Queen Victoria carried with her a royal curse, one that she passed on to other royals. Unlike that episode of Doctor Who, where Queen Victoria passed on lycanthropy to her heirs, her royal curse is more of a medical nature: She was a carrier for hemophilia.
Read MoreKehew has the dream job of occasionally being allowed into the Warner Bros. vault where the label keeps its decades of musical recordings. The warehouse, "this Indiana Jones-sized place," is full of recordings of musicians ranging from Jimi Hendrix to Madonna to Green Day and, of course, Van Halen.
Read MoreIn the 2017 report, researchers speculated on whether the brace kept Kennedy sitting upright after he'd been shot in the neck by Lee Harvey Oswald. Had the president not been wearing it, he may have crumpled forward, making it more difficult for Oswald to fire the fatal second shot.
Read MoreWhen trying to locate the physical, actual inspiration for the Garden of Eden, you might assume that we'd be looking for a pretty lush, verdant expanse stuffed full of bountiful fruits. But there have been a lot of climate changes in the Middle East going back to, oh, 10,000 BCE or so.
Read MoreMany people believe Alcatraz is one of the most haunted places in the United States -- it's featured in several haunted San Francisco tours. The Rock, as it's sometimes called, has seen death and violence in its long history, so it wouldn't be a surprise if restless spirits remained on the island.
Read MoreThe controversial, witty, brash, and "Rowdy" Roddy Piper was a fan favorite back when the WWE was the WWF in the 1980s and early '90s. The mouthy wrestling superstar and somewhat successful actor had a reputation for creating a scene.
Read MoreIn a humble petri dish at The Institute of Physico-Chemical and Biological Problems of Soil Science in Moscow, two prehistoric creatures began to move and eat. Both are believed to be female. One is thought to be around 32,000 years old, while the other is pushing 42,000 years old.
Read MoreAs the cohost of the wholesome family show "Wheel of Fortune," Vanessa White has a good sense of humor about her job. Her life has been quite interesting too.
Read MoreIt was the Middle Ages; things were bound to be terrible compared to now. The sad thing is, even if people lived through the hunger and the wars, a doctor might end up killing them instead. Medicine, especially military medicine during the Crusades, was crude and often very dangerous.
Read MoreKitt wasn't done pushing boundaries, and the following year her headstrong attitude and fearlessness in the face of power would land her in hot water with one the country's most powerful and secretive federal agencies.
Read MoreThere are covers that are absurdly strange, with fans and critics alike agreeing that they flat-out shouldn't exist. Metallica's tribute to Prince in Minneapolis during the WorldWired Tour belongs in the latter category, as their cover of "When Doves Cry" made headlines for all the wrong reasons.
Read MoreAlcatraz had one luxury that most other prisons lacked: "reasonably hot" showers. Showers weren't private, and had to be quick, but they were at least not frigid. It's suspected that this gesture was merely an attempt to prevent prisoners from getting acclimated to the cold water of the Bay.
Read MoreIs a "mountain man" precisely the kind of long-bearded, ax-hefting hermit you imagine him to be? Who exactly were these atavistic conquerors of tree and hill, these intrepid trappers of critters and traders of tabacky? Something a bit more authentic than who we see on The History Channel, mayhaps?
Read MoreBefore Robert Koch discovered the tubercular bacillus in 1882, the lack of understanding of the bacteria and the disease it caused led to some wild theories and attempts to curb the spread of tuberculosis. Surprisingly, this intersected with vampire legends in an especially curious manner.
Read MoreThe legend of the Lost Dutchman's gold mine is one of murder, secrets, and a lot of gold. For over a century, treasure hunters have sought the Lost Dutchman's treasures supposedly lost in the Superstition Mountains of Arizona. This is the legend of the Lost Dutchman and his gold.
Read MoreSeattle has always been a city of industry and innovation, something that teenagers Jim Casey and Claude Ryan knew all too well. In 1907 they borrowed $100 from an acquaintance and founded the American Messenger Company, which would eventually become UPS.
Read MoreUncharted has occasionally veered into some pretty creepy territory, bringing our dashing hero into contact with genuine monsters and calamities beyond the scope of the natural order of things.
Read MoreNina Simone is known as one of the most prolific vocalists and pianists of 20th-century American music. This is Nina Simone's tragic real-life story.
Read MoreThese actors have never been in a good movie. In fact, many of them have been in some of the worst movies of all time.
Read MoreGeoglyphs are basically designs that someone's made on the surface of the earth, through etchings or piling up elements to create a picture. Geoglyphs can be found throughout the world. These are the most mysterious geoglyphs on the planet, from Peru to Ohio.
Read MoreA Quiet Place, the sneakiest horror thriller in a long time, is downright amazing and guaranteed to make you jump more than once. But as amazing as it is, A Quiet Place has more than a few plot holes and inconsistencies. Here are dumb things in A Quiet Place that everyone just ignored.
Read MoreIQ tests have been around, in one form or another, for over a century. Sadly, the many occasions in which IQ tests have been used as a justification for racism, eugenics, xenophobia, and executions is ... deeply troubling, to say the least. This is the messed up truth behind IQ tests.
Read MoreIn the mid-1800s, the United States set its sights on Alaska, now a state rich in oil, fish, minerals, natural wonders, and snow. But not everyone thought it was such a great idea The US went ahead and made the purchase anyway. So what is the real reason Russia sold Alaska to the United States?
Read MoreOf all the places one could imagine cutting an album, a casino falls on the list somewhere around "in the back of a semi on a busy highway" and "recording in the park during a Memorial Day barbecue." Casinos are loud places, and loud isn't exactly conducive to recording clean tracks.
Read MoreHis contributions to the film industry were acknowledged with a knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II of England at the turn of the millennium. He'd picked up an Academy Award in 1988 for Best Supporting Actor in The Untouchables, but as the wise old acting professor once observed, you can't eat awards.
Read MoreIt was his natural skill and sheer love of baseball that propelled him forward. He was named the MVP for 1998. He surpassed the former MLB champion Roger Maris's home run record. With Sosa's record, he ought to be in the Baseball Hall of Fame by now. That hasn't happened -- and perhaps never will.
Read MoreConnery was 18 when he first started the sport. After a couple of years he saved up enough to train with a professional named Ellington, a former gym instructor with the British Army. After two years of professional guidance, Connery stepped into the world of bodybuilding competitions.
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