Driver Vandalizes Threatened Plants in Death Valley National Park
National Park Service officials haven’t identified the person or people who illegally drove more than two miles across Eureka Dunes, home to the federally protected Eureka dunegrass
This 120-Year-Old Police Docket Documented Crimes Like Reckless Horse Riding
Discovered in a thrift store, the historic docket lists incidents that occurred in the town of Casper, Wyoming, in 1904—including “reckless riding [of a horse]” and “keeping a house of prostitution”
Researchers Have Deciphered a Nearly 2,000-Year-Old True Crime Papyrus
The Greek document details a court case in ancient Palestine involving tax fraud and provides insight into trial preparations in the Roman Empire
Elephants Aren’t People and Can’t Sue to Leave a Zoo, Colorado’s Top Court Rules
The court rejected a case to send five African elephants to a sanctuary, saying they have no legal right to demand release under habeas corpus
FDA Bans Red Dye No. 3 From Food, Beverages and Ingested Drugs, Citing Link to Cancer in Lab Rats
The synthetic additive found in thousands of food products will now be phased out by 2027, but advocates say the agency’s move is long overdue
The Netherlands Has Published a List of 425,000 Suspected Nazi Collaborators
In the past, the names could only be viewed in person. But due to expiring access restrictions, they’re now available to anyone with an internet connection
A Tiny, ‘Endangered’ Fish Delayed a Dam’s Construction in the 1970s. Now, Scientists Say the Snail Darter Isn’t So Rare After All
A lawsuit to protect the snail darter from the Tellico Dam in Tennessee offered the first real test of the 1973 Endangered Species Act. But a new study disputes the fish’s status as a distinct species
The Trial of Bruno Richard Hauptmann—Accused Murderer of the Lindbergh Baby—Began in New Jersey on This Day in 1935
The German-born man was convicted of kidnapping and killing the son of pilot Charles Lindbergh
The Bald Eagle Just Became America’s National Bird. What Took So Long?
An eagle enthusiast has been lobbying for the designation for years. On Christmas Eve, President Biden signed legislation making it official
Happy Public Domain Day! Popeye, ‘Rhapsody in Blue,’ ‘The Sound and the Fury’ and Thousands of Other Captivating Creations Are Finally Free for Everyone to Use
On January 1, 2025, copyrights will expire for books, films, comic strips, musical compositions and other creative works from 1929, as well as sound recordings from 1924
A 1903 Fire at a Chicago Theater Killed 602 People, Prompting Enduring Safety Reforms
Officials thought the brand-new Iroquois Theater was fireproof and designed for maximum safety. The scope of the tragedy and the ensuing panic quickly proved them wrong
Monarch Butterflies Might Soon Be Listed as Threatened Under the Endangered Species Act
If a new proposal is adopted, the insects would become the most commonly seen species to be the subject of federal protection under this law
Belgium Has Been Found Guilty of ‘Crimes Against Humanity’ for Kidnapping Thousands of Children in Congo
A Brussels court has ordered Belgium to pay damages to five women, now in their 70s and 80s, who were abducted from their parents when they were young children
Stunning Artworks Seized From the Mafia Go On Display at a New Exhibition in Milan
“Save Arts: From Confiscations to Public Collections” features more than 80 works recovered by Italian authorities, including pieces by Andy Warhol and Salvador Dalí
Crews Remove Miles of Abandoned, Lead-Coated Telephone Cables From the Bottom of Lake Tahoe
The cables have been resting on the lakebed for decades, raising fears from environmentalists and residents about possible lead contamination
When Susan B. Anthony and 14 Other Women Were Arrested for Voting Illegally in a Presidential Election
After her detainment on this day in 1872, Anthony was found guilty by a federal court. She refused to pay her “unjust” $100 fine
Scientists Are Crafting Fake Whale Poop and Dumping It in the Ocean
The artificial waste could fertilize the ocean and sequester carbon
This New York City Park Was Built on Top of a Cemetery
In the late 19th century, city officials turned the final resting place for 10,000 souls into what’s now Greenwich Village’s James J. Walker Park
Why the Creator of One of the First ‘Lie Detectors’ Lived to Regret His Invention
The early polygraph machine was considered the most scientific way to detect deception—but that was a myth
Montana Rancher Who Created Giant, Hybrid Sheep Sentenced to Six Months in Prison
Arthur “Jack” Schubarth cloned illegally imported genetic material from the Marco Polo argali to create hybrid sheep that would draw higher prices from hunting preserves
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