History Operation Beluga — or how a Soviet ice breaker played music to thousands of ice-trapped whales to save them from starving August 5, 2024
History The turnspit dog: The extinct breed that once powered every kitchen in the UK before modern appliances March 12, 2024
History Who was Elizabeth Báthory: the Blood Countess and Hungary’s own female Dracula January 23, 2024
History Why do we carve pumpkins for Halloween? The history of a popular and ancient tradition October 27, 2023
Engineering Horten Ho 229: the secret Nazi jet-engine stealth warplane that was decades ahead of its time October 20, 2023
Great Pics Over 100 years ago, this telephone tower in Stockholm connected 5,000 telephone lines May 26, 2023
Birds A feathered foe: How Emus fought the Australian army — and won April 24, 2023 - Updated on May 4, 2023
History When was Jesus really born? It wasn’t on Christmas, that’s for sure December 23, 2022 - Updated on May 8, 2023
Culture & Society The pagan origin and history of the Christmas tree December 9, 2022 - Updated on December 11, 2023
History Science Santa History: The Origins of Santa Claus December 6, 2022 - Updated on December 21, 2023
Culture & Society Did Vikings ever wear horned helmets? Not really, but here’s why people think they did October 24, 2022 - Updated on May 1, 2023
History Götz von Berlichingen: the 16th-century legendary Cyborg Knight with an iron hand September 19, 2022 - Updated on May 1, 2023
History What were hieroglyphs, the Egyptian words of the gods, and what did they mean? August 4, 2022 - Updated on May 1, 2023
History Silphium: the lost ancient world’s herbal birth control — 2,500 years before modern contraceptives April 22, 2022 - Updated on May 2, 2023
History How the ancient Romans built roads to last thousands of years January 30, 2022 - Updated on February 14, 2024
History Why did plague doctors wear that weird beaked costume? November 10, 2021 - Updated on May 4, 2023
Food and Nutrition Sugarcane, slaves, empire-toppling — the story of rum September 9, 2021 - Updated on May 5, 2023
Culture & Society From animal intestines to fighting HIV: the important history of the humble condom August 23, 2021 - Updated on July 20, 2023
History Who were the Inca, South America’s largest ancient empire? August 17, 2021 - Updated on May 6, 2023
History The Chernobyl Disaster — 35 Years Since our Worst Nuclear Tragedy April 26, 2021 - Updated on May 12, 2023
History What the Roman Empire looked like at its peak in one glorious map January 18, 2021 - Updated on September 19, 2023
Culture & Society Historic foods: The story of polenta and its journey from poor man’s food to classy delicacy August 27, 2020 - Updated on May 6, 2023
History A call to defuse the biggest threat to civilization: nuclear weapons October 7, 2019 - Updated on May 6, 2023
History Who really invented the light bulb — according to experts April 18, 2019 - Updated on October 10, 2023
History Why India and Pakistan keep fighting over Kashmir — the history of the Kashmir conflict March 8, 2019 - Updated on May 5, 2023
Archaeology What was the Indus Valley Civilization: the forgotten superpower of the ancient world November 29, 2017 - Updated on May 4, 2023
History Who really discovered America? (Spoiler: it’s not Columbus) October 24, 2017 - Updated on January 31, 2024
Bizarre Stories In Medieval times, people would pay Sin Eaters to carry their sins October 24, 2017 - Updated on May 4, 2023
Culture & Society Chocolate files: from the early days to today’s dark pleasure August 13, 2017 - Updated on May 4, 2023
Books The Book of Civilized Man: The good manners book from the 14th century February 8, 2017 - Updated on May 8, 2023
History The legendary Fairy Flag passed on by Scottish clan leaders for over 1,000 years January 4, 2017 - Updated on May 1, 2023
Health The mysterious Inca practice of multiple-trepanation December 15, 2016 - Updated on May 1, 2023
History The story of Poland’s secret “Flying Universities” that gave men and women equal chance, Marie Curie among them August 19, 2016 - Updated on May 31, 2023
History The Inglorious Legacy of the ‘Iron Curtain’ in 20 Maps June 2, 2016 - Updated on April 30, 2023
Art and Music This is the oldest song in history: a 3,400-year-old hymn March 14, 2016 - Updated on May 9, 2023
History Rotten Teeth, village football, and no baths: The Hard to Believe Realities of Life in Tudor England January 27, 2016 - Updated on April 30, 2023
Geography Japan’s North coast is riddled with ancient carved stones – tsunami warnings January 25, 2016 - Updated on May 8, 2023
Bizarre Stories Meet Unsinkable Sam: The Cat that Survived Three Ships Sinking in WWII November 12, 2015 - Updated on April 30, 2023
Culture & Society Science Santa History: The origins of Christmas Customs December 13, 2014 - Updated on May 8, 2023
Environment How many people did Genghis Khan kill? So many that it was good for the environment May 27, 2014 - Updated on May 30, 2023
Features The creative and (often times) dirty things Romans wrote on walls May 12, 2014 - Updated on April 28, 2023
