History / Video
An incredible trove of archaeological artifacts has been unearthed once again at Saqqara—including 100 coffins, and incredibly rare statues dating back 4,500 years.
How Neil Armstrong Saved the Gemini 8 Spacecraft
Gemini 8 was in trouble. After completing the first space docking with another craft, it begins to spin uncontrollably. Ditching protocol, commanding officer Neil Armstrong tries an unorthodox plan.
This 5,000-Year-Old Tomb Is Spectacularly Preserved
Despite the fact that it’s over 5,000 years old, Maeshowe, Orkney’s answer to Stonehenge, is in amazing shape. But why did Neolithic Britons go to such great lengths to build …
These Mesmerizing Carvings Tell a Mysterious Tribe’s Story
Clues into the disappearance of the ancient Picts lie in the tiny Scottish village of Aberlemno: 1,700-year-old Pictish stones, marked with some very unusual carvings.
How Lizzie Borden Became the Main Suspect in Her Family’s Murder
How did a god fearing church-goer like Lizzie Borden become a suspect in the gruesome crime of the century? Her inconsistent account, and an eerie nonchalance, immediately damaged her credibility …
The Architect of Notre Dame’s Astounding Football Success
Under exuberant coach, Knute Rockne, Notre Dame set the standards for football excellence. But off the field, the Fighting Irish was a PR sensation, capturing the hearts of a riveted …
Thomas Edison’s Stunning Footage of the Klondike Gold Rush
In 1896, Thomas Edison set off to a remote Canadian district near the Alaska border, with cameras in tow. He succeeded in capturing fascinating images of the prospectors brought in …
Fannie Lou Hamer Risked Her Life for the Right to Vote
Fannie Lou Hamer, a voting rights activist, suffered unspeakable violence and intimidation at the hands of white supremacists and police. Her response: to elevate her cause by launching a long-shot …
This Church Has an Eerie Visual Record of the Black Death
The Black Death of 1348 was a devastating event, wiping out half the population of Britain. And in churches like this one, drawings on the wall provide a haunting visual …
How Conservative Groups’ Protest Led to an Era of Hollywood Censorship
It’s 1933 and Mae West is just arriving at Grauman’s Chinese Theater for the premiere of I’m No Angel. It draws fans from all over the country—as well as an …
What It Took to Recreate a Portrait of Thomas Jefferson
Television reporter Shannon LaNier is a direct descendant of the third President of the United States. (Credit: Drew Gardner)
In Conversation: The Descendants of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Frederick Douglass
The two discussed their ancestors’ legacy more than 150 years after the famous figures both attended the Seneca Falls Convention. (Credit: Drew Gardner)
What It Took to Recreate a Portrait of Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Through painstaking work, photographer Drew Gardner transformed Elizabeth Jenkins-Sahlin into her ancestor, a famous women’s rights activist. (Credit: Drew Gardner)
What It Took to Recreate a Portrait of Frederick Douglass
Kenneth Morris is the great-great-great-grandson of the heralded abolitionist and helped compile an illustrated biography of his ancestor. (Credit: Drew Gardner)
How Henry Ford Found the Right Tires for Model T Cars
Henry Ford was a genius who virtually created the automobile industry as we know it. But what’s less lauded was his talent for publicity—and his ability to partner with other …
The 1919 World Series Fix That Tarnished America’s Pastime
The Chicago White Sox were heavy favorites going into the 1919 World Series. But they were defeated by the Cincinnati Reds—and it soon became clear that the game was rigged.
The Weird Thrills That Americans Pursued in the 1920s
In the 1920s, the U.S. was in full thrill-seeking mode. From horse-diving (you have to see it to believe it) to barnstorming. And at the center of many of these …
How Henry Ford Went From Pacifist to Major Supplier of WWI
Henry Ford spent the majority of the war as a pacifist. By 1917, however, his state-of-the-art assembly line was churning out vital engine parts to feed the war machine.
Women Proved to Be Exceptional Pilots During WWII
With millions of men serving in WWII, the nation needed pilots to ferry planes from the factory to the air bases. That’s when Jackie Cochran proposed a novel idea: why …
U.S. Marine Corps Footage: Marines in the Field at Iwo Jima
Recently digitized footage shows Marine in dugouts in the field, working on building a hospital and assisting the wounded on the front lines. (U.S. Marine Corps History Division and Moving …
U.S. Marine Corps Archival Footage: 5th Div. Cemetery Dedication on Iwo Jima
Recently digitized footage shows the 5th Div. cemetery dedication on Iwo Jima with band, gun salute and officers speaking. In the final scene, tow Marines kneel over the temporary resting …
U.S. Marine Corps Archival Footage: 27th and 28th Marines Embarkation at Iwo Jima
Recently digitized footage showing Marines loading onto LST with supplies on equipment and waiting on the beach, among other things. (U.S. Marine Corps History Division and Moving Image Research Collections, …
U.S. Marine Corps Archival Footage: 28th Marines on Iwo Jima
Recently digitized footage shows the Marine assault on Iwo Jima during World War II, including prepping equipment, arriving on the island and raising the flag. (U.S. Marine Corps History Division …
This Pendant Is Britain’s Oldest Piece of Iron Age Art
A small pebble with ornate markings is Britain’s earliest piece of Mesolithic art—but what do the markings denote, and was it worn for cosmetic purposes or spiritual ones?
This 11,000-Year-Old Piece of Wood Is More Than It Seems
It looks like a fairly nondescript plank of wood, found in the fields of Star Carr. But from an archaeological perspective, it’s far more significant: It’s the oldest piece of …
Was This Cave an Ancient Lab for Preserving Human Bodies?
A series of remarkably well-preserved human remains in a remote cave in Scotland has archaeologists grappling with a staggering question: were these bodies brought here during the Bronze Age to …
Boston and New York Competed for America’s First Subway
In March 1895, Boston and New York City began an epic and highly competitive race to become the first American city with a working subway system.
This Man Was Tried in Tennessee for Teaching Evolution
In July 1925, a young science teacher named John Scopes was in court, accused of contravening the Butler Act—a Tennessee law that prohibited the teaching of evolution in schools.
Scientists Didn’t Know Much About Earthquakes Before 1933
On March 10, 1933, a major earthquake caught the Los Angeles area by surprise. The devastation was of sufficient scale to spur scientific interest in earthquakes—and how to predict them.
How Idlewild Courted the Black Middle Class in the 1930s
By the 1930s, the black middle class had arrived, with the purchasing power to match. Sensing an opportunity, developers established Idlewild: a summer resort aimed exclusively at African-Americans.
Justice for Medgar Evers Comes 30 Years After His Murder
In 1963, civil rights leader Medgar Evers arrived home when he was shot and killed. It would be over 30 years before his killer was brought to justice.
A 600-Mile Journey Across Alaska Saves the Town of Nome
In 1925, an Alaskan adventurer and his trusted Siberian husky completed a grueling 600-mile journey across the frozen plains. Their exploits would end up saving the lives of 2,000 people.
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