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We use social media stats to “rank” ourselves, but what happens when the government does it to citizens? People already care a lot about their social media numbers — how many Twitter followers they have, how many likes their Instagram photo gets, or how many times their Facebook post was shared. In a world where social media platforms have become increasingly intertwined with our material existence, it’s not unreasonable to stress about the way our online presence affects aspects of our offline lives....

The manic exploits of the Teddy Boys made the whole of Britain fear teens through the ’50s. Like this gallery?Share it: Share Flipboard Email And if you liked this post, be sure to check out these popular posts: 44 Unsettling Images Of Life Inside The Hitler Youth, The Nazis’ Army Of Brainwashed Children 25 Iconic Images That Perfectly Encapsulate The 1950s 32 Intimate Images From The Heyday Of British Punk...

So far, they’ve trained four eagles to intercept drones, and now four more are on the way. The French military is training golden eagles to take down small unmanned drones. After pranksters flew drones over restricted military sites and the presidential palace in 2015, French authorities decided to try out this new avian defense tactic. So far, they have trained four eagles: d’Artagnan, Athos, Porthos and Aramis, in tribute to Alexandre Dumas’ The Three Musketeers....

Sky burial, which isn’t a burial at all, is one of the most prevalent funeral rites in Tibet, and involves a long trek, juniper berries, and a whole lot of vultures. Wikimedia CommonsVultures feed on a sky burial body. In most Western nations,burying the dead is the most common practice. For centuries, humans everywhere have been laying their dead to rest in holes in the ground, as evidenced by the thousands of cemeteries scattered across the globe....

Ancient Irish incest uncovered, buried Roman city found, mysteries of China’s Great Wall unlocked. 5,200-Year-Old Irish Tomb Reveals Evidence Of Vast Incest Ring Among Ancient Royals Wikimedia CommonsThe 5,200-year-old Newgrange tomb in County Meath, Ireland has unlocked untold archaeological mysteries over the years. Archaeologists working inside the ancient Newgrange tomb in rural Ireland recently found remains that revealed an ancient king who was the product of incest. Moreover, samples from Neolithic sites across the country found evidence of rampant incest among the country’s ruling elites some 5,000 years ago....

The rapidly spreading mosquito-borne virus has been linked to brain damage and birth defects in babies. Here’s what you need to know about the Zika virus. If you’re hoping to catch a break from dreary winter weather, you should be cautious about your travel choices, according to a recent missive from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. On January 15, the CDC released a travel advisory warning pregnant women or those who hope to be pregnant to avoid visiting the 14 countries (primarily in Latin America and the Caribbean) where there have been confirmed outbreaks of the Zika virus — a mosquito-borne illness which medical experts think may be linked to serious birth defects such as microcephaly, where the newborn has brain damage and a small head....

From 1939 to 1945, the scientists behind the Manhattan Project raced to develop the first nuclear weapon. The results would change history. On July 16, 1945, the Manhattan Project proved to be a success: The shockwave of the first-ever-detonated atomic bomb rippled from inside an empty desert in New Mexico all the way out to Albuquerque, destroying everything in its range with a heat hot enough to vaporize steel. Twenty miles out, theoretical physicist J....

Child beauty queen JonBenét Ramsey was just six years old when she was found murdered on December 26, 1996. And we still don’t know who killed her. On December 26, 1996, John and Patsy Ramsey reported that their six-year-old daughter JonBenét Ramsey had been kidnapped and that they’d found a ransom note demanding $118,000. A few hours later, she was found dead — in the family home in Boulder, Colorado. The shocking murder of JonBenét Ramsey was just the beginning of a decades-long mystery....

Learn about the real-life tragedy of Charley Ross that inspired the phrase “Don’t take candy from strangers.” Giovanna Graf/Getty Images Each year in the United States, upwards of 800,000 children under the age of 18 disappear — and that’s just counting reported missing persons cases. While these cases often make fine fodder for evening news, for most of history they did not garner popular attention. Indeed, it wasn’t until the disappearance of Etan Patz and later, Adam Walsh, that mass media became a tool to crack the cases as well as pass legislation meant to curb the number of them that end in death....

From murderers being captured to missing children being reunited with their parents, explore some of the most baffling cases that were solved after Unsolved Mysteries aired episodes about them. Before the Investigation Discovery channel turned crime into binge TV, Unsolved Mysteries documented cold cases from modern history. In its original incarnation, which ran from 1987 to 2002, acting legend Robert Stack presided over more than 230 episodes that featured more than 1,300 unsolved cases....

Fisher will be remembered for her acting talent and razor-sharp wit. Look back on her storied life with these Carrie Fisher photos. A scene from “Shampoo,” Fisher’s big screen debut in 1975. Flickr/John Irving Hairstyle test and overalls for “Star Wars.” Flickr/Randar As our beloved princess Leia Organa. Flickr/Randar On set with the legendary Peter Cushing. Flickr/Randar With German filmmaker Wim Wenders at the premiere of F.I.S.T. in 1978.Wikimedia/Photo by Alan Light...

We’ve still got a long way to go in helping the mentally ill, but this look at bizarre historical cures for mental illness show just how far we’ve come. In the 21st century, mental illness is mostly treated with a combination of therapy and medication, often with excellent results. But it wasn’t always this way: Centuries of trial and error led us to the point where we can successfully assist the mentally ill with their chronic conditions, and help them live in relative harmony with the world....

From “the boy in the box” to the mystery of room 1046, these stories about unsolved murder cases will creep into your brain and never leave. Today, one-third of all murders in the United States go unsolved. And it’s murder cases like these that haunt us with the thought that the killer was never caught and could still be walking among us. The Kansas City Public Library/Creative Commons Throughout history, in fact, there’s been no shortage of unsolved murder cases that are as creepy as they are baffling…...

While the lineage Romano-Lukas Hitler claimed remains in dispute, his advances on a 13-year-old girl have officially made him a convicted pedophile. He firmly rejects what he did was wrong. CENRomano-Lukas Hitler, the alleged last living relative of Adolf Hitler. A self-proclaimed relative of Adolf Hitler has just been convicted of pedophilia for kissing a 13-year-old girl. According to Bild, the unemployed 69-year-old responded to an advert for a garage, but set his eyes on something else: the seller’s underage daughter, Ania....

Archeologists long puzzled over the eight tubes but a new theory suggests that they were used to drink ceremonial beer. Kevin WilsonAn artist’s depiction of how the straws may have been used. In 1897, archeologist Nikolai Veselovsky came across an elaborate Bronze Age tomb in southern Russia. Among the various riches, he found eight silver and gold tubes adorned with tiny bulls. But though Veselovsky labeled them as scepters, they might actually be straws....

Bruce Lee vs. Wong Jack Man is perhaps the most famous fight in martial arts history, yet the matchup between the cultural icon and Kung-Fu master remains shrouded in lore and mystery. YouTubeBruce Lee sparring. San Francisco’s Chinatown in the early 1960s was something of a mecca for young martial artists looking to be at the forefront of the fighting culture. The burgeoning martial arts community served as a formative teaching ground for many artists on the cutting edge of martial arts....

For those who haven’t discovered Flipboard yet, you’re missing out. The iPhone and Android-friendly application lets you browse and enjoy your favorite content—be it news articles, Twitter feeds or the best of BuzzFeed—without having to ever leave Flipboard. Readers can “flip” through Fliboard magazines’ article headlines like one would with a physical magazine, and select any article they want to read further. Users can also create their own Flipboard magazines based on their hobbies, passions or even an Instagram feed....

Larry Gene Bell was a divorced electrician who kidnapped and murdered at least two girls in South Carolina in 1985 — then tormented their families with taunting phone calls. Wikimedia CommonsLarry Gene Bell was a cruel killer who took pleasure in taunting the family members of his victims. Over one terrifying summer month in 1985, fear spread throughout the state of South Carolina following the abduction of two girls in broad daylight in front of their respective homes....

Battling racism, sexism, and homophobia in Jim Crow America, Gertrude “Ma” Rainey emerged as one of the most popular singers of the 1920s. As one of the first famous African American blues artists, Ma Rainey cemented her place in music history in the 1920s. In just five years, she recorded more than 90 songs, many of which were national hits. But as a Black bisexual woman, Rainey also battled the intense racism, sexism, and homophobia that permeated Jim Crow America....

John Proctor was the first man to be accused of witchcraft at Salem. He was soon executed, but his property can now be yours. Joseph Cipoletta/J Barrett & CompanyThe exterior of the home on the property once owned by John Proctor. Are you an American history buff with a few hundred thousand dollars to spare? If yes, you’re in luck because a piece of land once owned by an important player in the Salem witch trials has just hit the market....