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Tech NewsOver 7,000 Bodies May Be Buried Beneath Mississippi University
In what sounds like a clichéd horror movie premise, a recent investigation suggests as many as 7,000 bodies are buried across 20 acres at the Mississippi Medical Center Campus—the former site of the state’s first mental institution. Officials at the university now face the grim task of pulling 100-year-old bodies out of the ground for … Continued
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Tech News
Second Handwritten Copy of the Declaration of Independence Discovered in England
Harvard researchers have discovered a parchment manuscript of the Declaration of Independence at a small archive office in the United Kingdom. Only the second parchment copy known to exist, it contains several features that mark it as distinct from the original. In August 2015, Emily Sneff, a researcher with the Declaration Resources Project, was parsing … Continued
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Tech News
These Rare Color Photos From the Second World War Are Incredible
A new book published by the Imperial War Museum features a rare collection of color photos from World War II, some of which haven’t been seen in over 70 years. From P-51D Mustangs and Flying Fortresses through to anti-aircraft spotters and flame hurling tanks, these images cast the war in a vibrant new light. During … Continued
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Tech NewsSecret Medieval Tomb Reveals Resting Site of Five Lost Archbishops
During renovations at the former site of a medieval church in London, England, construction workers uncovered the entranceway to a hidden crypt. Inside lay 30 lead coffins, including the remains of five former Archbishops of Canterbury. It’s a completely unexpected archaeological finding—showing that even London’s most famous historical sites still have secrets to tell. … Continued
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Tech News
Scientists Say Medieval Villagers Mutilated Corpses to Prevent a Zombie Apocalypse
The discovery of mutilated and burnt human bones in an English grave pit supports the theory that medieval villagers thought the dead could rise from their graves, spreading disease and attacking the living. A new study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science shows the extent to which medieval Englanders sought to prevent a zombie … Continued
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Tech News
Mice Have Been Mooching off Humans For an Astoundingly Long Time
The common house mouse is one of the most recognizable creatures on the planet, yet we know surprisingly little about the origins of this crafty rodent. New research shows that house mice first entered human settlements far earlier than previously thought—but they had to fight a rival species to maintain their status as one of … Continued
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Tech NewsRediscovered 1920s Home Movies Are the First to Show the White House in Color
An archivist working at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library has stumbled upon color home movies taken in the late 1920s by former First Lady Lou Hoover. Incredibly, this is very likely the first color film to show a US President, the First Lady, and the White House. Audio-visual archivist Lynn Smith was working on a … Continued
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Tech News
The Haunting Face of a Man Who Lived 700 Years Ago
This may look like a photograph, but the highly realistic face staring back at you belongs to a man who died over 700 years ago. The researchers who performed this unbelievable facial reconstruction say their work is providing new details about the way ordinary people lived in medieval England. This 13th-century man—dubbed “Context 958″—is one … Continued
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Tech News
School Assignment Leads to Discovery of WWII Plane With Pilot’s Body Still Inside
When 14-year-old Daniel Kristiansen was assigned a World War II project for history class, his father jokingly suggested he look for a German plane that had allegedly crashed at the family farm. Well wouldn’t you know it, he actually found the damned thing—along with the dead airman’s remains. It’s being called one of the most … Continued
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Tech NewsThis 3,000-Year-Old Bronze Age Sword Is Absolutely Incredible
In what archaeologists are calling the “find of a lifetime,” a horde of Late Bronze Age weapons has been discovered at a Scottish construction site. Among the items found is a gold-decorated spearhead, and a 3,000-year-old bronze sword in remarkably good condition. The artifacts were found during an archaeological evaluation on a field in Carnoustie, … Continued
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Tech News
Lost Essay Reveals Winston Churchill Was Almost Certain Aliens Exist
Unlike so many politicians these days, Winston Churchill held a deep admiration for learning and science. A rediscovered essay—forgotten in a museum for nearly sixty years—reveals Churchill’s astoundingly scientific thoughts on such topics as cosmology, the origin of life, and the likelihood of extraterrestrials. Incredibly, he was all but certain that aliens exist. “I was … Continued
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Tech News
World War II Shipwrecks Are Vanishing at a Disturbing Rate
Late last year, the Netherlands defense ministry confirmed that two of its ships lost during World War II had disappeared from the bottom of the Java Sea, likely the result of illegal salvaging. Now, a trio of Japanese shipwrecks off Borneo have likewise been torn apart for scrap, highlighting what appears to be a growing … Continued
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Tech News
Nazi Sub Portrayed in Raiders of the Lost Ark Discovered in the North Atlantic
German researchers have discovered the wreck of U-581, a Nazi sub that sunk near the Azores in February 1942. The 220-foot-long VIIC U-boat—the same type of sub featured in the classic films Das Boot and Raiders of the Lost Ark—was found broken in two, and at a depth of nearly 3,000 feet. Researchers with the … Continued
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Tech NewsWho Will Pay $300,000 for Hitler’s Bunker Phone?
If you have hundreds of thousands of dollars and are extremely creepy, you can now buy a one-of-a-kind piece of history: Adolf Hitler’s personal telephone. The phone will be sold by Alexander Historical Auctions in Maryland, and is expected to sell for between $200,000 and $300,000. It was taken from Hitler’s bunker shortly after his … Continued
By Libby Watson -
Tech NewsThis Tiny Coin Contains a Microscopic Archive of 1,000 Different Languages
If you want to ensure your files are safe, it’s a good idea to back them up in multiple places. And that’s the basic idea behind the Rosetta Wearable Disc. Printed in microscopic text on one side is an archive of 1,000 different human languages used in 2016. By producing multiple copies, language enthusiasts can … Continued
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Tech NewsSploidA Quick Animated History of Why We Use the Numbers We Use
I find the history of numbers so much more fascinating than the application of numbers. Who cares about learning calculus, when you can geek out on the brief history of numerical systems? Alessandra King shows us how different civilizations came up with different ways to count things, and it’s really neat to compare all the … Continued
By Casey Chan -
io9TelevisionTVs in the 1920s Had Bottle Cap-Sized Screens, With Just 30 Lines of Resolution
Before you start complaining again about the lack of 8K video content online, take a moment to experience what TV was like 87 years ago. As Tim Rowett of Grand Illusions demonstrates, in 1929 TV screens were the size of bottle caps and boasted a paltry resolution of just 30 lines. Looking at this working … Continued
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Tech News
Exceptionally Rare Photograph of Lincoln’s First Inauguration Will Go on Display Today
Today, Bowdoin College is set to show off an incredibly rare acquisition—a vintage photograph of Abraham Lincoln’s inauguration from 1861. The image, one of only three known to exist, shows a large crowd gathered outside the east side of the US Capitol to attend Lincoln’s swearing-in ceremony. Maine’s Bowdoin College Museum of Art, which got … Continued
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Tech NewsSploidWhy Cities Are Where They Are in the World
Have you ever wondered why the world’s largest cities sprout up where they sprout up? It has a lot to do with water, natural resources, history, and being in the northern hemisphere. Wendover Productions took a really hard look at why cities are whey they are in the video below and it’s completely fascinating. Some … Continued
By Casey Chan -
Tech NewsSploidWhat If the British Empire Still Existed Today?
Here’s a uselessly amusing idea to wrap your head around: what if history’s largest empire, the British Empire, still existed today? What would it look like? How many countries would it include? How many people? What would they look like? Would the Sun really never set? Real Life Lore examines a reunited British Empire and … Continued
By Casey Chan