modern history

Inside The Bizarre Case Of Will And William West — And Its Alleged Impact On Fingerprinting In Prisons

In 1903, two men named Will and William West were both imprisoned at the federal penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas. Their appearances and measurements were so similar that prison officials had to rely on their fingerprints to tell them apart.

By Rivy Lyon • Jun 3, 2025

Inside The Bizarre Case Of Will And William West — And Its Alleged Impact On Fingerprinting In Prisons

In 1903, two men named Will and William West were both imprisoned at the federal penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas. Their appearances and measurements were so similar that prison officials had to rely on their fingerprints to tell them apart.

By Rivy Lyon • June 3, 2025

Two 14-Year-Olds In Upstate New York Were Just Charged With Burning Down An Historic Mill That Opened In 1846

On May 31, 2025, a fire broke out at the historic Victory Mills in the village of Victory, New York — and now, two 14-year-olds have been arrested on arson charges.

By Austin Harvey • Jun 3, 2025

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Two 14-Year-Olds In Upstate New York Were Just Charged With Burning Down An Historic Mill That Opened In 1846

On May 31, 2025, a fire broke out at the historic Victory Mills in the village of Victory, New York — and now, two 14-year-olds have been arrested on arson charges.

By Austin Harvey • June 3, 2025

The Story Of The Lucky Dragon, The Japanese Fishing Boat Accidentally Caught In A U.S. Hydrogen Bomb Test

On March 1, 1954, 23 crew members on the Lucky Dragon were poisoned by radiation when the fallout from the Castle Bravo nuclear test rained down on their ship, which was floating about 80 miles from the detonation site at Bikini Atoll.

By Kaleena Fraga • Jun 2, 2025

The Story Of The Lucky Dragon, The Japanese Fishing Boat Accidentally Caught In A U.S. Hydrogen Bomb Test

On March 1, 1954, 23 crew members on the Lucky Dragon were poisoned by radiation when the fallout from the Castle Bravo nuclear test rained down on their ship, which was floating about 80 miles from the detonation site at Bikini Atoll.

By Kaleena Fraga • June 2, 2025

The Poignant Story Of Wind Phones, The Japanese Invention That Lets People Have Final ‘Conversations’ With Lost Loved Ones

After Itaru Sasaki built the first wind phone in Japan in 2010, the concept of a disconnected phone where mourners can share final words with lost loved ones has spread across the world.

By Austin Harvey • Jun 1, 2025

The Poignant Story Of Wind Phones, The Japanese Invention That Lets People Have Final ‘Conversations’ With Lost Loved Ones

After Itaru Sasaki built the first wind phone in Japan in 2010, the concept of a disconnected phone where mourners can share final words with lost loved ones has spread across the world.

By Austin Harvey • June 1, 2025

The Real Story Of Sirhan Sirhan: The Troubled Young Man Who Killed Robert Kennedy In 1968

Just after midnight on June 5, 1968, a 24-year-old Palestinian man named Sirhan Sirhan shot and killed presidential hopeful Robert F. Kennedy in the kitchen of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles.

By Kaleena Fraga • Jun 1, 2025

The Real Story Of Sirhan Sirhan: The Troubled Young Man Who Killed Robert Kennedy In 1968

Just after midnight on June 5, 1968, a 24-year-old Palestinian man named Sirhan Sirhan shot and killed presidential hopeful Robert F. Kennedy in the kitchen of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles.

By Kaleena Fraga • June 1, 2025

The Surprising Story Behind Antarctica’s Blood Falls, The Glacier That Seems To Be Gushing Blood

It took a century for scientists to figure out the reason for Blood Falls' crimson water — and how it flows out of the glacier.

By John Kuroski • Jun 1, 2025

The Surprising Story Behind Antarctica’s Blood Falls, The Glacier That Seems To Be Gushing Blood

It took a century for scientists to figure out the reason for Blood Falls' crimson water — and how it flows out of the glacier.

By John Kuroski • June 1, 2025

Shipwreck Of World War II-Era USS Hornet Found 17,500 Feet Underwater In The Pacific Ocean

Through a research expedition funded by late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, the deep sea R/V Petrel vessel located the USS Hornet and captured priceless footage.

By Marco Margaritoff • May 31, 2025

News

Shipwreck Of World War II-Era USS Hornet Found 17,500 Feet Underwater In The Pacific Ocean

Through a research expedition funded by late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, the deep sea R/V Petrel vessel located the USS Hornet and captured priceless footage.

By Marco Margaritoff • May 31, 2025

Inside The Vietnam War’s Battle Of Huế — That Devolved Into A Massacre Of Thousands Of Civilians

Lasting just over a month in 1968, the Battle of Huế was one of North Vietnam's bloodiest attacks during the Tet Offensive — and it was later credited with souring the American public's opinion on the Vietnam War.

By Austin Harvey • May 29, 2025

Inside The Vietnam War’s Battle Of Huế — That Devolved Into A Massacre Of Thousands Of Civilians

Lasting just over a month in 1968, the Battle of Huế was one of North Vietnam's bloodiest attacks during the Tet Offensive — and it was later credited with souring the American public's opinion on the Vietnam War.

By Austin Harvey • May 29, 2025

Inside The Forgotten Story Of Mandy Smith, The 18-Year-Old Bride Of Rolling Stones Bassist Bill Wyman

Bill Wyman and Mandy Smith were married between 1989 and 1991, and they first met when Smith was just 13 years old and Wyman was 47.

By Rivy Lyon • May 29, 2025

Inside The Forgotten Story Of Mandy Smith, The 18-Year-Old Bride Of Rolling Stones Bassist Bill Wyman

Bill Wyman and Mandy Smith were married between 1989 and 1991, and they first met when Smith was just 13 years old and Wyman was 47.

By Rivy Lyon • May 29, 2025

Explorers Discover 113-Year-Old Russian Shipwreck Believed To Have Cargo Worth Over $100 Billion

An international team of experts located the Russian warship Dmitrii Donskoi that reportedly went down with 5,500 boxes of gold still aboard.

By Kara Goldfarb • May 29, 2025

News

Explorers Discover 113-Year-Old Russian Shipwreck Believed To Have Cargo Worth Over $100 Billion

An international team of experts located the Russian warship Dmitrii Donskoi that reportedly went down with 5,500 boxes of gold still aboard.

By Kara Goldfarb • May 29, 2025