History.com Staff

Today, mummies are some of the most prized and highly valued artifacts of antiquity, but it might surprise you to know that prior to the 19th century, this wasn’t always the case.

These celestial events, whether solar or lunar, inspired fear, aided armies and helped confirm groundbreaking theories.

From poets and presidents to kings and courtesans, find out more about 10 of history's most famous tales of love and loss.

From record-breaking feats to streaking fans, Opening Day has seen its share of memorable moments in baseball history.

With baseball season back in full swing, we take a look at classic ballpark snacks like hot dogs, peanuts and Cracker Jack.

One of history’s oldest unsolved mysteries is the identity of Jack the Ripper, the infamous serial killer who stalked and murdered at least five women in London’s East End in 1888. The brutality of the Ripper’s crimes—as well as Scotland Yard’s failure to solve the case—caused a wave of hysteria in England and inspired gory […]

Famous artworks like 'The Mona Lisa' and 'The Scream' have been among the treasures stolen from museums, churches and castles.

Criminologists and amateur sleuths continue to seek out the murderer’s true identity.

During its nearly 30 years of operation (from 1934 to 1963), the federal prison on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay housed some of America’s most notorious felons, including gangsters Al “Scarface” Capone and murderer Robert Stroud, the famous “Birdman of Alcatraz.” Dubbed “the Rock,” Alcatraz was known as the nation’s most secure prison, and […]

Find out more about Rose O'Neal Greenhow and three other female informants who played a significant role in America’s bloodiest conflict.

Stories vary as to what caused the famous fracture.

From Thomas Edison to MTV, the music video's long history.

Amy Winehouse, Kurt Cobain and Janis Joplin number among the tragically long list of musicians who died at 27.

Six surprising facts about the Egyptian boy king and his final resting place.

Dive into the world of America’s most beloved crustaceans.

Find out about Freddie Mercury, the inspiration for today's Google Doodle, and other famous people who helped put a face on the HIV and AIDS crisis.

Marie Curie won not just one Nobel Prize in her lifetime, but two, for her groundbreaking work in radioactivity.

Explore Groundhog Day's shadowy history as well as interesting facts about the custom.

This Father’s Day, we bring you five men who exemplify some of history’s finest parenting—along with five others you’ll be glad you never had to call Dad.

Meet five U.S. presidents who spent part of their early careers shaping young minds in the classroom.

Find out more about the distinguished squad of all-Black flyers.

The first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution, known collectively as the Bill of Rights, became law on December 15, 1791.

In 1896, America's first-ever Olympic squad had the look and feel of a pick-up team. Their achievements stunned everyone.

Nearly seven millennia before movie nights and microwaves, humans snacked on popcorn, according to a new study.

Reports have long circulated that legendary outlaws Butch Cassidy and D.B. Cooper and entertainers Elvis Presley and Andy Kaufman survived long after their alleged deaths. Find out more about these claims and other famous people rumored to have lived on for years in obscurity.

In the early morning hours of July 17, 1918, Czar Nicholas II—the last monarch of the Romanov dynasty, which ruled Russia for 304 years—was reportedly executed along with his wife, Alexandra, and their five children by their Bolshevik captors in the basement of a house in Yekaterinburg. No bodies were immediately found, however, and rumors flew […]

Count Dracula was inspired by Central European folktales as well as historical accounts of the 15th-century Romanian prince Vlad Tepes, or Vlad the Impaler.

It’s one of the most famous quotes in history. But is it true?

When the United States first launched the “War on Drugs” in the mid-20th century, not even the cleverest conspiracy theorists could have imagined the far-reaching consequences the campaign would have around the world. From the CIA allowing drug traffickers to flourish in exchange for their assistance in toppling leftist leaders abroad to the deal made […]

Barrel plunges, tightrope walks and jet skis—Niagara Falls has seen a plethora of daring stunts.

C. Edwin Vilade discusses his new book “The President’s Speech,” which offers a behind-the-scenes look at the evolution of presidential addresses.

Explore fascinating facts about the life and legacy of England’s famous and mysterious Bard.

Earthlings have entertained many theories about the moon throughout history.

Get the story behind America's domestic intelligence agency.

We’ve all heard stories about King Arthur of Camelot, who according to medieval legend led British forces (including his trusted Knights of the Round Table) in battle against Saxon invaders in the early sixth century. But was King Arthur actually a real person, or simply a hero of Celtic mythology? Though debate has gone on […]

It’s hard to credit a single person with inventing the automobile. Not only did an estimated 100,000 patents lead to cars as we know them, but people also disagree on what qualifies as the first true automobile.  For historians who think that early steam-powered road vehicles fit the bill, the answer is Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot, a […]

The concept of green living may be new, but humans have been reducing, reusing and recycling throughout history.

From the origins of "Auld Lang Syne" to traditional foods, find out more about the history of New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

Lincoln was apparently quite interested in the meaning of dreams—and what they have to say about future events.

Grover Cleveland became the first and only president to be married at the White House when he wed Frances Folsom 125 years ago.

Claude Choules, a resident of Australia who also served during World War II, died Thursday at 110.

How could 115 people just vanish?

The summer solstice was a day of great significance for many past civilizations.

The game has ancient roots.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s fictional detective with the knack for solving crimes through observation and reason was modeled after Dr. Joseph Bell, one of Conan Doyle’s medical school professors. Conan Doyle, born in Scotland in 1859, studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh and went on to work as a physician in England while writing […]

We trudge back in time to revisit some of the worst blizzards in U.S. history.

Ever since it first took place in Uruguay in 1930, the World Cup has provided a steady stream of memorable moments and astonishing feats.

New research suggests that a layer of molten rock or magma may lie some 1,800 miles beneath our feet, sandwiched in between the Earth's core and its lower mantle.

As 2011 prepares to make its arrival, we take a look at some of the most exciting and consequential stories from this year in history.

As news breaks of the longest organ transplant chain to date, explore the history of these potentially lifesaving procedures.

As new research casts doubt on a leading theory about how the moon came into being, explore various lunar formation models.

Margaret Thatcher, known as the Iron Lady, reduced the influence of trade unions and privatized industries as the United Kingdom's first female prime minister.

The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was one of several discriminatory U.S. laws that curbed Chinese immigration and made Chinese people ineligible for naturalization.

The seeds of the devastating conflict had been planted long before the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.