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As the 20th century wore on, hearses got slicker, sleeker, and much more covered in chrome.
museums

The Curious Afterlives of Hearses

When they no longer carry caskets, some of these vehicles end up in museums—or even pawn shops.
Jessica Leigh Hester April 5, 2018
space exploration

GIFs in Space!

The format gives classic photos from the Apollo missions new life.
Cara Giaimo April 5, 2018
Neemrana baori.
Neemrana, India

Neemrana Baori

This abandoned stepwell is one of the largest, deepest, and certainly one of the creepiest in India.
The namesake pillars of Seattle's Plymouth Pillars Park.
Seattle, Washington

Plymouth Pillars Park

The four tall pillars once marked the entrance of the historic Seattle church that fought for women's suffrage and civil rights.
Harvard Lampoon building.
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Harvard Lampoon Building

The headquarters of one of the world’s longest-running humor magazines bears a noticeable resemblance to a head wearing a Prussian helmet.
Forest Grove, Montana

Bear Gulch Pictographs

A scenic ravine with an astounding collection of rock art created by the Indigenous people of the Great Plains.
Valletta, Malta

Valletta Tunnels

A centuries-old forgotten underworld lies beneath Malta.
Main gate.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Fort Mifflin

This little-known Revolutionary War fort is supposedly haunted by the ghosts of its past.
X-ray images can reveal traces of the ancient medical text written on the parchment that's now covered by hymns.
ancient

Deciphering an Ancient Medical Text With the Help of X-Rays

It was hidden under an 11th-century manuscript full of hymns.
Jessica Leigh Hester March 28, 2018
At a council, the chief sits at the place of honor surrounded by his advisors. Cassina is prepared by women in the foreground.
food

The Forgotten Drink That Caffeinated North America for Centuries

Yaupon tea, a botanical cousin to yerba maté, is now almost unknown.
Ben Richmond March 28, 2018
Working on the 1940 census.
news

The First U.S. Census Asked Just Four Questions

Over the 230 year history of the census, its questions about national origin tracked attitudes about race and nationalism.
Sarah Laskow March 28, 2018
Abbey of St. Evroul.
Saint-Evroult-Notre-Dame-du-Bois, France

Ruins of Abbey of Saint-Evroul

This 1,400-year-old abbey was once a powerhouse for music and intellectualism known across Normandy.
For months, the chiefs hid in the mountains of Chilcotin territory, where their familiarity with the land allowed them to move undetected.
history

The Exoneration of 6 Indigenous Canadian Chiefs, Wrongfully Executed in 1864

The long road to reparations.
Natasha Frost March 27, 2018
An Ordnance Survey worker points his arrow at a revision point, while laughing children look on.
maps

How Arrow-Wielding Men Mapped Britain in the 1940s

Recently unearthed photos show beleaguered surveyors in suits holding pointy wooden markers.
Cara Giaimo March 27, 2018
A front view of the house as it stands today.
West Chester, Pennsylvania

Brinton 1704 House

Descendants of this colonial Pennsylvania family still travel from far and wide to visit the 300-year-old home of their Quaker ancestors.
A rough day for Mrs. Tottenham.
history

Knock Knock. Who’s There? 2,500 Raspberry Tarts

The "Berners Street Hoax" took a common prank to extremes.
Cara Giaimo March 27, 2018
Spinalonga fortress.
Lasithi, Greece

Spinalonga Island

This abandoned Greek island was the last active leper colony in Europe.
Hastings, England

The Amsterdam Shipwreck

This remarkably intact, 260-year-old cargo ship is only visible at the lowest of spring tides.