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Historical Events
From the Age of Enlightenment to the Christmas Truce, learn about some of history's most pivotal events.
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How Pacifism Works
Pacifism is more than just opposition to war. There are many types of pacifism, and some peace movements have successfully changed laws. But is pacifism still a valid concept in today's world of terrorism?
Ridiculous History: London Had a Train for the Dead
From 1854 to 1941, the London Necropolis Railway carried the dead and the living who mourned them alike to the largest cemetery in the world.
10 Scare-inducing Moments in History
Here are just 10 of the countless events in our history that have stoked fear among the masses — and rightfully so.
10 Monumental Events That Were Overshadowed by Other Events
Where were you when Farrah Fawcett died? Chances are you don't remember. But if we threw out Michael Jackson's name that might ring a bell. Guess what? Both events were on the same day.
Ridiculous History: When Warships Dazzled With Psychedelic Camouflage
From more than 100 years ago and up until World War II, navies used wild "razzle dazzle camouflage" paint patterns and colors to thwart enemies.
How the Hunt for D.B. Cooper Worked
After nearly half a century capturing the attention and imaginations of millions, the infamous D.B. Cooper plane-hijacking case has been closed. Will we ever know the true culprit?
10 Things Done Completely Out of Spite
Spite is not just for kids with broken toys. Many adults have gone to unbelievable lengths to pay back someone who did 'em wrong. Here are 10 classic examples.
Ridiculous History: 150 Years Ago, Men Killed for the Eggs of These Birds
The Gold Rush-era Egg War of 1863 saw business competitors in San Francisco engage in lethal violence... over eggs?
Watch: China's Ancient Buddhist Cave Art Perfectly Recreated in L.A.
A new exhibition creates exact replicas of cave art, found in a remote region along the Silk Road and spanning centuries, cultures and styles.
Ridiculous History: Bears, Raccoons — and Alligators? — in the White House
The presidential digs have housed more than a few untraditional pets through the years. Rebecca the Raccoon and Josiah the Badger are but two.
10 Terrible Cases of Mistaken Identity
Identity errors have led to a range of awfulness, from lengthy prison sentences to the wrong person being declared dead.
Underwater Dig Finds Proof Humans Settled U.S. Earlier Than Thought
Mastodon remains and stone knives discovered in Florida show human activity predating the Clovis people, long thought to be the region's first human settlers.
Ridiculous History: That Time Wine Flowed Out of the Taps
On the first Sunday in October, a fountain in the Italian town of Marino flows with wine. One year, however, things didn't go as planned.
Shunning the Suez: Tankers Take the Long Route to Save Cash
With oil prices dropping, a report showed some cargo ships found it cheaper to sail around South Africa, rather than paying $465,000 to go through the Suez Canal.
Ridiculous History: The Great Moon Hoax of 1835
In 1835, a newspaper ran a series of articles on lunar discoveries, leading papers to fly off the shelf. There was just one problem.
Ridiculous History: Ranchers Hacked Barbed Wire Fences to Create Phone Lines
A phone call from an early-1900s rural homestead was at the forefront of communications technology, and farms were the most networked communities of the time.
Ridiculous History: When Scientists Hid Under Beds to Do Research
Imagine a researcher eavesdropping on your conversation from underneath your bed and recording it for an experiment. That really happened.
How Operation Plowshare Worked
How to go from a Bible verse to carving canals with nukes in just a few easy steps — almost. Learn how operation plowshare worked at HowStuffWorks.
Racial History: Oregon Was Whites-only Until 1926
Think systemic racism was only a problem in the Southern slave states? Think again. It was alive and well in the Northwest, too. Is it still?
Ridiculous History: The 1919 Boston Molasses Flood Killed and Injured Dozens
Imagine 2.3 million gallons of molasses pouring down city streets in a massive, lethal wave. That was the scene in Boston on January 15, 1919.
10 Strangest Mass Hysterias
Mass hysteria epidemics are not as rare as you might think. They often occur in small, insular worlds like schools and factories where people feel stressed. We've got examples from the 16th century to the 21st.
New Clues to Ancient Roman Art Discovered in Egyptian Mummy Portraits
The captivatingly realistic Roman-Egyptian Fayum mummy portraits date to more than 1,500 years before the Renaissance. Scientists used state-of-the-art analytical tools.
Ridiculous History: Soviet Hipsters Bootlegged 'Bone Music' on Human X-rays
Under repressive regimes, teens still need their rock 'n' roll. What drastic measures did Soviets go to to create an underground vinyl record market?
Ridiculous History: The Time We Erased One of the World's Biggest Waterfalls
A placid lake above a hydroelectric dam on the border of Brazil and Paraguay was once site of Guairá, among the world's most awe-inspiring. Why'd we get rid of it?
Ridiculous History: San Diego's Unsettled $10,000 Rain Tab
It's December 1915. San Diego is booming but its main reservoir is low when along comes a rainmaker by the name of Charles Mallory Hatfield.
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