When the Titanic hit an iceberg in the North Atlantic in 1912, it took 1,517 women, men and children to a watery grave. Masabumi Hosono was not one of them. Masabumi was the only Japanese person to survive the Titanic’s sinking. He was one of the lucky few who escaped on a lifeboat. He did not feel so lucky when he returned to Japan. He was called a dishonorable coward for not falling on his own sword.
Was Genghis Khan An Eco-Warrior?
Genghis Khan was the most feared invader in history. His Mongol armies killed over 40 million people and wiped out entire civilizations. Yet, the Guardian newspaper says the bloodthirsty ruler was good for planet earth.
Miracle Footballer Saves Four Lives In Eight Years
For a person to save one life is rare, but to save four in eight years is a miracle. Just ask the footballers saved from the grim reaper by Togo footballer Francis Kone. Kone is known as a miracle man on the football pitch. Not because he can bend it like Beckham [add link] or pass it like Pele [add link], but because he is famous for saving other players’ lives.
Saving Human History From Space
Khalid al-Assad lost his life protecting the history and culture of his country. This 83-year-old scholar was retired, but still an active expert at the museum that he used to run in Palmyra, Syria. On July 13th, 2016, ISIS demanded he tell them where all the cultural treasures were hidden. Fearing that ISIS would destroy, steal or sell them, al-Assad refused to help them. A month later he was dead. An acquaintance, Abu Ahmad, said, “He knew they would kill him, but he said, ‘I’m not going to leave the city. I’m staying.’”
Van Gogh’s Ear Is Reborn
On a cold winter night in 1888, Vincent Van Gogh cut off his ear with a razor blade. He wrapped it in a cloth and brought it to a brothel. He gave the bloody ear as a token of love to a prostitute named Rachel, who fainted when she saw it. Van Gogh returned home and almost bled to death. This is the most common story of Van Gogh’s famous fit of madness, but there are competing theories.
What? How Did That Happen?
The United States recently elected a president against all odds. No one thought a billionaire reality TV star with no political experience could win, but he did. There is a famous quote that says, “In a democracy people get the leaders they deserve.”
Billionaire Interested In Young People’s Blood
According to one 15th century historian, Pope Innocent the VIII fell into a coma in 1492. His doctor, trying to reverse his condition, attempted something shocking. He took the blood of three children and fed it to the pope. Both the pope and the children died. The attempt to heal him through young blood was a failure, but this medieval doctor may have been on to something.
Man Offers $128 Million To Turn His Gay Daughter Straight
The tradition of mixing money with marriage dates back to the beginning of recorded history. In some cultures, the woman’s family pays the man’s family. And in other cultures, the wealth flows in the other direction. While these traditions might seem anachronistic, they are alive and well in many countries around the world.