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In 1885, in Waco, Texas, a Brooklyn-born pharmacist named Charles Alderton crafted a unique soft drink that would later be known as “Dr Pepper.” Designed to stand out with a one-of-a-kind flavor, this carbonated beverage quickly gained popularity, setting the foundation for a brand that still thrives more than 140 years later on store shelves worldwide. Alderton worked at Morrison’s Old Corner Drug Store in Waco, where he spent time experimenting with different soft drink recipes at the soda fountain....

Dr. John Britton was 69 when Paul Hill made him what the New York Times called “an uncertain martyr”. John Bayard Britton was an American physician who was murdered in Pensacola, Florida, by anti-abortion extremist Paul Jennings Hill. Britton’s death was the second assassination of a Pensacola abortion provider in under a year and a half; he had replaced David Gunn after the latter’s 1993 murder by another anti-abortionist....

Dr. Zbigniew Religa monitors his patient’s vitals after a 23-hour long heart transplant surgery. His assistant is asleep in the corner. Amidst a tangle of wires, Dr. Zbigniew Religa anxiously watches a screen to see how his patient responds after a heart transplant. In the lower right corner, you can see one of his colleagues who helped him with the surgery fallen asleep. The surgery lasted for 23 hours....

There’s something deeply haunting about seeing the final photographs of people who once captivated the world with their talent, presence, or power. These images, often taken just days, hours, or even minutes before their deaths, offer a rare and intimate glimpse into the lives of icons at the very edge of their journeys. This curated collection brings together the last known photos of notable figures from all corners of fame and influence....

The iconic photograph known as “Lunch Atop a Skyscraper” captures a moment frozen in time, taken on September 20, 1932. In this black-and-white image, eleven intrepid ironworkers find themselves seated upon a steel beam, soaring 850 feet (260 meters) above the bustling streets of Manhattan, New York City. Their lofty perch is the sixty-ninth floor of what was then the RCA Building, now recognized as 30 Rockefeller Plaza, nestled within the grandeur of Rockefeller Center....

A member of the Luftwaffe exchanges gifts with a native in North Africa, 1941. Luftwaffe Oberleutnant exchanges gifts with a native black Arab in North Africa. Original inscription: On the other side of the Mediterranean. “Signal”, U/Nr. 12/41. Photo taken by Kriegsberichter Sturm from PK-W (Propaganda-Kompanie Wehrmacht). The Luftwaffe squadron (wing) that fought during the Northern Africa campaign was Jagdgeschwader 27 (JG 27). Synonymous with the Afrika Korps and the campaign in North Africa, JG 27 provided Rommel’s army with fighter protection for virtually the whole ‘roller coaster ride that was the war in the Western Desert from 1941-43....

In these vintage photos, the LIFE magazine photographer Sam Shere captured the “indecent exposure” phenomenon at Rockaway Beach, New York in 1946. Starting with a sign that reads “wear robes to and from the beach,” Shere’s series shows women sunbathing in high-waisted two-pieces, men walking the boardwalk in just their shorts, and the way in which these beachgoers seem unphased by the cops writing them tickets for “indecent exposure.”...

There was nothing more terrifying in the trenches than the call of a gas attack — “Gas! Gas!”. This warning cry sent men scrambling for their masks as the poisonous fog enveloped them. Soldiers succumbed to the strangling effects of chlorine, phosgene, and mustard gas for years as the stalemated armies searched for new ways to defeat each other. And it wasn’t just human combatants who suffered — many military working animals died from chemical weapons....

Bomber pilots who participated in the attack on Pearl Harbor. By the time the first Japanese bomber appeared over Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, tensions between Japan and the United States had been mounting for the better part of a decade, making war seem inevitable. Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet, had opposed Japan’s alliance with Germany and Italy and its invasion of China. He had also traveled and studied throughout the United States and understood that Japan’s island empire could not hope to defeat the Americans’ vast resources and industrial capacity in a prolonged war....

The 1970s, an era of bold fashion and unapologetic expression, gifted us with a whirlwind of unique styles that sometimes missed the mark. From shimmering vinyl jumpsuits to ultra-wide-legged pants, these fashion choices remind us of a time when daring experimentation took center stage. Imagine the disco dance floors with partygoers decked out in vinyl jumpsuits that looked like they came straight from a sci-fi movie. Despite their eye-catching allure, these glossy ensembles often left wearers feeling like they were wrapped in a sweaty cocoon....

The Aston Martin Lagonda, a full-size luxury four-door saloon, was produced by the British automaker Aston Martin between 1974 and 1990. A total of 645 units were manufactured during this period. Its name originates from the Lagonda marque, which Aston Martin acquired in 1947. The model spans two distinct generations: the short-lived Series 1 introduced in 1974, based on a lengthened Aston Martin V8, and the strikingly redesigned Series 2, unveiled in 1976 with a bold, wedge-shaped aesthetic....

Coloured stereocard depicting a woman being dressed in a crinoline, by an unknown photographer. The crinoline appeared on the fashion scene in the mid-1800s and took its name from the French word crin (“horsehair”), a stiff material made using horsehair — and “linen.” A crinoline (hoop) is defined as a framework consisting of round/oval circles (shaped like a hoop) of whalebone, wire, or cane used to extend the skirt....

These vintage photos capture the sun-soaked beaches and towering waves of the 1960s and 1970s, a time when surf culture wasn’t just a pastime but a way of life. From California’s shimmering coastline to the shores of Australia and New Zealand, surfing wasn’t just about riding waves; it was an attitude, a fashion statement, and a soundtrack to a generation searching for freedom. Surf fever swept through America in the 1960s, embedding itself in music, art, and style....

While Victor Brauner might not be a household name today, his impact on the art scene is nothing short of remarkable. Born in Romania in the early 1900s, Brauner’s journey took an interesting turn in 1930 when he, like many others, sought refuge from the rising tide of Fascism in his homeland and landed in the vibrant artistic hub of Paris. It was in the midst of the City of Lights that he crossed paths with Yves Tanguy and became part of the surrealist group....

American jeeps traveled through a bombed-out town during the drive towards Rome, World War II. The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of the Allied operations in and around Italy from 1943 to the end of the war. Following victory in the North African Campaign, there was disagreement among the Allies on the next step they should take. The decision to invade Italy was made in January 1943 at the Casablanca Conference, the first war conference between the Allied powers, held in Casablanca, Morocco....

View on Leuven (Louvain), Belgium (between 1890-1900), with on the foreground the St. Gertrude Church. On August 25, 1914, the German army ravaged the Belgian city of Leuven (Louvain). Virtually the entire city center was systematically destroyed by the German occupying forces. The fire destroyed more than two thousand buildings and 248 citizens were killed. The German First Army had occupied Louvain without a fight on 19 August 1914 as part of the opening move og what would later become known as the First World War....

These fascinating color photographs capture street scenes of Paris in the 1960s. In 1958, Charles de Gaulle formed a new government and the Fifth Republic was born. During the ten years that de Gaulle occupied the presidency, France and Paris experienced rapid economic growth, which was accompanied by the building of new office buildings and housing, and the rehabilitation of historic neighborhoods in the center of the city. De Gaulle’s Minister of Culture, André Malraux, oversaw the reconstruction of the historic neighborhoods in the center, particularly Le Marais....

The history of bars in the USA during the 1950s to 1970s was marked by significant changes in trends, culture, fashion, and drinks. This era saw the emergence of various bar styles, including the tiki bars and cocktail lounges of the 1950s, the counterculture bars of the 1960s, and the disco bars of the 1970s. The 1950s was a period of post-war prosperity, and the bar culture of the time reflected this....

The destruction of Warsaw at the end of World War Two stands as one of the most tragic and devastating events in the history of the Second World War. Once a city of great cultural and architectural significance, Warsaw was reduced to a pile of rubble and ashes after years of brutal German occupation and a subsequent failed uprising by the Polish Home Army. The city’s rich heritage, which included a vibrant Jewish community, was almost entirely wiped out in the wake of the destruction, leaving a city in ruins and a people reeling from the horrors of war....

Yang Kyoungjong, a Korean who is the only known man to have fought in the Imperial Japanese Army, the Soviet Army and the German Wehrmacht after his capture by the Americans on Utah Beach. June, 1944. He was Korean – captured by the Japanese and pressed to fight the Soviets, captured by the Soviets and pressed to fight the Germans, captured by the Germans and pressed to defend Normandy, where he was captured by the Americans....