All Articles — Page 11
Every story we've published, newest first
The Coded Notes of Ricky McCormick: The FBI's Unsolved Cipher
Ricky McCormick's coded notes - two handwritten pages found in his pockets after his 1999 murder - remain the FBI's most famous unsolved cipher.
A Time Traveler's Guide to the Kingdom of Kongo, 1600
In 1600, the Kingdom of Kongo is a Christian African monarchy with a literate court and trade routes across two continents, standing at the edge of geopolitical crisis.
Arsenal: The Flamethrower from Greek Fire to Vietnam
Flamethrower history from Greek fire to Vietnam: how a weapon built on terror evolved from Byzantine galleys to the Pacific Theatre M2 and was eventually retired.
The Freeway Phantom: Washington DC's Most Disturbing Cold Case
Between 1971 and 1972, six young Black girls were murdered in Washington DC and dumped along freeways. The FBI investigated for decades. No one has ever been charged.
Gladiator II vs. History: How Accurate Is the Rome Sequel?
Gladiator 2 accuracy breakdown: Ridley Scott's 2024 sequel invents its hero and distorts Macrinus, but gets Caracalla's violence and the Praetorian Guard right.
If Suleiman the Magnificent Lived Today: The Lawmaker Who Builds Empires and Mosques in the Same Week
If Suleiman the Magnificent lived today, the Ottoman lawgiver who ruled for 46 years would be building institutional frameworks the rest of the world runs on.
Origins: When the Restaurant Was Invented
When was the restaurant invented? The answer begins in 1760s Paris, where a disputed bowl of broth launched a legal battle that created the modern dining format.
Time Traveler's Guide to Anuradhapura, 300 BC
Ancient Anuradhapura in 300 BC is one of South Asia's oldest capitals: organized, prosperous, and two generations from the Buddhist transformation that will define it.
Arsenal: The Bazooka
Bazooka history: the WWII rocket launcher that gave infantry a chance against tanks, inspired the German Panzerschreck, and defined shoulder-fired anti-armor weapons.
If Empress Wu Zetian Lived Today
Wu Zetian modern: the only woman to rule China as emperor would now run a data platform, using the same information asymmetry and patron networks that worked in 690 AD.
Origins: Who Invented the University?
Who invented the university? Bologna, al-Qarawiyyin, and Nalanda all have claims - and which answer is correct depends entirely on what you think a university is.
The Redhead Murders: Eleven Women and No Answer
The Redhead Murders: at least eleven unidentified women found dead along I-65 between 1978 and 1992. The hair color was a selection criterion. No one was ever charged.
A Time Traveler's Guide to Sydney Cove, 1788
Your guide to Sydney Cove in 1788, when the First Fleet arrives to found a prison colony on land that already belongs to the Gadigal people.
The Zone of Interest vs. History: How Accurate Is the Auschwitz Commandant Film?
Zone of Interest historical accuracy: Glazer's film gets the Hoss household right. The thermal sequences are art, not archive. Score: 7/10 - and here is why.
Arsenal: The Panzerfaust
Panzerfaust history: the disposable German anti-tank weapon that cost 25 Reichsmarks and gave birth to the RPG-7 - how it worked, who used it, and why it still matters.
If T.E. Lawrence Lived Today: The Analyst Who Understands Every Side and Serves None
If T.E. Lawrence lived today, he would be the intelligence analyst every government wants and none can manage - a Middle East expert who reads every side and serves none.
The Jamison Family Mystery: Three People, $32,000, and No Answers
The Jamison family mystery: three people vanished in the Oklahoma wilderness in 2009, leaving $32,000 in their truck. Their remains were found four years later.
Origins: Who Invented the Hospital?
Who invented the hospital? Baghdad, 805 AD - not medieval Europe. The Islamic bimaristan offered organized care to patients of any faith, class, or background.
A Time Traveler's Guide to Belle Epoque Buenos Aires, 1900
Belle epoque Buenos Aires in 1900: tango is being born in tenement courtyards, immigrants are flooding the port, and Argentina believes it will be a world power.
Young Woman and the Sea vs. History: How Accurate Is the Trudy Ederle Biopic?
Young Woman and the Sea accuracy: the Trudy Ederle biopic earns 8/10, faithful to the 1926 Channel crossing and 1925 Wolffe incident, less so on what followed.
Arsenal: The MP40 - Germany's Most Misnamed Submachine Gun
MP40 history: Germany's iconic submachine gun wasn't designed by Schmeisser, wasn't issued to all infantry, and was never called what Allied soldiers called it.
The Disappearance of Emanuela Orlandi: Vatican's Unsolved Cold Case
In June 1983, Emanuela Orlandi walked out of a music lesson in Rome and never came home. Four decades later the Vatican's most haunting cold case remains officially open.
If Mata Hari Lived Today: The Spy Who Was Mostly a Story She Told About Herself
If Mata Hari lived today, the self-invented spy would trade the Parisian stage for Instagram and the firing squad for a polite legal letter and a frozen bank account.
Origins: How the Map Was Invented
The origins of the map run from Babylonian clay tablets to Ptolemy's projection system to the German cartographer who accidentally named an entire continent America.