What intriguing mysteries does humanity’s past hide? Puzzling archaeological discoveries and unanswered questions in world history to ponder about.
Ivan Mishukov’s story is one Charles Dickens would find hard to believe. The six-year-old boy was discovered wandering the streets in Reutov, a small Russian village. But Ivan was not lost. He had left his home when he was four and had since been living with dogs. However, this is…
Have you ever wondered where old sayings like ‘turn a blind eye to’ or ‘burning the midnight oil’ come from? Some of the following sayings have a really sinister origin, and others are completely surprising. 35 Popular Old Sayings and Their Real Meanings “At the Drop of a Hat” Means:…
If I asked you to name the smartest person who ever lived, you might say Albert Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, or someone like Stephen Hawking. I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t know a guy called William James Sidis, and yet, this man had an estimated IQ of 250 to 300. The…
When we think of Santa Claus history, we imagine a rather rotund, merry, and jolly old figure. We can picture him in his red and white suit, his twinkling eyes peering over a pair of half spectacles. There’s nothing dark about this benevolent and familiar Christmas character, or is there? …
Our use of language makes us human. Yet, we pay little attention to where words come from. Well, here are 12 interesting word origins you may have had no idea about. 12 Interesting Word Origins Vaccine (Latin) The word 'vaccine' has been in the news a lot recently. But where…
Would you describe yourself as an optimist or a pessimist? Perhaps you’re more of an idealist? Maybe you think it’s important to see the reality of a situation? In any case, is it better to be one or the other? The Stockdale Paradox states that a mixture of realism and…
Tricking people has become a normal pastime on the first of April. However, the history of April Fools’ Day is more interesting than that. For as long as I can remember, my friends and family have been playing tricks and lying to me on the first of April. Some of these…
With the current pandemic firmly entrenched and the death toll rising, it’s not surprising that people are looking to history for answers. However, if the strange bird-like masks worn by bubonic plague doctors are anything to go on, we’re in trouble. The coronavirus pandemic is not the first time we…
Some of the worst pandemics in history have taken millions of lives. What lessons have we learned from these horrible events? Understanding the history of the worst pandemics requires the ability to differentiate between the epidemic and pandemic in the definition. First of all, the epidemic is an outbreak of…
The holiday of Thanksgiving may seem straightforward with turkey and stuffing but has an uglier side that many are unaware of... The origin of Thanksgiving is more complicated than just the story of the pilgrims and Native Americans celebrating at Plymouth rock. It gets a bit darker, and peace ultimately…
