EXPIRED DO NOT PUBLISH Why Queen Elizabeth II Decided to Televise Her Coronation

In 1938, a German-Jewish businessman, Benno Thorsch, traded his camera factory in Dresden for a new life in Detroit and, later, Los Angeles. With the rise of the Third Reich, it was a move that almost certainly saved his family’s life from the Nazis. And as a young boy, Steven Spielberg would even visit the camera shop in Studio City, California.

L.A. Welcomes a Camera Maker Fleeing Nazis (1:37)

The Orkneys, an archipelago of islands off the northern coast of Scotland, are home to some of the greatest neolithic treasures in western Europe: from the settlement of Skara Brae to the Ness of Brodgar.

Scotland's Most Mysterious Stone Age Settlements (2:11)

In 1619, George Yeardley, the newly appointed governor of Jamestown, made history: He convened 22 elected members of a burgeoning commonwealth, creating the first democratic assembly in America.

Was a Jamestown Governor the Father of U.S. Democracy? (1:57)

Pyramids were supposed to be royal burial sites, crammed with unimaginable treasures. And yet they were built to be as conspicuous as possible, attracting the attention of grave robbers.

Why Pyramids Were Effective Advertisements for Tomb Robbers (2:48)

The water torture cell escape was arguably Houdini’s most memorable stunt. So much so that many people wrongly assume it killed him–a myth invented by the 1953 movie about his life starring Tony Curtis.

This Dangerous Trick Wowed Houdini’s Fans (3:49)

To soar over Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire is to be transported back in time to the age of William Shakespeare, a man born in humble circumstances who would go on to become the most celebrated writer of all time.

Stratford-upon-Avon Is a Magnet for Shakespeare Lovers (2:37)

In 1536, Thomas Cromwell spotted an opportunity to enrich his master, Henry VIII, and further increase his own standing: the dissolution of the monasteries and claiming their wealth for the Crown.

Thomas Cromwell: Henry VIII's Partner in Crime (4:11)

Hours after the Titanic sank, news organizations latched onto a telegraph message that seemed to say that the ship and all its passengers had been rescued. It would turn out to be a tragic case of fake news.

How the Titanic Sinking Became Fake News (1:27)

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.

New Discoveries at Saqqara (3:06)