curiosities

Inside The Ruins Of Nan Madol, The Ancient Micronesian City Built Atop A Coral Reef

Often referred to as the "Venice of the Pacific," Nan Madol was history's only city ever built on a coral reef, and it served as a royal capital for the Saudeleur dynasty of Micronesia from around 1200 until the 17th century.

By Austin Harvey • Aug 17, 2025

Inside The Ruins Of Nan Madol, The Ancient Micronesian City Built Atop A Coral Reef

Often referred to as the "Venice of the Pacific," Nan Madol was history's only city ever built on a coral reef, and it served as a royal capital for the Saudeleur dynasty of Micronesia from around 1200 until the 17th century.

By Austin Harvey • August 17, 2025

Inside The Mütter Museum Of Philadelphia, Where Some Of History’s Strangest Medical Oddities Are On Display

From President Cleveland's tumor to Albert Einstein's brain, the Mütter Museum at the College of Physicians of Philadelphia holds an array of macabre anatomical curiosities.

By Erin Kelly • Aug 3, 2025

Inside The Mütter Museum Of Philadelphia, Where Some Of History’s Strangest Medical Oddities Are On Display

From President Cleveland's tumor to Albert Einstein's brain, the Mütter Museum at the College of Physicians of Philadelphia holds an array of macabre anatomical curiosities.

By Erin Kelly • August 3, 2025

More Than Two Dozen Centuries-Old Petroglyphs Were Revealed By Shifting Sands On A Hawaiian Beach

Waves recently washed away the top layer of sand on a beach in Oahu and revealed 26 petroglyphs that could date as far back as 1,000 years.

By Kaleena Fraga • Jul 28, 2025

News

More Than Two Dozen Centuries-Old Petroglyphs Were Revealed By Shifting Sands On A Hawaiian Beach

Waves recently washed away the top layer of sand on a beach in Oahu and revealed 26 petroglyphs that could date as far back as 1,000 years.

By Kaleena Fraga • July 28, 2025

The Astonishing History Of The World’s Oldest Fossils — And The Questions That Remain

Confirmed in 2017 to be the oldest known fossils on Earth, these prehistoric bacteria from Western Australia are 3.5 billion years old. But some believe that there are even older fossils waiting to be discovered.

By Katie Serena • Jul 27, 2025

The Astonishing History Of The World’s Oldest Fossils — And The Questions That Remain

Confirmed in 2017 to be the oldest known fossils on Earth, these prehistoric bacteria from Western Australia are 3.5 billion years old. But some believe that there are even older fossils waiting to be discovered.

By Katie Serena • July 27, 2025

What Was The Scavenger’s Daughter? Inside The Grisly History Of This 16th-Century Torture Device

Invented during the reign of England's King Henry VIII for use at the Tower of London, the scavenger's daughter was a metal device that forced its victims into a kneeling position, painfully compressing their bodies until they bled from the ears.

By Marco Margaritoff • Jul 21, 2025

What Was The Scavenger’s Daughter? Inside The Grisly History Of This 16th-Century Torture Device

Invented during the reign of England's King Henry VIII for use at the Tower of London, the scavenger's daughter was a metal device that forced its victims into a kneeling position, painfully compressing their bodies until they bled from the ears.

By Marco Margaritoff • July 21, 2025

Scientists Just Learned That Some Species Of Fig Trees Can Convert Carbon Dioxide Into Limestone

Calcium carbonate deposits produced by African fig trees could provide a sustainable method of slowing climate change.

By Austin Harvey • Jul 17, 2025

News

Scientists Just Learned That Some Species Of Fig Trees Can Convert Carbon Dioxide Into Limestone

Calcium carbonate deposits produced by African fig trees could provide a sustainable method of slowing climate change.

By Austin Harvey • July 17, 2025

Archaeologists In China Discovered 300,000-Year-Old Wooden Tools Preserved In Clay

The artifacts were preserved in low-oxygen clay and are the oldest wooden tools ever found in East Asia.

By Austin Harvey • Jul 15, 2025

News

Archaeologists In China Discovered 300,000-Year-Old Wooden Tools Preserved In Clay

The artifacts were preserved in low-oxygen clay and are the oldest wooden tools ever found in East Asia.

By Austin Harvey • July 15, 2025

Four Donkeys Likely Ritually Sacrificed 4,500 Years Ago Were Just Found Under The Ruins Of A Canaanite House

Found in the ancient Canaanite city of Gath, located in Tell es-Sâfi, Israel, three of the donkeys were found with their legs bound and the fourth was decapitated with its head placed on its abdomen.

By Kaleena Fraga • Jul 14, 2025

News

Four Donkeys Likely Ritually Sacrificed 4,500 Years Ago Were Just Found Under The Ruins Of A Canaanite House

Found in the ancient Canaanite city of Gath, located in Tell es-Sâfi, Israel, three of the donkeys were found with their legs bound and the fourth was decapitated with its head placed on its abdomen.

By Kaleena Fraga • July 14, 2025

The History Of Zealandia, Earth’s Little-Known 8th Continent Beneath The South Pacific Ocean

Today, New Zealand is all that remains of the lost continent of Zealandia — but 30 million years ago, it was a verdant landscape filled with volcanoes and teeming with life.

By Kaleena Fraga • Jul 13, 2025

The History Of Zealandia, Earth’s Little-Known 8th Continent Beneath The South Pacific Ocean

Today, New Zealand is all that remains of the lost continent of Zealandia — but 30 million years ago, it was a verdant landscape filled with volcanoes and teeming with life.

By Kaleena Fraga • July 13, 2025

The Biggest Martian Meteorite Ever Found On Earth Is Set To Go On Auction

Weighing more than 54 pounds, this bit of space debris is one of just 400 known Martian meteorites — and it's expected to fetch up to $4 million at auction.

By Austin Harvey • Jul 10, 2025

News

The Biggest Martian Meteorite Ever Found On Earth Is Set To Go On Auction

Weighing more than 54 pounds, this bit of space debris is one of just 400 known Martian meteorites — and it's expected to fetch up to $4 million at auction.

By Austin Harvey • July 10, 2025

The Mysterious Death Of Dorothy Hunt, The Wife Of Watergate Mastermind E. Howard Hunt

Dorothy Hunt died in a plane crash in 1972, and some believe that she was killed because of what she knew about the growing Watergate scandal.

By Genevieve Carlton • Jul 9, 2025

The Mysterious Death Of Dorothy Hunt, The Wife Of Watergate Mastermind E. Howard Hunt

Dorothy Hunt died in a plane crash in 1972, and some believe that she was killed because of what she knew about the growing Watergate scandal.

By Genevieve Carlton • July 9, 2025

The Astonishing Story Of Ball’s Pyramid, The Monolithic Marvel Of The Pacific Ocean

Located off the coast of Lord Howe Island between New Zealand and Australia, Ball's Pyramid is, at 1,877 feet tall, the tallest volcanic sea stack in the world.

By Austin Harvey • Jun 25, 2025

The Astonishing Story Of Ball’s Pyramid, The Monolithic Marvel Of The Pacific Ocean

Located off the coast of Lord Howe Island between New Zealand and Australia, Ball's Pyramid is, at 1,877 feet tall, the tallest volcanic sea stack in the world.

By Austin Harvey • June 25, 2025