Long Before He Was President, Abraham Lincoln Was A Tavern Owner
The 16th President has been called the Great Emancipator, Honest Abe, The Railsplitter… and if you go far enough into his backstory, you can call him "Bartender In Chief."
For One Supreme Court Nominee, The Nation’s Number One Question Was About His Mustache
Today in 1833, the birthday of Melville Fuller. He would eventually become Chief Justice of the United States, but not before the country asked whether a member of the US Supreme Court could be fair and objective if he has a mustache (!)
Let’s Jump Into The History Of Parachutes
The birth of André-Jacques Garnerin, a man who helped bring about the modern parachute. And his vision came to him at a very unusual time.
A Guy Used A Loophole In International Law To Put Himself “In Charge” Of Western Antarctica
This week in 1819 was probably the first European sighting of Antarctica. It’s different from all the other continents in so many ways - including how, from a certain point of view, a big chunk of Antarctica is “ruled” by a guy who’s never even been there.
The World Of Fighting Fires Is Getting More Robotic
First responders in Kent, England have a powerful new tool: a remote-controlled robot for fighting fires. This is a slowly growing trend in firefighting, sending devices into a fire scene so there are fewer human firefighters at risk.
Never Forget That There Are People With Nearly Perfect Memories
Today in 2011, Rebecca Sharrock of Brisbane, Australia got a medical diagnosis: Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory. It's a rare condition in which people can vividly remember virtually everything they've ever experienced.
Greenland Starts The New Year With Visits From Silent Masked Visitors
The new year tradition of Mitaarfik in Greenland features a bunch of people in masks hanging out in your house without saying a word.
Troublemakers Beware, It’s Time For Austria’s Krampus Parades
Nothing says the holidays like a creepy devil creature hitting you with sticks! In some European countries, there are parades focused on Father Christmas's evil counterpart, Krampus.
Ernest Bazin Invented A Ship With Rolling “Wheels” And Named It After Himself
This month in 1893, the formal start of an effort to build a new kind of seagoing vessel: a ship with rolling wheels.
Australia’s Navy Helped Save A Six Year Old’s Life By Enlisting Her
Today in 1920, the Royal Australian Navy added a woman to its ranks for the very first time. Her name was Nancy Bentley, she was six years old, and the Navy “enlisted” her in an effort to save her life.