World History
6 Strange Things Rich People Did for Status
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Article
Wealthy people have always found unusual ways to signal their power, taste, and control — often by acquiring items that are rare, impractical, or arduous to obtain. Long before designer handbags and luxury sports cars became status symbols, social elites flaunted their fortunes in ways that may seem very bizarre today but that reflected the values of their time. Here are six of the strangest examples. Credit: © DEA / BIBLIOTECA AMBROSIANA— De Agostini/Getty Images They Put Pineapples on Display Pineapple is a relatively inexpensive grocery store staple today, but between the 16th and 18th ...Read More
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World HistoryArticle4The Origins of 7 Famous Mythical Beasts
Some monsters have been haunting human stories for thousands of years. Others arrived surprisingly recently, helped along by newspaper headlines, blurry photographs, mistranslations, and the occasional hippopotamus-foot ashtray. In many…
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World HistoryArticle38The Strange Origins of Common Food Superstitions
Humans are superstitious creatures by nature, with many strange habits that seem entirely illogical. We avoid walking under ladders or opening umbrellas indoors in fear of bad luck. We knock…
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World HistoryFact51The Greek philosopher Pythagoras was terrified of beans.
The philosopher strictly forbade his followers, the Pythagoreans, from coming into contact with them.
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World HistoryFact73Apple pie isn’t from America.
The classic treat actually originated across the ocean, in 14th-century England.
