On October 31, 1517, German monk and theology professor Martin Luther forever changed the course of history when he nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg. The document, officially titled Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences, challenged the Catholic Church’s sale of indulgences, which allowed people to pay money to reduce punishment for their sins. Luther’s goal wasn’t rebellion — he wanted open debate on church reform — but his bold act quickly spread far beyond what he imagined.

Thanks to the recent invention of the printing press, Luther’s Theses were copied and circulated across Europe within weeks, sparking outrage, curiosity, and support in equal measure. His central message — that salvation came through faith alone, not money or works — directly contradicted centuries of church doctrine. As his ideas gained momentum, the Church demanded he recant, but Luther refused, standing firm at the Diet of Worms in 1521 with his famous words, “Here I stand, I can do no other.”

The act of nailing those 95 Theses is often seen as the beginning of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that would fracture Western Christianity and reshape European society. New denominations like Lutheranism and Calvinism emerged, and the Church’s political power began to decline.

Luther’s challenge inspired literacy, personal faith, and reform in education and governance. What began as one man’s protest against corruption became a defining moment in history — one that reshaped religion, politics, and thought for centuries.

On October 31, 1926, the world said goodbye to the legendary magician Harry Houdini, who died in Detroit, Michigan, at just 52 years old. Famous for his death-defying stunts, Houdini had built a global reputation escaping from handcuffs, straitjackets, and locked tanks of water, thrilling audiences who believed nothing could hold him. Ironically, it wasn’t a stunt that ended his life, but a freak accident that led to a ruptured appendix.

Days earlier, a college student in Montreal had unexpectedly punched Houdini in the stomach to test his claim that he could endure any blow. Unprepared, Houdini suffered internal injuries but continued performing, refusing to seek treatment until it was too late. He collapsed after a show in Detroit and died on Halloween weekend, leaving millions in shock.

Houdini’s death didn’t end his legend — it deepened it. Known for exposing fake spiritualists who preyed on grief, he promised his wife Bess he’d try to contact her from beyond the grave. For ten years, she held séances every Halloween, listening for a secret code they’d agreed upon. The signal never came.

Even in death, Houdini’s mix of daring, discipline, and mystery kept his name alive. His legacy inspired generations of magicians and skeptics alike, proving that his greatest illusion was not escaping chains — but escaping time itself.

Tar Drip Experiment💧
The world's longest running experiment is watching tar drip - it's been going since 1927 with only 9 drops so far. The Pitch Drop Experiment at the University of Queensland proves tar is technically a liquid - it's so viscous that drops fall roughly once per decade, and no one has ever seen a drop fall in person despite 24/7 cameras.

Weird Timeframe🌕
Cleopatra's reign is closer to the Moon landing than to the construction of the pyramids. The pyramids were completed around 2560 BCE, Cleopatra ruled until 30 BCE - that's 2,530 years after the pyramids but only 1,999 years before the 1969 moon landing.

A Crowded Home🏠
There's a town in Alaska where all 200+ residents live in one building. Whittier, Alaska has nearly everyone living in a single 14-story condo called Begich Towers - it has the school, post office, store, and police station all under one roof because winter weather is so brutal nobody wants to go outside.

Pringles Burial🪦
The inventor of the Pringles can is buried in one. Fredric Baur was so proud of designing the Pringles container that his children honored his request to have some of his ashes buried in a Pringles can - they stopped at Walgreens on the way to the funeral home to buy the can.

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.