Marie Taglioni (1804-1884) was one of the most celebrated ballerinas of her day. Born in Sweden and trained in Austria, Taglioni used her talents to gain the adoration of culture lovers throughout […]
The Ballet Buffet
No Ducking Out on Good Sportsmanship
Henry Robert “Bobby” Pearce (1905-1976) made his name as a world-class athlete. He won the gold medal in the single sculls in the Summer Olympics in 1928 and 1932, as well as […]
The Army That Grows While Deployed
For such a tiny country, Liechtenstein has a very colorful history — particularly as it relates to matters of the military. It is one of only 15 countries in the world without […]
Here’s the Gold Medal for the Most Bizarre Olympic Event
The Olympic Games have seen some strange things, such as the embarrassing time when two countries showed up with the same flag, but when it comes to the most bizarre event, it […]
A Chocolatey Collection Of Cool Kit Kat Considerations
The Kit Kat candy bar was introduced to the public in 1935 and has been a favorite of chocolate lovers ever since. It is distributed in the United States by the Hershey […]
Visit the Birthplace — and Gravesite — of the First Nuclear Reactor
The first controlled nuclear chain reaction created a huge leap forward in scientific achievement. It also created an enduring problem: what to do with the world’s first nuclear waste. The achievement and […]
The Father of an Empire Was Daddy to a Whole Lot More
A 2003 study concluded that as many as 16 million currently living men carry the Genghis Khan’s DNA. Within Mongolia, itself, as much as 8% of the population can claim genetic descent […]
After Escaping Cannibals, Dealing With Politicians Was Easy
In September 1944 nine US airmen were shot down over Chichi Jima, a small island 700 miles south of Tokyo, Japan. Of these nine men, only one evaded capture by the Japanese. […]
How Bad Scheduling and a Misguided Con Scheme Changed the World
Johannes Gutenberg (circa 1400 – February 3, 1468) was responsible for one of the pivotal inventions in all of history: the moveable-type printing press. That invention, more than any other, allowed mankind […]
Meet the Woman Whose Name is on the Declaration of Independence
Women would not receive the right to vote in the United States until 1920. Ironically, 144 years before this oversight was addressed, it was a woman who played a key role in […]
Which Actor’s Words Are Worth the Most?
We expect successful actors to be paid massive sums to star in our favorite films, but have you ever considered how much they earn, relative to the amount of dialogue they actually […]
Who was the Best-Paid Athlete of All Time?
In today’s era of multi-million dollar salaries for professional sports figures, it might surprise you that even the wealthiest of modern athletes cannot hold a candle to the best-paid sportsman of all […]
B- for Designer of USA’s Flag?
The current 50-star flag of the United States was designed in 1958 by Robert G. Heft. He was a junior in high school and came up with the design as part of […]
Meet the Latest Contender for a Girl’s Best Friend
Diamonds may still be a girl’s best friend, but they can no longer claim to be the hardest substance on earth. As of 2005, that distinction is now claimed by bucky balls.
A Fungus Among Us Is the Largest Living Thing On the Planet
When it comes to the holder of the title of “World’s Largest Living Thing,” it’s a cinch that it must be the blue whale, right? Wrong.
