Up until her death in 1904, British explorer Isabella Bird traveled the world — and defied traditional gender norms of her time.

While working in a Parisian police station in 1879, Alphonse Bertillon conceived of a way to more accurately identify repeat offenders and became the first to photograph a crime scene.

After walking 600 miles to Canada in 1830, Josiah Henson returned to the United States to free over 100 more slaves.

In 1864, Rebecca Lee Crumpler made history when she earned her M.D. But her inspiring story was largely forgotten for over a century.

Even though she was emancipated in 1848, Henrietta Wood was kidnapped and enslaved again for 16 more years. After she was freed a second time, she took her captor to court.

Throughout industrial Britain and America, young women employed at matchmaking factories and working closely with toxic chemicals developed a brutal disease known as “phossy jaw" — which caused their jawbones to literally rot.

In Renaissance-era Venice, Veronica Franco reached unusual heights for a woman as an educated courtesan. But as luxurious as the position was, it could be easily destroyed.

In the early 1980s, a rock of crack cocaine went for as little as $5. Due to its cheap price and high purity, it spread like wildfire across the country.

To this day, Victorian death pictures remain chilling artifacts of a bygone era that's shocking to modern sensibilities.

From wife selling to mummy unwrapping, these Victorian era facts will make you so glad you live in the 21st century.

After the whaleship "Essex" was sunk by a vengeful sperm whale, its crew was left on the high seas for 90 days — causing them to resort to cannibalism.