and Terry Flenory.
To attract the epithet "Bloody" amid the barbarity of Tudor England takes some doing, but it's a name that has stuck for centuries to Queen Mary I (1516-1558).
In 1678, a Venetian noblewoman named Elena Cornaro Piscopia made history by obtaining a doctorate. This is the true story of the first woman to earn a Ph.D.
William Shakespeare penned one of his greatest tragedies, "Macbeth," around 1606 with the hopes of impressing his patron, King James I — adding special touches.
Hillary shares another similarity with Lindbergh, albeit for a considerably more tragic reason. Like Lindbergh, Hillary also lost a child after his conquest.