It was even more common to blame animals for the spread of the disease, and 14th century Europeans became completely fixated on the wrong animal. Instead of trying to eradicate the disease-filled vermin that were ravaging the cities, some decided black cats were to blame for all their problems.
Read MoreThe Laurel Canyon mansion/studio is a popular stop for rock and roll sight-seers exploring LA, and it's popular for reasons beyond the music industry as well. The Mansion is said to be home to spiritual entities, and many of those who've spent time at the studio have left with ghost stories to tell.
Read MoreIf there's one thing pop culture has taught us, it's that Australians are exceptionally concerned about dingoes eating their babies. Here is the true story.
Read MoreWomen in ancient China, beginning in the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE) up until the early 20th century, bound their feet as a means to attract better marriage prospects. This made their feet incredibly small, but it also meant their feet become gnarled, broken, and painful.
Read MoreThe M60 is not the sort of vehicle the military wants citizens driving around the streets, and chances are you aren't going to find one with the keys in it unless you're desperate enough to grab one from a military base. Which, oddly enough, is exactly what happened in 1995 in San Diego.
Read MoreFor the longest time, it was believed that we killed off Neanderthals, since they seem to have disappeared shortly after we traveled out of Africa. The takeover was thought to be a gradual one. All the evidence suggested we were smarter, with more advanced weapons, hunting techniques, and language.
Read MoreBetween 1929 and 1939, the entire industrialized world was caught in the grip of the biggest financial crisis in history -- the Great Depression. While the Great Depression was horrible for those who lived through it, the U.S. would look very different today if it hadn't happened.
Read MoreThe Japanese temple at Sanjūsangen-dō is home to 1,001 statues of the Kannon Bodhisattva, the Buddhist goddess of mercy. But this shrine holds more than just an impressive statuary; it's home to an important rite of passage.
Read MoreRed Hot Chili Peppers was propelled forward with some new blood to make Blood Sugar Sex Magik.
Read MoreAs Elton John described his early career, "The word 'celebrity' didn't exist, you were either successful or not." But Sir Elton has a very specific reason for the disdain he has for reality TV and its stars.
Read MoreAlice in Chains were among the pioneers of the sonic sounds coming out of Seattle, Washington, when grunge took over rock n' roll in the 1990s. But the band was plagued by demons that were all too common among their contemporaries and reached the point of breaking up.
Read MoreWhile it might seem pretty straightforward that after the end of WWII, the Nazi party needed to pay the price for their crimes, it didn't exactly work that way. Many fled Europe in the aftermath of the war and ended up in South America. How they got there is both bizarre and terrifying.
Read MoreSonny & Cher rode a rollercoaster of successes and failures. Together they topped the charts, danced on the edge of bankruptcy and became a television sensation. But they eventually split, effectively ending Sonny Bono's time as a star. After a rebirth in politics, his life was cut short by tragedy.
Read MoreThe name Guinness is likely to conjure up images of the legendary Irish beer, but over the years, rumors emerged of a Guinness family curse.
Read MoreSome of the best performers in the world are both entertaining and filled with internal turmoil. Here are the tragic stories behind pop's biggest stars.
Read MoreThe birth of the American Mafia started when a handful of Sicilian immigrants landed in New York in the mid-1800s to escape their crimes.
Read MoreWhile we know that humans are led by senses such as sight and sound, a recent study has found that humans are also led by their noses and their senses of smell. Here's what you probably didn't know about humans' sense of smell according to science.
Read MoreWhile guitarist Jimi Hendrix's death came unexpectedly in 1970, the 27-year-old's fame continued to blossom posthumously, with the rocker gaining legendary status years after his passing at a young age. This is the eerie way Jimi Hendrix foreshadowed his own death in a song.
Read MoreMank tells how screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz or "Mank," wrote Citizen Kane, a thinly veiled attack on newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst. As with all real-life stories turned into film, liberties had to be taken. Here are the times Mank lied to you.
Read MoreThe world of the Neanderthals was a near-endless winter and there were many ways to die, as the unluckiest Neanderthal in history once found out. Some deaths, and this still holds true today, are simply the result of an unfortunate circumstance. This was the unluckiest Neanderthal in history.
Read MoreVince McMahon built the WWE into a global sports entertainment empire worth billions. But all that success came at a cost, as the use of steroids became rampant among wrestlers. In 1993, McMahon's chickens almost came home to roost. Here's how a steroid trial almost led to Vince McMahon's downfall.
Read MoreCannibalism has existed in humanity for pretty much all of our known history. But in the modern day, it's mostly stopped. Is cannibalism illegal in the U.S.?
Read MoreHeaven's Gate achieved instant notoriety in March of 1997, when the discovery of 39 bodies sparked a media frenzy. This is the untold truth of Heaven's Gate.
Read MoreFor a century, the National Christmas Tree has been an institution in the USA's holiday celebration.
Read MoreElla Fitzgerald is undoubtedly one of the greatest singers ever. And, like many extraordinary talents, her rise to fame seemed to have come out of nowhere. But Fitzgerald worked hard to find success and a last-second decision helped propel her to stardom.
Read MoreTina Turner was just 18 years old when she gave birth to her first son, Craig, whose father performed with Tina's future husband, Ike Turner. The Turners had a famously rocky marriage & Tina relayed that Craig had been particularly affected by witnessing Ike abuse her.
Read MoreBillionaire Patricia Kluge took her 1990 divorce to the bank, but like other billionaires who lost their entire fortunes, it wouldn't last. The $1 billion she got in the breakup was the largest divorce settlement ever at the time. This is the way billionaire Patricia Kluge lost everything.
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