The Dark Secret Beneath NYC's Washington Square
Washington Square Park is one of the most iconic places in NYC. But most park visitors don't know that the area has a pretty macabre secret.
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This Country Loves Bob Ross Even More Than America Does
Was there any other country that took to Bob Ross in the way that Germany took to David Hasselhoff, or that the US has taken to the Canadian Ryans -- Reynolds and Gosling? Indeed there is.
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How Do People Celebrate Kwanzaa?
Kwanzaa got its start in 1966 when Dr. Maulana Karenga, a professor and chairman of Black Studies at California University, wanted African Americans to build community after the Watts Rebellion, a six-day riot in August of 1965 that killed 34 people and caused $40 million in damage.
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The Untold Truth Of The Foo Fighters' Taylor Hawkins
Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins might be the time-keeper for one of the world's biggest rock bands, but there are things about him that are a bit shocking.
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What Life Was Really Like In A Medieval Castle
While there is some variety across the different medieval castles still standing, there's a lot of similarities, too. Here's what life was like in a castle.
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The Truth About One Of The Last People Living In An Iron Lung
For many of us, the idea that people had to use an iron lung to stay alive seems like such a long time ago.
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The Accidental Origin Of The Snow Globe
Surgical instruments mechanic Erwin Perzy of Vienna, Austria, was performing experiments in order to improve the brightness of then newly invented electric light bulbs. Shoemakers at the time used the trick of putting candles in front of glass globes of water in order to create a diffused spotlight.
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The Reason Trent Reznor Once Refused To Play The MTV Movie Awards
Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor has never had a problem criticizing MTV, regardless of the direct effect the network has had on the band's success.
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The Truth About The Earliest Known Humans In Asia
Homo erectus looked a bit different from Neanderthals and modern humans, but you probably wouldn't notice they're a different species if you ran into one on the street. They grew to nearly average modern human height and had similar proportions.
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How Was Christmas Celebrated During The Spanish Flu Of 1918?
The holiday season of 2020 is missing many of its traditional gatherings and celebrations due to the global pandemic caused by COVID-19. This is not, however, the first time in history that the holidays have been interrupted by a widespread and very contagious disease.
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Here's What We Know About John Lennon's Tragic Childhood
John Lennon is remembered as a musical genius. We've learned a lot more about his personal life in recent years — and most of it is unflattering. But, with the information we now have about his history, we can see just how his childhood influenced his later behavior.
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The Real Reason Blue Santa Suits Exist
Artists drew St. Nicholas, a bishop, wearing red and white because that's what bishops traditionally wore. Santa Claus illustrations drew from St. Nicholas.
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The Real Reason The Winchester Mystery House Was Built
Come into a tremendous fortune under no action of her own, and bearing not only the weight of the Winchester name, but the knowledge of how many deaths her money came from. Such was the dilemma faced by Sarah Winchester.
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What Happened To The Man Who Killed John Lennon?
Unfortunately, little did Lennon know that he had actually sealed his fate the day he said those words, for they had a profound effect on a young man from Fort Worth, Texas, named Mark David Chapman, who shot and killed John Lennon on December 8, 1980.
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All The Times Rasputin Should Have Died
It wasn't until after Rasputin seemed to improve the Tsar's son's hemophiliac condition that the country would embrace his reputation. He became a favorite in Tsar Nicholas II's court, until his personality turned certain important people against him.
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Nova Scotia Gives Boston A Christmas Tree Every Year. Here's Why
The Boston Common Christmas tree has been a gift from the Canadian province of Nova Scotia for 48 years. Per the Boston Globe, the gift is thanks for the assistance Boston offered to Nova Scotia after the Halifax Explosion of 1917.
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The Truth About World War II's 'One-Man Army Of Bataan'
And then there were those otherwise ordinary folks who single-handedly inflicted enormous numbers of casualties on the enemy.
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The Tragic Real-Life Story Of Liberace
Liberace defined glitz and glamour. However, when the stage lights dimmed and the curtain closed, Liberace was a man at war with himself. Here's his story.
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First Man To Break The Sound Barrier Passes Away
Chuck Yeager, the first person to ever travel faster than the speed of sound, has passed away at the age of 97.
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How The Widespread Killing Of Black Cats Led To The Black Death
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.
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The Spooky Truth About The Mansion Recording Studio
The 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.
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The Messed Up True Story Of "A Dingo Got My Baby"
If 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.
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The Truth About The Ancient Tradition Of Chinese Footbinding
Women 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.
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What Really Happened After A Man Stole An M60 Patton Tank
The 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.
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Here Are The Neanderthal Traits You Could Be Carrying
For 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.
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How Life Would Be Different If The Great Depression Never Happened
Between 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.
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This Japanese Hall Featuring 1,001 Statues Is More Important Than You Think
The 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.
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