Mary Ann Bevan: The Ugliest Woman in History

May 31, 2022

Mary Ann Bevan may have made a name as the ugliest woman in the world. But in her endeavours she also became an epitome of opportunism and o...

The Leaning Kiipsaare Lighthouse

May 30, 2022

In the sea, off the coast of Saaremaa, Estonia, stands a slender lighthouse leaning dramatically towards the sea. When it was built in 1933 ...

The Churches of Antarctica

May 30, 2022

In an article in Vice , Brian Merchant argues that the first structure that humans will probably build on Moon after they have completed bui...

The Longest Place Name in Europe

May 27, 2022

On the island of Anglesey off the north-west coast of Wales, just across Menai Strait, lies a small village with a big name: Llanfair­pwllgw...

The Shortest War in History Lasted Less Than An Hour

May 26, 2022

How do you define a war? Should both sides have a fair chance of winning? Is a coup within a protectorate justified as war? Does the conflic...

Shapira Scrolls: Forgery or Genuine?

May 26, 2022

In 1883, a Jerusalem antiquities dealer named Moses Wilhelm Shapira announced the discovery of a remarkable artifact—15 fragments of ancient...

How Sin Eaters Saved The Dead & The Dying

May 25, 2022

In 18th and 19th century England and Scotland, sin eating was a profession. Beggars, destitute and those in want of a measly morsel of nutri...

The Strange Petroglyphs of Dighton Rock

May 25, 2022

On the shores of Taunton River at Berkley, Massachusetts, stands a small museum with a single but massive exhibit—a 40-ton rock that was fis...

Pont Ambroix

May 25, 2022

Pont Ambroix, also called the Ambrussum Bridge, was a major Roman bridge across the Vidourle River connecting the end of Villetelle to Galla...

Baby Cages: The Strange Practice of ‘Airing’ The Baby

May 24, 2022

It’s true—no one can go to the lengths that our parents cover for us. It’s truer that no one can go to the lengths that parents of the 20th ...