Smart News History & Archaeology

Pottery beakers were used to hold the “Black Drink”.

Archaeologists Discover 1000-Year Old Hyper-Caffeinated Tea in Illinois

Unearthed from a site near modern day St. Louis, Missouri, archaeologists found tea residue in pottery beakers that dates back to as early as 1050 A.D.

In 1956, Two Kittens Crossed the Atlantic on a Raft

On a wooden raft two kittens (and three sailors) traveled from Canada to Cornwall

Mark Twain. Left: Photographed by Life Magazine. Left, in Tesla’s Lab, photographed by Wutz

The Only Footage of Mark Twain in Existence

This silent film footage was taken in 1909 by Thomas Edison at Mark Twain's estate

Political geography of America, March 30 1822 to November 15 1824

170 Years of America’s Evolution In One Animated GIF

In one click, the drifting lines and changing colors take you through 170 years of history.

Jesse Owens

76 Years Ago Today, Jesse Owens Proved the Nazis Wrong

In 1936 Jesse Owens won four gold medals at the Berlin Olympics, throwing the idea of Aryan supremacy back into Hitler's face

“Night At The Museum” For Adults Lets You Sleep Over With Dinosaurs

London's Natural History Museum is challenging adults to channel their inner child in an upcoming grown ups-only slumber party

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Old-Timey Olympians Show How Things Have Changed

Clendenin's photos evoke the feeling that for all the changes seen by the modern Olympic games, the athletes themselves could be transposed across time

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Queen Elizabeth 1 Loved Live Action Role Playing

From the ancient Romans to the Tudor Queen, everyone likes dressing up and pretending to be something else

The Gabarnmung cave paintings lie in southwestern Arnhem Land, in Australia’s Northern Territory.

Is This the Oldest Cave Art on the Planet?

Underneath a rock slab which rests on dozens of narrow stilts researchers have found the world's oldest stone axe, and a vast collection of painted artwork

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A Brief History of Death By Subway in NYC

A few highlights of death on New York City's subways over the years

Behind the doors of the Geneva Freeport are untold treasures.

Hollywood’s Next Heist Movie Should Be Shot Here

No one knows exactly what's hidden in a giant warehouse in Sweden, but everyone agrees that it's really, really valuable

Today's Google Doodle celebrates Amelia Earhart's birthday.

Amelia Earhart, Fashionista

A few highlights of coverage celebrating Amelia Earhart's 115th birthday

Today’s the Shared Anniversary of Ruin Porn Poster Children Detroit, Machu Picchu

July 24th marks double jackpot for the intrepid explorers of years past as well for as fans of the latest photographic trend, "ruin porn."

Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin on the moon

Here’s What Nixon Would Have Said if Apollo 11 Hadn't Returned

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Twelve Dead In Colorado Theater Shooting

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Six Guys Stood At Nuclear Ground Zero And Lived To Tell The Tale

In 1957, five Air Force officers volunteered (and one cameraman was voluntold) to stand directly below a mid-air detonation of a 2-kiloton nuclear warhead

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The Bra Is 500 Years Older Than We Thought

A devious plan that takes advantage of the charming sweet.

Hitler Plotted to Kill Churchill With Exploding Chocolate

Nazis are known for their heinous wartime crimes and tactics. Now, exploding chocolate can be added to that list, as revealed by a 60-year-old letter

How Common Was Cannibalism?

360-Year-Old Advertisement Extolls Coffee’s Virtues

An advertisement issued by some brilliant London entrepreneurs may well be the first coffee ad ever

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