When it opened in 1909, the Queensboro Bridge featured the two longest steel cantilever spans globally at the time—spanning 1,182 feet from Manhattan to Blackwell's Island and 984 feet from Blackwell's Island to Queens. These impressive spans held the recor…
The World's Columbian Exposition, commonly known as the Chicago World's Fair, was a significant international event held in Chicago from May 5 to October 31, 1893. It commemorated the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas in 14…
"Metropolis," released in 1927, is a groundbreaking German expressionist science-fiction silent film, directed by Fritz Lang and co-written with Thea von Harbou, based on her 1925 novel of the same name. The film, considered one of the first feature-length …
Driving has not traditionally been viewed as a feminine occupation, a notion even more prevalent in early 20th-century Paris. It was during this time that history was made by the first women to obtain taxi licenses in the city. A 1908 report from The M…
Historically, dog-drawn carts were a common sight in Belgium and the Netherlands, employed for the transportation of milk, bread, and other goods. These vehicles, typically pulled by a pair or more of canines, were a practical and efficient mode of delivery…
Maxwell Street Market, an iconic and vibrant marketplace, played a important role in the cultural and economic landscape of Chicago from the late 19th century until its closure in 1994. Established by newly arrived Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe, thi…
The term "banality of evil," introduced by political theorist Hannah Arendt, captures the disturbing notion that ordinary people can perpetrate horrific acts. The portraits of the Bergen-Belsen camp guards provide a haunting illustration of this concept. …
In 1933, King Kong captivated audiences with its groundbreaking special effects and compelling storytelling. This article takes you behind the scenes, revealing the backstory and the meticulous work and creativity involved in making this classic horror fi…
At a time when most children were running from the chaos, a small figure with a camera around his neck was running towards it. Lo Manh Hung, barely 12 years old amidst the turmoil of the Vietnam War, was Saigon's unlikeliest photographer – and possibly the …
During the early days of mugshots, the American frontier was teeming with outlaws and bandits, making it a prime location for capturing their images. This gallery of Wild West mugshots shows some of the most notorious criminals from the late 1800s and early…
Believe it or not, even gas stations in the Soviet Union could be architectural marvels. In the 1970s, Kyiv saw the construction of at least two such stations, boasting a truly unique design. This concept, borrowed from Japan, resulted in locally nicknamed …
For centuries, the term “computer” meant a person, often a woman, performing complex calculations by hand. By the late 19th century, these human computers became the unsung heroes of numerous scientific advancements. Alan Turing described the "human comp…
The Firebird III stands out as the most fascinating and influential model among the Motorama Firebirds. Built in 1958, it is the only one in the Firebird trio to have a direct impact on the design of General Motors production vehicles. The influence is e…
These early photographs, taken by Émile Béchard in Cairo, Egypt during the 1870s, present vivid portraits of local figures such as shopkeepers, street merchants, workes, and dancers. Béchard, active in Cairo from 1869 until 1880, focused on capturing Eg…
Fashionable women's clothing in the 1890s moved away from the exaggerated styles of previous decades. Skirts were no longer as wide as in the 1850s or as bustled as in the late 1860s and mid-1880s. They were also not as tight as in the late 1870s. However, …
As the 20th century unfolded, photographers were on a mission to capture the world's evolution. They snapped away at everything from the chaos of war to the birth of new inventions, as well as the everyday weird and wonderful sights. Think about Boston's…
In Queen Victoria's reign, England reigned as the world's undisputed superpower. London, its beating heart, pulsed with the energy of a thriving metropolis. Magnificent palaces and towering structures stood as a testament to the wealth amassed from a va…
Clothing has been an integral part of human history for centuries, with origins lost in the mists of time. While the exact inception of clothing remains shrouded in mystery due to the perishable nature of early fabrics, genetic analysis suggests that hu…
In today's world, we're well aware of the dangers of radium and the lethal risks of radiation. But there was a time when radium was hailed as a wonder substance, believed to have health benefits. In the early 20th century, radium paint was used on numerous …
In the post-World War II era, the automotive industry was a hotbed of innovation and opportunity. With the American public clamoring for new vehicles and new technologies and materials readily available from wartime developments, the time was ripe for bold …