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Bloodshed, Betrayals, And Blunders: Inside The Wild History Of The New York Mafia's Five Families

For 50 years between 1931 and the 1980s, the Five Families of the Italian-American Mafia essentially ran New York City. From bootlegging during Prohibition to drug trafficking to seizing control of the garment, construction, and trucking industries, the organized crime groups led rackets that brought in hundreds of millions of dollars each year, and for a time, they seemed unstoppable.

While countless other gangs terrorized cities across the United States, New York’s Five Families were the most...
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Archaeologists Excavating The Tomb Of Chinese Emperor Liu He Uncover 6,000 Pieces Of Fish-Scale Armor

During excavations of the tomb of ancient Chinese Emperor Liu He, archaeologists uncovered more than 6,000 pieces of fish-scale armor.

Made of iron, copper, and leather, this find marks the first discovery of composite armor made out of multiple materials from the Han dynasty period, highlighting the level of skilled craftsmanship in the region more than 2,000 years ago.

Liu He, born circa 92 B.C.E, was the grandson of Emperor Wu, one of the Han dynasty’s most influential rulers. Following his...
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Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, The 'Evil Genius' Who Plotted A Deadly Bank Robbery And Murdered Two Boyfriends

In 2003, the bizarre “pizza bomber” case in Erie, Pennsylvania, captured the country’s attention. A pizzeria employee named Brian Wells had walked into a bank with a bomb strapped around his neck, demanded $250,000 in cash, and then informed the police that he’d been forced to carry out the crime. The bomb detonated before Wells could reveal more, and investigators began a years-long search for the person responsible for his death. That search ultimately led them to Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong.

Di...
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'Jeepers Creepers' Director Victor Salva Molested A 12-Year-Old Boy In 1988 — And Still Works In The Film Industry Today

As a self-described protégé of legendary film director Francis Ford Coppola, Victor Salva has long been one of the most controversial directors in Hollywood. His debut feature film, Clownhouse, premiered in 1989, but even that was seen by many as undeserved. Just one year prior, Salva was convicted for sexually abusing the 12-year-old star of Clownhouse, Nathan Forrest Winters, during the movie’s production. Salva had even filmed the abuse, providing irrefutable evidence of his crime.

He pleade...
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A New York Homeowner Just Stumbled Upon The Intact Jaw Of A Mastodon While Doing Yardwork

For the first time in more than a decade, a complete mastodon jaw has been unearthed in New York.

The jaw, along with a piece of toe bone and a rib fragment, were excavated by teams from the New York State Museum and State University of New York after they were informed that a homeowner in Orange County noticed “two unusual teeth concealed by plant fronds” while tending to their yard.

The New York State Museum announced the discovery in a press release, noting that the fossils are now schedule...
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A Luxurious Gallo-Roman Villa Was Found In France — Complete With Pillars, Bronze Statues, And Mythological Frescoes

Archaeologists from the French National Institute for Preventative Archaeological Research (INRAP) recently announced the discovery of a luxurious Gallo-Roman villa within the city of Reims.

Inside, researchers discovered a wealth of treasures including three finely crafted bronze statuettes, grand entryway pillars, and frescoes referencing Roman mythology.

The domus dates to the second century C.E., when Reims was known as the Gallo-Roman city of Durocortorum. At the time, it was the second l...
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Meet Cristina Invernizzi, The Fourth And Current Wife Of 'Wolf Of Wall Street' Jordan Belfort

Jordan Belfort, best known as the Wolf of Wall Street, is famous for a few things: defrauding investors out of millions, crashing a car while high on Quaaludes, and his tumultuous relationships. Today, however, Jordan Belfort is seemingly a reformed man. He speaks regularly about the dangers of his previous lifestyle, offers real advice on investing, and has even settled down with a new wife, Cristina Invernizzi.

But who is the new Mrs. Belfort? From a glance, it’s clear that Invernizzi is a go...
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Ancient Brooches, Wine Jugs, And A Pen Made From Animal Bone Unearthed At A Celtic Settlement In Germany

Between August and October 2024, the German State Office for the Preservation of Monuments (LAD) carried out archaeological research near the city of Altenburg. During these excavations, archaeologists uncovered several large, late-Celtic cylindrical pits with “clearly distinguishable filling layers” believed to be used in food storage.

These findings are just the latest in a series of discoveries at the remains of this Celtic oppidum (a fortified Iron Age settlement or town), while previous ex...
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'He Scared The Scary Guys': Inside The Disturbing Story Of Bonanno Family Killer Tommy Karate

There were plenty of violent guys in the mob, but few bore names that told you exactly what kind of hurting you were in for quite like Tommy Karate. His real name was Thomas Pitera, but given how often he employed martial arts while fighting, calling him “The Karate Guy” seemed like a perfect fit.

However, Pitera was no action movie star. He was as cold-blooded and dangerous as any other big-time mobster. As a member of the Bonanno crime family, Tommy Karate eventually rose through the ranks un...
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Archaeologists In The Netherlands Just Uncovered A Centuries-Old Floor Made Of Cow Bones

Archaeological excavations in Alkmaar, located in the Netherlands’ North Holland province, led researchers to the discovery of an intriguing, centuries-old floor made of animal bones. The bone flooring was found in a building on Achterdamn Street and marks a highly rare find.

The discovery came in the midst of an ongoing renovation project at a site that served as a house starting in approximately 1609. Archaeologists were granted access to inspect the building, and it wasn’t long before they m...
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How Ruth Handler Invented Barbie — And Changed The Toy Industry Forever

The Barbie doll is one of the most recognizable toys in the world, and it’s all thanks to a woman named Ruth Handler.

In 1959, when Handler introduced Barbie, the toy quickly took the world by storm. Never before had a doll like Barbie been sold on store shelves — busty, blonde, and most importantly, with adult features. Most girls had simply resigned themselves to playing with baby dolls, while a wide variety of toys marketed to young boys continued to flood the market.

Some feminists attacke...
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The Story Of J. Paul Getty, The Notoriously Frugal Billionaire Who Didn't Want To Pay His Kidnapped Grandson's Ransom

At one point in time, J. Paul Getty was considered the wealthiest man on planet Earth. Despite his exorbitant wealth, however, Getty was perhaps best known for his frugality — even when it came to his grandson’s kidnapping ransom. Though Getty reluctantly paid millions of dollars in ransom in 1973, he didn’t spend a penny until after the kidnappers had cut off his 16-year-old grandson’s ear.

This was hardly the only time that Getty displayed his frugality. He also purportedly did his own laundr...
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A Roman Chalice Filled With Pig Fat Was Found At A 1,500-Year-Old Burial Site Of A Teenage Girl In England

When archaeologists in England unearthed the grave of an Anglo-Saxon girl who died nearly 1,500 years ago, they soon made an even more remarkable discovery. There, placed right next to her head, was a chalice that, according to a new study, was once filled with pig fat.

This multicolored goblet is 1,800 years old and has now been dubbed the “Scremby Chalice.” While the exact purpose of this chalice remains unknown, based on the new analysis, researchers believe it served a “unique purpose” for...
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Inside The Tumultuous Life Of Victoria DiGiorgio Gotti, The Devoted Wife Of 'Teflon Don' John Gotti

They say behind every great man is an even greater woman, and that applies even to the Mafia. Victoria DiGiorgio Gotti was the wife of infamous Gambino family mob boss John Gotti, and though she has largely remained out of the public eye since her husband’s death in 2002, her story is nevertheless intertwined with his.

Victoria DiGiorgio first met John Gotti at a Brooklyn bar in 1958, and the two got married four years later in 1962. They remained together for the next 40 years, right up until...
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The Twisted Tale Of Joan Crawford, The Beloved Hollywood Star Who Allegedly Abused Her Adopted Children

Once upon a time, Joan Crawford was Hollywood royalty. The starlet made a name for herself as a Jazz Age flapper, but the defining moments of her career saw her exploring psychologically complex characters in various high-profile dramas. Yet, despite her early success, Crawford came to be labeled as “box office poison” by the end of the 1930s as her films failed to turn a profit.

Unlike other actresses stuck with that label, though, Crawford returned to even greater success and made a name for...
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These Bowstrings Found In A Cave Near Granada Are The Oldest Ever Discovered In Europe

A recent study from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) has shed new light on the techniques and materials used for archery during the Neolithic period.

Members of the research team analyzed a variety of artifacts from the Cueva de Los Murciélagos in Albuñol near Granada. Among the discoveries were 7,000-year-old bowstrings made of animal tendons that have now been identified as the oldest ever found in Europe.

The results of the study were published in the journal Scientific Reports,...
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44 Unbelievable Photos From The Biggest Blizzards In Modern History

Throughout United States history, every generation has experienced a snow storm so devastating that it lived on in the collective memory for decades.

In January 1922, for instance, a powerful blizzard hit Washington, D.C. The snowfall was so heavy that it caused the roof of the Knickerbocker Theater to collapse, killing about 100 people who were trapped inside and injuring many more.

In the Great Blizzard of 1978, hundreds of thousands of homes in the Ohio Valley and Great Lakes regions lost p...
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An Ancient Statue Possibly Depicting Hermes Was Just Found By Workers Preparing To Lay Pipes Near The Acropolis

Gas workers preparing to lay pipes near the Odeon of Herodes Atticus — an ancient theater in Athens, Greece — made a shocking discovery at the foot of the Acropolis. After digging a ditch, they came across an ancient marble statue of a naked man, believed to be a depiction of the Greek god Hermes in a style known as Hermes Ludovisi.

According to experts from the Ministry of Culture, the statue was in “quite good condition” and found “inside a structure built with rectangular bricks” among “vill...
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Paul Kevin Curtis, The Elvis Impersonator Who Was Framed For Mailing Deadly Ricin To President Obama

On April 17, 2013, more than a dozen vehicles loaded with local and federal investigators swarmed a house in Tupelo, Mississippi. The unsuspecting owner of the home, Paul Kevin Curtis, had just left to meet his ex-wife and children for dinner along with his dog, Moo Cow. When he was ordered to step out of his car, Curtis was understandably confused — and when his dog darted off in fear, he was understandably upset.

But a runaway dog was the least of Curtis’ problems that day.

Over the course o...
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Scientists Just Determined How Early Bronze Age Metal Workers Crafted The Nebra Sky Disk

In 1999, treasure hunters searching a field near the German town of Nebra unearthed an ancient bronze disk decorated with a colorful image of the cosmos. When experts analyzed the artifact, they estimated it to be 3,600 years old, making it the oldest known depiction of the night sky.

In the 25 years since it was first discovered, no one has been able to determine how Bronze Age humans made the Nebra Sky Disk — until now. A new study published in Scientific Reports sought to determine once and...
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44 Chilling Images Of Abandoned Department Stores That Were Once Bustling With Shoppers

For a time, department stores were a staple of everyday life. When mall culture rose in popularity in America, so did department stores. Places like Sears, Kohl’s, and Macy’s were seen as convenient, all-in-one stores where you could buy everything from clothing to home goods to electronics. But in recent years, particularly with the rise of online storefronts like Amazon and Temu, many department stores have closed across the U.S.

Obviously, there are still quite a few department stores out th...
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Archaeologists In The Netherlands Just Unearthed The 2,000-Year-Old Tomb Of A Roman Soldier

Archaeologists recently uncovered a 2,000-year-old grave from a Roman settlement in Heerlen, Netherlands. The burial belonged to a soldier named Flaccus, and it is now considered the “most unique evidence of Roman habitation at this location.”

This indeed marks the first time that a Roman grave of a specific, named person from this era, around 0 C.E., has ever been found in the region, offering fascinating new insights into the ancient history of the Netherlands.

The discovery was made during...
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Who Were The Demons In The Bible — And What Did They Actually Look Like?

The field of demonology has been heavily obscured over the years, especially in recent decades amidst Satanic Panic in America. In a sense, the study of Biblical demons has often been oversimplified as “Devil worship.” In addition, many traditionally non-demonic spirits have been categorized as “demons,” simply because they do not fall within the bounds of Christian beliefs — take pagan gods or traditional Native American spirits.

But both the Bible and the text Daemonologie, penned by King Jam...
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Electrician In Rome Finds Stunning Frescoes From The 17th Century Behind A Trap Door At An Historic Villa

When electrician Davide Renzoni was called out to Rome’s Villa Farnesina last year, it was for nothing more than a simple, routine check of some cables. However, Renzoni noticed a small trapdoor in the villa’s vaulted ceiling — beyond which was the discovery of a lifetime.

Sealed away above the ceiling were three massive 17th-century frescoes that remained untouched by the passage of time.

Built between 1506 and 1510 for the papal banker Agostino Chigi, Villa Farnesina was a stunning, innovati...
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