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American comedian Christopher Titus said, “When you’re born, you’re pure. Unspoiled and trusting. Some say it’s the only time we’re perfect. You’re also born covered in blood and placenta. No one gets nostalgic about that.” It seems that Mr. Titus has not met some of the people on our list. The placenta is the organ

Roughly 66 million years ago, life on Earth faced its greatest challenge. A 6-mile (9.7-kilometer) wide asteroid called Chicxulub slammed into Mexico and famously deleted the dinosaurs and, ultimately, 75% of all species. But the event didn’t simply cause and end with the death of the dinosaurs. The emerging picture is much more frightening. The

What do you remember most about American Idol at its peak? Is it the amazing performances? The moment the wrong David won the seventh season? Be honest—it’s the hilariously awful auditions that opened each season. I could bet you dollars to donuts that more people remember the greats like William Hung than anyone who actually

From the classic play Arsenic and Old Lace to a whole surfeit of Agatha Christie novels, death by poison is a staple of the mystery genre. It is also frequently an incredibly unpleasant way to die. Cyanide poisonings can cause violent seizures and heart attacks, and strychnine can cause painful muscle spasms or one’s muscles

Anime villains are often complex and multifaceted characters that drive the narrative and create conflict for the heroes. From the brilliant Light Yagami of Death Note and the ambitious and power-hungry Sephiroth of Final Fantasy VII to the sadistic and unpredictable Hisoka of Hunter x Hunter, these anime villains have left a lasting impression on

Sound recording technology has come a long way since its invention in the 19th century. While its best-known uses might be bringing you your favorite music and podcasts, there are many surprising ways sounds are being used in scientific research. Here are ten strange and surreal examples, and you will not believe that some of

Cartoonist Charles Addams (1912–1988) created the much-loved Addams family in 1938. The family appeared in a series of single, unrelated cartoons. Addams didn’t name the characters or attempt to give them a backstory. The characters became the people (and things) that we now know so well when the 1964 television series introduced them into our

The Wild West era of American history is often romanticized as a time of rugged outlaws and fearless lawmen. Those people really did exist, of course. But there was much more to this period than just gun battles and train robberies. Beneath the surface of the popular narrative lies the story of everyday people who

Nothing beats the physical sensation of free falling, cruising through twisted helices and inversions. It’s exhilarating, gripping, and terrifying. You walk away with nausea and aches in places you can’t explain. And you legitimately feel like you’re going to hurl—but, oh, you so want to do it again… and again. If you love the thrill

The ancient world consisted of four great civilizations: China, Egypt, Mesopotamia, and the Indus Valley Civilization. China, Mesopotamia, and Egypt have been widely researched and are well-known to us all. But the fourth and equally important one, the far more sophisticated Indus Valley Civilization—also known as the Harrapan Civilization—seems to have been lost to the

One killer shoved his new bride off a cliff in Edinburgh for the insurance. Another shot two families in their beds as he burgled their homes. A third was publically hanged for killing a neighbor she’d quarreled with over some allegedly stolen wood. Scotland has had its fair share of gruesome murders, and we’ve compiled

When people think of libraries and archives, their minds tend to go to books. Libraries are usually set up for everyday book lending, while archives typically store documents of historical importance. But lurking in some of these bookish buildings are also a number of far more bizarre objects. Here are 10 of the weirdest things

Even if you do not believe in the supernatural, there is something weirdly entertaining about a creepy ghost story or an ancient mythological being. From the Chupacabra to the Loch Ness Monster, some myths have become incredibly notorious, but what about the lesser-known but equally terrifying myths? In this list, you will learn about ten

With roller coasters coming in at prices well into the octuple digits and the need to purchase large swaths of land that are both located in tourist destinations but not too close to people’s homes to warrant a complaint, building an amusement park can be a costly and complicated endeavor. And these two factors are

The James Bond theme song is as iconic as the girls, guns, and gadgets, and the accompanying title sequence has, over the years, provoked a shift in what audiences expect from film credits. And while it may often seem as if the cultural juggernaut that is the Bond song springs out of the ground readymade,

Navigating the complexities of religious practice can be a challenging task, no matter the context. Believers of a particular faith may find themselves struggling with decisions such as what attire to wear, what to eat, the language used during worship, and how to interact with individuals outside of their community. Additionally, they may spend a

Since the dawn of the motion picture and into the television era, science fiction has remained among the most popular genres. Nothing holds an audience’s attention like faraway worlds. Combining social and political commentary with space travel allows for limitless story-telling potential. From Endor to WOLF: 359, crowds cheer for space explosions. While fans worldwide

It’s hard to think of a monarch who has inspired as much heated debate as King Richard III of England. Was he an evil pantomime villain? Or a misunderstood peacekeeper? He spent the first 30 years of his life playing the loyal brother to King Edward IV, maintaining order and upholding justice in the north

We expect a lot from our celebrities. Mainly, we expect them to conform to the image we have of them. Celebrities can be (and some say should be) role models. In fact, celebrities are human beings with the same frailties as the rest of us lesser mortals. A lovable character from a show should be

In humans, mucus keeps tissues moist, and it also filters the air we breathe, trapping allergens and microorganisms before they can make us sick. Nature, on the other hand, has found more creative and fun purposes for the slimy stuff. Some are brilliant—like the snot bubbles that keep Australian animals alive during heatwaves—while others solve