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Xolotl, The Aztec God Who Slayed His Fellow Deities And Then Cried Until His Eyes Fell Out

The Aztec deity Xolotl was seen as the twin brother of Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent god linked with life and light. In many ways, Xolotl was Quetzalcoatl’s opposite. He was associated with sickness, deformities, and even death, but he was not considered evil.

Xolotl didn’t bring death to the Aztecs. Rather, he was a psychopomp, or someone who guided souls to Mictlan, the Aztec Underworld. In the culture’s mythology, dogs were also believed to help their masters travel to the afterlife, s...
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‘Poor’-Quality Image Submitted To Online Appraisal Service Ends Up Being A Rare Masterpiece By English Artist J.M.W. Turner

When a blurry picture of a piece of art was submitted to the online appraisal service of Christie’s auction house, where users can request value estimates for their finds, it was difficult to make out what it was. However, when an expert from Christie’s, Rosie Jarvie, took a closer look, she realized that she was looking at something special indeed.

The work, which had previously been falsely attributed to the Victorian artist John Ruskin, actually turned out to be a long-lost piece by the reno...
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Inside The Death Of Henry Hill, The Lucchese Family Mobster Whose Story Was Immortalized In 'Goodfellas'

Henry Hill’s death in June 2012 marked the end of one of America’s most compelling mob stories. His life inspired Goodfellas, one of the top gangster films of all time. The movie depicts Hill’s infamous transformation from a Lucchese family associate to an FBI informant, but what happened to Hill after the events portrayed onscreen is equally sensational.

Hill was convinced that the Mafia was going to take him out because of his betrayal. He entered the Witness Protection Program for seven year...
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Hidden Medieval Murals At France’s Angers Cathedral Have Been Photographed And Documented For The First Time Ever

Stunning medieval wall paintings inside France’s Angers Cathedral remained hidden for centuries. But now, for the first time, conservators from the University of Cambridge’s Hamilton Kerr Institute have photographed and cataloged these once-lost murals. In total, they captured more than 8,000 photographs of the paintings, making them visible to the public for the first time in hundreds of years.

The painstaking process of stitching these thousands of photographs together was carried out by the...
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400-Year-Old Cache Of Treasure Found Hidden Inside The Leg Of A Statue In A German Church

Restoration workers at St. Andreas Church in Eisleben, Germany have uncovered a surprising find 400 years in the making. Inside the leg of a statue, they found four bags stuffed with coins dating back to the 1600s, likely hidden away during the Thirty Years’ War when Swedish soldiers were plundering the region.

In all, this treasure trove contains 816 coins, and though they were discovered in 2022, the announcement was only made recently, once detailed examinations and documentation were comple...
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The Outrageous Rise And Fall Of Stratton Oakmont, The Brokerage Firm Run By 'Wolf Of Wall Street' Jordan Belfort

Jordan Belfort, the infamous Wolf of Wall Street, surely needs no introduction at this point. From serving time in prison for defrauding investors out of hundreds of millions of dollars to writing a bestselling memoir about the ordeal that was adapted into the highly successful film The Wolf of Wall Street in 2013, Belfort’s life of debauchery and crime has been well chronicled. However, Belfort’s tale is just one part of the larger story of Stratton Oakmont, the brokerage firm where he committe...
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2,600-Year-Old Shipwreck Known As Mazarrón II Recovered From The Mediterranean Off The Coast Of Spain

Off the coast of southeastern Spain in 1994, archaeologists made a rare discovery: a largely intact Phoenician ship dubbed the Mazarrón II lying on the ocean floor. Over the past 30 years, the ship has remained a point of interest for researchers, eventually leading to a recent project to excavate the ship from its watery grave.

Between September and November 2024, a team of 14 specialists led by the University of Valencia’s Carlos de Juan worked to bring the Mazarrón II to the surface piece by...
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Inside The Legend Of Sasaki Kojirō, The Formidable Swordsman Of Edo-Era Japan

Japanese history is filled with epic tales of warriors, but few have stood the test of time as well as the story of samurai Miyamoto Musashi — and his duel with Sasaki Kojirō, one of Japan’s greatest swordsmen.

Although Musashi faced many powerful opponents in his time, none posed a greater challenge than Kojirō. The two faced off on the small island of Funajima in 1612, and though the battle was swift and decisive, it also proved to be one of the most important duels in the history of Japan. M...
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Road Workers In England Just Stumbled Upon An Ancient Roman Coffin That Had Gone Untouched For 1,500 Years

During work on the A47 roadway between Wansford and Sutton in the United Kingdom, archaeologists discovered a 1,500-year-old, hand-carved Roman coffin made of stone that weighs about 1,650 pounds — the same as an adult polar bear. This “unusual archaeological find” is unique for the region and is featured as part of the newest season of the BBC’s Digging for Britain.

The series and the archaeological expeditions it highlights are part of a larger project to ensure that any ancient historical ar...
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The USS Indianapolis Shark Attack, The Blood-Soaked Feeding Frenzy Made Famous In 'Jaws'

Shortly after midnight on July 30, 1945, the USS Indianapolis was sunk by two Japanese torpedoes in the final days of World War II. Though some 900 men of the 1,196 crew had survived, their terrible ordeal was just beginning. Drawn by noise and the smell of blood, sharks began to gather in the water. And the USS Indianapolis shark attack would soon become known as one of the worst shark attacks to ever occur.

Over the next four days and five nights, the men of the USS Indianapolis struggled to...
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Archaeologists In England Unearth A Stunningly Preserved Medieval Sword Near Canterbury

An exceptionally well-preserved sword dating back to the sixth century C.E. was recently unearthed in Kent, England. Found at the site of an Anglo-Saxon cemetery, the sword has drawn several comparisons to the famous Anglo-Saxon sword found in 1939 at Sutton Hoo, a burial ground in Suffolk.

The newly discovered sword has a silver-and-gilt hilt featuring an intricately decorated pattern, while the blade itself is embossed with a runic script. Additionally, archaeologists found remains of the swo...
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Mehran Karimi Nasseri, The Man Who Lived In Charles De Gaulle Airport For 18 Years

For nearly 20 years, Mehran Karimi Nasseri lived in an airport. An alleged Iranian refugee lacking proper documentation, Nasseri had bounced around Europe for several years before he found himself in international legal limbo after his identity papers were purportedly stolen in Paris. With no where else to go, Nasseri set up a home at Charles De Gaulle Airport in 1988.

For the next 18 years, he stayed there.

A familiar face to airport staff at Charles de Gaulle — who nicknamed him Lord Alfred...
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How Anti-Gay Activist Anita Bryant Went From A Popular Singer To A Bankrupt Laughing Stock

In a different world, Anita Bryant might have been fondly remembered for the music she produced in the early 1960s. However, today, she’s better known for her anti-LGBTQ activism. In the late 1970s, Bryant ran a “Save Our Children” campaign that aimed to repeal an ordinance in Miami-Dade County, Florida, that prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Her anti-gay views were loudly proclaimed, and although her campaign was successful, it also shattered her public image.

Many...
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27 Vintage Photos Of Celebrities Ringing In The New Year, From Marilyn Monroe To Judy Garland To Andy Warhol

Each Dec. 31, people across the globe gather to welcome the new year, and celebrities are no exception. Over the decades, some of the world's biggest stars have been spotted at New Year's Eve parties from Los Angeles to Manhattan and beyond.

Many of these gatherings were formal affairs, while others took place at notoriously rowdy venues. However, even the more intimate parties could turn unruly when alcohol was involved — as it often is on New Year's Eve.

While the drinking aspect of New Year...
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From Apocalyptic Headlines To 'Millenium-Proof' Appliances, Go Inside The Y2K Panic In 33 Images

Today, “Y2K” often refers to a popular fashion choice that resembles the styles that were worn in the early 2000s. However, that term stems from what was once a very real concern about the turn of the millennium and how that would affect computer networks around the world.

See, 25 years ago, many people — and government agencies like FEMA — grew increasingly worried as January 1, 2000 approached that computer systems wouldn’t be able to handle the change from the year 1999 to 2000. Some feared...
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The ROUS From 'The Princess Bride' May Be Fictional, But These Real Rodents Of Unusual Size Are Just As Scary

In the 1973 novel The Princess Bride, Buttercup and Westley are taken by surprise when they are suddenly attacked by “rodents of unusual size,” or ROUS. The book describes the beasts as a “pure rat strain” that lives in the Fire Swamp. The animals weigh as much as a large dog, eat a carnivorous diet, run as fast as a wolfhound, and attack if they smell blood.

The creatures also appear in the 1987 film adaptation of the book. The onscreen rodents of unusual size are nearly as big as humans, but...
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The True Story Of Judge Holden, The Terrifying Scalp Hunter Of The Southwest Immortalized In 'Blood Meridian'

Author Cormac McCarthy is not known for writing lighthearted novels, but for all the violence and darkness his books are famous for, few are quite so unrelenting as Blood Meridian. It was published in 1985 and billed as a historical epic. The book follows a fictional teenager and his run-ins with a group of scalp hunters who prey upon Native Americans along the border of the United States and Mexico in the mid-1800s. Perhaps the most vicious of these men is named Judge Holden.

Unlike many of Mc...
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66 Colorized Vintage Christmas Photos That Bring The Holidays Of The Past To Life

Photography is one of the most remarkable inventions in human history. By the mid-20th century, camera technology had progressed to the point where detailed images could be captured with little hassle. And cameras were affordable enough that the average American family could have a camera in their own home. Unsurprisingly, photography became the de facto way to capture special moments — especially during Christmas.

But Christmas is a colorful holiday, and the black-and-white photography of deca...
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11 Of The Most Groundbreaking Archaeological Finds Unearthed In 2024

The world of archaeology is not always as exciting as it is portrayed in films like Indiana Jones. But while researchers are rarely risking life and limb to uncover secrets of the ancient world, there are still countless new discoveries being made in the field each year. And these thrilling finds can fundamentally change our understanding of the past.

In this year’s archaeology news roundup, we’re revisiting some of the most fascinating archaeological discoveries from this year that we can’t st...
All That's Interesting •

11 Of The Most Groundbreaking Archaeological Finds Unearthed In 2024

The world of archaeology is not always as exciting as it is portrayed in films like Indiana Jones. But while researchers are rarely risking life and limb to uncover secrets of the ancient world, there are still countless new discoveries being made in the field each year. And these thrilling finds can fundamentally change our understanding of the past.

In this year’s archaeology news roundup, we’re revisiting some of the most fascinating archaeological discoveries from this year that we can’t st...
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Why Did So Many Ancient Cultures Believe In Dragons? The Answer May Lie With The Dinosaurs

Mythology and folklore about dragons can be found in a wide variety of cultures throughout history. While specific details may vary, legends about the beasts are among the most pervasive stories humans have ever told. They are so pervasive, in fact, that many have wondered: Are dragons real?

Scientists have generally agreed the answer is a resounding no, yet there is still something peculiar about how widespread the mythological creatures have been in human culture. Today, we can thank the like...
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Archaeologists In Norway Uncover The 1,200-Year-Old Graves Of Three Wealthy Viking Women

Last year, metal detectorists in Norway stumbled upon a coin and a brooch at a former farm on the country’s west coast. At the time, it was assumed these relics hailed from the Viking Age, but this theory had not been confirmed.

Now, however, Norwegian archaeologists have reexamined the site where the objects were found, confirming those previous suspicions. What’s more, the researchers announced that this farm had once been a Viking burial site, and they believe there are as many as 20 graves...
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Bloodshed, Betrayals, And Blunders: Inside The Wild History Of The New York Mafia's Five Families

For 50 years between 1931 and the 1980s, the Five Families of the Italian-American Mafia essentially ran New York City. From bootlegging during Prohibition to drug trafficking to seizing control of the garment, construction, and trucking industries, the organized crime groups led rackets that brought in hundreds of millions of dollars each year, and for a time, they seemed unstoppable.

While countless other gangs terrorized cities across the United States, New York’s Five Families were the most...
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Archaeologists Excavating The Tomb Of Chinese Emperor Liu He Uncover 6,000 Pieces Of Fish-Scale Armor

During excavations of the tomb of ancient Chinese Emperor Liu He, archaeologists uncovered more than 6,000 pieces of fish-scale armor.

Made of iron, copper, and leather, this find marks the first discovery of composite armor made out of multiple materials from the Han dynasty period, highlighting the level of skilled craftsmanship in the region more than 2,000 years ago.

Liu He, born circa 92 B.C.E, was the grandson of Emperor Wu, one of the Han dynasty’s most influential rulers. Following his...
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