Why doesn't the US use the metric system? By Benjamin Plackett Identity, politics and good, old fashioned resistance to change.
Freemasons: Behind the veil of secrecy By Tom Garlinghouse Freemasonry is often misunderstood as a cult or a religion, but it's actually the world's largest fraternal organization with a long and complex history.
Thomas Cromwell used 'cut and paste' to insert himself into Henry VIII's Great Bible By Eyal Poleg, Paola Ricciardi New research reveals a plot by Henry VIII's chief minister, Thomas Cromwell to change the balance of power on the Great Bible's front page, just a year before his execution for high treason.
Oldest human cremation in the Near East unearthed By Laura Geggel In 7000 B.C., a kiln-like pit became the site of the earliest know human cremation in the Near East.
4,500-year-old 'timber circles' discovered in Portugal By Owen Jarus The remains of several timber circles constructed over 4,500 years ago have been discovered at the Perdigões complex archaeological site in Portugal.
Landmark transplant in 1960s Virginia performed with heart stolen from a Black man By Mindy Weisberger A groundbreaking heart transplant in Virginia in 1968, one of the first in the world, was performed using the heart of a Black patient that was taken without his family's knowledge.
Book excerpt: 'The Organ Thieves' (Simon and Schuster, 2020) By Mindy Weisberger White surgeons racing to perform a pioneering transplant in 1968 took a Black patient's heart — but didn't tell his family.
Mystery ancestor mated with ancient humans. And its 'nested' DNA was just found. By Stephanie Pappas Today's humans carry the genes of an ancient, unknown ancestor, left there by hominin species intermingling perhaps a million years ago.
Massive ancient temple complex may lurk beneath famous Northern Ireland fort By Laura Geggel Archaeologists have found Iron Age temples and medieval structures in Northern Ireland.
1st intact evidence of Incas' underwater ritual offerings found in a lake in the Andes By Mindy Weisberger Spanish records dating to the 16th century hinted that the Inca people performed underwater ritual offerings, and archaeologists have finally found one that's still intact.
3,000-year-old head may be face of God By Owen Jarus A clay head that dates back almost 3,000 years may be a rare depiction of Yahweh, or God. But other archaeologists aren't convinced.
Returned chunk of Stonehenge solves long-standing monument mystery By Tom Metcalfe A restoration worker kept a chunk of Stonehenge more than 60 years ago. He returned it last year and now the stone has solved a long-standing mystery.
Spooky, soul-piercing 'Jesus Lamb' face is exactly what its original artists intended By Mindy Weisberger Recent restoration work of the multi-panel artwork "Adoration of the Mystic Lamb" corrected prior restoration on a sheep representing the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Where is Cleopatra's tomb? By Owen Jarus The chances of finding Cleopatra's tomb are pretty low, experts say, despite claims to the contrary.
Jewish doctors in Nazi-occupied Poland stopped an epidemic in its tracks. Here’s how. By Mindy Weisberger Despite overcrowding, exposure and starvation, community efforts in Poland's Warsaw ghetto spared thousands of people from being sickened by typhus.
Little ancient Egyptian mummies hold surprises inside … and they aren't human By Laura Geggel One of these tiny mummies held the remains of a bird missing certain body parts.
Abandon ship! 18th-century pirate Blackbeard deliberately grounded his leaky boat By Mindy Weisberger The 18th century ship Queen Anne's Revenge, helmed by the pirate Blackbeard, was deliberately run aground by the notorious outlaw.
'Screaming mummy' may have died of a heart attack, researchers say By Stephanie Pappas An Egyptian woman who was mummified with her mouth open in a silent scream probably died of a heart attack, new research finds.