Historical Events

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?

By Patrick J. Kiger

Here are just 10 of the countless events in our history that have stoked fear among the masses — and rightfully so.

By Clint Pumphrey

Where were you when Farrah Fawcett died? Chances are you don't remember. But if we threw out Michael Jackson's name you could probably answer the question. Guess what? Both events were on the same day.

By Patrick J. Kiger

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?

By Josh Clark

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.

By Patrick J. Kiger

The Gold Rush-era Egg War of 1863 saw business competitors in San Francisco engage in lethal violence... over eggs?

By Laurie L. Dove

The presidential digs have housed more than a few untraditional pets through the years. Rebecca the Raccoon and Josiah the Badger are but two.

By John Donovan

Identity errors have led to a range of awfulness, from lengthy prison sentences to the wrong person being declared dead.

By Nicholas Gerbis

How about a list dedicated to the oddities and impressive nature of Guinness World Records? Before video was everywhere, Guinness World Records would publish a book annually that was a best seller. The records cover everything from longest hair to most piercings to the most people to dance the “YMCA” at a single location (that […] The post 15 Of The Craziest Guinness World Records appeared first on Goliath.

By James Sheldon

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.

By Rachel Pendergrass

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.

By John Donovan

On Aug. 25, 1835, The New York Sun ran the first of several newspaper columns on the moon's geography, vegetation and humanoid inhabitants. There was just one problem.

By Bryan Young

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.

By Laurie L. Dove

Imagine a researcher eavesdropping on your conversation from underneath your bed and recording it for an experiment. That really happened.

By Bryan Young

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.

By Oisin Curran

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?

By Bryan Young

Imagine 2.3 million gallons of molasses pouring down city streets in a massive, lethal wave. That was the scene in Boston on Jan. 15, 1919.

By Bryan Young

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.

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

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?

By Laurie L. Dove

Windows shattered, furniture broken and dozens of cadets including Jefferson Davis nog-wild on smuggled booze. A "party" in 1826 nearly altered the course of history.

By Laurie L. Dove

They may not seem stealthy to us, but back in World War I, zeppelins were airborne war machines. And some of them were made from cow intestines.

By Candace Gibson

In a battle of the valiant versus the vermin, Australian veterans rose up against a few thousand flightless birds. Care to guess which side won?

By Candace Gibson

As they say, if we don't learn from history, we're doomed to repeat it. And as these 10 historical events prove, humans seem to be more prone to repeating than learning.

By Clint Pumphrey & Melanie Radzicki McManus

UCLA's Urban Simulation Team is freeing the 1893 World's Fair from the musty pages of history books and turning it into something you can experience virtually.

By Jonathan Strickland

Yes, at one point in American history, a company tried to market its doughnuts as a healthy, vitamin-packed snack. Did it work?

By Sarah Gleim