Magellan’s Crew, Not Magellan, Completed First Global Voyage
Discover how Magellan’s crew, led by Juan Sebastián Elcano, completed the first global voyage without their captain. Learn about this historic circumnavigation.
Lord Byron’s Challenge Led to Shelley Writing Frankenstein
Discover how Lord Byron’s ghost story challenge at Lake Geneva sparked Mary Shelley’s imagination, leading to the creation of Frankenstein, a Gothic masterpiece.
No Actual Red Hotline Existed for U.S. Presidents During Cold War
The Cold War era was intense, with a lot of tension between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. But there was no “red phone” hotline for U.S. presidents. Instead, the Washington-Moscow hotline, started in 1963, was a key system for preventing nuclear crises. This hotline was not a phone but a teletype machine. It was…
America’s Independence Was Actually Declared on July 2nd
Discover the surprising truth about America’s independence. Learn why July 2nd is the real date of declaration and how it differs from July 4th celebrations.
New England Experienced Vampire Panics in the 1800s – Tuberculosis outbreaks blamed on the undead
Discover how tuberculosis outbreaks led to vampire panics in 19th-century New England. Explore the eerie tales of exhumed corpses and desperate rituals.