Trial by Combat Was Still Legal in England in 1818
In 1818, an English murder defendant demanded trial by combat—and the court ruled it was still legal. Discover the strange case of Ashford v. Thornton.
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Trial by Combat Was Still Legal in England in 1818
Read more: Trial by Combat Was Still Legal in England in 1818In 1818, an English murder defendant demanded trial by combat—and the court ruled it was still legal. Discover the strange case of Ashford v. Thornton.
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The Great Hedge of India: When Britain Built a Living Wall to Stop Salt Smugglers
Read more: The Great Hedge of India: When Britain Built a Living Wall to Stop Salt SmugglersDiscover the Great Hedge of India, the massive 19th-century barrier Britain built to stop salt smuggling and enforce colonial taxes.
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The Erfurt Latrine Disaster of 1184: When Politics Literally Went Down the Toilet
Read more: The Erfurt Latrine Disaster of 1184: When Politics Literally Went Down the ToiletIn 1184, a peace meeting in Erfurt ended when the floor collapsed and nobles plunged into a cesspit. The bizarre Erfurt Latrine Disaster was real.
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Margaret Knight: The Woman Who Reinvented the Paper Bag—and Had to Prove It
Read more: Margaret Knight: The Woman Who Reinvented the Paper Bag—and Had to Prove ItMeet Margaret Knight, the overlooked inventor who revolutionized the flat-bottom paper bag and fought a patent battle to prove the machine was hers.
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Benjamin Franklin’s Rules for How to Lose a Great Empire in 20 Easy Steps
Read more: Benjamin Franklin’s Rules for How to Lose a Great Empire in 20 Easy StepsBenjamin Franklin explained how to lose a great empire in 20 easy steps. Explore his hilarious 1773 satire—and why Britain should have taken the hint.
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Mary Toft and the Great Rabbit Birth Hoax of 1726
Read more: Mary Toft and the Great Rabbit Birth Hoax of 1726Discover the bizarre true story of Mary Toft, the woman who convinced 18th-century doctors that she was giving birth to rabbits.
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Weird Migraine Facts: Auras, Phantom Smells, Alice in Wonderland, and LSD
Read more: Weird Migraine Facts: Auras, Phantom Smells, Alice in Wonderland, and LSDDiscover bizarre migraine facts, from auras to phantom smells, that make you question reality—without needing Alice or LSD!
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The Dark Triad: Meet Psychology’s Most Unpleasant Personality Traits
Read more: The Dark Triad: Meet Psychology’s Most Unpleasant Personality TraitsExplore the Dark Triad personality traits—narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy—and what psychology says about our darker side.
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Will My Dog Eat Me If I Die? Your Cat May Not Be the One to Worry About
Read more: Will My Dog Eat Me If I Die? Your Cat May Not Be the One to Worry AboutAdmit it. You’ve wondered, “Will my dog eat me if I die at home alone?” OK, maybe you’re wondering about your cat. Forensic science has investigated the unsettling question—and the answer may surprise pet owners.
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Hans Christian Andersen and Charles Dickens: The 5-Week Houseguest From Hell
Read more: Hans Christian Andersen and Charles Dickens: The 5-Week Houseguest From HellLearn how the friendship of Hans Christian Andersen and Charles Dickens was ruined by one of history’s worst cases of an overstayed houseguest.
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Rattlesnakes for Felons: Benjamin Franklin’s Plan to Repay Britain
Read more: Rattlesnakes for Felons: Benjamin Franklin’s Plan to Repay BritainBenjamin Franklin answered Britain’s convict shipments with “Rattlesnakes for Felons,” a satirical proposal to send rattlesnakes in return—and place them near Parliament.
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The Hula Hoop Craze: How a Plastic Circle Put the World in a Spin
Read more: The Hula Hoop Craze: How a Plastic Circle Put the World in a SpinDiscover the ancient origins, explosive 1958 craze, disputed invention story, and lasting legacy of the Hula Hoop.
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Cyrus the Great: The Strange Legend of the King of Boys
Read more: Cyrus the Great: The Strange Legend of the King of BoysHow did Cyrus the Great go from hidden prince to playground king and conqueror? Explore Herodotus’s strange, dark, and possibly legendary tale.
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Tetrachromacy: Are Some People Seeing Colors the Rest of Us Cannot?
Read more: Tetrachromacy: Are Some People Seeing Colors the Rest of Us Cannot?Could some people see colors invisible to the rest of us? Explore tetrachromacy, fourth cone cells, color vision, and the science behind hidden hues.
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The Origin of Rapunzel: The Tangled History of the Girl in the Tower
Read more: The Origin of Rapunzel: The Tangled History of the Girl in the TowerWhat is the origin of Rapunzel? Explore its ancient roots, Grimm revisions, hidden pregnancy, and Disney’s transformation in Tangled.
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