In 1825, a British geologist went to Sicily and examined the remains of a female saint. He concluded that they weren’t human and likely belonged to a goat. He told the priests, who kicked him out and then placed the bones into a casket to prevent future study.
In 1850, California law made…
In 1850, California law made it legal for towns to pay bounties for Indian scalps. Shasta City offered $5 for every Indian head brought to city hall, expenses reimbursed by the state treasury. There were 150,000 Indians in California before the 49ers, by 1870 less than 30,000.
In Canada there is a prisoner known…
In Canada there is a prisoner known as “the Unknown Person” who has been imprisoned since 2013 because he refuses to identify himself.
During the cold war, soviet…
During the cold war, soviet troops weren’t issued toilet paper in the field, leading to them using official documents; Spies were sent in to retrieve these documents from disposal bins. It’s seen as one of the most successful espionage missions of the cold war.
Utqiaġvik (formerly known as Barrow)…
Utqiaġvik (formerly known as Barrow), Alaska, saw its last sunset for 65 days Monday afternoon, The next sunrise will be Jan. 23 of 2020. The towns population is 4,000.
USPS launched a site that allows you…
USPS launched a site that allows you to adopt wish lists/letters to Santa from low-income children.
The “No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service” signs…
The “No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service” signs commonly seen on the doors of stores went mainstream in the 1960’s as an attempt to keep hippies from shopping.
The Tulsa Center of the Universe…
The Tulsa Center of the Universe is an acoustic anomaly located in Oklahoma. When one stands in the center of the circle and makes a noise, that noise is echoed back several times louder than it was made, but no one standing outside the circle can hear a thing.
Today China is experiencing piano…
Today China is experiencing piano frenzy with an estimated 40m children now learning to play. The instrument is increasingly in vogue among China’s burgeoning middle classes, who have the money to splurge on steep lessons and expensive fixtures. For many, owning a Steinway is a status symbol.
During the Korean War, hundreds…
During the Korean War, hundreds of American pilots fought and died in a hot aerial war with the Soviet Union, which flew 75% of all fighter missions in support of North Korea. This was kept secret by both countries until the end of the Cold War to avoid pressure for confrontation.