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10 Amina Most likely born in the 16th century, Amina was a fierce warrior, military leader, and quite possibly the ruler of Zazzau, now called Zaria, a Hausa kingdom which was located in modern-day Nigeria. The eldest daughter of an ancient king named Bakwa Turunku, Amina ascended to the throne and embarked on a number of military campaigns to expand her country’s territory. Supposedly to keep her grasp on power, Amina never took a husband, opting to have temporary husbands for one night each....

From sticks and stones and other traces of ancient life, archaeologists have gleaned fascinating new information about what our ancestors ate, which unexpected diseases plagued them, how they reared their children, and how they entertained themselves. 10 The Ancient Chinese Ate ‘Ice Cream’ Thanks to a little chemistry trick, the Chinese were enjoying frozen confections almost 3,000 years ago. They saw that minerals reduce the freezing point of water by observing that melting saltpeter in water can cause it to freeze under certain conditions....

Jellyfish are famous for their stings, which can be lethal within minutes from some species. They are also a popular food in China and Japan. But these ancient creatures are more than just stinging annoyances or Asian cuisine. They are incredibly versatile in ways that will surprise you. 10 Pets A big step up from a goldfish in a bowl is a jellyfish in a specialized tank. “Moon jellyfish” is a term used to describe the Aurelia genus of jellyfish, which includes several similar species that are difficult to distinguish from one another without sampling their DNA....

Jackson Pollock was an American abstract painter who died in 1956, aged just 44. He was best known for his expressionist paintings done on large canvases, usually stretched across the floor. Instead of painting, he would throw paint over the canvas, dripping it and smearing it. Being regarded as somewhat of a genius, he is quoted to have said, “When I am in my painting, I’m not aware of what I’m doing....

These movies were well-regarded in their day but, for one reason or another, are not a part of our conversations about ’70s cinema today. This list looks at 10 of these neglected works that have sadly faded into obscurity, with the hopes of gaining them some new fans. 10 An Early Richard Pryor Film with Steely Dan Music You’ve Got to Walk It Like You Talk It or You’ll Lose That Beat has one of the more unwieldy film titles of all time and has rarely been seen since it came out in 1971....

The Allies committed many atrocities during World War II and its aftermath that they would rather you forgot. While there is no questioning that the Axis were certainly worse, it is clear from the many atrocities committed by the Allies that war brings out the brutality in all of us. 10 The Massive Bombing Campaign Against Civilian Targets In Japan Most people know of the moment in history when the United States dropped atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki....

Sometimes the world moves on far too swiftly to the next tragedy, leaving memory only in the minds and hearts of those most affected; sometimes even survivors wish to forget the painful past; and sometimes disasters are deliberately minimized or suppressed. Against these tendencies stands the principle that the best honor that can be given to the lost is the privilege of memory. Read on, then, and remember . ....

Some people believe ghost miners remain behind because they have unfinished business to attend to on Earth before moving on. Others believe there’s no evidence that ghosts actually exist. And while we’d love nothing more than an opportunity to clear up this debate once and for all. We’re going ahead with our original plan: listing some places where you can expect some ghostly activity. Here are 10 ghost mines from around the world....

As this is not a ‘top 10’ type list, the entries are in a (mostly) chronological order of when they were invented or developed. Please note that these are inventions and technological developments and not discoveries about the natural world – though it is also true that in many cases the Chinese scientists far preceded ‘The West’ in discoveries as well (e.g. William Harvey is credited with discovering the circulation of blood in 1628....

Some speakers, given an opportunity to have their say, make the most of it and decide to let the audience know exactly what is on their mind. Rather than offering easy-to-digest platitudes, the following people chose to use their time at the podium to “put the boot in,” which, if you’re unfamiliar with the expression, essentially means to cruelly, mercilessly attack someone. 10 Charles Spencer At Princess Diana’s Funeral When Earl Spencer stood up to speak at his sister’s funeral, he appeared to be quite calm....

10 Operation Anadyr The Russians practice military deceit and denial so often that they have a specific term to describe the strategy: maskirovka. It was the basis for Soviet plans during the Cuban Missile Crisis (or what the Russians call the “Caribbean Crisis”). Top-level Soviets trusted no one, so they designed their bluff to fool everyone, including the Soviet military. Khrushchev and the Soviet state apparatus planned to deceive the Americans (and their own troops) about their true intentions regarding the large-scale movement of troops and weapons....

10 Maine Tries To Start A War, Succeeds In Starting A Bar Brawl In the 1830s, Maine got caught up in a border dispute with neighboring New Brunswick. After a few years of both sides trying to tax the disputed area and arresting each other’s officials (one unlucky American was imprisoned for whistling “Yankee Doodle Dandy” on the Canadian side), Maine had enough: It was time for war. There was just one problem—the federal government didn’t remotely care about the issue....

Here are ten hoaxes that were carved in stone. 10 Crystal Skulls In the 19th century, startling finds started coming out of central America that excited both the archaeological and spiritual communities. Skulls carved in intricate detail made from beautiful crystal were snapped up by private collectors and museums alike. While for researchers, they appeared to be the products of a little-known civilization, others thought they had magical properties. These skulls were claimed to be something between mystical healing devices and ancient computers....

See Also: 10 Murderers Who Did Not Kill Anybody As dramatically shown on the Netflix series “Mindhunter,” Douglas and other agents dealt with such infamous serial killers as Edmund Kemper, Jerry Brudos, David Carpenter, Robert Hansen, and Wayne D. Williams. Douglas even talked with Charles Manson, the man once widely seen as America’s most infamous inmate. Besides these high-profile cases, “Mindhunter” the book also dives deep into lesser known crimes and criminals, all of whom Douglas interacted with or chased in one form of another....

The black flying fox, found in Indonesia, Papa New Guinea, and Australia, is the largest bat in the world. Unlike some of its relatives, such as the vampire bat, black flying foxes are mainly herbivorous. While they may be unlikely to attack you, that doesn’t mean they are any less terrifying to see. The average black flying fox will have a wingspan of 1 meter, but their wings can grow to be twice as wide as that....

But every once in a while, an ad comes along that captures viewers’ imaginations, whether it’s gut-bustingly funny or just laughably bad. Sometimes, these commercials are spun off into successful franchises, and sometimes they’re spun off into even more annoying wastes of time. On this list, we highlight the good, the bad, and the just plain obnoxious commercials that spawned movies and TV shows. 10 The California Raisins What started out as an attempt by a frustrated ad firm to make raisins “cool” enough for 1980s kids to snack on quickly became a pop culture phenomenon....

Hitchcock also went to great lengths to ensure his work was enjoyed the way he intended. Marketing materials for Psycho, for example, included the message, “We won’t allow you to cheat yourself. You must see PSYCHO from the very beginning. Therefore, do not expect to be admitted into the theatre after the start of each performance of the picture. We say no one — and we mean no one — not even the manager’s brother, the President of the United States, or the Queen of England (God bless her)!...

The tribes living along the Sepik river in Papua New Guinea have used the tradition of scarification to mature their boys into men for decades. The ceremony requires the youth to be cut along his back, chest and buttocks in elaborate patterns, to mimic the coarse skin of a crocodile. It is thought that this reptilian divinity consumes his youth during the bloody process, leaving behind a man in his place....

We’ll sample some of the most outrageous schemes man has conceived in efforts to ward off the enemy, real or imagined. Can you guess the highlights? Well, consider this: The use of deadly chemicals, “innocently-flying” balloon bombs, and a generous spray of putrid “fecal juice bombs!” Fortunately, some of these horrifying schemes failed miserably, but nonetheless, here are 10 inventions meant for the military they never used. 10 The Military Grade Stink Bomb Can you even imagine it?...

The history of his loyal knights, however, is much less clear. They first appeared in the works of the French writer Chretien de Troyes in the 12th century, which was also the first mention of Lancelot and the quest to find the Holy Grail. Historians have speculated about the source of Chretien’s ideas—or whether they are all his own creations. Although the origin of the knights is disputed, no one can argue that they didn’t have a significant impact on Western literature....