All Articles — Page 24
Every story we've published, newest first
The Greatest Showman vs. History: How Real Was P.T. Barnum?
Our greatest showman accuracy verdict: the 2017 musical made Barnum a champion of inclusion. The real Barnum was sharper, sleazier, and morally far more complicated.
The Mothman of Point Pleasant: Cryptid, Hoax, or Mass Hysteria?
The Mothman of Point Pleasant haunted West Virginia for 13 months - then a bridge collapsed and killed 46 people. The sightings stopped the same night.
A Time Traveler's Guide to Mycenae, 1300 BC
A time traveler's guide to Mycenae in 1300 BC, when the citadel of Agamemnon commanded the Aegean and the Bronze Age palace civilization was at its peak.
The Medieval Trebuchet: How Warwolf and Counterweight Engines Cracked Open Castles
Edward I's Warwolf was the largest trebuchet ever built. The full history of the counterweight siege engine that cracked open castles for two centuries.
The Bermuda Triangle Disappearances: What Actually Happens There?
Bermuda Triangle disappearances include Flight 19, the USS Cyclops, and dozens of others. We separate the documented losses from the legend and examine what actually went wrong.
Frost/Nixon vs. History: How Accurate Is the 2008 Movie?
On Frost/Nixon accuracy: Ron Howard's film gets Nixon's partial Watergate admission right but invents its most dramatic moment. We fact-check the 1977 interviews.
A Time Traveler's Guide to Etruscan Veii
Everything you need to survive Etruscan Veii in 600 BCE, when it was the most powerful city in Italy and the Etruscan League still ruled central Italy.
The English Longbow: How Yew Wood Killed the Age of the Knight
The English longbow gave England two centuries of battlefield dominance. At Crécy and Agincourt, yew bowmen shredded French chivalry and changed medieval warfare.
Goodfellas vs. History: How Accurate Is Scorsese's Mob Masterpiece?
How does Goodfellas accuracy hold up? Scorsese's mob masterpiece is remarkably faithful to Henry Hill's story, the Lufthansa heist, and the Lucchese crime family.
JonBenét Ramsey: Thirty Years of Theories, No Conviction
Six-year-old JonBenét Ramsey was found murdered in her Boulder home on December 26, 1996. Thirty years and no conviction later, the case remains unsolved.
A Time Traveler's Guide to Olmec La Venta
Everything you need to know before visiting Olmec La Venta in 900 BCE - the ceremonial heart of the first great civilization of Mesoamerica.
The Roman Gladius: How a Short Sword Built an Empire
The Roman gladius was barely two feet long, but in the hands of disciplined legionaries it conquered the Mediterranean world. A history of Rome's signature short sword.
JFK vs. History: How Accurate Is Oliver Stone's Conspiracy Epic?
Oliver Stone's JFK changed how millions saw Dallas, but how much holds up? We check the JFK historical accuracy against what investigators can actually prove.
The Monster with 21 Faces: Japan’s Most Elaborate Unsolved Mystery
The Monster with 21 Faces held Japan’s food industry hostage with kidnappings, arson, and cyanide candy. 125,000 suspects investigated. They were never caught.
Percy Fawcett and the Lost City of Z: The Explorer Who Vanished in the Amazon
Percy Fawcett's Lost City of Z quest ended in 1925 when he vanished in the Brazilian Amazon with his son Jack and Raleigh Rimmell, never to be seen again.
The Great Escape vs. History: How Accurate Is the Legendary POW Classic?
Analyzing the historical accuracy of the 1963 film 'The Great Escape' and its depiction of the real-life breakout from Stalag Luft III.
A Time Traveler's Guide to Nineveh, 650 BC
How to survive and thrive in Nineveh at the height of the Assyrian Empire - the world's first true megacity, teeming with warriors, merchants, and royal intrigue.
A Time Traveler's Guide to Sumerian Uruk
Your practical guide to visiting Uruk in 3000 BCE: how to dress, eat, and survive the world's first great city without arousing suspicion among Sumerians.
Time Traveler's Guide to Han Dynasty Chang'an, 100 BC
A practical survival guide to navigating the mighty Han capital, from silk layers and market snacks to court etiquette and the dangers of annoying the wrong official.
First Man vs. History: How Accurate Is the Neil Armstrong Movie?
First Man movie accuracy: Chazelle's Neil Armstrong biopic stays close to NASA records and Armstrong's biography, with one major invention - Karen's bracelet on the Moon.
The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann: A Mystery Without an Ending
The Madeleine McCann disappearance remains one of Europe's most investigated missing-child cases. On May 3, 2007, she vanished. Eighteen years on, no one knows where.
A Time Traveler's Guide to Tudor London
Your guide to visiting Tudor London in 1540: what to wear, eat, and avoid during Henry VIII's reign, when heresy was fatal and the Reformation was reshaping England.
Forrest Gump vs. History: How Real Are the Events Behind the Movie?
Forrest Gump accuracy: the film runs through Vietnam, Watergate, and the AIDS crisis. We fact-check which events actually happened and how well the film captures them.
The Lindbergh Baby Kidnapping: The Crime of the Century, Still Disputed
The Lindbergh baby kidnapping of 1932: America's Crime of the Century, and the doubts that have never died about Bruno Hauptmann's guilt.