Harry Houdini was not only known for his illusions but also his myth busting, particularly when it came to the popular spiritualist movement of the 1920s which came about because of the end of World War I and the global influenza pandemic.

If all other manners of conflict resolution are exhausted a duel is the last resort.

Some of the most noteworthy photographers from the Civil War would move bodies around on the battlefield in order to achieve dramatic effect.

Before it was a federal penitentiary Alcatraz housed a military prison, and it was a lot easier to escape. Learn more about Alcatraz including how some prisoners made it off The Rock.

Incredibly enough the mayor of New York City, Fernando Wood, suggested in 1861 that New York City secede and declare itself a free city because of its lucrative ties to the cotton industry.

Many know the research conducted around the first atomic bombs as the "Manhattan Project," but was it really based in New York City?

When it comes to the myths of Thanksgiving, they are plentiful, yet not nearly as interesting as the facts behind the first gathering.

Archaeologist Howard Carter and his team make a small yet significant discovery in their search for the tomb of Tutankhamun.

An all-star team of sorts is created to extract and itemize all items to be found in the tomb of Tutankhamun, with specific care to be given to papyri.

Italian explorer Giovanni Belzoni hones in on Ramesses II's Mansion of Millions of Years during his exploration of ancient Egyptian structures.

It's a race through Egypt as Belzoni attempts to salvage ancient artifacts before fellow Italian Drovetti gets his hands on them.

French scholar Jean-François Champollion attempts to decipher the ancient Egyptian mystery of hieroglyphs by taking a linguistic rather than symbolic approach to the riddle.

In 19th century Egypt Champollion discovers that nature and daily life influenced and inspired ancient hieroglyphs.

As part of their plans for expansion into and domination of the Soviet Union the Nazi hierarchy create the Einsatzgruppe, death squads that are tasked with clearing territory of Jews and Communists for settlement by Germans.

During the Nuremberg Trials former SS officers explain how the Einsatzgruppen procured and employed their gas vans.

After the defeat at Stalingrad Nazi Germany initiates Aktion 1005, an attempt to eliminate evidence of the mass killings perpetrated by the Einsatzgruppen because of concerns about the repercussions once the war was over.