Had American intelligence not been so lacking, this failed assassination attempt may not have resulted in such extreme punishment for its plotters. Image Source: Twitter It eventually turned out that the conspiracy had been compromised by the SS, and Himmler himself knew the names of almost every plotter, thanks to an outrageous act of negligence on the part of American intelligence. The July 20 plotters had been in regular contact with the OSS station chief in Switzerland, Allen Dulles, who would later lead the CIA.

How a teenager named Jackie Mitchell struck out two of baseball's greats and why her story has historians puzzled.Library of CongressJackie Mitchell (second from left) shakes hands with Babe Ruth (right) as Lou Gehrig (left) and team manager Joe Engel (second from right) look on. Jackie Mitchell knew that her presence on the mound was something of a spectacle. Wearing a too-big Chattanooga Lookouts uniform that billowed around her small frame, the 17-year-old pitcher would powder her nose for the cameras before stepping under the stadium’s bright lights.

William James Sidis spoke 25 languages and had an IQ 100 points higher than Albert Einstein's, but the smartest man in the world just wanted to live his life in seclusion.Wikimedia CommonsThough he’s known as the world’s smartest person ever, William James Sidis died at 46 after spending decades as a recluse while working low-level jobs. Believed to be the smartest person who ever lived, William James Sidis could read The New York Times when he was less than two years old.

Ancient Greek trident found in Turkey, stage where Shakespeare performed uncovered in England, Roman "Tomb of Cerberus" discovered in Italy.An Ancient Greek Trident Was Just Found In The Remains Of An Iron Age City On The Aegean Sea AABecause artifacts made of iron decay rapidly, discoveries like this one are exceedingly rare, making this the first find of its kind in the region. Archaeologists in Turkey just uncovered an ancient Greek trident among the ruins of an Iron Age city on the Aegean coast.

What happened on this day in history: Christopher Columbus dies in Spain, Toussaint L'Ouverture is born, and more important events from May 20th.1498: Vasco da Gama Arrives In India Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama arrives in India. The first European to reach India by sea, he had set sail from Lisbon on July 8, 1497. His initial voyage to India took him through the Cape of Good Hope, which became the first link between Europe and Asia by sea and kickstarted a new wave of global interaction.