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When she was just 18 years old, Simone Segouin joined the French Resistance to capture Nazi troops, sabotage German plans, and fight against fascism in her home country. FacebookSimone Segouin poses for photographers during the liberation of Chartres. It’s a common misconception that World War II was fought entirely by professional armies and that civilians cowered in their homes, were caught in the crossfire, or taken to concentration camps. The story of Simone Segouin reveals the truth — that people of all stripes resisted the Nazi’s brutal invasion....

After years of searching, researchers have finally given the world a look at these adorable cats. After years of research, the elusive “sand kittens” have been captured on camera for the first time ever. Sand cats, a species of feline that lives exclusively in the deserts of North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia, are notoriously difficult to find, and their kittens are even rarer. These stealthy cats travel only under the cover of night, and their camouflaged, sand-colored fur makes them even more difficult to spot....

Throughout much of 20th century Spain, a criminal network of doctors and nuns stole anywhere from 40,000 to 300,000 babies from their mothers at birth, constituting one of the most horrific yet least known events of the Franco dictatorship. Picture taken during the Spanish Civil War in the late ’30s of General Franco (C) with Chief of Staff Barroso (L) and Commander Carmenlo Medrano looking at a map. Image Source: STF/AFP/Getty Images...

Teddy bear history begins with a hunting trip, a U.S. president, and one fateful decision. President Theodore Roosevelt was a big game hunter. During his presidency, he would often take vacations to go bear hunting in the mountains, coming home with large trophies to show off to his friends. One particular excursion, however, did not result in a single trophy. Instead, the trip would ensure Roosevelt’s name would go down in history as inspiration for every child’s favorite toy....

A morning whiskey “mouthwash,” a bottle of champagne at lunch, drink-offs with President Roosevelt. All in a day’s work for U.K. Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Fox Photos/Getty ImagesWinston Churchill drinking at a luncheon with the Lord Mayor at the Mansion House in the City of London. Winston’s Churchill’s achievements as prime minister of the U.K are hard to match. If you think about what you’ve accomplished versus what Churchill had, you may find yourself in a hole of despair....

Friendly Gestures: The High Five The high five’s origin is an extraordinarily contentious issue, given its association with camaraderie and celebration. The low five had long been used between black Americans and became popular during the Jazz Age as a response to “slap me some skin.” However, the cultural phenomenon known as the “high five” was not actually in print until 1980! The most popular story of the high five’s genesis is attributed to flash-in-the-pan rookie sensation Glenn Burke, who was photographed instigating the action to another player in 1977....

Brandon Swanson was on his way home for spring break in May 2008 when he got into a minor car accident and called his parents for help. Then, he suddenly vanished without a trace. Wikimedia CommonsBrandon Swanson disappeared in the early hours of May 14, 2008. His final words to his parents on the phone were a chilling, “Oh s–t!” When 19-year-old Brandon Swanson crashed his car into a roadside ditch near Minnesota West Community and Technical College in 2008, he naturally called his parents for assistance....

Venus’ surface can burn your skin off and Jupiter’s hydrogen sea may contain elements unseen since the solar system’s start. Find out some more solar system facts here. Dwarf Planets: Miniature in size, large in number Source: The Big Blog Theory After the Pluto “planet or not” debacle a few years back, the celestial mass that had once claimed a spot as the ninth planet in our solar system was reclassified as a dwarf planet....

For decades, interracial relationships around the world were taboo and sometimes even illegal. Here’s how these couples persevered despite their struggles. We might not bat an eye when we see an interracial couple walk down the street today. But before modern gains were made in the fight for equality, these relationships were often considered controversial. Those who dated outside of their race often risked arrest, harassment, or even worse — and even famous interracial couples faced intense scrutiny....

Discover why the wider Abraham Lincoln assassination plot was far larger than the death of one man and how this three-pronged attack sent out violent aftershocks for decades to come. Wikimedia CommonsAn illustration of John Wilkes Booth preparing to shoot Abraham Lincoln while the first lady as well as Clara Harris and Henry Rathbone sit nearby. On April 14, 1865, a man crept up the back staircase of Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D....

From Kenny the tiger to Otto the kitten, you’ve probably seen content about animals with Down syndrome. But what’s the truth about their conditions? This giraffe numbers among the scores of animals with Down sydrome — or so the internet would have you believe. A Google search for “animals with Down syndrome” yields pages upon pages of articles, videos, and images purporting to depict “inspiring” or “paws-itively adorable” creatures with this genetic disorder that results in various physical and mental disabilities....

While Austrian McDonald’s employees won’t be able to print you a new U.S. passport, they’ll provide consular services like reporting a stolen or lost document and providing travel assistance. FlickrWhile the McDonald’s cashiers won’t be able to print you a new passport, they’re currently being trained to help you out. Hundreds of Americans flock to Austria every year to see if its hills really are alive with the sound of music....

Using sand to bring his visions to the material world, Carl Jara puts your average sandcastle to shame. Source: Wordless Tech Master sand-sculptor Carl Jara showcases his broad imagination and attention to detail in each of his wondrous sand creations. A far cry from your average sandcastle, creating these epic sculptures is a major undertaking. Massive amounts of sand (obviously), large structural support objects, and big rig trucks to supply the large amounts of water are needed throughout the sculpting process....

In February 2013, Christopher Dorner killed four people as part of his revenge against the Los Angeles Police Department — sparking a nine-day manhunt. Kevork Djansezian/Getty ImagesA graduate of Southern Utah University and a veteran of the U.S. Navy, Christopher Dorner nevertheless struggled to succeed in the police academy. In February 2013, a gunman named Christopher Dorner terrorized Los Angeles for several harrowing days. But there was something unusual about Dorner....

Born and married into wealth, Constance Markievicz forewent her status to support her people, her sex, and win herself a seat alongside the country’s most powerful men. FlickrConstance Markievicz poses with a pistol circa 1918. Constance Markievicz, while born into wealth, spent her life struggling for Irish independence and even faced prosecution and prison time for her brazen political actions. The revolution she led, however, would find her a seat on the very Parliament that demeaned her people, which Constance Markievicz boldly refused....

The painting is attributed to Leonardo da Vinci but a historian has come forward with a theory that it is actually the work of one of his assistants. Carl Court/Getty ImagesLeonardo da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi before it is auctioned in New York on November 15, 2017 at Christies. Months after its sale, the most expensive piece of artwork ever sold is having its attribution called into question. The $450 million painting titled Salvator Mundi, is believed to be the work of world-renowned artist Leonardo da Vinci, but Matthew Landrus, an Oxford University research fellow and da Vinci scholar, claims that the famous painter only contributed about 20% of the work for the painting....

Dickin Medal honorees like Sgt Reckless the horse are among history’s bravest animals to ever serve during wartime. For centuries, animals have been serving alongside their human counterparts during wartime. In honor of their service, one award gives special recognition to some of these incredible animals. In 1949, the British veterinary charity known as the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals developed the PDSA Dickin Medal (named after charity founder Maria Dickin) for any animal who exhibits conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in a military conflict or civil emergency....

On June 4, 1913, suffragist Emily Davison ran in front of King George V’s horse during the Epsom Derby in what appeared to be a bungled act of protest. A British suffragist in the early 1900s, Emily Davison became increasingly dedicated to women’s rights as well as increasingly militant during the suffragist movement. Lauded by some as a courageous martyr and criticized by others as an extreme anarchist, Davison was known to use radical tactics like hunger strikes and arson to get her message across....

Thailand and other parts of Southeast Asia have struggled with a surge in methamphetamine use in recent years — and the problem is apparently so bad that monks are now getting hooked on the illicit drug. Chau Doan/LightRocket via Getty ImagesEach of the monks — including the abbot — was sent to rehab. A Buddhist temple in Thailand was left without monks after each of the holy men was found to have methamphetamine in his system....

More than 70,000 Americans die from drug overdoses each year. But a promising new vaccine from the University of Houston might help change that. Ridvan Celik/Getty ImagesFentanyl is a synthetic opioid developed as a pain medication in the 1960s — and it’s 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. In the ongoing battle that is the opioid epidemic, researchers may have just found a powerful new weapon: a vaccine that could prevent fentanyl from entering the brain....