The Sketchbook from the 13th Century

Villard de Honnecourt was a French man, who had a passion for drawing. He is still known to the World because his sketchbook survived. It includes around 250 drawings of many different subject matters. Many sketches show buildings, such as the Laon Cathedral in Paris. While past researchers concluded he was an architect, but more recent opinion is that he had …

Messina: Europe’s deadliest earthquake and tsunami

In 1908, on approximately 5:20 AM the Earth shook around the city of Messina, Italy and the region surrounding it. The earthquake was so strong that it was felt within a 300-kilometer (186-mile) radius. It levelled almost all of Messina to the ground. It’s estimated that more than 75,000 lost their lives in the city. Approximately 25,000 died in other cities.

An elephant named Osama Bin Laden

In 2006, the state of Assam in northeastern India was being terrorized by an elephant. The 10ft (3m) tall animal would frequently appear out of nowhere, and attack anything in its path. What made the problem even worse is that it was not scared of noise, firecrackers or even fire itself.