Despite its reputation, the Wild West was nowhere near as wild as it’s cracked up to be. Statistically speaking, it was more peaceful than some major cities today. The image of the West we get from movies like The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and video games like Red […]
The reality of nuclear combat’s devastation was clear as soon as the first atomic weapons were dropped during World War II, leading the U.S. government to develop a “doomsday plan” out of perceived necessity. In the Cold War era, the threat of impending nuclear warfare – and the fear it […]
Of all the places celebrities partied during Hollywood’s Golden Age, one of the most popular was more than four hours north of Tinseltown. Movie stars and others among Hollywood’s most famous drinkers often attended parties at Hearst Castle in San Simeon, CA, owned by publishing mogul William Randolph Hearst. While […]
People, trends, norms – they all come and go. As a result, history is full of firsts, lasts, and everything in between. What’s innovative one day may be rendered obsolete within a few years, decades, or even longer, while methods of communication continue to change at exponential rates. To read […]
Neanderthals remain one of the great mysteries of human evolution. They are the human’s closest relatives, but their habits elude us. We are learning more about our hominid cousins every day, but there is still so much we do not know, including the mystery of Neanderthal mating habits, as there […]
When an actor dies on set, the project (if ever completed) is an eternal memorial, forever remembered for the unique and shocking tragedy. Below is a list of notable celebrities who died while filming a movie or TV show, from Heath Ledger to Brandon Lee to Marilyn Monroe. The list […]
Thanks to the Freedom of Information Act, we know of the wide variety of subjects the FBI keeps files on. Along with the obvious serial killers, terrorists, and embezzlers, the FBI investigates actors, musicians, athletes, comedians, cartoonists, and even a fast food “colonel.” The reasons for said federal surveillance range […]
Every amateur historian knows the term “Dark Ages.” It conjures up images of political upheaval, filthy living conditions, and widespread ignorance. But were the Dark Ages really dark? Not so much. Throughout the Mediterranean, into Europe and the British Isles, and from the expanse of the Byzantine Empire, the period […]
As a reporter from the BBC once stated, “When [Mount] Everest takes a life, it also keeps it.” The number of bodies on Everest grows every year from the climbers who lose their lives on its slopes. Causes of death include hypothermia, exhaustion, lack of oxygen, and falls, among other […]
When you hear “super soldier” you probably think about Captain America. But throughout history there have been real-life super soldiers who dedicated their lives to defending their people and convincing 72,000 Ranker voters to support them on today’s super soldier tier list… Be sure to subscribe to the Weird History […]
