history

Diane Downs Tried To Murder Her Own Children — Then Blamed It On A Carjacking

In May 1983, Diane Downs shot her three children before shooting herself in the arm to stage being attacked by a carjacker, but her plot failed when two of her children survived.

By Marco Margaritoff • Aug 19, 2023

Diane Downs Tried To Murder Her Own Children — Then Blamed It On A Carjacking

In May 1983, Diane Downs shot her three children before shooting herself in the arm to stage being attacked by a carjacker, but her plot failed when two of her children survived.

By Marco Margaritoff • August 19, 2023

The History Of The Khopesh, The Ancient Egyptian Sword That Helped Build An Empire

The khopesh first appeared in Sumer in the 3rd century B.C.E., but it would not make a mark on history until it was adopted by the growing New Kingdom of ancient Egypt.

By Austin Harvey • Aug 19, 2023

The History Of The Khopesh, The Ancient Egyptian Sword That Helped Build An Empire

The khopesh first appeared in Sumer in the 3rd century B.C.E., but it would not make a mark on history until it was adopted by the growing New Kingdom of ancient Egypt.

By Austin Harvey • August 19, 2023

The Legend Of The Shinigami, The Terrifying Grim Reapers Of Japanese Lore

Represented in both traditional Japanese plays and contemporary television shows, the shinigami are multi-faceted and often terrifying gods of death that lure humans to their demise.

By Amber Morgan • Aug 18, 2023

The Legend Of The Shinigami, The Terrifying Grim Reapers Of Japanese Lore

Represented in both traditional Japanese plays and contemporary television shows, the shinigami are multi-faceted and often terrifying gods of death that lure humans to their demise.

By Amber Morgan • August 18, 2023

This Week In History News, Aug. 13 – 19

Dinosaur footprints found on an Alaskan cliff, tears of blood discovered on Vlad the Impaler's letters, ancient Roman ship unearthed in Serbia.

By All That's Interesting • Aug 18, 2023

News

This Week In History News, Aug. 13 – 19

Dinosaur footprints found on an Alaskan cliff, tears of blood discovered on Vlad the Impaler's letters, ancient Roman ship unearthed in Serbia.

By All That's Interesting • August 18, 2023

A ‘Plague’ Of Beer-Drinking Raccoons Has Caused A ‘Catastrophe’ As They Raid Homes Across Germany

Germany's raccoon population has skyrocketed from 20 to several hundred thousand since they were first introduced around 1934.

By Austin Harvey • Aug 18, 2023

News

A ‘Plague’ Of Beer-Drinking Raccoons Has Caused A ‘Catastrophe’ As They Raid Homes Across Germany

Germany's raccoon population has skyrocketed from 20 to several hundred thousand since they were first introduced around 1934.

By Austin Harvey • August 18, 2023

Behind The Iron Curtain: 55 Photos Of Life In The U.S.S.R. In The 1960s And 1970s

When an American professor had the chance to travel extensively throughout the Soviet Union during the Cold War, he was astounded by what he saw — and took as many pictures as he could.

By Kaleena Fraga • Aug 17, 2023

Behind The Iron Curtain: 55 Photos Of Life In The U.S.S.R. In The 1960s And 1970s

When an American professor had the chance to travel extensively throughout the Soviet Union during the Cold War, he was astounded by what he saw — and took as many pictures as he could.

By Kaleena Fraga • August 17, 2023

Jared Lee Loughner, The Twisted Murderer Behind The 2011 Tucson Shooting

In 2011, a 22-year-old conspiracy theorist named Jared Lee Loughner set out to assassinate Rep. Gabby Giffords — and ended up shooting 19 innocent people, leaving six dead.

By Rivy Lyon • Aug 16, 2023

Jared Lee Loughner, The Twisted Murderer Behind The 2011 Tucson Shooting

In 2011, a 22-year-old conspiracy theorist named Jared Lee Loughner set out to assassinate Rep. Gabby Giffords — and ended up shooting 19 innocent people, leaving six dead.

By Rivy Lyon • August 16, 2023

Analysis Of Vlad The Impaler’s Letters Suggests That He May Have Cried Tears Of Blood

Molecules left behind on letters written by the 15th-century Wallachian ruler suggest he may have suffered from hemolacria, a condition that causes blood-tinged tears.

By Cara Johnson • Aug 16, 2023

News

Analysis Of Vlad The Impaler’s Letters Suggests That He May Have Cried Tears Of Blood

Molecules left behind on letters written by the 15th-century Wallachian ruler suggest he may have suffered from hemolacria, a condition that causes blood-tinged tears.

By Cara Johnson • August 16, 2023

Brian Brown-Easley, The Former U.S. Marine Who Was Killed While Holding A Bank Hostage

When Brian Brown-Easley's monthly disability checks suddenly stopped in 2017, he made the desperate decision to hold up a bank to demand the money.

By Amber Morgan • Aug 15, 2023

Brian Brown-Easley, The Former U.S. Marine Who Was Killed While Holding A Bank Hostage

When Brian Brown-Easley's monthly disability checks suddenly stopped in 2017, he made the desperate decision to hold up a bank to demand the money.

By Amber Morgan • August 15, 2023

Inside The Werewolf Panic That Swept Europe More Than A Century Before The Salem Witch Trials

Horrifying tales of torture, decapitation, and murder — and those are just the acts committed by the accusers in the werewolf trials of Renaissance Europe.

By Matt Crabtree • Aug 15, 2023

Inside The Werewolf Panic That Swept Europe More Than A Century Before The Salem Witch Trials

Horrifying tales of torture, decapitation, and murder — and those are just the acts committed by the accusers in the werewolf trials of Renaissance Europe.

By Matt Crabtree • August 15, 2023