Steven Jay Russell: The Great Escape Artist – 1957

Steven Jay Russell, otherwise known as “The Great Escape Artist,” or “King Con” was one of the most notorious con artists of all time. Born in 1957, Russell made a name for himself by masterminding a number of daring escapes from prison and committing a variety of frauds.

Weapons of War: The Aztec Macuahuitl – 900 AD

The Macuahuitl was a weapon used by the Aztecs and other Mesoamerican cultures in pre-Columbian times. It was a type of sword that was made from obsidian, a naturally occurring volcanic glass. The Macuahuitl was a fearsome weapon that was able to slice through flesh and bone with ease, and it played an important role in Aztec warfare and culture.

Turaga Nation and Avoiuli: The 1980s Artificial Language of the Pacific Ocean

Avoiuli is a rare example of a constructed language that has been used by the Turaga Nation community of speakers, rather than simply existing as an academic exercise. It is a unique language closely associated with the Turaga cultural movement, which was founded in the 1970s and has gained popularity in recent years.

MIT and Quaker Oats Fed Radioactive Cereals to Children in the 1940s

In the 1940s, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Quaker Oats tests conducted a series of experiments involving the consumption of radioactive cereals by children. In particular, the study sought to learn more about the effects of internal radiation exposure, and to develop methods for treating radiation sickness as opposed to external radiation exposure, which had been studied for many years.

The Scarificator: A Bloodletting 18th-Century Device

Bloodletting was a common medical practice in the 18th and 19th centuries for a wide variety of ailments, including fever, headaches, and even mental illness. Physicians believed that many illnesses were caused by an imbalance of bodily fluids, and bloodletting was thought to restore this balance. The scarificator was an essential tool for bloodletting, as it allowed physicians to create small incisions quickly and efficiently.

Pharos of Alexandria 3rd Century BC: Wonder of the Ancient World

The Lighthouse of Alexandria, known in Greek as Pharos of Alexandria, was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

The ATM Midnight Terror Cave: A 1,500-Year-Old Entrance to the Maya Underworld

Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave, also known as ATM Cave, or the Midnight Terror Cave, is buried deep within the jungles of Belize, Central America, and is one of the most interesting historical discoveries ever made.

The Ice King and His Wonderful Grandchild: A Dutch Fairy Tale

The Ice King and His Wonderful Grandchild: A Dutch Fairy Tale

The Skoptsy: The Strange 18th-Century Russian Sect That Performed Self-Mutilation In The Name of God

The Skopites, also known as the Skoptsy, Scapets or Scopiti, depending on translations, were a religious sect that emerged in 18th-century Russia. They believed in a radical form of Christianity that involved self-castration for men and mutilation of breasts for women.

Romería Del Rocío in Spain: A Traditional Religious Pilgrimage Originating in 3rd Century AD

Romería del Rocío is Spain’s most important religious celebration and it attracts over a million visitors every year during the weekend before Pentecost Monday and exactly 50 days following Easter.