Videos

Remember when playtime meant tempting fate? From toy belts that fired speeding projectiles to high-powered pogo sticks that sent us soaring, these perilous playthings were made for kids—but their risks were anything but child’s play.

In the summer of 1982, nearly 20,000 garment workers—mostly Asian American women—filled the streets of New York’s Chinatown in solidarity. Their strike won a decisive victory and challenged the “model minority” myth that still persists today.

The DSM once labeled homosexuality a mental disorder. In the 1960s, LGBTQ+ activists Barbara Gittings and Frank Kameny pushed to change that, helping to spur its removal from the DSM in 1973.

After WWII, veterans returned home with "combat fatigue," now known as PTSD. Psychiatrist Robert Felix lobbied to establish the National Institute of Mental Health and elevated mental health awareness in America.

In 1971, meteorologist Tetsuya Fujita created the Fujita Scale, which allowed scientists to categorize tornadoes, aiding in predictive weather patterns. Fujita revolutionized the understanding of thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes and typhoons.

In 1870 England, after Charles Dickens died before finishing a mystery, claims emerged that his spirit continued the story by communicating through another person.

Abraham Lincoln has been linked to claims that he was a powerful professional wrestler who helped popularize iconic moves like the chokeslam.

While Cinco de Mayo is celebrated as a day of Mexican pride, the event it commemorates also played a major role in U.S. history.

The 1991 Rodney King beating, captured on a home video camera, became one of the first widely shared “viral” videos—sparking national outrage and igniting conversations about police brutality.

By digging through crates of old vinyl, Breakbeat Lou ushered in a golden age of hip hop.

The Pickers tour a record pressing plant with Jack White.

From dentures that could explode at the dinner table and stiff shirt collars that could strangle us, to toxic hair implants, the pursuit of the perfect look once pushed people to surprisingly dangerous lengths.

After a devastating attack, a single moment of violence sparks the rise of a powerful and legendary group of holy warriors.

Lacrosse is one of the fastest-growing sports in the country, and Oren continues to preserve the origin story of the sacred game.

Bessie Blount Griffin’s dexterity led her to work as a forensic scientist, where she detected forged documents and became the first African American woman to work at Scotland Yard.

In 1966 London, the World Cup trophy is stolen months before the tournament—and in a shocking twist, an unlikely hero helps crack the case.