As one of the first Black men to receive the Medal of Honor, William Harvey Carney made history for his valor in the 1863 battle at Fort Wagner. Public DomainWilliam Harvey Carney with the American flag, circa 1864. William Harvey Carney originally wanted to be a minister, but when the Civil War broke out, he decided the best way to serve God was to enlist — and fight for Black Americans like himself....
The heroic Scottish warrior who inspired Braveheart, William Wallace led his people in their rebellion against the English until his torturous death in 1305. In 1995, Mel Gibson rode to box office riches as William Wallace, the legendary Scottish warrior who fought for his country’s independence in the late 13th century. But how much of the movie Braveheart is true? Much of what we know about William Wallace comes from the tales of a minstrel named Blind Harry....
If confirmed, this would be the first example of “virgin birth,” or parthenogenesis, ever observed in smoothhound sharks. Wikimedia CommonsA female smoothhound shark like this one gave birth without a male partner. The aquarium staff at Cala Gonone Aquarium in Sardinia, Italy, recently came across a curious sight. In a tank that held two female sharks, they suddenly found a third. The new baby appears to be the result of a rare “virgin birth....
These thirty-two interesting facts about New York highlight the hidden gems and weird trivia behind the biggest city in the United States. George Washington’s last remaining tooth is on display at Fraunces Tavern in New York City’s Financial District, where he gave his storied farewell speech at the end of his term as president.Bettmann/Getty Images Remnants of a 76th street subway station exists underground in Queens and is said to have only been open for a month in 1948....
From China and Egypt to Rome and Greece, these ancient history facts are too raunchy, outrageous, and weird for any textbook you’ve ever read. Like this gallery?Share it: Share Flipboard Email And if you liked this post, be sure to check out these popular posts: 33 Little-Known Facts About Black History That You Didn’t Learn In School 55 Interesting History Facts You Won’t Learn Anywhere Else 27 Bizarre Facts About The Victorian Era That You Didn’t Learn In School...
Grisly scenes from when John Gotti and Al Capone orchestrated hits on the streets of a violent New York that simply doesn’t exist anymore. Getty Images; Harmon Leon Many of us have seen Goodfellas, The French Connection, and numerous other iconic crime movies that paint the New York City of old with a renegade flair not unlike that of the Wild West. Sure, Times Square is now like Disneyland — but, as these vintage movies show, at one time The Big Apple was the crime capital of the United States....
From those who displayed fearlessness in battle to those who volunteered for suicide missions that rescued thousands, these people gave their lives for the greater good. Human beings instinctually react at a moment’s notice during scenes of sheer terror. While some immediately escape and others aggressively beat the problem to death, a seemingly chosen few resourcefully respond with calculated wisdom. The nine heroes below fall into that latter category. From a Catholic monk who gave his life during the Holocaust to a Mexican railroad worker who sacrificed himself to protect a town, these figures wasted no time deciding what benefitted the greater good....
In 1944, Finnish soldier Aimo Koivunen got separated from his unit and survived for weeks inside the Arctic Circle without food or shelter — fueled by a dose of meth large enough for 30 men. Public DomainAimo Koivunen pictured after World War II. Over the course of World War II, Finland staved off a Soviet invasion, allied with Germany to invade the Soviet Union, and then fought with the Allies against Germany....
The 72-year-old spent four months at sea in the unusual vessel and brought a fishing rod, foie gras, and wine on his trip. TESA Traversée de l’Atlantique en Tonneau/Scubaqua Dive Center/Facebook72-year-old Jean-Jacques Savin sailed the Atlantic ocean in a giant barrel that he built. Some people prefer to enjoy their retirement in peace on dry land. But 72-year-old Jean-Jacques Savin, a former military parachutist and pilot, needed a new adventure. To quench his thirst, he built a giant, orange barrel, and vowed to cross the Atlantic Ocean in it....
Of the 11 rhesus monkeys given the gene found in the human brain via a virus, only five survived, but those five had improved memories — better than those of normal rhesus monkeys. Wikimedia CommonsThe latest in Chinese biomedical research saw the successful addition of human genes to the brains of rhesus monkeys. China’s latest controversial biomedical study sounds like the prologue to the The Planet of the Apes. According to the South China Post, a group of Chinese researchers successfully inserted human versions of the Microcephalin (MCPH1) gene, which is important to the unique development of the human brain, into 11 rhesus monkeys....
Christina Whittaker vanished without a trace from her hometown of Hannibal, Missouri in November 2009 — and her mother believes human traffickers may be to blame. On the night of Friday, November 13, 2009, Christina Whittaker went missing from Hannibal, Missouri. The historic town is known as the childhood home of author Mark Twain, but Whittaker’s mysterious disappearance brought the city into the public eye for far more sinister reasons....
Though he killed more than 300 girls, Pedro Lopez only served 14 years in a psych hospital and was released on good behavior. YouTube Pedro Lopez’s mugshot. Pedro Lopez is known as the “Monster of the Andes.” In 1983, he was found guilty of the murders of 110 young girls in Ecuador. Later, he confessed to 240 more, while in the psychiatric wing of a hospital in Bogotá. Despite his confession to 350 different murders, he was released from the psychiatric unit in 1998, for “good behavior....
A new study says that human activities are indeed altering the environment — by killing off swaths of it. Keith Getter / Getty Images “Imagine being a scuba diver and leaving your air tank behind you on a dive,” a new study suggests. Or maybe a skydiver without a parachute, a mountain climber without a rope — the list of metaphors goes on. Either way, you’re screwed. As is, according to the research from the University of Minnesota and McGill University, our planet....
According to IFL Science, the harrowing altercation appeared to be a tragic misunderstanding. As part of the government’s Indigenous Affairs Department (FUNAI), Franciscato was tasked with protecting tribes and Indigenous territories in Rondônia. Unfortunately, not all nearby tribes were aware of that. FUNAI had received reports that illegal loggers, miners, and cattle ranchers were coming into violent contact with isolated peoples near the border of Uru Eu Wau Wau territory. When Franciscato and his team set off to mediate and deescalate, they were met with a hail of arrows — one of which was fatal....
The Sand Creek Massacre of 1864 saw John Chivington and his 675 men slaughter hundreds of Cheyenne and Arapaho in present-day Colorado. The unfortunate history of abuse that indigenous populations suffered at the hands of the United States government is one that is long and well-documented. Most modern Americans are familiar with the bloody legacies of the Trail of Tears and Wounded Knee, but the Sand Creek Massacre, one of the most vicious in the country’s history, has been nearly forgotten....
Since 1970, up to 30 young women have gone missing along a stretch of Interstate 45 between Houston and Galveston known as the Texas Killing Fields — and police believe some of them could be the victims of a single unknown serial killer. TwitterBetween 1984 and 1991, the bodies of four young women turned up in the Texas Killing Fields. Their killer has never been caught. In League City, Texas, between Houston and Galveston, there is a 25-acre field, a desolate, swampy stretch of land with little more decorating its landscape than old oil rigs and scarcely-tread dirt roads....
Hashima Island has a complicated history. But what’s abundantly clear is that when humans leave, buildings will crumble and nature will flourish. Wikimedia CommonsHashima Island in 2008. About nine miles from the city of Nagasaki sits an abandoned island, void of inhabitants but steeped in history. Hashima Island, once a mecca for undersea coal mining, was a sharp representation of Japan‘s rapid industrialization. Also known as Gunkanjima (meaning Battleship Island) for its resemblance to a Japanese battleship, Hashima functioned as a coal facility from 1887 until 1974....
“The real weapon was placed in property and evidence,” the police quipped on their Facebook page. Greenville Police DepartmentMichael Vines A South Carolina man with a large tattoo of a gun on his forehead was arrested for unlawful carrying of a firearm in Greenville on June 19, according to local police. Just after Michael Vines was involved in an unspecified car wreck at the intersection of Green Avenue and Guess Street, firefighters at the scene witnessed the man toss a fully-loaded Smith & Wesson ....
In 1933, Blanche Barrow agreed to join Bonnie and Clyde on their infamous crime spree — but only because she was married to Clyde’s older brother. Wikimedia CommonsBlanche Barrow in 1933, shortly after she was captured by authorities. During the Great Depression, Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were perhaps the most infamous criminal couple of the American Midwest and Southwest. But they weren’t alone during their crime spree — they were joined by Clyde’s sister-in-law, Blanche Barrow....
Known as the “Soap-Maker of Correggio,” Leonarda Cianciulli was an Italian serial killer who lured women to her home to sacrifice them. Wikimedia CommonsLeonarda Cianciulli’s mugshot. Before she was known as “The Soap-Maker of Correggio” who killed three women and turned their remains into soap and teacakes, Leonarda Cianciulli was a devoted Italian mother who wanted to keep her son safe during World War II. Her story begins at the turn of the 20th century....
