Stories

In the 1850s and 1860s, Chicago faced a crisis of poor drainage and deadly epidemics. Engineer Ellis S. Chesbrough proposed raising the city’s grade by several feet to install a sewer system. Streets, sidewalks, and buildings were elevated using jackscrews.

On October 21, 1966, the Welsh village of Aberfan faced a devastating disaster when a colliery spoil tip collapsed, sending a 30-foot-high wave of coal slurry rushing into Pantglas Junior School. The landslide struck at 9:15 a.m., trapping children and teachers under the sludge.

Despite Antarctica’s harsh conditions, two civilian settlements exist: Villa Las Estrellas in Chilean territory and Esperanza Base in Argentine territory. Both are unique communities where families live, a rarity on the frozen continent.

Barra Airport, located on the tiny Isle of Barra in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides, is the only airport in the world where scheduled flights use a tidal beach as the runway. Operated by Loganair, it connects the island to mainland Scotland.

Ivittuut, Greenland, once held the world’s largest reserve of cryolite, a rare mineral critical for aluminum production. Discovered by the Inuits and mined since 1854, its peak came during World War II when cryolite was vital for Allied aircraft manufacturing. In 1942, the mine shipped 86,000 tons to the U.S. and Canada.

Jakob Maria Mierscheid is listed as a member of the German Bundestag, the federal parliament, since 1979. However, Mierscheid is not a real person. He was created by SPD (Social Democratic Party) politicians as an inside joke.

In 1977, Kevin Baugh established the Republic of Molossia, a self-proclaimed micronation located in his backyard near Dayton, Nevada, USA. Despite its small size—covering about 1.3 acres—Baugh declared himself “His Excellency President” and created an independent government.

The Electoral College was established in the U.S. Constitution as a middle ground between electing the President by Congress and by direct popular vote. Though the term “Electoral College” isn’t in the Constitution, Article II and the 12th Amendment refer to “electors,” who cast votes on behalf of states.

When Prohibition began in 1920, bootleggers produced low-quality alcohol using industrial alcohol or illegal stills. To mimic whiskey or scotch, they added dead rats, rotten meat, and creosote for flavor. Gin was the easiest to make, using juniper oil and glycerin.

The Yellowstone Dutton Ranch exists as Chief Joseph Ranch in Darby, Montana, with cabins available for rent. The lodge house, a real 6,000-square-foot log mansion, was built in 1920.