When Deadly Steamboat Races Enthralled America
In July 1852, the "Henry Clay" caught fire during a contest on the Hudson River, killing an estimated 80 people
The 80-Year Mystery of the U.S. Navy's 'Ghost Blimp'
The L-8 returned from patrolling the California coast for Japanese subs in August 1942, but its two-man crew was nowhere to be found
Twice Accused of Murder, This Writer Later Foresaw the Sinking of the Titanic
Under the pseudonym Mayn Clew Garnett, author Thornton Jenkins Hains published a maritime disaster story with eerie parallels to the real-life tragedy
When Paper Clothing Was the Perfect Fit
A war-weary world needed a new wardrobe, and this cheap, washable attire seemed to rise to the occasion
When Don the Talking Dog Took the Nation by Storm
Although he 'spoke' German, the vaudevillian canine captured the heart of the nation
Thomas Edison’s Forgotten Sci-Fi Novel
By feeding his visions for the future to a well-regarded contemporary, the prolific inventor offered a peek into his brilliant mind
In World War II America, Female Santas Took the Reins
Rosie the Riveter wasn’t the only woman who pitched in on the homefront
Doctors Once Prescribed Terrifying Plane Flights to "Cure" Deafness
Stunt pilots, including a young Charles Lindbergh, took willing participants to the skies for (sometimes) death-defying rides
The “Scandalous” Quarter Protest That Wasn’t
Were Americans really so outraged by a semi-topless Lady Liberty that the U.S. Mint had to censor this coin?
Michael Jackson, Donald Trump and Other Famous Americans Who Escaped Brushes With Death
The roads not taken for these 13 lucky souls saved their lives
The Challenger Disaster Put an End to NASA’s Plan to Send Civilians Into Space
On the 30th anniversary of the space shuttle tragedy, a look back at an ambitious plan to put the rest of us into orbit
When New York City Lost Power in 1965, Radio Saved the Day
How the news was reported on the day of the famous blackout
The Brief History of “Americanitis”
More than a century ago, the experts thought that Americans worked too hard, putting their collective health at risk
"The Interview" Joins the Ranks of These Banned or Restricted Movies
From a Charlie Chaplin comedy to a Mae West melodrama, plenty of controversial films have been pulled or even destroyed since the dawn of cinema
Nine Famous People and What They’re Buried With
Icons of their time, these celebrities didn’t stray far from their public personae when it came to their final resting places
The Last Adventure of Richard Halliburton, the Forgotten Hero of 1930s America
Seventy-five years ago, the idol of America’s youth set out on what would be his final journey
What's a 9-Letter Word for a 100-Year-Old Puzzle?
The crossword puzzle turns 100 this week -- here's how it rose to popularity
10 Lucky Celebrities Who Escaped Disaster
Most of the time it's the disasters that are famous—but sometimes, famous people escape disasters instead
The Child Prodigies Who Became 20th-Century Celebrities
Every generation produces kid geniuses, but in the early 1900s, the public was obsessed with them
8 Famous People Who Missed the Lusitania
For one reason or another, these lucky souls never boarded the doomed ship whose sinking launched America's involvement in WWI
