weird

The Gruesome History Of Rat Torture, From Medieval London To 20th-Century South America

Rats have been used to torture prisoners and political enemies in many ways over the centuries — but some methods are more horrific than others.

By Wyatt Redd • Apr 23, 2023

The Gruesome History Of Rat Torture, From Medieval London To 20th-Century South America

Rats have been used to torture prisoners and political enemies in many ways over the centuries — but some methods are more horrific than others.

By Wyatt Redd • April 23, 2023

Scold’s Bridle, The Torture Device Used To Silence Women In The Middle Ages

From the 16th until the 19th century, women accused of being scolds, shrews, or having "loose morals" were often fitted masks known as Scold's Bridles that held their tongues with an iron gag.

By Kaleena Fraga • Apr 22, 2023

Scold’s Bridle, The Torture Device Used To Silence Women In The Middle Ages

From the 16th until the 19th century, women accused of being scolds, shrews, or having "loose morals" were often fitted masks known as Scold's Bridles that held their tongues with an iron gag.

By Kaleena Fraga • April 22, 2023

The Baffling Story Of Ricky McCormick’s Unsolved Death And The Cryptic Notes He Left Behind

In 1999, Ricky McCormick's body was inexplicably found in a Missouri cornfield — along with two pages of coded notes that have never been deciphered to this day.

By Neil Patmore • Apr 19, 2023

The Baffling Story Of Ricky McCormick’s Unsolved Death And The Cryptic Notes He Left Behind

In 1999, Ricky McCormick's body was inexplicably found in a Missouri cornfield — along with two pages of coded notes that have never been deciphered to this day.

By Neil Patmore • April 19, 2023

Did Mary Reeser Spontaneously Combust — Or Is There Another Explanation For Her Bizarre Death?

In July 1951, Mary Reeser mysteriously burned into a pile of ashes in her Florida home, but the apartment around her suffered almost no damage, leading to theories that she had spontaneously combusted.

By Kara Goldfarb • Apr 19, 2023

Did Mary Reeser Spontaneously Combust — Or Is There Another Explanation For Her Bizarre Death?

In July 1951, Mary Reeser mysteriously burned into a pile of ashes in her Florida home, but the apartment around her suffered almost no damage, leading to theories that she had spontaneously combusted.

By Kara Goldfarb • April 19, 2023

Researchers Find Earliest Evidence Of Psychoactive Drug Use In Bronze Age Europe In 3,000-Year-Old Hair Strands

After studying the ancient hair strands found in a Spanish cave, researchers confirmed that Bronze Age Europeans consumed hallucinogenic drugs.

By Amber Morgan • Apr 18, 2023

News

Researchers Find Earliest Evidence Of Psychoactive Drug Use In Bronze Age Europe In 3,000-Year-Old Hair Strands

After studying the ancient hair strands found in a Spanish cave, researchers confirmed that Bronze Age Europeans consumed hallucinogenic drugs.

By Amber Morgan • April 18, 2023

Extreme Sportswoman Emerges From Spanish Cave After Spending 500 Days Alone Inside

Beatriz Flamini spent 500 days alone in a cave in Montril, Spain for an experiment on the effects of long-term solitude on the human mind and body.

By Amber Morgan • Apr 17, 2023

News

Extreme Sportswoman Emerges From Spanish Cave After Spending 500 Days Alone Inside

Beatriz Flamini spent 500 days alone in a cave in Montril, Spain for an experiment on the effects of long-term solitude on the human mind and body.

By Amber Morgan • April 17, 2023

Inside The Disturbed Mind Of Arthur Bremer, The Would-Be Presidential Assassin Who Inspired ‘Taxi Driver’

On May 15, 1972, Arthur Bremer shot presidential candidate George Wallace five times at a Maryland rally. And once his diaries were published while he was behind bars, it became clear that he also wanted to assassinate Richard Nixon.

By William DeLong • Apr 13, 2023

Inside The Disturbed Mind Of Arthur Bremer, The Would-Be Presidential Assassin Who Inspired ‘Taxi Driver’

On May 15, 1972, Arthur Bremer shot presidential candidate George Wallace five times at a Maryland rally. And once his diaries were published while he was behind bars, it became clear that he also wanted to assassinate Richard Nixon.

By William DeLong • April 13, 2023

Vladimir Lenin’s Body And The Secrets Of Its Astonishing Preservation

The embalmed body of Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin has been preserved inside a glass case at his mausoleum in Moscow since his death in 1924.

By Katie Serena • Apr 10, 2023

Vladimir Lenin’s Body And The Secrets Of Its Astonishing Preservation

The embalmed body of Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin has been preserved inside a glass case at his mausoleum in Moscow since his death in 1924.

By Katie Serena • April 10, 2023

The War Of Jenkins’ Ear: How A Severed Ear Incited A Years-Long Conflict Between Britain And Spain

In 1731, Spanish coast guards allegedly cut off the ear of British Captain Robert Jenkins, sparking enough outrage for Britain to go to war with Spain years later.

By Kendrick Foster • Apr 9, 2023

The War Of Jenkins’ Ear: How A Severed Ear Incited A Years-Long Conflict Between Britain And Spain

In 1731, Spanish coast guards allegedly cut off the ear of British Captain Robert Jenkins, sparking enough outrage for Britain to go to war with Spain years later.

By Kendrick Foster • April 9, 2023

The Habsburg Jaw And The Disturbing Cost Of Royal Inbreeding

Due to two centuries of inbreeding, the Habsburg family was ravaged by extreme physical deformities, including impotence, bowed legs, and the infamous Habsburg jaw.

By Gina Dimuro • Apr 7, 2023

The Habsburg Jaw And The Disturbing Cost Of Royal Inbreeding

Due to two centuries of inbreeding, the Habsburg family was ravaged by extreme physical deformities, including impotence, bowed legs, and the infamous Habsburg jaw.

By Gina Dimuro • April 7, 2023