Known as the New York Mafia’s “Last Don” after every other boss of his generation was sent to prison, Joe Massino ultimately became the first head of one of the Five Families to cooperate with the government. Wikimedia CommonsBefore his racketeering conviction in 2004, Bonanno boss Joe Massino was known as “The Last Don,” because he was the only head of any of New York’s Five Families who wasn’t in prison....
Local legend holds that La Pascualita is the preserved corpse of the original shop owner’s daughter, who died tragically on her wedding day. La Pascualita/FacebookLa Pascualita Embalmed corpses are not an unheard-of tourist attraction. Several popes are on view at the Vatican and visitors still flock to see Lenin’s preserved body in Moscow’s Red Square. Yet however macabre, these corpses serve something of a historical purpose. But that’s not quite the case with La Pascualita, a Mexican tourist attraction that has long had people wondering whether it’s a mannequin — or a corpse being used as one....
Ever since he discovered music created by concentration camp prisoners in 1988, Francesco Lotoro has been working tirelessly to revive every single musical note left behind. Gedenkstaette Buchenwald/United States Holocaust Memorial MuseumNazi concentration camp prisoners skilled in music were forced to play in the camp orchestras. The horrors of the Holocaust make it unimaginable to think anything joyous took place inside its death camps, where millions of Jews and others were systemically murdered by Nazis....
During Prohibition, Hell Hole Swamp was one of the biggest suppliers of illegal booze to Chicago. Wikimedia CommonsThe abandoned barrel likely belonged to one of Al Capone’s criminal associates. Deep in “Bloody” Berkeley County, South Carolina, in a section of the Francis Marion National Forest called “Hell Hole Swamp,” archaeologists have unearthed a moonshine still linked to Al Capone. Researchers from the University of Tennessee made the discovery, which included artifacts like a metal barrel, cinder blocks, a green garden hose, and some pieces of old metal....
The Equal Earth projection hopes to put an end to distorted world maps for good. Tom PattersonEqual Earth projection map. An accurate world map is something that has evaded cartographers for centuries. But this new design just might make distorted maps a thing of the past. In a study released earlier this month in the International Journal of Geographical Information Science, cartographer Tom Patterson and his colleagues, Bojan Šavrič and Bernhard Jenny, presented a solution to this long-held problem: how to make a map of the world that accurately portrays the size and shape of the Earth’s landmasses....
These Salem witch trials facts will surprise even the history buffs and prove that these events didn’t happen how you think. The Salem witch trials could be summarized as “women accused of witchcraft, entire colony panics, women then executed.” While that summary is not technically untrue, what actually occurred is somewhat different from the idea that lives on in popular imagination. Wikimedia Commons These Salem witch trials facts separate truth from myth:...
Steven Pennell became known as the “Route 40 Killer” after he abducted, tortured, and murdered at least three women between 1987 and 1988. Wikimedia Commons “Route 40 Killer” Steven Brian Pennell’s mugshot. Steven Brian Pennell was both a sadistic killer and an enigma. Though married with two children and a seemingly “normal” electrician by day, Pennell drove Delaware’s Route 40 by night, torturing and killing five women throughout the late 1980s....
Biggest Innovators in Animation: Émile Cohl Émile Cohl was a French cartoonist and animator who is often referred to as “the father of the animated cartoon.” In 1907, Cohl began work at Gaumont, a motion picture studio who hired him as a scenarist, which is someone who came up with one-page story ideas for movies. It was between February and May of 1908 that Cohl made what is regarded as the first fully animated film: Fantasmagorie....
The depths of the ocean are jam-packed with weird and wonderful creatures — great, small, hairy, ugly, colorful and alike. We were hard-pressed to pick just six, but here are some of lesser known and most amazing oceanic creatures of the seas: Amazing Oceanic Creatures: Axolotl The Axolotl is a species of salamander that fails to undergo full metamorphosis, retaining qualities from the larvae stage into their adult phase. The species is generally found in Mexico,and is named after an Aztec term that means ‘water doll’....
Though we’re taught that Christopher Columbus discovered America in 1492, the real story of who actually discovered North America first is far more complicated. The question of who discovered America is a difficult one to answer. While many schoolchildren are taught that Christopher Columbus was responsible for the discovery of America in 1492, the true history of the land’s exploration stretches back long before Columbus was even born. But did Christopher Columbus discover America before other Europeans?...
Discarded socks, foreboding stones, and an extinct human hybrid — archaeologists unearthed some impressive and groundbreaking discoveries this year. -/AFP/Getty ImagesArchaeology news saw the strange phenomenon of a petition to drink this mysterious “mummy juice.” Believe it or not, there was an abundance of important archaeology news that was unearthed over the course of these past 12 months. Important discoveries by experts have led them closer to answering some of the world’s biggest historical question marks....
From Lincoln’s Ford’s Theater rocking chair to Lewis And Clark’s Compass, these objects not only changed the course of history but remain to tell their story. Like this gallery?Share it: Share Flipboard Email And if you liked this post, be sure to check out these popular posts: 1 of 24The Rifle That Killed JFKA Dallas policeman holds up the rifle that Lee Harvey Oswald allegedly used to kill President Kennedy. It is officially accepted that Oswald smuggled this gun into the Texas School Book Depository on the morning of the assassination, Nov....
Don’t look at this list of amazing pools if you are lacking vacation days. Source: World Of Travel From kiddie wading pools to Olympic competition aquatic centers, swimming pools come in all shapes and sizes. If you’ve ever spent time at an upscale resort, you are already aware that a fabulous pool can make you feel like you’re in the lap of luxury. Here are six examples of some of the world’s most amazing pools, complete with breathtaking views:...
The beam entered through the back of Anatoli Bugorski’s head and exited through his nose. YouTubeAnatoli Burgorski Based on the research done, it takes about 500 to 600 rads of radiation to kill someone. So when a proton beam containing about 200,000 rads entered Anatoli Bugorski’s skull, his fatal future seemed highly predictable. But that wasn’t the case. Though some damage was done, Bugorski remained almost completely functional. Considering a beam from the most powerful particle accelerator in the world at the time went through his head, it’s hard to even fathom his survival....
This isn’t Mickey’s park. Dismaland, street artist Banksy’s most recent and most elaborate endeavor, contains everything you’d expect to find at an ordinary theme park—a ferris wheel, fair games, rides, and colorful attractions—and yet manages to circumvent any and all semblances of happiness. Banksy’s theme park opened Saturday, August 22 at a seaside swimming resort in Weston-super-Mare, England. Guests start their Dismaland experience by walking through a security room designed by artist Bill Barminski....
An apocalyptic author, Chad Daybell attracted the attention of an Idaho mom named Lori Vallow — who purportedly killed her kids because they were “zombies.” Chad Daybell was known for writing about several dark topics. He published 25 books about the apocalypse, near-death experiences, and his grave-digging work. But no one ever expected that Chad Daybell would be linked to murder — until he met a woman named Lori Vallow....
Erich Hartmann became Germany’s top ace in just three short years with more than 350 aerial victories. His streak remains the deadliest in history. Wikimedia CommonsErich Hartmann in 1943. Erich Hartmann took pride in his skills as a fighter pilot for the German Luftwaffe in World War II — as well he should have. He was so feared on the Eastern Front that Soviet planes would turn around and retreat rather than face him in his formidable Messerschmitt Bf 109....
Craters quickly growing across Russia have mystified scientists over the past few years. But most can agree that they’re not a good sign. The name of the Yamal Peninsula in Siberia translates literally to the “End of the Earth.” It’s a disturbingly appropriate name for a place where the effects of global warming are materializing in the form of giant, gas-leaking sinkholes. The mysterious holes began appearing in 2014 — the first measuring more than 50 feet wide....
From San Francisco to Woodstock, these vintage hippie pictures take you inside the revolution that defined a generation. Like this gallery?Share it: Share Flipboard Email And if you liked this post, be sure to check out these popular posts: The Height Of Hippie Power: 55 Photos Of San Francisco In The 1960s 33 Vintage Velvet Underground Photos That Capture Their Raucous 1960s Heyday With Andy Warhol Society’s Dropouts: 31 Eye-Opening Photos Of America’s 1970s Hippie Communes...
Not even 50 years ago, crowds in tourist spots like Atlantic City were lining up to watch diving horses perform death-defying stunts. Like this gallery?Share it: Share Flipboard Email And if you liked this post, be sure to check out these popular posts: 1 of 22At the peak of horse diving, the spectacle attracted huge crowds to places like Atlantic City, where divers and horses would perform the death-defying jumps. Peter Stackpole/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images 2 of 22The towering diving platforms could sometimes be as high as 75-feet....
