Crime
When Authorities Dunked Outspoken Women in Water
In early modern England, women accused of being "common scolds" were immersed in rivers and lakes while strapped to contraptions known as ducking stools
A Brief History of Airplane Hijackings, From the Cold War to D.B. Cooper
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, hijackings occurred, on average, once every five days globally
How a Former Penal Colony in Panama Became a Biodiversity Hotspot
For decades, Coiba Island was inhabited by prisoners. Now, scientists and adventurous tourists visit a national park teeming with wildlife
One of the Last Pay Phones in New York City Moves to a Museum
Located in Times Square until last month, the pay phone is now on display at the Museum of the City of New York
A Brief History of Televised Congressional Hearings
From a 1951 investigation into organized crime to the Watergate scandal, the ongoing January 6 hearings are part of a lengthy political tradition
The Daring Rescue Mission That Freed 15 Hostages Held in the Colombian Jungle for Years
A new exhibition at the International Spy Museum revisits Operación Jaque, a covert 2008 plot led by the Colombian military
Man Breaks Into Dallas Museum of Art and Damages Artworks Valued at Up to $5 Million
Brian Hernandez broke ancient Greek artifacts and a contemporary ceramic piece
Thieves Took a $2-Million Tabernacle From a Brooklyn Church
Sacred objects can tempt would-be burglars
Disguised Protester Smears Cake on High-Tech Glass Protecting the 'Mona Lisa'
It’s the latest in a long string of attempts to vandalize the world’s most famous painting
This Ancient Roman Statue Embodies the 'Perfect' Man. But Was It Stolen?
Italy wants a Roman replica of "Doryphoros" in the Minneapolis Institute of Art returned
Italian Art Police Recovered a Long-Lost Titian. But Is It Really the Renaissance Master's Work?
The recently confiscated painting is worth an estimated $7 million
Cambodia Asks U.K. Cultural Institutions to Return Looted Statues
British museums contain hundreds of allegedly stolen temple treasures
Thieves Stole, Hacked Up and Sold Sculpture That Honored Famed Native American Ballerina
The culprits sawed the life-sized bronze tribute to Marjorie Tallchief into pieces
How Fraudsters Allegedly Fooled the Art World in 15-Year Scheme
Federal prosecutors say scammers sold fraudulent paintings and memorabilia to collectors and auction houses
Twice Accused of Murder, This Writer Later Foresaw the Sinking of the Titanic
Under the pseudonym Mayn Clew Garnett, author Thornton Jenkins Hains published a maritime disaster story with eerie parallels to the real-life tragedy
Police Find 1,090 Taxidermy Animals in a Private Collection in Spain
The animals include about 400 protected species
Stolen Charles Darwin Notebooks Returned After 22 Years
One of the items contains the renowned naturalist's first sketch of the Tree of Life
How Kate Warne, America's First Woman Detective, Foiled a Plot to Assassinate Abraham Lincoln
In February 1861, the Pinkerton agent, posing as the disguised president-elect's sister and caregiver, safely escorted him to Baltimore
Studio Executives Did Not Want Marlon Brando for the Title Role in 'The Godfather'
On the film's 50th anniversary, a Smithsonian historian reflects on the cultural phenomenon of the blockbuster hit
What Happened the Last Time the U.S. Tried to Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent?
A 1974 switch to year-round DST proved unpopular, with Americans expressing "distaste" for the long, dark winter mornings
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