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Hungary

A small underwater lens made a coral in Indonesia look like another common lifeform.

See the Beauty of Corals, Beehives, Mushrooms and More in These 11 Images From the Close-Up Photographer of the Year Awards

Now in its seventh year, the competition honors macro, micro and close-up images snapped around the world

A 3D model of the skull likely belonging to Béla, Duke of Macsó

New Research

Forensic Analysis Identifies Skeleton as a Medieval Hungarian Duke Who Was Brutally Murdered 750 Years Ago

Based on DNA evidence and numerous cut marks on the bones, scientists think that multiple assailants attacked Béla, Duke of Macsó, in 1272. The victim was likely unarmed and unprotected by armor

Charles I and his wife Zita, photographed around 1916, fled to Switzerland at the end of World War I.

The Florentine Diamond Was Thought to Be Lost to History. It’s Actually Been Safely Tucked Away in a Canadian Bank Vault All Along

Empress Zita of Bourbon-Parma wanted the jewel’s location to be kept secret for 100 years after the death of her husband, Charles I, in 1922. Their descendants now plan to display it at a museum

László Krasznahorkai, seen here in Spain in 2018, won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Literature.

This Hungarian Author Once Wrote a 400-Page Book With a Single Period. Now, László Krasznahorkai Is a Nobel Prize Winner

The 71-year-old recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature is known for his long, winding sentences

Elisabeth was adept at crafting a persona that may not have promoted her standing in the Viennese court but certainly helped shape the public’s perspective of her to this day.

Based on a True Story

The Many Myths of Empress Elisabeth of Austria, the 19th-Century Royal Whose Beauty and Tragic Death Transformed Her Into a Legend

The reluctant empress known as “Sisi” painstakingly crafted her image through portraits and photographs, ensuring she would be remembered in a specific way

The aqueduct was found on the grounds of the Rusovce Mansion.

Cool Finds

The First Roman Aqueduct Ever Found in Slovakia Sports an Ancient Manufacturer’s Stamp and a Paw Print

Researchers found the channel on historic grounds near the country’s capital, Bratislava

A Hun-period “Eastern-type” burial unearthed in Budapest, Hungary

New Research

Who Were the Huns Who Invaded Rome? A New Study Has Revealed Surprising Genetic Diversity

Researchers found that the group led by Attila the Hun contained a mixture of diverse ancestries, with at least a few related to elites of the Xiongnu Empire

The Englishman’s life speaks to the interconnected nature of the medieval world, demonstrating how the rise of the Mongol Empire set travelers in motion, compelling them to cover great distances and explore lands and cultures beyond Europe’s borders.

How an English Exile Ended Up at the Court of Genghis Khan’s Grandson

After leaving his home country in the early 13th century, the Englishman traveled to the Crusader states and served as an envoy of the Mongol Empire

A staff member holds a copy of Heartstopper, an LGBTQ teen romance, at Lira's shop in Budapest.

Bookstore in Hungary Will Fight Fine for Selling ‘Heartstopper,’ a Popular LGBTQ Graphic Novel

Officials say the bookseller broke the law by promoting the novel to minors and failing to wrap it in plastic foil

Hieronymus Bosch, The Last Judgment, circa 1515

Inside Hieronymus Bosch’s Surreal Visions of Heaven and Hell

A new exhibition in Budapest features almost 90 works by the Dutch artist and his peers

Researchers found the remains of a high-ranking woman (left) and her two twin fetuses (right) in a Bronze Age urn in central Hungary.

Cool Finds

Remains of High-Born Woman and Twin Fetuses Found in 4,000-Year-Old Urn

A new chemical analysis suggests the wealthy mother left her homeland to marry an elite member of the mysterious Vatya culture

The Cultural Office of the Embassy of Spain in Washington is hosting a photography exhibit, PHotoEspaña, posted on the fence surrounding its historic mansion.

Virtual Travel

Their Doors May Be Closed, but Embassies Are Still Showing People the World

From cooking demonstrations to poetry readings to special exhibitions, exploring another country has never been easier

David Copperfield has sold more tickets than any other solo performer in history.

How Harry Houdini and David Copperfield’s Jewish Heritage Shaped Their Craft

The illusionists join Ruth Bader Ginsberg and Steven Spielberg in the National Museum of American Jewish History’s hall of fame

Éva Székely won a gold medal at the 1952 Summer Olympics.

Éva Székely, Holocaust Survivor and Olympic Champion Swimmer, Dies at 92

In the wake of the war, she did not attempt to hide her identity. “Unequivocally,” she said, “I was a Jew”