History Archives

Chinese Water Torture: Insanity or Illusion?

Like a dripping tap that becomes the mind’s only focus while attempting to sleep, water torture has gone down in history as something terrifying, made exhilarating by Harry Houdini’s later interpretation.

James Jameson: The Infamous Un-Naturalist

James Jameson, grandson and heir of Jameson Irish whiskey magnate John Jameson, was an esteemed nineteenth-century naturalist. He would become infamous for his alleged role in the murder and cannibalization of a young African girl.

Though textile and fashion historians have a relatively good idea of what citizens wore from the 18th century onwards, the centuries before are less clear. (Photo: Shutterstock)

Medieval Underwear: What Did Our Ancestors Wear?

The gap in our knowledge of medieval underwear is due partly to the poor preservation of organic materials and the lack of visual evidence. Clearly, there’s still a lot to uncover.

British consul and diplomatic agent to Zanzibar, Basil Cave, warned Khalid bin Bargash that British ships would strike the palace (pictured) if he didn't step down. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons/Richard Dorsey Mohun)

The Anglo Zanzibar War: Shortest War in History

A tale of six Sultans and suspicious successions led to what’s become known as the shortest war in history, the Anglo-Zanzibar War, which lasted approximately 38 minutes.

The USS Maine was a United States battleship that sank in Havana Harbor in February 1898, resulting in a US offensive that led to the Spanish–American War. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons/National Museum of the US Navy)

Remember The Maine, To Hell With Spain!

Controversy still surrounds the explosion and sinking of the USS Maine in 1898, which signalled US intervention in the Cuban War of Independence with the rallying cry “Remember The Maine!”

A modified Colt 1911 like this one was used to make the CIA's

Was There Really a CIA Heart Attack Gun?

Evidence suggest the CIA’s “heart attack gun” was inspired by the KGB’s spray gun: both weapons caused heart attacks in their victims.

The Aztec death whistle was found in the hands of a sacrificed victim excavated at the temple of Tlatelolco in the 1990s, lending evidence to the claim that the whistle was used for the ritual of sacrifice. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons/latinamericanstudies.org)

The Aztec Death Whistle and Its Bloodcurdling Scream

The bloodcurdling scream the Aztec death whistle makes explains why the Aztecs may have used it as an intimidation tactic in battle — or in human sacrifice.

Some larrikin Australian soldiers in camp. A Cornish slang word,

Are you “Happy as Larry”? Who on Earth was Larry Anyway?

The origins of the idiom “happy as Larry” date back to the 19th century—but whether it’s attributed to a New Zealand writer, Australian boxer, or Cornish slang word is anyone’s guess.

Spring Heeled Jack as depicted by an anonymous artist - English penny dreadful (c. 1860)

Spring heeled Jack: The Leaping Devil Who Spread Hysteria in Victorian Britain

In 19th-century London, a fire-breathing demon known as “spring heeled Jack” reportedly leapt from walls and terrorized citizens—often women walking alone at night.