When Did Humans First Get Tattoos?Inked‑up mummies reveal that, far from a modern phenomenon, humans have been getting tattoos for thousands of years.Read more
The 1875 Expedition That Found the Deepest Part of the OceanThe Mariana Trench remained undiscovered until a crew from the HMS Challenger unsuspectingly lowered a weighted rope into its immense depths.Read more
Jimmy Carter’s Life in PhotosThe legacy of America’s 39th president extends far beyond his four years in the White House.Read more
What Was the Strongest Wind Gust Ever Recorded in America?In 1934, wind gusts of 231 miles per hour roared over the top of Mount Washington, rattling the weathermen who managed to record it.Read more
7 Withering Droughts That Changed Human HistoryFrom ancient Egypt and Maya to the Dust Bowl, take a look back at some of history’s most devastating droughts.Read more
The 6 Most Active Volcanoes in the United StatesActive volcanoes abound in Hawaii, Alaska and the western United States, including several that have erupted in recent times.Read more
The 5 Deepest Lakes in the USOnly five U.S. lakes, most of them in the mountainous West, plunge more than 1,000 feet into the watery depths.Read more
How Ancient Egypt Advanced MedicineFor millennia, ancient Egyptian doctors were trailblazers—and evidence detected on skulls suggests its doctors may have even attempted to treat cancer. Read more
The 1964 Campaign Ad That Leveraged Cold War FearsThe so‑called “Daisy” ad played on fears of nuclear war in the race between Lyndon B. Johnson and Barry Goldwater.Read more
How Hitler’s Failed Beer Hall Putsch Helped Fuel His RiseHitler’s failed 1923 coup and his short term in prison ended up helping the future dictator reset and find his path to power.Read more
How ‘Dune’ Imagined Climate Disaster—and Inspired Environmental ActivismFrank Herbert’s 1965 science fiction novel, ‘Dune,’ tackled ecological themes and predicted some real‑world problems.Read more
Vikings Had Terrible TeethThe Vikings suffered from painful cavities and tooth abscesses. Still, their dental health was in some ways better than ours.Read more