Captured, castrated, and forced to serve the Hongwu Emperor, Zeng He subsequently led a massive Ming fleet of treasure ships across an ever-expanding empire.

An oft-overlooked explorer who traversed the globe, driven by his thirst for scientific discovery—and a love of piracy.

The blockbuster Jaws (1975) provoked fear by portraying sharks as “mindless eating machines.” But what did people think of sharks before then?

Captain James Cook had secret orders to to search for a predicted Southern Continent. He ended up claiming New Zealand and part of Australia for the U.K.

The humor in inventing fake animals comes from the fact that the audience is in on the joke. Nevertheless, the line between satire and hoax can be fuzzy.

Studies have shown that anthropomorphizing not only helps us learn. It also serves a social function, helping us feel connected.

In 2014, a Canadian team announced they had found the shipwrecks of John Franklin's lost 1845 expedition.