Modern World History - Great Stories from Now & Before

A GREAT STORY can take you to another world....

He walked all night to be on time for his first day of work. His boss was so impressed he gave him a car When an Alabama college student's car broke down the night before his first day at a new job, there was one thing he knew he wouldn't do: Not show up.

The Next Page: Rachel Carson, a child of the AlleghenyBest known for her book, “Silent Spring,” Rachel Carson’s lifelong love was the sea, writes biographer Linda Lear.

Rachel Carson Website

The True-Life Horror That Inspired Moby-Dick

Biggest Bluefin Tuna Fishing Record

Life Inside Kerobokan Jail

109-Year-Old Veteran and His Secrets to Life Will Make You Smile | Short Film Showcase

Meet Richard Overton, America's oldest veteran. In this lively short film by Matt Cooper and Rocky Conly, hear the whiskey-drinking, cigar-smoking supercentenarian reveal his secrets to a long life.

Update: Mr. Overton turned 112 in May of 2018 and passed away December 27, 2018, in Austin, Texas.

Bringing Sri Lanka’s Mangroves Back to LifeThe plush mangroves in Western Sri Lanka have provided families with critical resources for generations. Sadly, in recent years the mangroves have slowly depleted in size and nutrients. Douglas Thisera, is working hard to change this. Known as the Mangrove Master, Thisera has spent the last 16 years replanting and conserving mangroves in his district. Along with community activists, Douglas has helped plant 2 million saplings in the area. He’s on a mission to bring the mangroves back to their former glory. This Great Big Story was made possible by Sri Lanka Tourism.

The Footballer Tackling StereotypesChloe Molloy is a rising football star in the Women’s Australian Football League. A combination of rugby, football and soccer, AFL is a staple in Australian culture. Although once only played professionally by men, in 2017, a women’s team was officially created, allowing Chloe to fulfill her childhood dream. Now, she’s breaking barriers and tackling stereotypes one touchdown at a time.

A Deep Dive Into the Art of Baking Shotis PuriShotis puri is a traditional Georgian bread, usually served with every meal. Baking the bread, however, can get a little extreme. For a new baker interested in venturing into the world of shotis puri, be prepared to dive headfirst … literally. The bread is baked in a tonir—a deep, clay oven onto which the unleavened dough is stuck. After the bread has been baked, bakers must dive headfirst into the hot, hot oven to retrieve their goods. No one knows the process better than Skhirtladze Davit. For the past 16 years, he’s been enduring the heat, all for the love of bread.

The Incredible Athletes of Sierra Leone’s Amputee Soccer ClubEvery player on the Sierra Leone Flying Stars Amputee Football Team has a story to share. These athletes have lost limbs from land mines that were planted during the country's violent civil war, but that hasn’t stopped them from playing the game that renews their spirit. Today, the Flying Stars compete against disabled teams from around the world, and with every kick of the ball, they instill hope in other amputees and help to dispel a lingering social stigma against those with disabilities.

Bali’s Temple in the SeaTanah Lot, which translates to “land in the sea” in Balinese, is one of seven ocean temples found along the southwest coast of Bali, Indonesia. Built around the 16th century to honor sea spirits, Tanah Lot consists of a unique rock formation with a temple sitting atop. During low tide, visitors can access the temple by foot; however, entrance inside the sanctuary is restricted to outsiders. Legend has it that unmarried couples who visit the temple leave cursed. Still, the stunning scenery has made Tanah Lot one of the most visited and photographed temples in Bali.

The Art of Fishing With BirdsAlong the scenic Lijiang River in China, brothers Huang Yuechang and Huang Mingde have been keeping up a centuries-old tradition of fishing with cormorant birds. Forgoing nets and modern fishing poles, these brothers have cultivated relationships with their birds in a way that’s found them success in cormorant fishing for more than six decades. But with no young fishermen choosing this ancient method, they may be the last ones to carry on this rare Chinese tradition. This Great Big Story was inspired by Genesis.

The Street Artist Bringing Civil Rights Icons to LifeFabian Williams, aka, “Occasional Superstar,” is an artist bringing hope to the streets of Atlanta. Through his murals, he addresses the perceptions and tensions that arise when thinking about race in America. Mixing politics with humor, his art brings activists and civil rights leaders to heroic heights, with figures like Hosea Williams, Martin Luther King Jr., and Colin Kaepernick portrayed at giant, mystical scales. Painting civil rights icons alongside contemporary activists, Williams hopes his art will reach and inspire our next generation of leaders.

In Japan, Floods Don’t Stand a ChanceThe Metropolitan Area Outer Underground Discharge Channel is the largest underground water facility in the world. Built to protect residents from constant flooding, the system drains rainwater to a massive tunnel underground that then redirects the flow to a nearby river that can handle the influx of water. Thanks to the ingenuity of the drainage system, Japan’s residents are kept high and dry.

How Curious George Escaped Nazi GermanyCurious George is the mischievous child that still lives inside us all, a swinging catastrophe with an envious joie de vivre. But everyone’s favorite chimp almost didn’t make it to the page. The story goes way back to 1940 as Nazi forces prepared to invade France. German-Jewish artists H.A. and Margret Rey fled Paris by bicycle, carrying the original manuscript that would later become “Curious George.” From there George traveled the globe, trekking down to Lisbon, sailing across the pond to Rio de Janeiro, finally making his home in New York. The rest, of course, is history, as our primate protagonist climbed his way into our hearts and onto the world’s stage. This Great Big Story was inspired by Genesis.

Welcome to the City of ViolinsCremona, Italy, is a city with a very special (and very musical) history. It’s a city of master craftsmen who specialize in one thing—violins. Since the mid-16th century, Cremona has lived and breathed violins. The northern Italian city is credited as the birthplace of the string instrument and remains home to Stradivari, maker of some of the world’s most coveted and expensive violins. To this day, more than 100 traditional violin makers carry on that legacy. This Great Big Story was inspired by Genesis.

The Man, the Myth, the CubeSince the 1980s, the Rubik’s Cube has captivated the minds of puzzle solvers around the globe. But how did one of the world’s most addictive and prolific puzzles come to be? It all began in the beautiful city of Budapest, in the beautiful mind of Ernő Rubik, a design and architecture lecturer looking for a tactile way to teach his students about three-dimensional space. But the story’s real “twist” came when the creator had to engineer a solution to his self-made conundrum. Think you have what it takes to crack the code? Take it up with the master himself. This Great Big Story was inspired by Genesis.

Taiwan’s Age-Old Tradition of Massaging With KnivesIn Taiwan, massage therapy gets an edge. Dao Liao, or “blade therapy,” has been around for over 2,500 years, first originating in ancient China as an alternative to traditional medicine. Practitioners use specially blunted knives instead of hands to refresh and renew their clientele. The technique is believed to relieve headaches, sores, back pains and migraines and continues to be very popular in Taiwanese culture. This Great Big Story was inspired by Genesis.

Ethiopia’s Chapel in the SkyIf churches were assessed by their risk factor, Abuna Yemata Guh would be our new Sistine Chapel. Perched 650 feet above a steep cliff in Northern Ethiopia, visitors face a 45-minute climb up the cliff’s vertical face in order to access the precariously positioned church. Dating back to the 5th century, history has it that its founder Father Yemata built the chapel to be closer to heavenly spirits; however, others claim it was a strategic move to avoid his enemies. This Great Big Story was inspired by Genesis.

A True Trojan: I Play College Football With No SightJake Olson experiences football unlike any of his teammates. The USC Trojan long snapper is completely blind and uses the sense of touch to play the game.

Preserving Guatemala’s Ancient Dance of the GodsAdorned in hand-carved masks and animal hides, the dancers bob and weave before delighted onlookers who’ve traveled from near and far. This is Baile del Venado, one of many Mayan dances integral to Guatemalan history and religion. The “Deer Dance” signifies the coexistence of humans, animals and the greater natural world; and it blesses the lives, work and harvests of those who perform it. In Patzún, Guatemala, villagers perform the Deer Dance the day before the Feast of Corpus Christi, a Catholic holiday celebrated throughout Central and South America.

In the Slovenian Alps, an Island on an Emerald Lake BeckonsJust over 30 miles northwest of the Slovenian capital Ljubljana, you’ll find an alpine lake that looks straight out of a fairytale. With a cliff-side castle, an emerald green, fresh water lake and some of the best views of the Julian Alps, you’d be forgiven for mistaking Lake Bled and its island church for a storybook cover. And as you cross the lake in a traditional wooden boat, learn the legend of the bell that lies below these emerald green waters.

The 50-Star American Flag Came From a High School ProjectIn 1958, Ohio high schooler Robert Heft submitted a class project that would change our country forever. Heft's history teacher gave his class an open-ended assignment: make a project illustrating your interest in American history. So Heft redesigned the 48-star American flag to include two additional stars for Hawaii and Alaska. Though his teacher was not impressed, President Dwight D. Eisenhower ultimately took an interest … The rest, as they say, is history.

Operation Mincemeat: The Trojan Horse of World War IIIt's 1943, and Europe is entrenched in World War II. The Allies are preparing to invade Nazi-occupied Sicily, but they need a decoy; something to misdirect the Germans and give Allied troops an advantage. A team within British Intelligence comes up with a plan: they'll create an elaborate smokescreen to make the Nazis think they're invading Greece. That, friends, is when a very important dead body takes center stage …

The only woman to be awarded the Medal of Honor

Remembering a truly extraordinary civil war heroine, Mary Edwards Walker. She was the only woman to be awarded the Medal of Honor.

Remains of Tuskegee Airman Found in Austria Researchers and archaeologists have recovered the remains of distinguished flyer Lawrence E. Dickson whose plane crashed during a mission in 1944

The Hidden History of Korea's Printing InnovationSeventy years before Johannes Gutenberg introduced modern moveable type to Europe in 1440, Korea had already printed the first book using moveable metal type. Today, Han-Soo Park is the only person in South Korea continuing to preserve this tradition at his Letterpress Workshop in Paju Book City. As printing techniques have advanced, Park has kept an age-old tradition alive by creating poetry books and conducting workshops for Koreans to experience their often-overlooked contribution to the world. This Great Big Story was inspired by Genesis.

How ‘Rotten’ Grapes Become Hungary’s Transcendent Tokaji WineIn the world of sweet wines, Hungary’s Tokaji reigns supreme. King Louis XV even dubbed it, “king of wines.” But what separates this regal liquid from the rest? Winemaker István Szepsy credits the layers of volcanic rock under the furmint grape vines for the wine’s balanced, minerally mouthfeel. And he would know. Szepsy’s family has been making sweet wines in the Tokaji region for 500 years. Amazingly, the process for creating the ethereal Tokaji wine remains pretty much unchanged since then. You take furmint grapes, allow the botrytis fungus (aka “noble rot”) to surround the clusters, pick each berry one-by-one, ferment the gently-pressed juice in oak barrels and … voila: The wine of kings! This Great Big Story was made in partnership with the Hungarian Tourism Agency.

The Healing Properties of South Korea’s Bamboo SaltIn South Korea, bamboo salt is as ubiquitous as the table variety, except it’s considered a form of medicine used to combat disease, indigestion and pain. One of the country’s most trusted forms of bamboo salt was invented by famed medicine man, Dr. Kim Ilhoon, who patented a top-secret, 1,300-day long process to create the highest quality version of the stuff. Now, he’s handed down his practice to his son, Kim Yoonse, who has carried on his father’s legacy by establishing Insanga, a company distributing bamboo salt throughout South Korea and beyond. This Great Big Story was inspired by Genesis.

How One Man Escaped Death to Invent the SaxophoneAdolphe Sax will forever be remembered as the inventor of the saxophone. But his indelible mark on the music world almost never came to be. Amazingly, Sax escaped death not one, not two, but SEVEN times before he went on to change the history of music. Like this story? Wish you had a snazzy wallpaper for your phone to match? Download it here!

John Z. DeLorean Thought He Was Designing the Car of the FutureInstead its almost-instantly out-of-date styling made it a legend

China is launching artificial moons in urban areasBy 2020, the Tian Fu New Area Science Society plans to launch an artificial moon to light up the night sky. If the plan goes through, the so-called “illumination satellite” would orbit above the Chin

This Female Mathematician Just Became the First Woman to Ever Win the Fields Medal The Fields Medal is mathematics' equivalent to the Nobel Prize

The Tallest Man in History

Robert Wadlow, the "Alton Giant," was the opposite of what fairy tales say a giant should be

Battle of the Alpine HornsOnce a year, the world’s top alpine horn musicians gather high in the Swiss Alps to compete for a special honor. The Valais Drink Pure Festival in Nendaz, Switzerland, is an international meeting of alphorn players where the best of the best come to play the iconic elongated horn in its traditional Swiss setting. While 16-year-old Tim Lin might seem like an unlikely alphorn enthusiast, he is quite the prodigy. Born in Germany to a Chinese father and a Belarusian mother, Lin took home last year’s top prize in the youth category, and hopes to do it again this year.

The Sustainable and Empowering Bamboo Bikes of GhanaIn Ghana, there is an abundance of bamboo. So much so, that one company devised an unusual means of transportation: bamboo bikes. Crafting bamboo into bike frames, Boomers has made thousands of the sustainable bikes. Once finished, the bikes are said to be stronger and lighter than even steel. But there is much more to the company that just bikes. Boomers trains young people in rural communities and provides them with employment. With this enterprise, they are hoping to inspire others to get creative and to help their communities. This Great Big Story was made in partnership with Dangote.

Explore Sri Lanka’s Cave of Golden BuddhasThe town of Dambulla in Sri Lanka is home to the largest cave complex in the country. With a labyrinth containing over 80 documented caves, five in particular stand out from the rest. Unlike the others, these five have been converted into sprawling temples where visitors can view golden statues, depictions of Buddha and over 1,500 different paintings. The temple caves have been around for 22 centuries; thanks to conservation efforts, they will be around for many more to come. This Great Big Story was made possible by Sri Lanka Tourism.

Guatemala’s Food of the GodsOf all its delicious offerings, chocolate is Guatemala’s most divine treat. The ancient Mayan tradition of chocolate making is a 2,500-year-old cultural legacy kept alive by dedicated farmers, roasters and chocolatiers. Hang on to your sweet tooth as we follow the “food of the Gods” from a simple seed on a cacao tree all the way to becoming a luxurious dessert. This Great Big Story was made possible by Visit Guatemala .

They Look Like Photos, But They’re NotA master of hyperrealism, artist Arinze Stanley’s stunning portraits are drawn by hand.

Why Footbinding Persisted in China for a Millennium

Have a Seat at the Oldest Restaurant in the World

Botín Restaurant has kept the flame burning for the past 293 years … literally. Ever since the doors opened in 1725, the oven has been sizzling continuously, never to be extinguished. According to deputy manager Luis Javier Sànchez Alvarez, the oven is the crown jewel of the restaurant and the fundamental element of their most popular dish, the roast suckling pig. The recipes used today have been passed down from generation to generation, keeping the legacy of these traditional dishes alive. With the honor of being the oldest restaurant in the world, Alvarez hopes to keep the doors open for centuries to come.

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Walking in Pittsburgh - Tim Ruff

Billy Joel - We Didn't Start The Fire (Historically Accurate Almanac) COMPLETE

George Washington Gibbs Jr.

109-Year-Old Veteran and His Secrets to Life Will Make You Smile | Short Film Showcase

The only woman to be awarded the Medal of Honor

The Tallest Man in History

Have a Seat at the Oldest Restaurant in the World

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