In 15th-century Italy, the cunning Caterina Sforza ruthlessly defended her family's fortunes at any cost — and was even accused of plotting to assassinate the pope.Lorenzo di Credi/Pinacoteca Civica di ForlìA portrait made of Caterina Sforza when she was Countess of Forli and Lady of Imola. When enemies laid siege to the fortress of Italian noblewoman Caterina Sfroza and captured her children, she stood on the walls of Imola and lifted her skirts, calling out that she could always make more children.

In November 2004, 21-year-old Christopher Porco chopped up his parents as they slept in their bed, leaving his father dead and his mother missing an eye and part of her skull.On November 15, 2004, Peter Porco was found dead in his home in Bethlehem, New York. Nearby, his wife had been bludgeoned and was clinging to life. The horrific crime scene seemed to leave more questions than answers about the events that had led to the brutal attack.

Genyornis, or 'thunder birds,' went extinct some 47,000 years ago, shortly after humans arrived in present-day Australia. Australian MuseumA huge flightless bird, Genyornis was a mihirungs dubbed a “thunder bird.” Many modern-day humans like eating eggs. So did ancient people living in Australia, and a new study suggests that they stole and ate so many eggs from huge flightless birds called Genyornis that they drove the small-winged wonders into extinction. “Eggshell fragments with unique burn patterns consistent with human activity have been found at different places across the continent,” Gifford Miller, a geoscientist at the University of Colorado and the co-author of a paper about the birds published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, told the University of Cambridge.

The United States invaded Russia, Germany tore itself apart over religion, and hunger became a weapon in Africa. These domestic conflicts render America's Civil War puny by comparison. Wikimedia CommonsBolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin addresses a crowd in Moscow on May 25, 1919 during the Russian civil war. Most of us are familiar with the basic facts of the American Civil War. Between 1861 and 1865, a combined 3 million men fought a series of battles, skirmishes, and sieges that saw perhaps 1 million soldiers killed, and ultimately brought the death of President Abraham Lincoln himself.

From Game of Thrones to Lord of the Rings, castles are a permanent part of the fantasy canon. Five of the most incredible castles are featured here.Source: My Tapin Although we all know fairytales don’t exist (unless, of course, you’re Kate Middleton), there will always be something magical and intriguing about castles. Whether it is their incredible history, grandeur or stunning architecture, they remain one of the top tourist destinations throughout the world.