In the final days of World War II, American intelligence officer Frank Manuel noticed a peculiar symbol etched on walls in Germany’s Franconia region: a vertical line crossed by a hooked horizontal bar. Many dismissed it as a crude swastika, but Manuel identified it as the mark of the Werewolves—guerrilla fighters targeting Allied soldiers and collaborators.

Interstate 19 (I-19), connecting Nogales at the U.S.-Mexico border to Tucson, Arizona, is the only highway in the United States to use metric measurements for its distance markers and exit signs. Distances are marked in kilometers, a decision tied to a short-lived push for metrication in the 1970s.

On May 23, 1618, a heated meeting took place in Prague Castle between Protestant nobles and Catholic representatives of the Holy Roman Emperor. The Protestants, angered by perceived religious oppression, confronted Imperial governors, Jaroslav Martinic and William Slavata, in the council chamber.

On November 1, 1918, a Brighton-Beach-bound train sped dangerously through the tunnel under Brooklyn’s Malbone Street. With five wooden cars packed with around 650 passengers, the train took a deadly turn. At 6:42 PM, it derailed while navigating a sharp curve, leading to one of the deadliest railway accidents in American history. Over 93 lives were lost in the catastrophic crash.

In autumn 2017, European monitors detected airborne ruthenium-106. Starting in late September, levels ranged from microbecquerels to millibecquerels per cubic meter. Though harmless to most Europeans, the released quantity could have been dangerous within several kilometers of the source.

Khanzir, whose name means “pig” in Dari, is Afghanistan’s only known pig. He has lived in the Kabul Zoo since 2002, a place where pigs are rare due to the cultural and religious practices of the region. The pig was brought to the zoo as part of an animal exchange program.

Beneath Notre Dame Cathedral lies a fascinating world often overlooked by visitors: the crypts and archaeological treasures of the site. These subterranean layers preserve centuries of history, offering a unique glimpse into Paris’s past.

In the early 18th century, Edward Teach, known as Blackbeard, struck fear into the hearts of sailors and merchants along the Atlantic and Caribbean coasts.

Hidden 40 meters below ground in Niigata, Tsutsuishi Station feels like a relic from a dystopian novel. Built in 1969, its damp, shadowy tunnels lead to platforms accessible only by navigating 290 steps, with no lifts or escalators to assist weary travelers.

Nestled in the hills of Rustic Canyon in Pacific Palisades lies the haunting remains of Murphy Ranch, a failed 1930s pro-Nazi compound. This hidden site was built by Winona and Norman Stephens, a wealthy couple influenced by a shadowy figure known as “Herr Schmidt.” He convinced them to construct a self-sustaining base in anticipation of a Nazi takeover in the United States.