The history of the pencil is inextricably linked with the entire history of human communication as it flowed from oral traditions to written communication, and the development of written languages, where tiny scrawled symbols denoted sounds made by the human mouth, tongue, and throat.
Read MoreBody modification has an incredibly long history — as soon as we were aware of the way we look, we were trying to change that for one reason or another. One of the most drastic forms is foot binding, a Chinese practice that Ancient History says started during China's Tang Dynasty.
Read MoreNot only did Columbus not discover America -- there were already Native Americans who had been living there for thousands of years -- he literally never set foot in what became the continental United States.
Read MoreWe still celebrate the animal that started its place in the world with the unremarkable name of Tardar Sauce, according to The Telegraph, inspired, in part, by Grumpy Cat's orange-ish coloring, similar to the actual condiment.
Read MoreFrom his passion for flight to his poetry, this is everything you never knew about Jimmy Stewart.
Read MoreArnold Palmer's contributions to the sport earned him a Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal. One of the greatest players of all time, he won 62 PGA tour titles and is fifth in the all-time victory list behind other famous golfers like Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus.
Read MoreAs one of the biggest pop and rock stars in the English-speaking world, the Piano Man has made the news a lot — not just for his musical accomplishments, but for his romantic entanglements and tabloid scandals. The New Jersey native has lived a colorful life, to say the least.
Read MorePeople have always had a thing for unsolved mysteries. We can't stop thinking about the possibilities and it doesn't help when the creep factor is through the roof. High-profile unsolved cases are even worse for the coverage they get. Here are unsolved celebrity deaths that'll keep you up at night.
Read MoreThe ancient Romans were no stranger to vanity. They cared greatly about maintaining appearances, and hygienic practices such bathing, wearing nice perfume, and even regular dentistry were all a necessary part of communicating their wealth and social standing. Clothing was an important status symbol.
Read MoreUp until 2003, Kane wore a horrifying blood-red mask we're all pretty sure was forged out pure nightmare fear, but one Monday Night Raw in June, Kane took on Triple H in an unmasking match that knocked the wrestling world back on its heels. As it turned out, the move would be a boon to his career
Read MoreArea 51 is reportedly just another government facility sitting ominously in the middle of the Nevada desert, home to the usual government weirdness like military tests and secretive operations with code names like the Watertown Project and Skunk Works. How did it come to be associated with aliens?
Read MoreTraditionally, it's been attributed to Clement Clarke Moore, a theologian and professor of Middle East and Greek literature. For some years now, academics and descendants of the poet Henry Livingston, Jr., have claimed he should have bragging rights for creating it.
Read MoreIf you're a writer, it's something you expect to have on you at all times. The ballpoint pen, your trusted companion throughout school and the days when checks were still being used, has only been around since the 1930s. And we have one man to thank: Lászó Biró.
Read MoreThere was one stunt, however, that Big Show used to get the fans hyped about his WrestleMania 24 match against legendary boxer Floyd Mayweather that he wouldn't regret, or be able to forget for quite a while after.
Read MoreThere's nothing like a tall glass of rock-and-roll drama in the morning, which happens to be around 3 p.m. rock-and-roll time. In this "Why are those people fighting?" piece, we're here to talk about the feud between Mötley Crüe and co-founder of the band Metallica, Lars Ulrich.
Read MoreRemember the Alamo? The battle famously left very few survivors after Mexican troops advanced into the garrison. Among those few survivors were Susanna Dickinson and her daughter, Angelina. Dickinson and other survivors corroborated much of what we know about the siege and final assault.
Read MoreBritish music legend Rod Stewart is widely celebrated for his contributions to the music industry as a singer and songwriter, and his life has been nothing short of a roller coaster ride. This is the untold truth of Rod Stewart.
Read MoreThe cosplayer inside the foam was none other than David Joyner, a man with a list of credentials that either makes him the worst's most interesting man, or the world's best cautionary tale about overly diversified resumes.
Read MoreWhile he must enjoy hosting Jeopardy!, Alex Trebek seems to really like being a TV personality, and spreading fun and good cheer. He's also not afraid to poke a little fun at his image, career, or his sometimes sternly-approached Jeopardy! duties.
Read MoreAlso known as the "Pennsylvanian Fireplace," Franklin wrote in his autobiography that he invented the stove in 1742, but according to Founders Online, it was more likely during the winter of 1739-1740. The stove was a metal-lined fireplace that stood away from a building's chimney.
Read MoreNo matter what you think of Cage's hyperbolic thespian talents, we can all agree on the real-life action he took in 2016 when he put a violent Vince in his place after an altercation with a fan who had asked Cage for an autograph.
Read MoreCommon characteristics include a coffin-shaped handle, a heavy cross guard -- the piece of metal found at a right angle to the blade above the handle -- and a "sweeping clip blade" with a "partially sharp top edge." The blade itself might measure anywhere from 9-12 inches in length.
Read MoreWhen the Black Sabbath covered Crow's "Evil Woman Don't Play Your Games With Me," their circumstances changed in ways that not only changed the band forever, but changed the heavy metal world -- arguably the music world as a whole -- in ways that could never be undone.
Read MoreWith such a monumental record, it's no wonder that fans of Andre the Giant's colossal legacy are still scratching their heads as to what happened when he fought Japanese wrestler Akira Maeda in 1986. In the video of the match, Andre is seen taking down Maeda by simply falling on top of him.
Read MoreIt's a small, ubiquitous little tool, so common and unassuming that it's easy to take it for granted. But for all its many uses, the paperclip is actually a relatively recent invention. The humble item now litters almost every office desk drawer in America.
Read Morethe success of Damn The Torpedoes made MCA want Hard Promises to be part of their new marketing program, in which records expected to sell particularly well would be priced a dollar more. "Superstar pricing" meant that Hard Promises would sell for $9.98 instead of the then-standard $8.98.
Read MoreThe story of Mac Miller is one we've heard too many times in too many different ways. A young talent finds fast fame and fortune, only to die young. It's a sad tale in some ways, and a story of accomplishment in others. In Mac Miller's 26 years on this Earth, he got a great a deal done.
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