On September 3, 1857, the SS Central America left the port of Colón, Panama, en route to New York City. It never arrived. What happened to it? And how did this ship’s failure to reach its destination nearly ruin the United States of America? The Lost Treasure of the SS Central America? The SS Central America…
The Colossus of Rhodes was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. At over 100 feet tall, it stood far higher than any other statue of its time. Mysteriously, this behemoth disappeared over a thousand years ago and has been missing ever since. So, what happened to it? The Colossus of Rhodes? Rhodes…
Although constructed around 1450, the spectacular city of Machu Picchu remained unknown to the outside world until it was discovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911. But did he really discover Machu Picchu? Or did someone else beat him to it? Hiram Bingham’s Expedition to Machu Picchu Situated almost 8,000 feet above sea level, Machu Picchu towers over…
In 1905, Edmund Meade-Waldo and Michael Nicoll spotted a sea serpent off the coast of Brazil. What makes this encounter unique amongst sea monster sightings was that both men were trained, respected zoologists. So, what did they see? And is it possible that the Valhalla sea serpent actually exists? The Valhalla Sea Serpent? At approximately…
On July 17, 1944, the Port Chicago Pier exploded into a tremendous fireball. Hundreds died instantly, hundreds more were injured by the blast. Over sixty years later, it remains one of the deadliest disasters in U.S. history. The official explanation is that it was caused by an accidental munition detonation. However, not everyone is convinced….
Zachary Taylor is not exactly a household name. He served as President of the United States for just sixteen months, from March 4, 1849 to July 9, 1850. He is best known for his service as a former general in the Mexican-American War as well as his rather long nickname (“Old Rough and Ready”). So,…
The origin of life is a question that has baffled generations of scholars. However, the panspermia theory recently received a gigantic boost from NASA scientists. This theory proposes that life didn’t originate on earth…it came from outer space. What is Panspermia? Panspermia is the theory that extremely hardy forms of life, such as bacteria, exist…
In 1897, Salomon August Andrée concocted a daring plan to become the first man to reach the North Pole. Along with two other men, he climbed into a giant hydrogen balloon and set sail from Sweden. But unfortunately, they never reached their destination. What happened to the lost SA Andree expedition? The SA Andree Arctic Balloon…