Topic

History

A collection of 431 issues

Abandoned Thrice: The Brutal Childhood That Forged Lafcadio Hearn

Lafcadio Hearn, a celebrated writer of ghost stories and Japanese folklore, endured a brutal childhood. Born in Greece to an Irish father and Greek mother, he was abandoned first by his father, then his mother, and finally by the great-aunt who raised him, leaving him destitute and alone.

Biography & Personal Stories Literature & Books History

Tomorrow and Yesterday: The Two Islands Where the US and Russia Are 2.4 Miles and 21 Hours Apart

Just 2.4 miles of water separate Russia's Big Diomede from the USA's Little Diomede. But the International Date Line between them creates a 21-hour time gap, placing one island in 'tomorrow' and the other in 'yesterday,' a stark symbol of political and temporal division.

Geography & Places History Wars, Conflict & Heroes

Beyond Grammar: The Surprising Secret of the Word 'Are'

The word 'are' is not just a common verb. It's a metric unit of area, equal to 100 square meters or 1/100th of a hectare. While obscure to most English speakers, it's still used in real estate and land measurement in various countries across Europe and Asia.

Science & Nature History

The 50% Promise: How Charles Ponzi's Postage Stamp Scam Became a Legend

Charles Ponzi promised investors an astonishing 50% return in 45 days by exploiting price differences in international postal coupons. In reality, he never traded the coupons, instead using money from new investors to pay earlier ones, creating the blueprint for the modern financial scam.

History Business & Economics Biography & Personal Stories

The 'Over-the-Top' Actor Who Was Actually Real: A Lesson from 'Good Night, and Good Luck'

George Clooney's "Good Night, and Good Luck" used archival footage of Senator Joseph McCarthy. Test audiences, unaware of this, complained the "actor" playing him was unbelievably over-the-top, proving that reality can indeed be stranger and more dramatic than fiction.

Entertainment & Media History Media & Censorship

The Boy with 18 Names: A Story of Hope Aboard an Irish Famine Ship

Amid the horrors of the Irish Famine, the ship Jeanie Johnston had a perfect safety record. On one voyage, a baby was born and given 18 names by the passengers and crew—a powerful symbol of community and hope in a time of despair. This is the story of Nicholas Johnston Reilly.

History Biography & Personal Stories Adventure & Exploration

The $5 Million Secret: How Britain Bought Russia's Top Tank After the Cold War

In 1992, with the Cold War over, the UK secretly bought advanced Russian T-80 tanks for $5m each. Using a shell company, they tested the formidable gas-turbine tanks on their own soil before sending one to the US for evaluation, a fascinating tale of military intelligence and opportunism.

History Technology & Innovation Wars, Conflict & Heroes

CNN's Final Broadcast: The Chilling 'Doomsday' Video Reserved for the End of the World

In 1980, CNN founder Ted Turner commissioned a final sign-off video for the apocalypse. The chilling footage features a military band playing "Nearer, My God, to Thee," the same hymn famously played as the Titanic sank, meant to be the last thing ever broadcast on the network.

Entertainment & Media History

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