Soviet military officials view the remains of cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov. Mankind’s road to the stars had its unsung heroes. One of them was the Soviet cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov. His spaceflight on Soyuz 1 made him the first Soviet cosmonaut to fly into outer space more than once, and he became the first human to die on a space mission—he was killed when the Soyuz 1 space capsule crashed after re-entry on April 24, 1967, due to a parachute failure....

In 1957, the BBC stunned the nation with a prank that redefined April Fools’ mischief. Picture this: a picturesque family in the Swiss countryside delicately plucking strands of spaghetti from a tree. Absurd, right? Yet, this whimsical scene aired on the BBC’s Panorama as a seemingly authentic report. Here’s the twist: spaghetti was a culinary mystery to many Brits back then. So, when they witnessed this “spaghetti harvest,” a light bulb went off—they could grow their own pasta!...

A Viet Cong guerrilla stands guard in the Mekong Delta. Her name is Lam Thi Dep (Dep means beautiful in Vietnamese), the picture was taken in 1972 at Soc Trang Province by Vietnamese journalist Minh Truong. “You could find women like her almost everywhere during the war”, said the photographer. “She was only 24 years old but had been widowed twice. Both her husbands were soldiers”. She’s wielding an M-16, the standard-issue American soldier’s rifle....

Diana and Travolta take a bow. Princess Diana visited the United States in early November 1985 with her husband Prince Charles. The royal couple stayed at the White House, where they attended a gala dinner on 9 November. The 24-year-old Princess was photographed dancing with the actor John Travolta to the music of his 1977 film Saturday Night Fever in the Entrance Hall. The photographs and TV footage of them “gliding around the room” were widely circulated around the world, and the gown came to be known as the “Travolta dress”....

This incredible photograph was taken in 188 and shows the O’Halloran sisters from Bodyke, Co Clare, who came out fighting when their homestead was threatened with eviction. The O’Halloran sisters – Annie, Honoria, and Sarah – lived with their parents and their brothers, Patrick and Frank, in the townland of Lisbareen, southwest of Bodyke village. They were the tenants of Colonel John O’Callaghan, who would become notorious by the end of the Irish Land War ....

This product was first bottled in Bangor, Maine, in 1849 and contained a healthy dose of morphine. It was often used to treat teething babies. In the 19th century, there were no real institutions to regulate the advertising claims of health products. In such a climate, a popular so-called “patent medicine” market flourished. Manufacturers of these medical products often made misleading claims and kept their full ingredients list and formulas proprietary, though we now know they often contained cocaine, opium, morphine, alcohol and other intoxicants or toxins....

These rare pictures depict the final days of 400 years of Turkish rule over Jerusalem. In its long history, the inhabitants and rulers of the city of Jerusalem have changed countless times, from ancient pagans to Biblical Israelites to Byzantine Christians to Ottoman Muslims. In 1517 the Ottoman sultan Selim I took the city and inaugurated a Turkish regime that lasted 400 years. The 16th century was a period of great urban development....

These photographs show Chicago’s African-American community, primarily the South Side, and are taken by photographer John H. White, who went on to win the Pulitzer Prize for Photojournalism in 1982. His portraits of everyday life stand the test of time, inviting the viewer to travel back a few decades, and see just how we lived. In the 1970s, White was hired by the Environmental Protection Agency to document the lives of the black residents of Chicago....

A Chernobyl liquidator pushes a baby in a carriage who was found during the cleanup of the Chernobyl nuclear accident, 1986 A liquidator, clad in a gas mask and protective clothing, pushes a baby in a carriage who was found during the cleanup of the Chernobyl nuclear accident . The infant had been left in an abandoned house in the village of Tatsenki. The worker found the child when he was measuring radiation levels....

The US Army worked to develop grenades the same size and weight as baseballs in order to take advantage of Americans’ familiarity with the sport. In 1973, the US Army started testing possible designs for an anti-tank grenade. Commanders in Europe had asked for some sort of ordnance for destroying tanks in close quarters. If Warsaw Pact troops had invaded, NATO soldiers could have found themselves taking on armored vehicles in cities and towns....

Guns have played a significant role in shaping human history, from the development of early firearms in the 14th century to the modern weapons used in warfare today. Throughout this history, there have been numerous examples of guns that were not only effective at their intended purpose but also had a unique and sometimes bizarre appearance. From antique firearms adorned with intricate engravings and elaborate designs to the futuristic guns of science fiction, the world of guns has always been a blend of both elegance and eccentricity....

During the Victorian era, men’s outfits generally entailed a suit, which includes a coat, trousers, and waistcoat – all the garments were not usually of the same color or material. As outdoor wear, the Victorian period men would use a coat or cloak. Sometimes, they could have two to three various garments for different occasions. While one garment was usually dominant for the general occasion, others were generally kept for special events....

France became dominant in the high fashion (couture or haute couture) industry by the end of the 19th century through the establishment of the great couturier houses. The technology started to redefine Western society in many ways and this continued into the next decades as well. New inventions, the car, eased the lives of people. Activities such as sports, dance, and tea parties were growing bigger in the last decade....

The body of President John F. Kennedy lying in state in the U.S. Capitol rotunda, November 24, 1963. On November 24, 1963, about 300,000 people watched a horse-drawn caisson, which had borne the body of Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Unknown Soldier, carry Kennedy’s flag-covered casket down the White House drive, past parallel rows of soldiers bearing the flags of the 50 states of the Union, then along Pennsylvania Avenue to the Capitol Rotunda to lie in state....

These haunting mugshots show Victorian child criminals, some as young as 12, who faced cruel punishments for the most petty crimes. The pictures are taken in the 1870s and originate from Oxford Gaol, a prison that later became HMP Oxford. During this time, children were often imprisoned for minor offenses and no distinction was made despite their ages. Most of these teenage criminals were arrested for stealing seemingly trivial items but still faced tough punishments....

Felix Dadaev (left) in the 1940s and the real Joseph Stalin (right). For decades, rumors circulated in Russia that Joseph Stalin had a “twin” who replaced him during certain situations. Decades after Stalin’s death, the decoy finally decided to talk. Felix Dadaev, a former dancer and juggler, had been ordered to work to the Kremlin as Stalin’s body double. For more than half a century, Dadaev remained silent, fearing a death sentence should he dare to open his mouth....

In 1969, more than 400,000 people descended on Bethel, New York, headed to a dairy farm owned by Max and Miriam Yasgur, where the Woodstock Music & Art Fair was being held. The epic event became synonymous with the counterculture movement of the 1960s. Woodstock was a success, but the massive concert didn’t come off without a hitch: Last-minute venue changes, bad weather, and the hordes of attendees caused major headaches....

Photographer Timothy H. O’Sullivan took this photo, one half of a stereo view of Alfred R. Waud, artist of Harper’s Weekly, while he sketched on the battlefield near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in July of 1863. The American Civil War lasted for just four years, from 1861 to 1865 and it is often also known as the War Between the States. It was the event where 11 Southern States that supported slavery declared their succession from the United States and announced the formation of the Confederate States of America....

The British Concorde fleet at London Heathrow Airport, January 21, 1986. The occasion was the 10-year anniversary of British Concorde flight service, which began in 1976. First flown in 1969, Concorde entered service in 1976 and continued commercially for 27 years. With a cruising speed of 1,350 mph (2,180 km/h at cruise altitude), its unmistakable roar, and sleek, sexy lines the Concorde became an icon of aviation history. For those wealthy enough to afford the expensive round-trip ticket, a journey aboard Concorde was the closest they might get to flying on a rocket....

Standing tall for centuries in the Bamiyan Valley of Afghanistan, the colossal Buddha statues were awe-inspiring monuments to the region’s rich Buddhist heritage and its role as a crossroads of ancient civilizations. Carved directly into the cliffs during the 6th century, these towering figures once symbolized harmony and cultural exchange along the Silk Road. Their serene presence echoed a time when art, religion, and trade flourished in the heart of Central Asia....