Dave Roos

Language makes us human, but exactly when humans began speaking remains a mystery.

Under cripplingly cold winter conditions, American troops proved their mettle.

The attacks of 9/11 shocked the nation—and led to changes that altered U.S. government, travel and culture.

Inventors have tinkered with self-driving cars for more than 100 years.

Residents in these five states have come up with creative traditions to beat the chill.

Feeling the heat? See if you're living in one of the historically steamiest states in the country.

The Allied invasion of Normandy was among the largest military operations ever staged.

Hitler made several miscalculations ahead of the Allied invasion of Normandy—but there were still deadly German defenses in place.

Allied military leaders knew that casualties could be staggeringly high. Historians are still calculating the toll.

On June 6, 1944, more than 156,000 American, British and Canadian troops executed the largest amphibious landing in history. Five veterans share their stories from that day.

The best horror movies hold up a mirror to our collective fears and taboos.

In April 1896, Thomas Edison rented a New York Vaudeville hall to show a film—an event that many consider to be America's first movie theater experience.

The empire's road system may have covered nearly 200,000 miles.

From axes to swords to chariots, see the weapons that helped make ancient Egyptian warriors formidable.

Part archives, part museums, these presidential libraries offer unusual experiences, including holograms and AI avatars.

The history of the bison is intertwined with Native Americans, for whom the animals were spiritual equals—and a vital resource.

Route 66 got its name in Springfield, Missouri, in 1926 after much debate. Author John Steinbeck later dubbed it the “Mother Road.”

These majestic sailing vessels are living reminders of American history.

Gale-force winds wreaked havoc with paratroopers and gliders during World War II's Operation Husky.

The traditional full moon names were inspired by Native American and European customs.

William Jackson Smart was a twice-married, twice-widowed father of 14 children.

DNA from 5,500-year-old skeletons rewrites the history of one of the world's deadliest diseases.

Their fortunes fueled industries, funded philanthropy and sparked debates over inequality.

Some of the modern world's most groundbreaking technologies emerged during this 30-year period.

Even though airplanes were a relatively new invention, the race for air superiority started during World War I.

Historians and experts believe there’s a plausible explanation for the confounding images on the Ica Stones. They’re a hoax.

For starters, the colonists weren't protesting higher taxes on tea.

Printed just weeks after British troops opened fire on an unarmed crowd of Bostonians, Revere’s depiction of the melee likely stoked anti-British sentiment throughout the colonies.

The document was designed to prove to the world (especially France) that the colonists were right to defy King George III's rule.

America's first elected assembly met in Jamestown in 1619.

Historic coins were among the priceless objects found inside a copper box buried in Boston in 1795.

When the pope travels—be it to France, Jerusalem or beyond—the world pays attention.

From outdoor stone fireplaces to smart grills, backyard cookouts have come a long way.

Artificial flies were first mentioned in 200 A.D., but the sport really took off in the 1800s.

Roses are potent symbols of love, desire and secrecy that have been cultivated for millennia.

From dead rats implanted with bombs, to a giant explosive wheel, these World War II weapons were creative, but not very successful.

At the close of the Civil War, people recently freed from slavery in Charleston honored fallen Union soldiers.

The footbag craze was started by two friends in 1972.

The final resting place of Egypt’s most famous queen remains a mystery.

See how gas prices have risen and fallen over decades, often in response to Middle East conflicts.

The historic visit by President Richard Nixon to the People's Republic of China warmed relations between the two nations and substantially altered the balance of power between the U.S., China and the Soviet Union.

In 1996, crowds and a killer storm took the lives of eight Everest climbers.

From planning to logistics to weather, how Hitler's Nazi forces fumbled the largest invasion of World War II.

A temporary solution to organize Germany into four occupation zones led to a divided nation under the Cold War.

These handwritten hexes believed to carry magical powers that could 'bind' rivals in sports, law and love.

When a small, scrappy Mexican force handed the French army a surprise defeat in 1862, the Confederacy was denied a potential ally.

After a tense lead-up, treaties signed in 1977 paved the way to ending American management of the 51-mile-long waterway.

Shrouded in secrecy, both orders were founded on Enlightenment principles, but only one still exists.

In 1804, Lewis and Clark set off on a journey filled with harrowing confrontations, harsh weather and fateful decisions.

The explorers not only produced maps from their 1804-1806 expedition to the American West, they also recorded some 122 animals new to science.

For more than 130 years, the government has issued advice for healthy eating.

Although Montana is the fourth-largest U.S. state by area, it's also one of the least densely populated states.

Maine is the largest state in New England and forms the northeast border of the United States with Canada. It has been a state since 1820.

“The Old Line State” is known for its diverse geography and crucial role in the nation’s history.

The state is one of the nation's top producers of wine, hazelnuts and Christmas trees.

Idaho farmers produce more potatoes and trout than any other state in the nation

Pennsylvania was founded by William Penn as a haven for his fellow Quakers.

Kansas, situated on the American Great Plains, became the 34th state on January 29, 1861. Its path to statehood was long and bloody.