In the late 1930s, American college campuses witnessed a bizarre trend that swept the nation: goldfish swallowing. This peculiar fad originated in 1939 when Lothrop Withington Jr., a freshman at Harvard University, gulped down a live goldfish to win a $10 bet as part of his campaign for class president. Little did he know that…
In the early 20th century, a notorious con artist named Victor Lustig pulled off one of the most audacious scams in history. Lustig, a skilled confidence trickster, managed to sell the Eiffel Tower not once, but twice, to unsuspecting scrap metal dealers in Paris. The Eiffel Tower scam remains one of the most infamous cons…
The Little Ice Age (LIA) was a period of significant climate change that brought about global cooling and glacial expansion from the early 14th century until the mid-19th century. This era followed the Medieval Warm Period, which lasted roughly from 900 to 1300 CE, and preceded the current period of warming that began in the…
In the days leading up to the historic Apollo 11 mission, astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins faced an extraordinary challenge beyond their rigorous training and the inherent dangers of spaceflight. Due to the unprecedented risk associated with their lunar mission, obtaining affordable life insurance proved nearly impossible for these brave explorers. Undeterred,…
In the bustling streets of ancient Roman towns like Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Ostia, one could find the equivalent of modern fast-food restaurants on nearly every corner. These eateries, known as thermopolia, were easily recognizable by their distinctive masonry counters embedded with earthenware jars called dolia, which stored dried foods and drinks. The name thermopolium derives…
The iconic landmark known as the Leaning Tower of Pisa has captivated visitors for centuries with its distinctive tilt. What many people may not realize is that this tilt was present from the very beginning of the tower’s construction in 1173. The freestanding marble bell tower, or campanile, was built as part of the cathedral…
In the early days of canned food history, the process of preserving food for military rations was a challenging endeavor. The quest for effective food preservation methods began in the late 18th century when the French government offered a prize to anyone who could develop a reliable technique to prevent food spoilage for soldiers on…
In the aftermath of World War I, a groundbreaking international agreement known as the Kellogg-Briand Pact aimed to prevent conflicts and promote global peace. Initially signed by 15 nations on August 27, 1928, the pact, also referred to as the Pact of Paris, sought to outlaw war as an instrument of national policy. This Post-WWI…
The origin of brunch dates back to 1895 when British author Guy Beringer first coined the term in his essay “Brunch: A Plea” for Hunter’s Weekly. Beringer introduced the concept of a breakfast-lunch hybrid, suggesting that readers forgo their heavy Sunday meals in favor of a lighter fare served earlier in the day. This brunch…
The 1904 Olympic marathon in St. Louis was marred by a cheating scandal involving Frederick Lorz, who initially appeared to have won the race. However, it was later revealed that Lorz had ridden in a car for 11 miles during the grueling marathon, leading to his disqualification. Lorz, an American athlete, was plagued by muscle…