Porta Alchemica is an actual door in modern-day Rome, in a park next to Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, practically smack dab in the center of the city. When we add the odd occult superstition into the mix, the reality of Porta Alchemica does indeed start to sound like something stranger than fiction.
Read MoreThe Spanish Armada is often the story of the underdog English, saved from certain destruction by guts and gusty providence. The true story of the Spanish Armada, as with any event from centuries past where thousands of people die, is far more complicated than you may think.
Read MoreEveryone probably wouldn't mind finding buried treasure, but not everyone would necessarily risk their lives to find it. One particular treasure known as Fenn's Gold was found in June, but not without people dying in their quest to retrieve it.
Read MoreA young man was flying a kite on Vintém Hill when he made a truly chilling discovery: Two bodies lying on the ground in some tall weeds. These weren't just any old mortal remains, either. The dead men were both dressed in suits and waterproof coats, and they had strange lead masks over their eyes.
Read MoreA day later, his car was found, but there was no sign of Sullivan. His guitar, clothes, wallet, and copies of his second album were found in his car and motel room, but there was no note indicating what might have happened. No further trace of Sullivan ever turned up.
Read MoreA quick, anecdotal survey of "What do you think is the most widely-sold book of all time?" might result in predictable answers like the Bible (King James version, perhaps?), or The Holy Quran. Of course, there are a lot of under-the-hood factors that need to be considered.
Read Morethe game of Monopoly was actually invented by a Left-wing activist who meant for the game to teach children the evils of capitalism, rather than extol the virtues of price-gouging landlords?
Read MoreMMA allows fighters to train in whatever discipline they want and fight with a myriad of styles that keep viewers pawning their stereos to afford the pay-per-view specials. Two fighters, male or female, sweaty and rolling around or the ground while they beat each other's brains out.
Read MoreSearch the internet for the Fifth Beatle, and you'll find a long list of potential candidates. But the one without whom The Beatles would not have been possible was producer George Martin. He was heavily involved in the unique sound.
Read MoreEverything about Jet Li is impressive, and the same might be said about his wife Nina Li Chi, who most people know nothing about.
Read MoreWoodstock was plagued by a number of unfortunate mishaps and the results of bad planning, but there's one event that is a strong contender for the worst thing that happened at the legendary 1969 hippie hoedown: the death of Raymond Mizsak.
Read MoreThere's nothing like the smell of mud, sweat, and "dirty hippies" in the morning, three days in a row. Man, Woodstock must have been great. But you had to be careful what you ate.
Read MoreThe orb accelerated faster and moved more sharply than any craft Gorman had ever seen in the air. At two points during the chase, the object and Gorman played a game of chicken, with Gorman pulling away at the last second during the first encounter and the orb doing the same during the second.
Read MoreThe eyeshadow protected the eye from the midday sun glinting off the Nile river, and the liner was to keep harmful bacteria and sand away. Before the invention of makeup, it was common for Egyptians to contract infections when dirt got in their eyes.
Read MoreZombies are actually from the Haitian tradition of Voodoo. They're corpses reanimated by Voodoo practitioners to act as slaves. The tradition is an old one.
Read MoreAll members of the Eagles have impressive net worths; according to Forbes, the band was the 75th highest-grossing celebrity of 2020 as of June 1st, earning $41 million dollars. They grossed $73.4 million dollars in 2019, despite only playing 29 shows. One member, however, has out-earned the others.
Read MoreAnd though Axl Rose's childhood isn't an excuse for any unpalatable behavior he may have exhibited, it certainly gives us a little insight into the trouble he's had in his past.
Read MoreIn 1965, after more than a decade of struggling to become the musician he dreamed of being and joining the ranks of the budding rock 'n' roll royalty, Roy Orbison began to see his fame fade...
Read MoreIf there were such a thing as the Avengers of the Greek world, it would be the Argonauts, a ragtag group of mythical heroes assembled to save the day. And they're a fascinating group, especially when you realize they gathered to help one person get his kingdom back.
Read MoreIf you don't believe in curses, maybe you should think twice. Most spiritual traditions around the world believed in curses, and the ancient Romans seemed to have had one for every occasion.
Read MoreRodman had hard times. If you were to spot him as a kid, you'd never know that he'd someday be shooting hoops for the NBA. His childhood goes far beyond everyday hardships, which makes his story of success all the more fantastic.
Read MoreThose of us born in the last century will never forget what Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold did on April 20, 1999. And at the time, none other than Marilyn Manson was blamed.
Read MoreGrynszpan shouted, "You are a dirty boche [slur for Germans] and in the name of 12,000 persecuted Jews, here is the document!" and shot vom Rath several times before being arrested by Parisian authorities.
Read MoreThis is a fight every kid who grew up in the 1980s or '90s wanted to see at some point. Two martial artists, two action stars: Jean Claude Van Damme vs. Chuck Norris. The highlight of the night.
Read MoreThere's something about covered bridges. They add a more pastoral look to a scene, and a certain mystique.
Read MoreEvery year on the 20th of Thoth (sometime in mid-August), the annual Festival of Drunkenness was held -- a religious experience normally reserved for nightclubs and key parties.
Read MoreThe Book of Enoch is part of the Bible in some Christian churches. But that doesn't mean it's not still full of weird stuff, like strange primordial beings, talking babies, stars with human downstairs parts, a corpse giving birth, and way more. Here are some messed up stories from the Book of Enoch.
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