By the late 18th century, Paris faced a problem: its cemeteries were overflowing. The Cemetery of the Innocents, the city’s largest burial ground, was particularly notorious for its overcrowding, causing public health concerns as bodies were buried in mass graves.

In 1870, Congress funded a $50,000 expedition to reach the North Pole, led by Charles Francis Hall, a seasoned Arctic explorer. On July 3, 1871, the Polaris set sail from Connecticut, stopping in Greenland for supplies and an Inuit guide before pushing northward. The crew reached a record northern latitude of around 82 degrees but faced growing tension among its members.

Sergei Krikalev, a Soviet cosmonaut, was launched into space on May 18, 1991, aboard the Mir space station. He began his mission as a citizen of the Soviet Union, with plans for a standard stay in orbit.

The original Hollywood sign was erected in 1923 and read “Hollywoodland.” It was built as a real estate advertisement to promote a new housing development in the Hollywood Hills. Each letter was 30 feet wide and 50 feet tall, illuminated by around 4,000 light bulbs.

The Real Gang Behind the Name The Peaky Blinders were a real gang that operated in Birmingham, England, in the late 1800s. Like the Shelby family in the TV series, the Blinders were involved in illegal activities such as bookmaking and racketeering. They were known for their distinctive style, wearing peaked caps, silk scarves, and

In 1944, Smoky, a tiny Yorkshire Terrier, was found by an American soldier in a foxhole in New Guinea during World War II. She was sold to Corporal William A. Wynne, who soon discovered that Smoky was more than just a pet.

The Anti-Flirt Club was established in Washington, D.C., in 1923 by a group of young women concerned about the unwanted advances they experienced on the streets. The club aimed to protect women and girls from men who would flirt, catcall, or make inappropriate remarks.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, fat men’s clubs emerged across the United States, celebrating size as a mark of wealth and status. With a 200-pound weight minimum, these clubs attracted men who were proud of their large bellies. The New England Fat Men’s Club, one of the most popular, boasted nearly 10,000 members at its peak.

Henry Behrens, born in 1897 in the United Kingdom, was known as the world’s smallest man in the 1950s. Measuring just 30 inches (76 cm) tall, Behrens was recognized by Guinness World Records and gained international fame for his small stature.

In 2006, Russian-born Pavel Durov founded VKontakte (VK), a social networking platform that quickly grew into Russia’s largest social media site. His vision for free information flow made VK the “Facebook of Russia,” becoming a hub for connecting people and fostering online communities.