History
Discover facts about history. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
History
Star anise was harvested in ancient southern China
Before becoming the aesthetic darling of modern spice racks, this aggressively licorice-flavored seed pod was quietly harvested in remote Chinese provinces.…
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Britain once fined people for eating meat
During an extreme bout of moral panic in the 16th century, officials tried to mandate formal "Fish Days" to artificially support the fishing industry. Eating…
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Guzheng zithers feature movable string bridges
Because fixed tuning is for people who lack commitment. Players constantly push and bend the strings on this massive flat board to alter the pitch mid-note,…
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Roman apartment blocks frequently collapsed from poor design
Shoddy real estate development is an ancient tradition. In urban centers, developers threw together massive multi-story apartment buildings known as 'insulae'…
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Lamplighters had to manually ignite every single streetlamp
Electric grids eventually ruined this highly romanticized, exhausting job. Individuals armed with long poles and wicks walked miles of dusky streets every…
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Paintings where every inch is packed with animals
Because leaving empty space on a canvas is a coward's move. This Tanzanian style heavily relies on painting incredibly saturated, cartoonish birds and…
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Why samurai wore katanas edge-up
Most swords hang lazily at a fighter's side, pointing safely downward to avoid cutting the sheath. However, the distinctly curved katana was traditionally…
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The moon landings were checked with slide rules
The greatest technological leap in mankind's history was double-checked with a fancy ruler. Engineers lacked sufficient computer terminals, so they physically…
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Chinese mail couriers traveled using strict relay stations
If you think your local delivery service is heavily monitored, you would despise the Ming dynasty postal network. Imperial couriers traveled along predefined…
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Linnaeus classified plants by their sex organs
Nothing scandalizes polite society quite like plant reproduction. Carl Linnaeus is famous for creating the modern system of naming organisms, but his peers…
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Sweden once limited coffee at private gatherings
King Gustav III hated coffee so much he tried to tax it completely out of existence. When that inevitably failed, the government passed petty laws stating…
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The First Crusade’s unlikely winning streak
A disorganized mob of zealots marching thousands of miles without proper supply lines should have been an absolute disaster. Yet, through a sheer combination…
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Roanoke vanished, leaving one word behind
An entire newly settled town just picked up and evaporated into thin air. By the time supplies arrived, the houses were dismantled and the only clue was a…
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Thousands paid to see a fake petrified giant
Nothing draws a crowd quite like a massive, suspiciously stone-like corpse. A prankster carved a massive human figure out of gypsum, buried it on a farm, and…
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Early printing presses required thousands of metal blocks
If you ever complain about a paper jam, just remember the horrific origins of mass media. Early movable type required an agonizing setup process where metal…
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Why tombstones were once laid flat
Heavy granite isn't just for memorializing a name, it is a highly effective physical barricade. Panicked relatives placed giant slabs directly on top of the…
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Why Maya rulers used intoxicating enemas
Ancient spiritual enlightenment wasn't all just silent meditation and burning sage. The elite ruling class of the Maya civilization realized that consuming…
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When Victorians thought trains could tear women apart
The concept of traveling at an exhilarating fifty miles per hour absolutely terrified delicate sensibilities. Experts wildly claimed that a woman's body would…
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France’s longest word has 25 letters
While other languages boast massive compound words, the French kept their longest official word relatively brief. 'Anticonstitutionnellement' is simply an…
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Magritte once forged paintings to pay the rent
Before Rene Magritte became universally famous for painting men in bowler hats with apples covering their faces, he had a deeply illegal side hustle.…
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Massive earthquake and fires destroyed a coastal city
The 1906 San Francisco earthquake violently ruptured the ground, but it was the broken gas lines that truly doomed the city. Enormous firestorms raged for…
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The medieval armor built to exaggerate a man’s size
Overcompensating isn't just for guys with lifted trucks. In the 15th and 16th centuries, European knights and nobles wore padded and armored codpieces to…
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He survived Niagara Falls, then died after slipping on a peel
Bobby Leach survived plunging over the deadly, roaring Niagara Falls in a custom-built steel barrel. Years later, having survived one of nature's greatest…
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Saint Drogo acts as the patron saint of coffee house keepers
Before you pour your morning espresso, say a quick thanks to an obscure 12th-century holy man. Saint Drogo suffered from a disfiguring affliction that forced…
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