Many people who only encounter the Greek and Roman myths as children never learn just how weird some of them are. In the versions told to young people, the gods can be capricious and cruel, but the darker aspects of their actions are often hidden. Zeus’s sexual conquests alone could fill a book with bizarre

Slavery is one of the most controversial topics out there today. Although we all agree it was terrible, we probably never learned enough about it in school. Slavery was much more complicated than we think, and contrary to what most people believe, it was not all about blacks. Whites were also kept as slaves. Nevertheless,

Islands remain a mainstay for vacationers and romance novelists. Beyond stress relief and imaginary heroes, islands are complex worlds. There are mysterious places that challenge experts with artificial islands and unknown rituals. Islands are also mass graves and the ocean’s trash bins—to a horrifying degree. Then there are the hills where sheep carry cameras for

Not every sound we hear around us is what we think it is. Some are created specifically to play on our imaginations and beliefs. This often happens, for example, when we consider a specific sound as an indicator of the quality or effectiveness of a product. Manufacturers know this, too, and often engineer the noises

Human history is filled with dark, depressing stretches of misery and suffering. It should be treated with reverence and awe. Yet, most of it is hilarious. Plenty of historical and cultural milestones only began when one joke spun out of control. The lives of millions of people were shaped just because one person wanted to

Famous fiction authors have the ability to tell stories like nobody else. They create amazing worlds filled with exciting characters that are part of an incredible story, and millions of readers are drawn in, hanging on every word. Some authors find inspiration through their own experiences, though, that are much stranger than fiction. In the

If the week has got you down, this list might help lift your spirits. We looked at all the positive, inspiring, and amusing stories that made the headlines over the last few days and put them into one list. It goes well with a side of offbeat quirkiness. Music plays an important role in this

Most zoo visits happen without incident, but sometimes, things go wrong. Visitors scale enclosure walls, and chimpanzees lure people closer for bad reasons. However, it is when zoos close for the day that things truly get weird. From strange thefts and maulings to bizarre drills, this behind-the-scenes strangeness cannot beat the time when three zoos

The notorious serial killer John Wayne Gacy was convicted of the sex-related murders of 33 young men and boys between 1972 and 1978. He was sentenced to death and executed for 12 of those killings. Investigators eventually found the bodies of many victims buried in the crawl space beneath Gacy’s home. By day, he appeared

Everyone should have a hobby, they say. According to psychological studies, hobbies help us to deal with stress, develop friendships, and build a life-work balance.[1] Sometimes, hobbies can even make us appear more attractive to others or be used to spice up an otherwise boring CV. Initially, hobbies tend to be undertaken purely for the

When looking for the ick factor, old teeth are the best. Nothing beats scores of cavity-ridden teeth inside the subway or fangs stitched into a Stone Age purse. As curious as gruesome finds are, ancient teeth are not just about the gore. In recent times, they rewrote Egyptian jobs, proved that dinosaurs migrated, and finally

More often than not, a bride’s wedding day is one that has been dreamed of and meticulously planned for years, perhaps even dating back to childhood. Such treasured and idyllic ceremonies are expected to be flawless, with the blissful newlyweds riding off into the sunset, cheered on by their adoring guests. The following ten ceremonies,