history

Latest about history

A photo of a partially-redacted page of a letter Marie Antoinette wrote to Fersen on January 4, 1792.

Secret words exchanged between Marie Antoinette and rumored lover uncovered in redacted letters

By Yasemin Saplakoglu published

A group of French researchers has uncovered censored phrases in letters exchanged by Marie Antoinette and her close friend— and rumored lover — Swedish count Axel von Fersen.

Human Behavior
Statue of the Greek philosopher Herodotus

Who was Herodotus?

By All About History, Marc G. DeSantis published

Herodotus was the first true historian and has been called the "father of history," but his reliability has often been questioned.

Human Behavior
Left image shows a sheep leg recovered from a historic salt mine in northwest Iran, specimen is on site at the mine. Right two images show the cleaned leg against a plain grey background

Pristine DNA recovered from 1,600-year-old sheep mummy

By Nicoletta Lanese published

The sheep specimen is a rare example of "natural" mummification.

Land Mammals
underwater statue ruins

Sunken cities: Discover real-life 'Atlantis' settlements hidden beneath the waves

By Nikole Robinson, How It Works magazine published

Explore the submerged cities to discover why they didn’t survive the test of time.

Rivers & Oceans
The rosary beads and bible belonging to Mary Queen of Scots (1542-1587) on display at Arundel Castle.

Mary, Queen of Scots' rosary beads stolen in English castle heist

By Harry Baker published

A number of valuable artifacts — including "irreplaceable" prayer beads belonging to Mary, Queen of Scots — have been stolen from Arundel Castle in England.

Human Behavior
The vaccine vial used for the historic first COVID-19 shot in the United States has been acquired by the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. Above, the COVID-19 vaccine vial along with a vial of diluent, which were donated to the museum by Northwell Health.

1st COVID-19 vaccine vial used in the US headed to museum

By Rachael Rettner published

The historic shot was administered to New York nurse Sandra Lindsay on Dec. 14.

Coronavirus
A person is silhouetted against the sun

What led to the emergence of monotheism?

By Isobel Whitcomb published

It depends on your definition of monotheism.

Religion
Protesters march on Hiawatha Avenue while decrying the killing of George Floyd on May 26, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

13 significant protests that changed the course of history

By Heather Whipps, Brandon Specktor published

The George Floyd protests against police brutality and systemic racism follow on the heels of many other significant protests that have changed the course of history.

Politics
This 1905 photo shows a whaling ship surrounded by several dead whales in Spitsbergen, Norway.

Why was whaling so big in the 19th century?

By Emma Bryce published

For centuries, we plundered the ocean's depths, hauling up whales by the thousands. But what was the purpose of this dangerous and destructive industry?

Human Behavior
Fragment of glassy black material extracted from the cranial cavity of a victim of the volcanic eruption at Herculaneum in the year 79.

Extreme heat of Vesuvius eruption turned a man's brain to 'glass'

By Nicoletta Lanese published

A man who died in Herculaneum during the historic Vesuvius eruption was found with an exploded skull and glass-like brain tissue.

Geology
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