The Plane Crash That Killed JFK Jr.In 1999, the son of the famous president died, along with his wife, Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, and her sister Lauren Bessette, when the plane JFK Jr. was piloting crashed into the ocean.Read more
When Young Ancient Greek Women Raced at OlympiaLike the Olympic Games, the Heraia race was held every four years, likely as part of a prenuptial initiation ritual.Read more
How Disney’s ‘Snow White’ Elevated Animation to New HeightsThe Disney animation team spent three years, $1.5 million—and nearly 2 million separate paintings—in making its first feature film.Read more
Christa McAuliffe: How NASA’s Teacher in Space Project Ended in TragedyChrista McAuliffe embraced the chance to be part of a space shuttle mission and, despite the Challenger disaster, left an inspiring legacy.Read more
Historic Food MascotsFrom Betty Crocker to Ronald McDonald, companies have used human mascots as the ‘face’ of their products. Not all have stood the test of time.Read more
Esther Peterson: The Woman Behind the Equal Pay ActEsther Eggertsen Peterson was a driving force behind the Equal Pay Act of 1963, and also pushed for better child care resources.Read more
The Dyatlov Pass Incident: Why the Hiker Deaths Remain a MysteryIn February 1959, nine hikers were killed while trekking in the Ural Mountains. The Soviet government originally attributed a “compelling natural force” as the cause.Read more
How Truman Capote Cultivated New York’s Elite—Then Exposed Their SecretsA 1975 work of fiction included enough real-life references to turn New York socialites against Truman Capote.Read more
7 Surprising Facts About Classic Holiday TV SpecialsGet behind-the-scenes details about stop-motion specials like “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Frosty the Snowman” and “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town.”Read more
7 Ways the Living Tried to Keep the Dead in Their GravesHistorical graves reveal corpses with iron rods through their chests, sickles across their necks and padlocks on their feet.Read more
Viking Queen May Have Been Exceptionally PowerfulQueen Thyra was honored on engraved stones more than anyone else in Viking-Age Denmark.Read more
How Many Times Has the US Government Shut Down?In the United States, a government shutdown happens when there is a gap in federal funding and the government furloughs federal workers without pay. Although there are exceptions for certain “essential” employees (including the president and members of Congress, all of whom continue to receive pay) a shutdown means that a large portion of the […]Read more