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You probably thought of this period as a time in which a bunch of scrappy underdogs with ideals and practices of political and social decorum rose up to defeat their oppressors. As with most aspects of history, this conception is both true and untrue in ways that are surprising, fascinating, fascinatingly surprising, and surprisingly fascinating. (Comment below if we’re missing any adjectives.) 10 Americans Were Taller Than The British The American colonists are often portrayed as the scrappy underdogs, fighting for independence against their English rulers....

But perhaps most amazing are the animals we don’t see. Some animals have evolved so acutely with their environment that they continue to evade scientific observation to this day. Below are just ten such examples of animals with amazing camouflage. 10 Soft Coral Crab Hoplophrys oatesii is a species of crab found in the waters surrounding Indonesia. Growing to a whopping 1.5 to 2 centimeters (0.6–0.8 in), these crabs spend almost all of their life living in soft coral, giving them their common name, the soft coral crab....

Argonaut octopuses are highly sexed sea animals, but personally, they never experience the sex act itself. That is, because they favor tele-sex. The male argonaut squid produces sperm in a specially adapted penis which is then detached from the body to swim by itself to a suitable female, who will be automatically impregnated by the separated penis. The male can only watch his sexual encounter as his disembodied apparatus makes its way solo and carries out the sex act for him....

They can cause intense pain on their enemies that will last for hours or even days. Some deliver bites or stings that can even result in death. Here is a list of 10 of the most terrifying insects in the world. 10 Giant Silkworm Caterpillar This creepy-looking caterpillar resides in South America and is responsible for several deaths each year. The giant silkworm caterpillar has tiny bristles that release a potent toxin that is poisonous when ingested....

10American History X1998 The Sabotage: After director Tony Kaye delivered his final cut of this crime drama, star Edward Norton reportedly went into the editing room to emphasize his own performance. Norton played neo-Nazi Derek Vinyard, who curb-stomps a black man to death, gets gang-raped in prison, and delivers surprisingly well-spoken monologues in defense of white supremacy. Kaye bickered with his producers and Norton to restore his original version. He even brought religious representatives, including a priest, into a meeting with him....

The following murderers were all cunning and manipulative. They trapped their victims both mentally and physically, leaving a trail of bloody clues for the police to piece together. Was it their high intellect that turned such dark urges into a hobby? Or were they simply so smart that they thought they’d never be caught? Either way, a lot of innocent lives were lost at the hands of these monsters....

10 Pella Curse Tablet In 1986, archaeologists unearthed a curse tablet during excavations of the ancient Macedonian capital of Pella. Created between 375 and 350 BC, the Pella tablet is an inscribed lead scroll. The writer, Dagina, calls upon divine powers to solve her problem: Her beloved, Dionysophon, is on the precipice of marriage to another woman. Dagina wants him for herself and beseeches the gods for assistance in love. The language on the stone is far removed from the stately language of the ancient Macedonian court, so linguists believe that Dagina was of a lower social stratum....

Sometimes, we get a little too sure of our scientific knowledge. These latest discoveries show us just how much we don’t know and how much we’ll have to rethink our previous theories about the final frontier. 10 A Supernova Birthed Our Solar System Every cosmic catastrophe is just the birth of some other phenomenon. A supernova, for example, might spark a solar system into life. Our solar system. The solar system began as a debris cloud, which coagulated into countless bodies that drifted together or apart to form the eight planets and miscellaneous rocks we call home....

Animals take center stage this week as we cover killer chickens and the efforts of scientists to bring the woolly mammoth back from the dead. We serve cheese made with hip-hop music and pair it with some Chinese wine. There is also talk of priceless artifacts, whether they sit at the bottom of the ocean or in a tiny Italian church. 10 The Milky Weigh According to a study published in Astrophysical Journal, scientists have used new data to come up with the most accurate measurement of the Milky Way....

But otherwise, read on for a dose of unique, quirky, or just plain weird. Whether it’s a story of animal antics, “flashy” artwork, or the seemingly stupidest criminal who has ever lived, you’re sure to get a chuckle. 10 The Badger In The Castle Back in the early 16th century, Sir James Hamilton of Finnart was appointed Master of Works to James V, king of Scotland, thus becoming responsible for the construction and maintenance of castles and other crown property....

I should note, this is by no means a complete list, nor is it a “best of” list. These are in no particular order. In fact, if you have any additions, I look forward to discovering other artists to add to my iTunes, so please include them in the comments! I’ve also included other similar artists to listen for, if you’re interested… Enjoy! Special thanks to Josh Pincus Is Crying for his assistance on this list and for introducing me to many of these terrific artists....

Charles Lane Charles Lane was born on January 26th 1905, and began acting professionally in 1929, becoming a founding member of the Screen Actor’s Guild in 1933. When he passed away in 2007, he was the oldest living American actor. During his career he starred in hundreds of television shows, including Petticoat Junction, I Love Lucy and Little House on the Prairie. He starred in over 250 feature films, including Mr Smith Goes to Washington, It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, and most memorably, as the rent collector in It’s a Wonderful Life....

10 A Nazi Squadron Fought To Protect China Against The Japanese Before the war began, China hired German soldiers to train their men. When Japan invaded in 1937, some of those German instructors were stuck inside China. Without orders from Hitler, the men agreed that “there could be no question of leaving our Chinese friends to their fate.” The German-trained 88th Division mobilized to protect China. They went out to the front lines at every opportunity and fought fiercely against Japanese troops....

10 History’s Deadliest Arsonist Middle-aged and unemployed, South Korean citizen Kim Dae Han was an average loser. That all changed in 2003 when he bought $6 worth of gasoline and boarded a subway train. By the time the journey was over, Han would have added “mass murderer” to his crappy credentials. As his train pulled into a station, Han lit a gasoline-filled milk carton and casually tossed it over his fellow passengers....

10The Longest Word In The English Language We’re going to be honest, our spellchecker just gave up when we tried typing “pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis,” and we can’t really blame it. Clocking in at a mind-boggling 45 letters long, it’s one of the single longest words in the entire English language, dwarfing its better-known cousin, “antidisestablishmentarianism,” by 17 whole letters. So what does it mean? Well, the word can technically be used to describe a very specific medical condition that can arise as a result of inhaling fine silica ash or dust, but you’d be hard pressed to find a doctor who’s even aware of the word because the condition described above already has a much shorter medical name: pneumoconiosis....

In 1523, Christian II, King of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, lost his throne to Fredrik I. At that time, the most feared pirates were those who stood by Christian II to help him gain back his throne. Their job was to raid the sea and abduct as many ships as they possibly could, so that the former king could use these riches to stand against Fredrik I. It took him eight years, but it finally worked....

10Mario Steven Ambarita Mario Ambarita really wanted to meet Joko Widodo, the President of Indonesia. However, Widodo lived in Jakarta, and Ambarita lived over 800 miles away. He decided that he needed to hitch a ride on an airplane to get to Jakarta. He spent a year studying airplanes’ landings and liftoffs. Ambarita learned from the Internet how to hide in a wheel well—a tiny compartment that houses the airplane’s wheels when the plane is in flight....

Sexual interest in people who have committed crimes is common enough to have its own psychological name—hybristophilia. Research suggests that almost 4% of female prison staff are affected by hybristophilia. In the United States, these relationships are punishable by law. In other countries, the authorities usually consider them to be in breach of a code of ethics—professional misconduct, in other words. It is sometimes difficult to understand the dynamics of these relationships, and they often don’t last beyond the specific circumstances of incarceration....

While this type of hero is usually a fictional creation, there have been some people who have stuck their noses up at authority and have achieved the status of hero in the process. Whether it be robbery, rebellion, or simply eluding the law, these criminals have won the hearts of the people. We’ve compiled a list of the ten most compelling people that have been heralded as heroes despite being best known for committing crimes....

10Alfred PackerRavenous (1999) Alfred Packer (nicknamed “Alferd” after a misspelled tattoo) is arguably the most infamous cannibal in American history. While journeying to the gold mines of Colorado in 1874, Packer and five other prospectors (Shannon Wilson Bell, James Humphrey, Frank Miller, George Noon, and Israel Swan) decided to push on through the winter rather than wait for spring to clear the trail. The decision turned out to be fatal—for everyone but Packer....