You may have read about Arthur Conan Doyle’s fictional monstrous hound in the famous Sherlock Holmes story titled, “The Hound of the Baskervilles.” But in the 18th century, a real-life bloodthirsty beast terrorized Gévaudan, an ancient Southern French county that today lies in the Department of Lozère. Known as La Bête du Gévaudan or the […]
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If you’ve ever seen the Batman movies, you’re probably familiar with the Joker’s leering, painted-on grin. It’s a bloody smile that stretches far beyond the corners of his mouth, making it evident that his cheeks have been sliced open from ear to ear. What you may not realize, is that this was an actual form
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Blood, guts, and glory. The Viking Age was a time of brutal conquest and even more brutal executions. Perhaps none are more shrouded in controversy and intrigue than the notorious blood eagle ritual. Legend has it that the Vikings were ruthless to their enemies. If you found yourself at the hands of a murderous Viking,
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There are plenty of events and names that stand out over the several centuries of American political history. But one name, in particular, stands out as both tragic and controversial: Budd Dwyer. He was a man whose career was marred by charges of corruption and bribery. His life seemed to be balanced on a razor’s
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Elvita Adams was a fascinating woman. She gained notoriety for surviving a jump from the Empire State Building in 1979. The Empire State Building is one of the world’s most iconic skyscrapers. Located in downtown New York City, it was constructed in 1931 and comprises a whopping 102 stories. At the time of Adams’ jump,
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It’s said that behind every great man is a great woman. Mae Capone was no exception. While her husband’s infamy has overshadowed her story for decades, Mae Capone played a key role in the Capone criminal empire and lived a fascinating life of her own. From her early days as a girl in Brooklyn to
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In ancient Athens, amidst wealth and greatness, there lived a man who sought to understand the world and the human condition through formal logic. His name was Socrates. Socrates was a philosopher whose influence on ancient philosophy and the Western philosophical tradition is immeasurable. His name is recognizable to almost everyone. Despite that, Socrates wrote
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Amid the Cold War’s heated rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union, an extraordinary tale unfolded outside of the spotlight of politics, warfare, and ideology. It took place hundreds of kilometers above the Earth’s surface. This is the captivating story of Laika. She was an ordinary stray dog plucked from the streets of
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The ancient Chinese method of execution known as lingchi (or ling chi), is perhaps better known by the more descriptive, “death by a thousand cuts.” As the name implies, this was a form of torture that involved slicing into the victim over and over again until they died. It was normally saved for the very
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In a world of towering legends and larger-than-life characters, there was one colossal figure who stood tall, both literally and figuratively: Andre the Giant. Andrew was a wrestling icon and famed actor. He was a living spectacle of epic proportions. Both his immense size and his in-ring abilities left audiences awestruck. However, among his peers
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