You may have seen the famous Currier and Ives print depicting the electrifying kite experiment that Benjamin Franklin conducted with his son, William. Did Franklin really discover electricity? You may find the truth shocking.
Read MoreRecently, the world has found itself in the middle of a passionate love affair with hand sanitizer. Who knows why? Is there something in the news?
Read MoreFor a long time Yakuza members buttered their bread with extortion, blackmail, and racketeering. But their numbers are flattening like a heated panini. What happened?
Read MoreWith Angus Young's horn signs and the band's copious "Hell's Bells" imagery, it's easy to believe that the biggest controversies regarding AC/DC might have been of the devil-worshiping variety. Back in the day, it seems that one of the most curious things about the band was ... their name.
Read MoreFor the better part of the 13th century, the Mongols were a horseback riding cultural and military juggernaut of the Eastern hemisphere. Still, nothing lasts forever, and Genghis Khan's empire, while still famously genetically prevalent, has since crumbled. Here's what happened.
Read MoreIn 1937, Doctor Josef Mengele began work at Frankfurt, Germany's Institute for Hereditary Biology and Racial Hygiene. There, he worked under the supervision of hardcore eugenicist Otmar Frieherr von Verschuer, researching the effects of nature versus nurture, specifically focusing on twins.
Read MoreWhile a person's integrity isn't inherently defined by their bank account, former Uruguayan head of state Jose Mujica, dubbed "the world's poorest president," governed with a heart of gold.
Read MoreElizabeth I had the extremely mixed blessing of being born of the House of Tudor, the reigning royal family of England, which began with Henry VII in 1485. Royalty being what it is, and national elections being what they weren't, succession was always an issue.
Read MoreIn 1954, the Ray Kroc met Dick and Mac McDonald at their San Bernardino, California restaurant, was impressed by their efficient operation, and became their franchise agent who polished the concept, built the McDonald's restaurant chain ... and became filthy rich.
Read MoreIn 1918, children used to skip rope to a rhyme that captured the tenor of the time. Via Stanford University, it went like this: "I had a little bird. Its name was Enza. I opened the window, And in-flu-enza." Unfortunately, Enza flew in through a lot of windows.
Read MoreJoshua Tree National Park's got death, despair, stifling heat, and a dark and sinister past. Joshua Tree is in the Mojave Desert, the only place on Earth where you'll find the giant yucca plants called "Joshua Trees." The park's history is full of tragedy. This is the tragic history of Joshua Tree.
Read MoreThe Dalai Lama has been reborn again and again, in order to keep returning to help all living beings. This is the tragic real-life story of the Dalai Lama.
Read MoreEverybody has a blood type, which indicates what sorts of antibodies in their blood. But they can't all mix. Here's why.
Read MoreThough immortality is a long way off, scientists are at least hopeful enough to talk about the concept of stopping human aging, thanks to a strange aquatic animal known as the turquoise killifish.
Read MoreSo you, like the terrifying Nosferatu, the quietly noble chupacabra, and Nicolas Cage before you, have heard the seductive call of the night and decided to give in to your insatiable lust for blood. What's going to happen to your body?
Read MoreIf asked to name the most remarkable yet weird and disgusting body part, we would have to pick our nose. And on the grosser end of the spectrum, if you sneeze with your eyes open your peepers will pop out of your head. Or will they? Here's the truth about sneezing with your eyes open.
Read MoreIn life, there are two kinds of people: those who crack their knuckles, and those who hate them for it. If you crack your knuckles, you understand the good feeling you get. But how does crracking your knuckles work, and what really happens when you crack your knuckles?
Read MoreHow did we as a culture get from wearing tunics, robes, gowns, and togas to cargo shorts and mom jeans? How did pants go from being a sign of barbarism to being one of the only requirements to eat at a Waffle House? And why do we call them pants?
Read More"The real story of the Old West can never be told unless Wyatt Earp tells what he knows, and Wyatt will not talk," said perhaps the oldest of those friends, William Barclay "Bat" Masterson.
Read MoreNearly forty years after his final match and four years after his death, the name Muhammad Ali is synonymous with pugilistic excellence. But he wasn't always named Muhammad Ali.
Read MoreReady for a stunning revelation? Make sure you're sitting down, not operating heavy machinery, and preferably barefoot because this news would knock your socks off so fast you'd suffer third-degree friction burns. Okay, you ready? Sometimes famous musicians abuse drugs. Including Slash.
Read MoreMost of the world has locked down due to coronavirus. But not every country has been on board. The world's Scandanavian meatball mecca, Sweden, has refused to play ball, opting not to lock down parts of the country. Why aren't the Swedes sweating coronavirus as much as some other places?
Read MoreIn many ways, dogs are just like us. They love a long walk in the sun, they want to eat cats, and they can spend hours every day screaming at small animals outside the living room window. And they, like us, smell terrible.
Read MoreWhat if you were Henry VIII's kid? Would life be all strawberries and high fashion as the child of England's most notorious ladykiller?
Read MoreWith the rise of the coronavirus, what's left of the mall experience is often shuttered as part of the nation working together to stop the spread. Classic mall stores such as Sears, among others, may not survive the pandemic.
Read MoreAnyone even cursorily familiar with the WWE is probably aware of Roman Reigns. Less known is that he used to be a football player with professional dreams.
Read MoreRegardess of everything else Lennon was (and he was a lot), there's one thing he certainly was: Filthy rich.
Read More
