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History

One of the flags is decorated with 13 interlocking gold rings labeled with the names of the first 13 states.

America's 250th Anniversary

See the Colorful Flags That the Patriots Unfurled as They Fought in the American Revolution

At the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, a new exhibition has gathered together 17 historic flags that served as symbols of liberty

Researchers analyzed indentations in the skeleton's pelvis.

New Research

Bite Marks on Ancient Skeleton Reveal First Physical Evidence of Roman Gladiators Fighting Lions

Researchers compared the markings found on an ancient skeleton in England to bones that had been chewed on by cheetahs, lions, tigers and leopards in present-day zoos

The antler fragment seen from multiple angles

New Research

This Intricately Decorated Deer Antler Was Used as a Battle Ax Before Being Repurposed as a Fishing Harpoon

During the sixth millennium B.C.E., carvers in present-day Sweden etched patterns into the artifact before redecorating it in a new style. It was likely deposited into a river as part of a ritual

The commemorative watch was given to Armstrong at a gala dinner in Houston in November 1969.

A Gold Watch That Belonged to Astronaut Neil Armstrong Sold for $2.1 Million at Auction

The commemorative timepiece is similar to the one that Armstrong and other NASA astronauts wore in space

A book bound in Corder's skin has been in the museum's collections since the 1930s. The second copy was given to the museum several decades ago.

Recently Rediscovered Book Bound in Human Skin Goes on Display in England

Curators think the volume’s corners and spine are bound in the skin of William Corder, an infamous criminal who was convicted of murder in the late 1820s

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Explore the Three Fascinating Towns of America’s Historic Triangle

This surprising long-weekend itinerary unearths an enchanting trip through history, the outdoors and beyond.

Newgrange is one of Ireland's most famous Neolithic passage tombs.

These Massive Monuments Hosted Community Gatherings Where Prehistoric People Mingled, Feasted and Buried Their Dead

A new study contradicts the long-held assumption that Ireland’s Neolithic passage tombs were reserved for members of an elite ruling family

The ivory fragments show signs of manipulation by early humans.

New Research

Are These Mysterious 400,000-Year-Old Artifacts the Oldest Ivory Objects Made by Humans?

Found in Ukraine, the fragments show signs of human manipulation—though researchers still haven’t ruled out the possibility that they were shaped by natural forces

Divers found the Antikythera mechanism in a shipwreck in 1900.

New Research

How Well Did the Mysterious Antikythera Mechanism Actually Work?

Historians think the 2,000-year-old device was used to predict the positions of celestial bodies. A new digital simulation suggests that its gears may have frequently malfunctioned

In Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's 1861 poem "Paul Revere's Ride," the 40-year-old silversmith was a lone hero who "spread the alarm / through every Middlesex village and farm."

America's 250th Anniversary

Paul Revere Wasn’t the Only Midnight Rider Who Dashed Through the Darkness to Warn the Patriots That the British Were Coming

Revere, who was later immortalized in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s famous poem, was one of many riders who rode through the countryside, spreading the alarm on April 18, 1775

Campaign memorabilia from Lincoln's first run for the White House in 1860

Abraham Lincoln’s Blood-Stained Gloves, Early Scribblings and Dozens of Other Belongings Are Going Up for Sale

Nearly 150 pieces of Lincolniana from throughout the 16th president’s life will be hitting the auction block in Chicago on May 21

Neil Frye was just 20 years old when he was killed in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

A Young Sailor’s Remains Return Home 84 Years After He Was Killed at Pearl Harbor

Neil Frye was 20 when Japan launched its surprise attack on December 7, 1941. He has been laid to rest with full military honors in his home state of North Carolina

The boxcar was part of the Merci Train, which France gave to the United States in 1949.

Cool Finds

Long-Lost ‘Merci Train’ Given to New Jersey After World War II Has Been Found

To thank America for its support during the war, France sent a boxcar stuffed with gifts to each state. But in the late 1950s, New Jersey’s disappeared without a trace

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Engineering Marvels of the Silver State

Discover the 19th-century innovations that put Nevada on the map

 An artist's rendering of the altar

New Research

Archaeologists Unearth Intricately Decorated Altar That May Have Been Used for Ancient Sacrifices in Guatemala

Discovered in the ruins of Tikal, the altar sheds light on strained relations between the Maya city and Teotihuacán—which was located more than 600 miles away

The bow of the Titanic

See the Titanic in Remarkable Detail With a 3D Scan That Reveals New Secrets of the Doomed Ship’s Final Moments

A documentary called “Titanic: The Digital Resurrection” will unveil the most detailed digital reconstruction of the shipwreck ever created. Experts are using the model to study the vessel’s demise

Digital artist Juanjo Ortega G. created an image of the woman's face based on a clay model created in the 1980s.

See the Face of a Royal Woman Who Lived in Greece 3,500 Years Ago

Created by digital artist Juanjo Ortega G., the digital reconstruction depicts a woman who died in her mid-30s during the late Bronze Age

Tomatoes from arranged shopping trolleys seen outside a store in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, on March 29, 2025

How the Misrepresentation of Tomatoes as Stinking ‘Poison Apples’ That Provoked Vomiting Made People Afraid of Them for More Than 200 Years

The long and fraught history of the plant shows that it got an unfair reputation from the beginning

The National Public Housing Museum is located in the last remaining building of the Jane Addams Homes, Chicago's first public housing development.

New Museum Examines the History of American Public Housing—and the Stories of Its Residents

Located in a preserved 1930s development in Chicago’s West Side, the museum includes three recreated apartments representing families of different decades and demographics

Tutankhamun's burial mask is made of gold and precious stones.

New Research

Clay Artifacts Found in King Tut’s Tomb May Have Been Part of a Ritual Honoring the Egyptian God Osiris

The four clay troughs were initially thought to have served as stands for gold-plated staffs. Now, a researcher has presented a new theory about their purpose

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