The Disturbing Exploitation of the Talented 'Hairy Maid'

Stephanie W. | Monday, Aug 17, 2015

Long before the height of Victorian era freak shows, Barbara Urslerin was already traveling Europe on display for curious, paying onlookers. Urslerin was one of the earliest documented ca...

The Atomic Bomb Kicked Off America's Military-Industrial Complex

Emma M. | Thursday, Aug 6, 2015

Ernest Lawrence changed science in a big way—with “big science.” Lawrence invented the cyclotron, also known as the proton accelerator. It was an innovation that led to the development of...

All British Tanks Have One Thing in Common: Tea Makers

Josh H. | Monday, Aug 3, 2015

In the midst of World War II, the British government had a very British problem on their hands: they needed a way to keep their soldiers safe during tea time. Before this point in history...

How To Train Your Elephant in Ancient India

Emma M. | Thursday, Jul 30, 2015

Elephants once roamed much of the land that’s now China, but over the centuries, they’ve shifted towards India. Even with its extremely dense population, India has succeeded in sustaining...

This Was the First Infomercial

Erin B. | Thursday, Jul 23, 2015

Set it…and forget it! But wait…there’s more! Operators are standing by! If you’ve ever watched TV for more than about two seconds, you’re probably familiar with the phenomenon that is the...

The Man Who Ate Everything and Swallowed It Whole

Stephanie W. | Tuesday, Jul 21, 2015

We all have those days where it feels like we could eat anything in sight, but back in eighteenth century France, there was a man who literally did. Tarrere (or Tarrare, it is likely that...

Go to War in Style with a 1950s Bazooka Vespa

Josh H. | Wednesday, Jul 15, 2015

In the 1950s, France was trying to find a new way to move lightweight artillery through Algeria and Indochina without bringing in trucks and other large vehicles. This is what they came u...

How to Be a Lesbian in the Jazz Age

Emma M. | Thursday, Jul 9, 2015

Historian Emily Bingham had heard vague stories about her great-aunt Henrietta when she was growing up. She liked the idea of this mysterious, radiant woman who took full advantage of the...

Why Do People Think Capote Wrote 'To Kill a Mockingbird'?

Stephanie W. | Thursday, Jul 9, 2015

It’s the elephant in the room when discussing To Kill A Mockingbird: Although Harper Lee’s name is emblazoned on the cover, it was her famous childhood friend, Truman Capote, who really p...

The Bielefeld Conspiracy: How an Internet Prank Deleted a Town

Josh H. | Monday, Jul 6, 2015

Back in the early-1990s, a group of college students thought it would be funny to make a rumor that the small German town of Bielefeld didn’t actually exist. Since then, the internet hoax...

Bras, Pigeons and Patriotism: How Maidenform's Unmentionables Became Patriotic

Ayun H. | Tuesday, Jun 30, 2015

By May 1942, American participation in World War II was in full swing—offshore and on the home front. Even for those far from the front lines, the war effort affected unexpected aspects o...

The Nightmare Nurse Who Enjoyed Watching Her Patients Die

Stephanie W. | Monday, Jun 22, 2015

There’s no doubt that Jane Toppan earned her nickname as “the nightmare nurse” fair and square. She was truly a nightmare. While supposedly tending to the sick and weak, Toppan took advan...