Topic

Biography & Personal Stories

A collection of 192 issues

Fallen from the Sky: The Unthinkable Story of 9/11's First Fallen Firefighter

Daniel Suhr, the first FDNY member killed on 9/11, was responding to the World Trade Center when he was tragically struck and killed by a person who had jumped or fallen from the South Tower, a harrowing testament to the chaos of that day.

The Cult of Lysenko: How Pseudoscience and Political Power Starved Millions

Trofim Lysenko, a Soviet agronomist, rejected genetics for his own pseudoscientific theories. Backed by Stalin, his policies, like planting seeds densely, were forced upon farmers, leading to catastrophic crop failures and contributing to devastating famines in the USSR and China.

From Gold Medals to Ground Meat: The Olympian Who Chose a Butcher's Apron

Olympic cycling champion Franco Testa won gold in 1960 and silver in 1964. At the peak of his career, he retired at 26, not to coach or commentate, but to take over his family's butcher shop in Padua, Italy, choosing a life of community and tradition over continued fame.

The Man Who Surfed a Skyscraper: Pasquale Buzzelli's Impossible 9/11 Survival Story

On 9/11, Port Authority engineer Pasquale Buzzelli was on the 22nd floor of the North Tower when it collapsed. He rode a slab of concrete down through the pancaking floors and, against all odds, survived the fall. His is one of the most miraculous survival stories from that tragic day.

The Man Stansfield Wanted: The Shocking, Heroic Story of Keith Glascoe, 9/11 Firefighter

Keith Glascoe, known for playing Benny in Léon: The Professional and the target of the line "Bring me everyone!", was also a decorated NYC firefighter. He heroically sacrificed his life during the South Tower collapse on 9/11, leaving behind a legacy of cinematic and real-world bravery.

A View to a Quit: The Uncomfortable Truth That Ended Roger Moore's James Bond Reign

At 57, Roger Moore ended his iconic run as James Bond after "A View to a Kill." It wasn't the stunts that stopped him, but the shocking discovery that he was older than his co-star Tanya Roberts' mother—a realization the gentleman spy found utterly 'disgusting' and prompted his immediate retirement.

The Phantom Death Ray: How a British Inventor Fooled the Military and Vanished with the Secret

In 1923, British inventor Harry Grindell Matthews claimed to have a "death ray" capable of stopping engines from afar. After dazzling demonstrations for the military, he'd refuse further inspection and vanish with his equipment, leaving behind a trail of mystery and deep skepticism.