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History vs. Myth
You don’t need fiction when history provides you with tales as crazy as the ones we’ve collected for you. Read up while your jaw drops.
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What Was So Terrible About Ivan the Terrible?
Ivan the Terrible's sobriquet may have been due to a mistranslation but he sure lived up to it, torturing and killing his many enemies. Still, he didn't start out so evil.
Was the Terrifying 18th-century Beast of Gévaudan a Wolf or Something More Sinister?
In the 1760s in the fields and forests around the town of Gévaudan in southern France, a monster lurked, killing as many as 100 people. But, to this day, the identity, or even the species, of the Beast of Gévaudan remains unknown.
5 Facts About Persephone, Queen of the Underworld
Persephone, the wife of Hades, lived one-third of the year in the Underworld with him and the other two-thirds of the year on Earth with her mother, Demeter. Pomegranate seed, anyone?
The Gullah Geechee Tradition of 'Haint Blue' Paint Keeps the Spirits Away
The Gullah Geechee people of the southern coastal U.S. painted their porch ceilings blue to trick the haints — witchy, shape-shifting spirits — into thinking their houses were surrounded by water, which everyone knows a haint can't cross.
The Myth of the Minotaur, the Legendary Beast We Can't Forget
Half man, half bull, this raging hybrid could be a perfect symbol of the oft-pondered dual nature of man.
Do the Kings, Queens and Jacks on Playing Cards Represent Real People?
Is that Henry VIII on the king of spades? If not, then who is it?
Zeus Swallowed His Wife Whole, Plus 6 Other Tasty Zeus Tidbits
Yep, total power move, swallowing the wife. As king of the gods, Zeus could also, from his commanding position in the sky, blast any human or monster with his lightning bolt.
The New England Vampire Panic Was Very Real and Very Deadly
In the 1890s, consumption (now called tuberculosis) was ravaging New Englanders. But what caused it? Could it be ... vampires? They exhumed the dead bodies to find out.
Who Was the Real Mary Magdalene?
She's been portrayed as repentant prostitute, the secret wife of Jesus, a demon-haunted woman and also the apostle to the apostles. So, who was Mary Magdalene really?
7 Finger-lickin' Legends About Colonel Sanders and KFC
Was Sanders a real colonel? Does KFC use real chicken or something else? Find out as we bust some myths about KFC and its founder.
Searching for the Lost Horizon of Shangri-La
A fictional paradise created by British author James Hilton in the 1933 novel "Lost Horizon," the mystical Tibetan paradise of Shangri-La remains largely mythical, despite the Chinese effort to make it a "real" place.
What's the Secret Behind the Number 666?
These three numbers are a favorite of horror movies dealing with the occult. But where did they come from, and what or whom do they really refer to?
No Need to Beware the Ides of March, Actually
March 15, the Ides of March, has become synonymous with betrayal, lost loyalty and unwelcome surprises. But should this day still make us wary?
Hades, Greek God of the Underworld, Had a Pretty Good Gig
In comparison to his brothers, Zeus and Poseidon, Hades ended up with a mixed bag, ruling over both the dead and everything under the earth, including seeds, grains, gold and silver. But it's not as though the Greek god got the short straw.
What Happened to the Lost Colony at Roanoke?
When Gov. John White left Roanoke to gather supplies from England, he was astonished at what he found when he returned. The colonists were gone, their houses were gone and the only clue to their whereabouts was a tree carved with the word "CROATOAN."
How 'Scarface' Al Capone Became the Original Gangster
Al Capone was one of the most notorious gangsters in American history, ruling the streets of Chicago with an iron fist. So why did it take tax evasion to bring him down?
Cash for Teeth: The Legend of the Tooth Fairy
If you have kids, you may have noticed that the price for a lost tooth has skyrocketed. But do all you tooth fairies out there know where the idea of exchanging money for teeth came from?
How Hercules Totally Nailed His 12 Labors
Hercules was forced to repent for murdering his family by performing a series of 12 seemingly impossible tasks, or labors. Here's how he rocked every one of them.
7 Facts About Crafty Athena, Favorite Daughter of Zeus
Regarded as the goddess of wisdom and war, the patron of Athens is also considered the goddess of all things crafty and was the favorite of the Greek god Zeus.
Anubis Was Ancient Egypt's Jackal-headed Guard Dog of the Dead
Anubis, the ancient Egyptian god of the dead and protector of the gates to the underworld, was said to oversee every aspect of the process of dying and mummification.
The Ghost of Wild West Gunslinger Tom Horn Still Haunts Wyoming
Tom Horn had a wild reputation and even murdered a few people. But there's doubt as to whether he really shot young Willie Nickell, the crime for which he was hanged. In fact some say his ghost is looking for justice.
Meet Hell-Cat Maggie, the Mythical Dame of the Dead Rabbits Gang
Hell-Cat Maggie, Gallus Mag and Sadie the Goat sure have colorful names. They're alleged to be members of various 19th century New York gangs. But did any of them really exist?
Can a Country Buy Another Country?
Trump's recent inquiry into the possibility of the United States buying Greenland made us wonder if countries can actually buy and sell each other.
Why Can't We Find Jimmy Hoffa's Body?
Jimmy Hoffa mysteriously disappeared on July 30, 1975 and hasn't been seen since. We talked to one expert with an ingenious theory about what might have actually happened.
Where Was Babylon and Does It Still Exist?
The ancient city of Babylon was a byword for wickedness in the Bible. But what is the real story? And how did Saddam Hussein try to bring it back?
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