News | HISTORY

How the Barcode Was Invented

Barcode tech was first patented in 1949, but engineers came up with the UPC code in the 1970s to answer a need for better efficiency in grocery stores.

How World War I Spurred the Invention of Blood Banks

The carnage of World War I drove advances in new techniques and tools to collect and store blood and offer safe transfusions.

How ‘Nosferatu’ Reinvented the Vampire

While the 1897 novel ‘Dracula’ launched a genre of literature and film about vampires, a 1922 knock‑off film cast the villain in a whole new light.

How England Evacuated London’s Children Ahead of World War II

Operation Pied Piper organized the evacuation of some 800,000 children from urban “target” locations in anticipation of Nazi bombings.

The Year Election Night First Became a TV Event

In 1952, news stations combined two new technologies—the TV and the computer—to forever transform how voters experience election night.

Gettysburg: Ghost Stories From the Civil War Battlefield

For more than a century, people visiting Gettysburg have claimed to hear phantom footsteps, ghostly drumbeats and echoes of musket fire.

When John Adams Signed a Law to Authorize Deportations and Jail Critics

The 1798 Alien and Sedition Acts called for deportation of people from ‘hostile’ nations and made it a crime to criticize the government.

Why Are There 19 Statues in the Korean War Memorial?

The 19 steel statues in the Korean War Memorial represent both a literal, and symbolic tribute to those who fought in ‘America’s Forgotten War.’

Hurricane Science: Key Advances in Tracking the Deadly Storms

The first recorded hurricane forecast was issued by a Jesuit priest in 1875. A series of critical tools have since refined the science.

The Army General Who Invented Muzak

Eisenhower installed ‘elevator music’ in the White House and NASA used it in astronaut training, but its inventor came up with many other, more impactful inventions in his lifetime.

How the Empire State Building Was Built in Record Time

Workers completed the 102‑story, Art Deco‑style landmark in an astonishing one year and 45 days.

How President Grover Cleveland Won Two Non‑Consecutive Terms

President Cleveland lost his first reelection bid in 1888—then returned four years later to win back the White House.