How the Black Decree Led to This Mexican Emperor's Doom

After the success of Apollo 11, NASA unveiled an ambitious agenda for more missions into space. But interest among the public was beginning to drop—and the Nixon administration balked at the high costs

Why Interest in Space Travel Waned After Apollo 11 (2:48)

In 1946, on a remote Pacific Island, the military began a program known as ‘Operation Crossroads.’ Its aim was to capture, on film, the actual moment of an atomic bomb detonation

Capturing a Photograph of an Atomic Bomb Blast (2:54)

The success of the Apollo 8 mission hinged on a unique and terrifying maneuver: slowing the spacecraft enough to enter lunar orbit. Even the slightest mistake would have meant certain doom

The Riskiest Maneuver in the History of the Space Program (3:51)

In July 1950, Julius Rosenberg is arrested for spying, along with his wife Ethel. Decades later, declassified documents would cast doubt on whether Ethel was guilty as charged

Was Ethel Rosenberg Wrongly Convicted as a Russian Spy? (3:10)

From the very beginning, prohibition was set up to fail. With only 1,500 agents charged with stopping the flow of alcohol into the U.S., most people continued drinking as they had done before.

Why Prohibition Was Set Up to Fail Right From the Start (1:55)

In 2003, the reverend Gene Robinson became the first openly gay bishop of the Episcopal Church. What followed was a campaign of death threats and intimidation that would test him to the core.

This Man Became the First Openly Gay Bishop in America (4:05)

It may sound like an auspicious title, but the ‘groom of the stool’ was anything but. Simply put, it was a role that entailed monitoring and assisting with Henry VIII’s bowel movements.

This Unpleasant Royal Job Came With a Fancy Title (1:59)

By 1925, a sprawling rail network had sprung into place, and more Americans could now head west to sightsee—and with five new national parks added to the roster of public lands, they had the perfect destination.

How Trains Gave Americans a Path to National Parks (1:33)

We have this image of Queen Victoria as a highly proper, disciplined monarch. But the Queen was also someone who liked to get high, from opium tinctures to chewing gum laced with cocaine.

Did This Beloved Queen of Britain Use Drugs? (2:12)