Phil Connelly

The CIA's “Acoustic Kitty” experiment is one of the most bizarre and controversial espionage programs in the agency's history. Initiated during the Cold War, the program aimed to turn cats into mobile listening devices, equipped with microphones and antennas, to spy on Soviet agents.

Frequently, early voting involved a voter placing colored balls or corn kernels or beans into a box, which were then counted.

A Fata Morgana is a fascinating and complex type of mirage that has sparked legends and myths for centuries. The name itself comes from the Italian phrase for “Fairy Morgana,” referencing Morgan le Fay, the powerful enchantress of Arthurian legend. She was believed to possess magical abilities that could create illusions and manipulate perceptions, and it's likely that this phenomenon, with its surreal visual effects, inspired the association.

The 1967 UFO incident at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana is one of the most notable cases involving unexplained aerial phenomena near U.S. nuclear missile facilities. This event, which involved an apparent UFO sighting and an unexpected shutdown of nuclear missiles, has fueled decades of debate and speculation, especially given its Cold War backdrop and the sensitive nature of the affected Minuteman missiles.

The story of the shopping cart is one of innovation driven by practicality, beginning in the late 1930s with an Oklahoma grocery store owner named Sylvan Goldman. Like many other businesses during the Great Depression, he was looking to boost his bottom line. At that time, customers handed a list of grocery items to a clerk who then went through the store to gather up items. To reduce his labor costs, Goldman came up with a handheld basket so that customers could select their own items. However, Goldman, who ran the Humpty Dumpty supermarket chain, observed a recurring problem: His customers stopped shopping when their handheld baskets became too heavy or full. This directly limited how much they could buy. Always on the lookout for ways to improve the shopping experience (and increase sales), Goldman brainstormed solutions to help customers carry more goods easily and comfortably.

History in photos: Ravalli County Take a look at the history of Ravalli County in photos.

Julia Child, born Julia McWilliams in 1912, was an iconic American chef, author, and television personality whose influence on cooking in the United States was transformative.

History in photos: Ravalli County Take a look at the history of Ravalli County in photos.

Grace O'Malley was a renowned 16th-century Irish pirate, sea captain, and chieftain who defied the conventions of her time to become one of the most famous women in Irish history. Born around 1530 in the western coastal region of Ireland, she was the daughter of Eoghan Dubhdara O'Malley, the leader of the powerful O'Malley clan. Raised in a maritime environment, Grace grew up surrounded by sailors and pirates.

Calendars have played a vital role in human civilization, helping people organize time for agricultural, religious and social purposes. Over thousands of years, various cultures have developed calendars based on astronomical observations, leading to diverse traditions for marking the start of the New Year.