Topic

History

A collection of 342 issues

Decoding Beethoven's Birthday: The 24-Hour Mystery Behind a Musical Genius

Ludwig van Beethoven's birth date is unknown. We celebrate it on December 16th based on his baptism record from December 17, 1770. Catholic custom at the time dictated infants be baptized within 24 hours of birth due to high mortality rates, making the 16th our best historical guess.

The Shocking Secret of Panko: How a WWII Military Invention Created Japan's Crispiest Crumb

Panko, the famously crispy Japanese breadcrumb, has a shocking origin. It's made from special crustless bread baked by passing electricity directly through the dough—a technique invented by the Japanese army during WWII to covertly bake bread for soldiers in the field using tank batteries.

A Beautiful Day for a Doomed Neighborhood: The Story of Target, Mr. Rogers, and a Failed Canadian Dream

In 2013, Target launched in Canada with a historic ad campaign using the Mr. Rogers theme song for the first time ever. The optimistic, neighborly welcome was a stark contrast to the retailer's swift and spectacular failure in the country less than two years later.

ThrustSSC: The Jet-Powered Car That Made the Desert Roar and Broke the Sound Barrier

The ThrustSSC is the only land vehicle to officially break the sound barrier. Piloted by Andy Green in 1997, it used two jet engines to achieve a still-unbeaten record of 1,227.986 km/h (763.035 mph) in the Black Rock Desert, a monumental feat of engineering.

Firenado: The Day the NWS Issued a Tornado Warning for a Wildfire

In August 2020, the Loyalton Fire in California spawned a massive pyrocumulonimbus cloud so powerful that the National Weather Service issued the first-ever Tornado Warning for a wildfire, marking a terrifying new milestone in extreme weather events.

Beyond Pulp Fiction: The Ancient, Multicultural Journey of 'Misirlou'

The iconic surf-rock anthem 'Misirlou' from *Pulp Fiction* wasn't born in 1960s California. It's an ancient folk song from the Ottoman Empire, shared by Greek, Arab, and Jewish cultures for centuries. Its name, 'Misirlou,' simply means 'Egyptian Woman.'

The Curse of Countess Margaret: Did a Medieval Noblewoman Really Give Birth to 365 Children?

A medieval legend tells of Countess Margaret of Henneberg, who was cursed after insulting a beggar. On Good Friday, 1276, she allegedly gave birth to 365 tiny offspring, a story blending divine punishment with a plausible, yet rare, medical condition.

Your Childhood Was a Lie: Grimm's Fairy Tales are French and King Arthur is Fan-Fiction

Your favorite 'German' fairy tales? Many were French stories collected from Huguenot descendants by the Grimms. And King Arthur? The legendary British king's most famous tales, including Lancelot and the Grail quest, were essentially popular French fanfiction from the 12th century.