History

January 2, 2024

Winston Churchill Had a Doctor’s Note To Drink Unlimited Alcohol While Visiting the U.S. During Prohibition

Winston Churchill is best remembered for leading the UK through World War II. Perhaps a lesser-known part of his legacy that predates WWII is his trip to the U.S. during the Prohibition era. In December 1931, Churchill was in his “Wilderness Years,” holding to his parliament seat but out of office. After taking heavy losses during the Great Depression, he set out on a lecture tour around the U.S.

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December 25, 2023

Insightful Animated Video Sums up 4.5 Billion Years of Earth’s History in 60 Minutes

Earth is estimated to be 4.5 billion years old. But even though scientists have closed in on our planet's age, it can be difficult to fully grasp such an astronomical number. To help us understand Earth's history, YouTube channel Kurzgesagt has released an animated video chronicling how everything has evolved since our planet was first formed. At 60 minutes-long, each second of the video represents about 1 million years.

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November 17, 2023

Antique Map Acquired at Estate Sale Turns Out to Be an Extremely Rare 14th-Century Portolan Chart

Over the last few years, we've heard about mind-boggling finds in thrift stores and estate sales. The tale always features someone spotting an unassuming work of art, taking it home, only to then realize it is worth much more than what they originally paid for it. As thrilling as those stories are, none come close to the 14th-century portolan chart that is now under the care of Barry Lawrence Ruderman Antique Maps Inc.

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October 18, 2023

These Rare Daguerrotypes Are the Earliest Surviving Photos of Iran in the 1850s

When photography was still in its infancy, an Italian recorded what some of Iran's most spectacular sights in rare daguerreotypes. Luigi Pesce, a colonel from Italy, traveled to Iran to train infantry units in 1848. While there, his enthusiasm for photography led him to travel across the country and capture what he saw. There are a total of 75 photographs in this rare collection, most of which were taken in the 1850s.

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My Modern Met

Celebrating creativity and promoting a positive culture by spotlighting the best sides of humanity—from the lighthearted and fun to the thought-provoking and enlightening.