Predicting the future isn't an exact science, but making astrological measurements is. Checking some of Nostradamus' calculations reveals that his astrology skills may not have been up to snuff.
Biblical scholars have long debated whether the Tower of Babel really existed. Now, a remarkable stone tablet never before shown on film appears to settle that question.
Based on reporting, the ocean has long appeared to offer an infinite bounty of fish. But recent, more accurate research paints a far grimmer picture, with annual catch on a precipitous and potentially catastrophic decline.
What's the secret to a perfectly round Krispy Kreme doughnut?
According to the Bible, the 10th plague to befall ancient Egypt killed the first born child of every family. Now, new scientific evidence suggests that this may have actually occurred - and that a fungal infection was responsible.
In Medellin, Colombia, a new kind of public transit brings together two neighboring communities that were once worlds apart.
Suzan Murray, Chief Veterinarian at the National Zoo, describes her childhood dream of becoming a veterinarian and makes a special trip to visit her favorite elephant, Shanthi.
Coffee - it's a staple of American life, and inside the vaults of the National Museum of American History, they know the secret to its wide spread success: packaging.
Couple Wim and Carin are moving 70 miles north to the Dutch town of Groningen. But this is no ordinary move: their new home will be pulled by boat along narrow waterways the whole time.
A huge factor in a gladiator's physical fitness was a meatless diet. During training, he primarily ate beans for protein and barley for carbohydrates.
Symbols of Haitian voodoo, nature and Christianity are cut and pounded into oil drums as Haiti's artists transform mundane objects into remarkable art.
When a high-tech helicopter like the Sikorsky S-92 needs to be transported on a cargo plane, it's crucial that every rotor blade is dismantled and stowed away with care. That's because each one costs over $200,000.
To test the impact of an atomic blast on populated areas, technicians built entire fake towns, with houses, shops, and even mannequin families. These settlements went by an ominous name: doom towns.
The soil in the rainforests of Barro Colorado is packed with nutrients, but where does it come from? The answer lies high up in the canopy, where a remarkable, prolific species of nest-building ants drops its waste.
Lionfish, which are native to the Indo-Pacific but were accidentally introduced to the Caribbean, are decimating native fish species. To help limit their damage, scientists are teaching sharks to prey on them.
Between 1950 and 1960, the population of Las Vegas grew by 161%--partly due to the burgeoning casino industry. But another reason was a chance to glimpse actual nuclear tests in person.
The rotating-barreled, hand-cranked Gatling gun was invented in 1861-and immediately rewrote the rules of warfare. Now, Weapon Hunter host Paul Shull puts one to the test and demonstrates its impressive firepower.
Caroline Winterer is the principal investigator of the Benjamin Franklin Project. By using social network analysis, she is challenging accepted historical narratives about one of our founding fathers.
The Han dynasty tombs were packed with some of the empire's most valuable relics. To guard against theft, colossal stones, each weighing six tons, were cut to block the passageways from relentless tomb raiders.
The allure of the Taj Mahal isn't just architectural. Seen as a memorial to true love, the Taj was built out of grief after the death of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan's favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal.
In 1983, police in Leicestershire, England struggle to make their case - until they join forces with scientists, who are just discovering the potential of DNA profiling.
What happened to the giant volcano thought to have destroyed Atlantis? The answer may be the island of Santorini... all of it.
After a hornet queen lays hundreds of eggs, her workers set about feeding the larvae chewed-up prey. With tiny waists, the workers can't digest solid food; they instead subsist on drops of amino acid from the larvae.
Coconut octopuses are among the most intelligent invertebrates around: They use tools, carry their shelters around for when they need them, and, fittingly, adopt an underwater walking motion that's very similar to humans.
Today, bloodstain pattern analysis is routinely used in murder investigations - analysts draw on chemistry, mathematics and physics to determine the area of origin where an injury occurred.
Everything about the Goliath birdeater is big and terrifying: from an 11-inch leg span to a deadly venom that makes the organs of its victims to shut down and self-digest from the inside. Now see it in action.
On December 7, 1941, an NBC radio affiliate in Honolulu made an urgent phone call to New York. In it, he begins to describe what the world would later know as the attack on Pearl Harbor.
As a nectar feeder, the lesser long-nosed bat follows the trail of cactus blooms between Mexico and the U.S. One of the plants it also plays a major role in pollinating is agave, which gives us tequila.
From spitting on the Christian cross to strange sexual acts, the Knights Templar's secret rituals were controversial. But were they using these ceremonies to praise a different religion entirely?
The tragic true story of an innocent man suspected of murder is a classic motif of the Hollywood thriller and is used as a subplot in Scream.
