New York City wasn’t always the gleaming skyscraper hub that it is now. In 1624, the Dutch settled along the Hudson River and stayed for two years before establishing the colony of New Amsterdam on Manhattan Island. The British took over control of the area in 1664 and renamed it New York City. New York
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Body hair. You know, I don’t know why we have such a problem with body hair in our society. Yeah, it looks a little weird. We don’t necessarily like it under our armpits—unless you’re a guy, then we consider it acceptable (even though it still looks like you’re holding a tribble under there). In other
Have you ever wondered what the most bizarre phobias are? We’ve tackled this topic before, but this one includes some additional and strange phobias for you to consider, as long as you don’t have phobophobia—the fear of fears (or of developing one). There are many different types of phobias that people have, and some can
The Met Gala is one of the most famous and fabulous social events in the world. It’s also the single event that best combines charity fundraising for a public museum with obscenely decadent self-indulgence fashion by A-list celebrities. The Met Gala has been held every year since 1948, and it has become more exclusive, more
The Tunguska Incident of the early 20th century remains one of the most intriguing “near-miss” events in human history. The notion that a meteor exploded several miles over the forests of the Tunguska region in Siberia is accepted by most. However, there remain small pockets of researchers who suggest that something else may indeed be
It’s just a “thing” that happens—it doesn’t matter if they’re in the public eye or not. Rulers love to kill their wives and get away with it. I mean, it’s not just rulers. People kill people every day, unfortunately. Yet, when it’s a leader who’s doing the deed, history loves to turn the image of
Outer space is home to all manner of weird and wonderful objects—neutron stars, nebulae, galaxy clusters. Among the most fascinating are black holes. Since German astronomer Karl Schwarzschild first predicted their existence in 1916, researchers have amassed a wealth of knowledge about the elusive giants. As astronomy becomes more and more advanced, scientists begin to
So you’re feeling achy, sneezy, congested, or queasy due to contracting a cold. In that case, you might want to check out some of these natural albeit bizarre cold remedies with the caveat that they are not necessarily “doctor recommended.” Let’s explore ten of the most bizarre cold remedies. Related: 10 Terrible Ideas In Medicine
In culinary circles, veganism is the new black. Between 2004 and 2019, the United States saw an approximately 300 percent increase in the number of people who consider themselves vegans, bringing that total to about 10 million. In the UK, a 2021 survey found an increase of nearly half a million vegans in just 12
When you hear the word library, you probably imagine rows and rows of books. But did you know there are all kinds of libraries dedicated to lending things other than reading materials? From musical instruments to live human beings, you can borrow anything these days if you know where to look! Related: 10 Lost Libraries
How would you react if your young child suddenly pointed at a picture of an early 20th-century home and exclaimed, “That was my house?” Or if they happened to catch a glimpse of a WWI documentary on TV and shouted: “That’s where they killed me!” Would you want to investigate their claims or simply push
Everyone loves going to the beach, especially on a hot day. The ocean is a beautiful place almost anywhere in the world, with so many entertaining water activities you can enjoy. Whenever you think of the ocean, hopefully, good memories come to mind. Whether you go with your family or significant other, it’s always a
Criminal punishment in most of the Western world is fairly straightforward today; most who have committed a crime can simply expect either a fine or varying amounts of prison time based on their misdeed’s severity. These, however, haven’t always been simple facts. History is full of cruel and—more importantly in this case—often extremely strange punishments
For better or worse, Americans tend to think of themselves as the biggest junk-food consumers in the world. While one glance down your average American main street makes it hard to argue against that idea, it turns out most of the world is just as dedicated to their mass-produced artery-cloggers as we are. And all
And the Oscar goes to…somebody else. What could be a better demonstration of acting chops than to smile graciously into the camera when that special envelope is torn apart and another’s name is announced? James Stewart was so modest about the Best Actor award he won for The Philadelphia Story that the statuette was displayed
Most of us know the drill with witchcraft accusations. Take a community ravaged by drought, sickness, or religious conflict, add some disenfranchised residents searching for a scapegoat, and the spotlight usually falls on a woman who is already seen as a blight on society. Elderly, unpopular, or poor women were common targets. Of course, most
What is it about feral children that both fascinate and horrify us? On the one hand, we think of the fictional Tarzan of the jungle living high up in the forest’s canopy, swinging gracefully on vines from tree to tree. He is happy living in isolation with animals. When Tarzan is in trouble, he calls
Legends of mythical monsters and creatures have sent chills down spines for hundreds of years. So intertwined have these stories become with everyday life that tragic incidents are sometimes blamed on these legendary creatures. For instance, the deaths of nine skiers on Dyatlov Pass were, for a long time, thought to be the handiwork of
Dozens of Stephen King’s short stories and novels have been adapted into film and television, and it seems every one has its own love affair with the rest of King’s work. The various King adaptations are packed with easter eggs and references to other titles, and it’s no surprise—King constantly does the same in the
Their names ring out like something between a punchline and a primetime memorial: Joanie Loves Chachi. After MASH. Joey. TV spinoffs are seldom a good idea and typically end up in the small-screen scrap heap. There are, however, some exceptions. A select few TV shows have parlayed a previously introduced character into a successful standalone