The Ether Monument in Boston

Jun 19, 2023

In a corner in Boston's Public Garden, near the intersection of Arlington Street and Marlborough Street, stands an obscure monument that...

William Goodall: Robinson Crusoe of Singapore

Jun 15, 2023

Sandwiched between the mainland of Singapore and the Malay Peninsula, in the Straits of Johor, lies the small island of Pulau Sarimbun. The ...

Andy, The Goose Who Wore Sneakers

Jun 14, 2023

In 1988, Gene Fleming, a farmer and livestock equipment manufacturer from Hastings, Nebraska, was visiting his sister-in-law’s farm in Harva...

How Students Stole Britain’s Coronation Stone, The Stone of Scone

Jun 13, 2023

For more than seven hundred years, British monarchs have sat on a large block of rectangular sandstone during their coronations. This block ...

That Time When The Supreme Court Had to Decide Whether Tomatoes Are Fruits or Vegetables

Jun 8, 2023

Is tomato a fruit or a vegetable? It is a trick question, because the answer depends on who you ask. A botanist will tell you that it’s a fr...

Dickin Medal: Honoring Animals For Wartime Bravery

Jun 7, 2023

Animals have been an indispensable part of warfare and combat since ancient times. The ancient Greeks and the Romans trained their dogs spec...

The Radiological Incident in Ciudad Juárez

Jun 5, 2023

One of the worst radiation accident in North America took place in the city of Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, in 1984. Although the incident is rela...

Playa de Las Teresitas: A European Beach Made From Saharan Sand

Jun 2, 2023

Playa de Las Teresitas in Tenerife, Spain, is one of the most popular beaches of the Canary Islands, but the beach is not natural—it was cre...

Crocker Land: An Expedition To a Non-Existent Island

Jun 1, 2023

In 1906, Robert Peary had just returned from an unsuccessful trip to the Arctic. The veteran explorer had hoped to reach the North Pole, but...

The Tragic Death of Sophie Blanchard, The First Woman Balloon Pilot

May 30, 2023

Ever since Sophie Blanchard stepped into the basket with her husband, the famous balloonist Jean-Pierre Blanchard, she knew she belonged to ...