Stories

In the 18th century, European doctors widely believed that tobacco smoke had medicinal properties. One of the most unusual treatments was the tobacco smoke enema.

In 1942, a forest ranger named Hari Kishan Madhwal made a startling discovery in the remote Himalayas. At an altitude of 5,020 meters, in a glacial lake called Roopkund, he found hundreds of human skeletons scattered along the lake’s edge.

In 1972, a unique house was built in the Fafe Mountains of northern Portugal. Known as Casa do Penedo (House of the Rock), it was constructed between four massive boulders. The structure was designed to blend with its natural surroundings, using stone walls and a rustic interior.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, asthma sufferers sought relief through unconventional means. Among the remedies available were Kellogg’s Asthma Cigarettes, produced around 1890 by Northrop & Lyman in Toronto. These cigarettes contained stramonium, a plant known for its antispasmodic properties. ​

Constructed in the 1860s by engineer Konstantin Zverev, Fort Zverev stood on the Baltic Sea’s shores near Kronstadt, Russia. Its unique mushroom-shaped design featured curved ceilings and innovative use of natural asphalt for flooring.

On the night of December 11-12, 1602, Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy, launched a surprise attack on Geneva.

Announced in January 2021, The Line is a 170-kilometer-long linear city within Saudi Arabia’s Neom development. Designed to house 9 million people, the futuristic city aims to be car-free, with essential services within a five-minute walk.

The Tianzi Hotel, located in Langfang, China, is one of the most unusual hotels in the world. Built in the early 2000s, the structure is designed as a massive representation of three Chinese deities: Fu, Lu, and Shou. These gods, associated with fortune, prosperity, and longevity, form the exterior of the building.

In 1628, the Dutch East India Company’s ship Batavia set sail for the East Indies on its maiden voyage. Commanded by Francisco Pelsaert and carrying over 300 people, including soldiers, merchants, and civilians, the ship was secretly the target of a mutiny led by Jeronimus Cornelisz, a disgraced apothecary fleeing prosecution.

Rags was a stray terrier found in Paris in 1918 by First Sergeant James Donovan of the First Division American Expeditionary Forces. After following soldiers back to their base, Rags became more than just a mascot—he became a vital part of their operations.