When Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD, the world lost Pompeii — but few remember its twin city, Herculaneum, which met an even more haunting fate. Unlike Pompeii, buried in ash, Herculaneum was drowned in waves of molten mud that sealed the town in perfect preservation, freezing time mid-motion.

Excavations revealed skeletons along the seashore, citizens who fled toward the water as temperatures soared high enough to vaporize flesh in seconds. Inside the homes, frescoes were still there, and wooden furniture remained intact — the closest thing we have to walking into a Roman home.

Centuries later, a farmer digging a well struck marble, unveiling the city the world thought was myth. Hidden beneath the earth was the Villa of the Papyri, the only surviving library of the ancient world — 1,800 scrolls turned to ash yet still readable today thanks to AI imaging.

Those texts, filled with forgotten philosophies of Epicurus, may hold insights into how Romans viewed pleasure, the soul, and even the afterlife. Two thousand years later, the dead are still whispering from the smoke.

When the first New York City subway opened on this day in 1904, most people celebrated progress. But one man had already beaten the city to it — and done it in secret. His name was Alfred Ely Beach, and thirty years earlier, he built an illegal subway powered by air.

Beach dug the tunnel beneath Broadway at night, disguising the project as an “underground mail system.” His vision? A clean, quiet transport system using pneumatic pressure instead of steam. Against all odds, he built a full-size station with chandeliers, velvet seats, and even a fountain.

When it opened in 1870, it stunned the public. Wealthy New Yorkers paid 25 cents to experience a ride that felt like magic — an elegant bullet of air whooshing through the darkness. But politics and greed killed his dream. Corrupt city officials buried the project before it could expand.

When workers began building the official subway decades later, they rediscovered Beach’s tunnel, still intact. Though he died before seeing his dream realized, his forgotten invention had proven the impossible. The man once mocked as “The Mole of Broadway” ended up shaping the modern city beneath our feet.

Great Elephant Escape🐘
In 1922, a circus elephant named Mary broke loose in Tennessee and rampaged through the town after killing her handler. Instead of capturing her, officials bizarrely put her on trial and executed her by hanging her from a crane — in front of 2,500 spectators. The brutal act shocked America and helped ignite the earliest animal-rights movement in the South.

Ancient Hangover Cure🍷
Romans believed fried canaries cured hangovers. Wealthy partygoers kept small cages beside their banquet tables, ready for the next morning’s “remedy.” Some even mixed owl eggs with wine to “balance the humors.” None of it worked — but it’s a good reminder that ancient medicine was equal parts superstition and desperation.

Washington’s Teeth🦷
George Washington’s false teeth weren’t wooden — they were carved from ivory, brass, and even human teeth, many bought from enslaved people. They were so painful he could barely smile, and his speech slurred. Every presidential portrait of Washington’s calm expression hides decades of agony from wearing the teeth.

Goat Astronauts🐐
Before humans ever flew, France launched a sheep, a duck, and a rooster into the sky in 1783. The goal? To see if living beings could survive high altitudes. The flight succeeded — all three animals returned safely, making them Earth’s first spacefaring “crew.” The sheep, named Montauciel, became a national celebrity.

If you enjoy this edition of Today In History be sure to send it to a friend and force them to sign up because that’s what good friends do. Until next time, stay curious, question everything, and keep uncovering the mysteries of the past.