Historic Events
Wars, important political and economic occasions, catastrophes and social movements of the past
Watch Out: This Year’s Fire Season Will Be Another Bad One for the West
A warm, dry winter has set the stage for another bad year of forest fires in the western U.S.
May 14, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Police Could Soon Get Their Hands on the U.S. Military’s ‘Pain Ray’
This high frequency microwave weapon makes you feel like your skin is burning, but leaves no scars
May 14, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Buried Pig Bodies Help Scientists Refine Search Methods for Mass Graves
Currently, the science of detecting mass graves is hit or miss, though the remains of thousands of missing persons may be stashed in clandestine graves
May 14, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Scientists Map Britain’s Most Famous Underwater City
Researchers have created a 3D visualization of Dunwich using acoustic imaging
May 13, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Seahorses Inspire New Armor Designs
The plates that line seahorse tails have to be both flexible enough to grasp and rigid enough to defend themselves from predators
May 06, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
One Upside to Drought: the Fewest Tornadoes in the U.S. in At Least 60 Years
No water in the air means less fuel for tornadoes
May 06, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
You Think the NFL Has Brain Injury Problems? The Military Has it Way Worse
Thousands of soldiers return home from cobalt with traumatic brain injuries - many without even realizing it
May 06, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
The Internet on the Battlefield Could Be Way Better
On the battlefield, having internet to communicate with one another, control objects and weapons, and calculate positions can be extremely important
May 02, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
Hurricane Sandy Spilled 11 Billion Gallons of Sewage
Enough sewage to fill a 41 food deep pool the size of Central Park spilled out during Hurricane Sandy
May 02, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
8 Famous People Who Missed the Lusitania
For one reason or another, these lucky souls never boarded the doomed ship whose sinking launched America's involvement in WWI
May 02, 2013 |
By Greg Daugherty
The History of the Short-Lived Independent Republic of Florida
For a brief period in 1810, Florida was truly a country of its own
May 2013 |
By William C. Davis
The True Story of the Battle of Bunker Hill
Nathaniel Philbrick takes on one of the Revolutionary War’s most famous and least understood battles
May 2013 |
By Tony Horwitz
Meet the Woman Who Taste-Tested Hitler’s Dinner
Now 95, Margot Woelk is ready to share her story of life in the Wolf's Lair
April 29, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
How Can the U.S. Government Know If Syrian Combatants Were Affected by Sarin Gas?
Reports from the White House that sarin gas were used in Syria, but how could you test for it?
April 26, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Hurricanes May Cause Earthquakes
In August 2011, the Virginia earthquake shook the east coast. Days later, Hurricane Irene may have caused more earthquakes
April 22, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Curses! Archduke Franz Ferdinand and His Astounding Death Car
Was the man whose assassination began World War I riding in a car destined to bring death to a series of owners?
April 22, 2013 |
By Mike Dash
Chechnya, Dagestan, and the North Caucasus: A Very Brief History
Boston bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev hails from Dagestan, a war-torn Russian region in the North Caucasus.
April 19, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Getting in Touch After a Disaster
Before cellphones, it was much harder to get a hold of loved ones, but it was also less likely you knew they were in danger at all
April 17, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
The Most Comprehensive Map of the Internet Yet May Give Clues for Sealing Up Vulnerabilities
Researchers are using ISP databases to connect the dots between networks in order to create a comprehensive map of the internet's global scope
April 15, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Can Architects Prevent Gun Deaths?
Architects wonder if they can design gunman-proof buildings
April 12, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
