Ranker

Calling all dinosaur enthusiasts! Think you know everything there is to know about our dino friends? Think again! Today we're diving into all the insane, crazy, and shocking dinosaur facts that have been discovered since you were in school.

The Life and Tragic Death of Guitar Great Duane Allman

Ancient Romans loved their sports and entertainment, and the Colosseum put on the grandest games in all of ancient Rome. With its gladiators, interchangeable arenas, exotic animals, and the rare naval reenactment, being a spectator in the Roman Colosseum would have indeed been a spectacle. Crowds of 50,000 people, spanning every region and socioeconomic class of the empire, gathered at the stadium to watch shows and get away from the disgusting life of everyday Rome. They enjoyed food, wine, music, and theatrics in a large venue, all paid for by the emperor himself.

Born Lee Jun-Fan in San Francisco, CA, Bruce Lee would eventually become internationally famous as a film star and martial artist. Even if you put Lee's fighting and acting conquests aside, enough fun facts about Bruce Lee exist that reveal him to be a man of great talent and charisma. Even as a young man, Lee showed amazing resolve and dedication to every action he undertook. Responsible for propelling Hong Kong martial arts films into prominence in the West, he completely changed the stereotypical portrayals of Asians in film, especially in mainstream Hollywood films. When it comes down to it, there are likely many different things you didn't know about Bruce Lee.

The history of alcohol in America, from colonial cider drinkers to prohibition hooch smugglers, shows the lengths Americans went for their booze. Some cowboys were said to be so desperate at the saloons they threw back a mixture of gin and strychnine, while some speculate that the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock in winter because they ran out of beer. In the late 19th century, Americans flocked to bars to try new, exciting cocktails, while German immigrants popularized a new style of beer.

Most people know what happened to the Donner Party, a group of settlers led by George Donner and James F. Reed, once they reached Alder Creek, California, in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Members of the party resorted to cannibalism in order to survive after they became trapped by a massive snowfall.

Lipstick has been linked with royalty and the devil. It's been called a sign of female emancipation and female oppression. Lipstick history dates back thousands of years, to ancient lipstick made from crushed gemstones and lead. In ancient Greece, harlots legally had to wear lipstick, while 18th century Britain declared lipstick a sign of witchcraft. And the origin of red lipstick, still a trendy look today, involves some downright disgusting ingredients.

Located just outside Louisville, Kentucky, Fort Knox is a top-secret United States Army post surrounded in mystery and conspiracy theories. Not only does it house a majority of the nation's gold reserve, it's so exclusive that even U.S. Presidents don't get an invite. So what exactly goes on behind closed doors?

Ancient Rome was at its apex from the second century BC through the second century AD. During the Pax Romana of the first and second centuries AD, Rome benefited from the expansion of its empire, with vast amounts of wealth and diverse cultural influences flooding into its borders. What was Ancient Rome like? It had a little bit of everything.

Although cleanliness in the Middle Ages was primitive compared to what modern people enjoy, it doesn't mean medieval hygiene didn't exist. Despite living in an era long before indoor plumbing, shampoo, and nail salons, people used the best hygiene practices they could. Unfortunately, they didn't have a lot to work with. Peasants had it especially bad and weren't often able to afford luxuries like more than one set of clothing. For the lower classes, personal hygiene in the Middle Ages meant keeping clean however you could, even if it wasn't easy.

In November of 1981, actress Natalie Wood took a trip to Santa Catalina Island on board her husband Robert Wagner's yacht, Splendour. Also on the boat, co-star and friend Christopher Walken and Splendour's captain, Dennis Davern. Her body was discovered by authorities the following morning with her death ruled as drowning. The details surrounding her death, including mysterious bruising which caused some to speculate she was actually murdered, continue to shock and fascinate the world. What did happen to Natalie Wood?

Nothing better than an intense rivalry between scientists...right? Well, that's exactly what happened with paleontologists Edward Drinker Cope and Othniel Charles Marsh -- two men who really take the cake for petty feuds. This fight, also known as The Bone Wars or The Great Dinosaur Rush, was so heated that it devolved into bribery, theft, and destruction that almost ruined paleontology. Uh, yikes!

Ten-foot spears, three-foot shields, and a thousand raving warriors - Viking combat was brutal, bloody, and often deadly. Whether raiding a defenseless monastery to haul off gold and jewels or lining up to battle a rival army, Vikings took no prisoners on the battlefield. The life of a Viking warrior started in childhood when boys would train and hunt to learn the spear. But the warrior's life wasn't only for boys; shield-maidens fought alongside the men during Viking battles, throwing spears and fending off enemies. Sometimes Vikings also made love connections on the battlefield.

WWI was one of the most catastrophic events in human history. But soldiers at the front lines who spent life in the trenches lived through a particularly harrowing war experience. Their stories reveal an experience that was often bleak, but also movingly human.

In an incredible true story of survival, Steve Callahan managed to stay alive for a shocking 76 days adrift on the Atlantic Ocean in just a liferaft. He later told his unbelievable story in the best-selling book, Adrift: 76 Days Lost At Sea. Today we're exploring just what happened.

Some of the most awesome Harry Houdini facts center on his search for truth in everything he did. Harry Houdini was not a guy to half-ass things. If he was going to chase down so-called mystics and expose them as frauds, he canceled shows, wrangled a panel of scientists, and debunked you with fury. There are so many tales of badass Houdini exploits, you should just watch them for yourselves. Keep in mind, Houdini was a tough cookie - you shouldn’t try any of his feats of endurance or pissy note writing.

If you've ever been to the restaurant Medieval Times or eaten at a Renaissance Faire, then you've been horribly misled about medieval diets. The real story of medieval foods and cooking is actually simultaneously a lot more disgusting and a lot more boring, depending on who was doing the eating.

From drinking beer to practicing dentistry, there's quite a few strange facts that might surprise you about what ancient Egyptian civilization was actually like. Today we're taking a deeper look into what life was like amongst the pyramids.

Well Toto, looks like we aren't in Kansas anymore. Turns out the original 'Wizard of Oz' books were a bit more violent than the movie. And by a bit, we mean A LOT.

Joe Pesci is an odd guy. One day, he’s a guitarist whose dream is to become an east coast lounge singer -- a couple of years later, he’s playing opposite Robert De Niro, and Scorsese fans are instantly all in on this five-foot-three ball of energy. Today, we’re going to explore why Joe Pesci has led one of the most interesting lives of any actor.

When we think of knights during the medieval times, we think of valiant men who chose to defend their honor in feats of jousting, chivalry, and dragon slaying. But that’s not exactly how it was for the actual knights. Jousting wasn’t always a part of the culture of being a knight, chivalry was less of how to be a gentleman and more a list of what not to do, and dragons weren’t real no matter how much we wish they were. Today, we’re exploring What It Was Actually Like to be a Knight During Medieval Times

Following the decline of the Roman Empire, Europe entered The Middle Ages-- a time period characterized by the stifling of information aka "The Dark Ages". So what would it have been like during medieval battles? How did warfare unfold at the front lines? Today we're taking a closer look at history and recounting everything we know.

Erik Satie | History's Most Eccentric Musician

After being brutally attacked in a hate crime outside of a club, Mark Hogancamp was left with brain damage that meant he had little memory of his previous life. In order to cope with the trauma he had experienced, Mark built a ⅙-scale World War II-era Belgian town that he named "Marwencol". Both a documentary and upcoming film starring Steve Carell have explored Mark's story, but the truth of his fascinating, heartbreaking, and inspiring tale is even more incredible.

From increased chance of death from sleeping too little to pre-alarm techniques for waking people up, there's a lot about sleep that may surprise you. Today we're counting down the top 10 weirdest things you never knew about sleep, as voted on by you, the viewer.