In 1960, Ormond Gigli was a freelance photographer working out of a studio on East 58th Street in Manhattan. Right across the road, at what's now 320 East 58th Street, stood an old Beaux Arts brownstone, empty and awaiting demolition. Gigli kept catching sight of it from his window, and the more he looked at it, the more one image stuck in his head: every window filled with a glamorous woman, right before the whole building came down. That image became Girls in the Windows, a

From Vogue covers to a Chelsea penthouse murder: the remarkable rise and tragic fall of Barbara Daly Baekeland and her son Tony. A story of wealth, obsession and violence

In 1982, the brutal killing of Chinese American draftsman Vincent Chin by two white autoworkers in Detroit exposed deep racial tensions and became a rallying cry for Asian American civil rights. The case’s lenient sentencing sparked national outrage and mobilised a new generation of activists demanding justice.

Tattoos have different meanings across cultures, ranging from sacred symbols to marks of rebellion. In Japan, tattoos are part of a broader subculture called irezumi , an intricate form of body art with its own set of unique designs, imagery, and symbolism. These elaborate tattoos often cover large parts of the body, with some resulting in full “bodysuits,” a tradition that is frequently linked with the yakuza —Japan’s organised crime syndicates. But while many viewed irezumi

Between 1978 and 1981, photographer Jill Freedman immersed herself in the daily operations of the New York Police Department (NYPD),...

In the small, quiet town of Central Point, Virginia, no one could have guessed that a humble couple would spark one of the most...

I take great delight in stumbling across obscure stories of lives that have been lived long ago, but that have possibly been all but forgotten. One such story is that of Augustus A. “Gus” Wynn, a man who transformed his bleak circumstances into something that captivated both inmates and the public alike. Born in 1890 and hailing from rural Harris County, Tennessee, Gus Wynn's life took an unexpected turn in 1936 when he was convicted of murdering his brother-in-law, Porter Jo

Speakers' Corner, nestled in the northeast corner of London's Hyde Park, is one of the most iconic sites for free speech in the world....

Roy Cohn was one of the most feared and controversial lawyers in 20th-century America. From the McCarthy hearings to his mentorship of Donald Trump, his career left a trail of influence, scandal, and corruption.

In 1979, Liberal Party leader Jeremy Thorpe stood trial at the Old Bailey accused of conspiracy to murder his former lover Norman Scott. This is the full story of Britain's most outrageous political scandal and the true story behind A Very English Scandal.

Eugenia Falleni, also known as Harry Crawford, was tried for the murder of their wife in 1920 Sydney. Their life story reveals a complex struggle with identity, survival, and social constraints in an era that had no language for gender diversity.

In the 1770s, a collection of erotic Roman cameos from after Tiberius’s reign was published, revealing the intimate artistry of the ancient world — and how the 18th century rediscovered its sensual past.

In the mountainous terrain of southwest China’s Guizhou Province, an ancient and curious tradition endures. Hundreds of wooden coffins,...

The slow death of Al Capone at the hands of Syphilis

In the late 1970s, American born photographer Janine Wiedel turned her lens to the industrial heartland of England, the West Midlands, a...

Aileen Carol Pittman, later known as Aileen Wuornos, was born on 29 February 1956 in Rochester, Michigan. Her beginnings were shaped by chaos and abandonment, with much of her later violence seeming like a tragic inevitability. Her parents, Diane Wuornos and Leo Pittman, divorced before her birth, leaving young Aileen without any parental support from the start. Her mother, Diane, was a teenage mother, who abandoned Aileen and her older brother, Keith, when Aileen was just a

In the heart of suburban Las Vegas lies one of the most unique and strange relics of the Cold War era—a sprawling, 15,200-square-foot...

The figure known as the "Leatherman" presents a quiet yet fascinating example of 19th-century itinerant life in rural America. While much...

The Colditz Cock, a glider constructed by Allied prisoners of war (POWs) held at Colditz Castle during the Second World War, represents an extraordinary example of wartime engineering. However, the glider was never flown. The project did not stem from a clear intent to escape but served primarily as a means of maintaining morale and occupying the minds of the prisoners as the war approached its final stages. Background: The Great Escape and Its Aftermath By the time the Coldi

On Christmas Day 1929, Charlie Lawson murdered his wife and six of his children before taking his own life. This shocking family tragedy in North Carolina remains one of America’s most infamous crimes.

Discovered in a Newcastle junk shop, a forgotten police mugshot book reveals the city’s rogues and rascals. Preserved today by Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums, it’s a rare glimpse into faces and stories once nearly lost to time.

Rocky Dennis was told he'd be dead by seven. He made it to 16 -- going to regular school, making friends, and living fully despite a condition that had no cure. This is the real story, not the Hollywood version.

Explore the Battle of Cable Street (1936), when London’s East End communities united to block Oswald Mosley’s British Union of Fascists. Discover how “They Shall Not Pass” became a defining moment in British anti-fascist history.