modern history

Jack Kerouac’s First Draft Of ‘On The Road,’ A 121-Foot Scroll He Typed In Three Weeks In 1951, Is About To Be Sold At Auction

Expected to fetch as much as $4 million, this original manuscript pauses for neither paragraph breaks nor chapter titles, instead presenting its epic tale of Beat Generation misadventures in one unbroken stream.

By Cara Johnson • Feb 5, 2026

News

Jack Kerouac’s First Draft Of ‘On The Road,’ A 121-Foot Scroll He Typed In Three Weeks In 1951, Is About To Be Sold At Auction

Expected to fetch as much as $4 million, this original manuscript pauses for neither paragraph breaks nor chapter titles, instead presenting its epic tale of Beat Generation misadventures in one unbroken stream.

By Cara Johnson • February 5, 2026

Harold Holt, The Australian Prime Minister Who Went For A Swim — And Disappeared

In December 1967, Australian Prime Minister Harold Holt vanished while swimming at Cheviot Beach in Victoria. His body has still never been found.

By Kara Goldfarb • Feb 5, 2026

Harold Holt, The Australian Prime Minister Who Went For A Swim — And Disappeared

In December 1967, Australian Prime Minister Harold Holt vanished while swimming at Cheviot Beach in Victoria. His body has still never been found.

By Kara Goldfarb • February 5, 2026

The Tragic Story Of Tracy Edwards, The Only Man To Escape From Jeffrey Dahmer’s Deadly Clutch

Tracy Edwards was 32 years old when he went home with Jeffrey Dahmer one night in 1991 and nearly became the serial killer's 18th victim. His life was never the same after.

By Austin Harvey • Feb 5, 2026

The Tragic Story Of Tracy Edwards, The Only Man To Escape From Jeffrey Dahmer’s Deadly Clutch

Tracy Edwards was 32 years old when he went home with Jeffrey Dahmer one night in 1991 and nearly became the serial killer's 18th victim. His life was never the same after.

By Austin Harvey • February 5, 2026

The Unlikely Story Of Sarah Rector, The Oklahoma Teenager Who Became A Millionaire Oil Baron

By the time she turned 18, Sarah Rector's net worth was estimated at over $1 million — about $28 million today. And it all came from undesirable land that the federal government gave her.

By Gina Dimuro • Feb 5, 2026

The Unlikely Story Of Sarah Rector, The Oklahoma Teenager Who Became A Millionaire Oil Baron

By the time she turned 18, Sarah Rector's net worth was estimated at over $1 million — about $28 million today. And it all came from undesirable land that the federal government gave her.

By Gina Dimuro • February 5, 2026

The Haunting Story Of Giuseppe Di Matteo, The Boy Dissolved In Acid By The Mafia

After 779 days of torturing Giuseppe Di Matteo, Mafia boss Giovanni Brusca ordered his men to "get rid of the puppy."

By Kara Goldfarb • Feb 3, 2026

The Haunting Story Of Giuseppe Di Matteo, The Boy Dissolved In Acid By The Mafia

After 779 days of torturing Giuseppe Di Matteo, Mafia boss Giovanni Brusca ordered his men to "get rid of the puppy."

By Kara Goldfarb • February 3, 2026

The Bizarre Story Of Mehmet Ali Ağca, The Turkish Hitman Who Tried To Assassinate Pope John Paul II

Mehmet Ali Ağca was sentenced to life in prison for shooting Pope John Paul II in May 1981, but the pontiff publicly forgave him and requested his release after 20 years behind bars.

By Kaleena Fraga • Feb 3, 2026

The Bizarre Story Of Mehmet Ali Ağca, The Turkish Hitman Who Tried To Assassinate Pope John Paul II

Mehmet Ali Ağca was sentenced to life in prison for shooting Pope John Paul II in May 1981, but the pontiff publicly forgave him and requested his release after 20 years behind bars.

By Kaleena Fraga • February 3, 2026

What Are Rat Kings, The ‘Super-Rodents’ Made Of Tangled Tails?

A rat king forms when the tails of many rodents become tangled together, creating a disturbing creature that moves as one swarming mass.

By Leah Silverman • Feb 3, 2026

What Are Rat Kings, The ‘Super-Rodents’ Made Of Tangled Tails?

A rat king forms when the tails of many rodents become tangled together, creating a disturbing creature that moves as one swarming mass.

By Leah Silverman • February 3, 2026

Claudine Longet Killed A Beloved Olympian ‘By Accident’ — And Spent Only 30 Days In Jail For It

A successful actress and singer, Claudine Longet became infamous after she shot skier Spider Sabich to death inside their Aspen, Colorado home on March 21, 1976.

By Marco Margaritoff • Feb 3, 2026

Claudine Longet Killed A Beloved Olympian ‘By Accident’ — And Spent Only 30 Days In Jail For It

A successful actress and singer, Claudine Longet became infamous after she shot skier Spider Sabich to death inside their Aspen, Colorado home on March 21, 1976.

By Marco Margaritoff • February 3, 2026

Bob Ross’ Death: How The Final Days Of The Happy Painter Led To A Bitter Feud Over His Estate

Bob Ross was 52 years old when he died from lymphoma in Orlando, Florida. His company was worth $15 million — and his former business partners wanted it all.

By Tim Brinkhof • Feb 3, 2026

Bob Ross’ Death: How The Final Days Of The Happy Painter Led To A Bitter Feud Over His Estate

Bob Ross was 52 years old when he died from lymphoma in Orlando, Florida. His company was worth $15 million — and his former business partners wanted it all.

By Tim Brinkhof • February 3, 2026

The Tragic And Strange Story Of Hannah Upp, The Missing Woman Who Disappeared Three Times

Hannah Upp, who first disappeared in 2008 and then in 2013, has a rare condition known as dissociative fugue, and she hasn't been seen since she vanished in 2017.

By Austin Harvey • Feb 2, 2026

The Tragic And Strange Story Of Hannah Upp, The Missing Woman Who Disappeared Three Times

Hannah Upp, who first disappeared in 2008 and then in 2013, has a rare condition known as dissociative fugue, and she hasn't been seen since she vanished in 2017.

By Austin Harvey • February 2, 2026