The Cock Lane Ghost: Haunting, Hoax, Hysteria… or Hilarious?
In 1762, crowds from across London gathered in hopes of seeing something the papers called "The Cock Lane Ghost". This alleged spirit was known to communicate in knocks and scratches, reacting to yes ...
5 Sep 201838min
Roland the Farter and the Weird World of Professional Flatulence
Regardless of what polite societies often want us to believe, everyone farts. And we fart often! And, believe it or not, a few rare individuals have been able to turn this embarrassing bodily function...
30 Aug 201833min
Gregor MacGregor Invented a Country and Convinced People to Invest in It
When His Serene Highness Gregor the First, Sovereign Prince of the State of Poyais and its Dependencies, and Cacique of the Poyer nation visited London, he made a huge impression. Hundreds of people j...
28 Aug 201855min
Angry Feds and Deadly Booze: The Story of the Chemists' War
From 1920 to 1933, the U.S. government attempted to ban (recreational) alcohol throughout the nation. In a stunning -- we're being sarcastic here -- turn of events, people circumvented the law and fou...
23 Aug 201828min
Project A119: The Cold War Plan to Nuke the Moon!
It sounds like something straight out of your favorite sketch comedy show -- what if a crack team of scientists joined forces with the world's most powerful military on a mission to nuke the moon? Don...
21 Aug 201826min
Adidas Versus Puma: A Tale of Two Brothers
Today Adidas and Puma are two of the industry's most well-known tennis shoe makers, and people around the world prize the footwear for its unique design and reliable craftsmanship. Yet there's a stran...
16 Aug 201841min
Fanny and Stella: The Cross-Dressing Scandal of Victorian England
In April of 1870, a shocking court case captivated Victorian England: Fanny and Stella, also known as Frederick Park and Ernest Boulton, were arrested after attending a play at The Strand (in what was...
14 Aug 201834min
Kansas Imprisoned Women For Having STDs
At the close of World War I, American soldiers returned home from abroad with scars, wounds, stories and, in some cases, infectious diseases of which their romantic partners were unaware. When cities ...
9 Aug 201830min
