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History

The long-standing conflict between Russia and Ukraine is a little confusing, especially for those of us living in distant parts of the world. Questions surrounding the whole affair are&nbsp;natural. Why does Russia not want Ukraine to be a part of NATO (AKA the North Atlantic Treaty Organization)? Did NATO truly promise not to expand its presence towards Russia? Why did Russia not have an issue with its other neighboring countries joining NATO? <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/people-share-what-it_s-like-to-be-in-russia-as-it-invades-ukraine/will-morgan-1" target="_blank">How do the Russians feel about this war</a>?

One place to get answers and learn more about the history of the world,&nbsp;in all its diversity, is the AskHistorians subreddit. It&#39;s a place where experts are more than willing to provide you with detailed answers about anything, including <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/historians-answer-historical-royal-questions/mallory-weiler" target="_blank">questions about&nbsp;royalty</a>, politics, conflict and generic happenings around the world.&nbsp;

Here&#39;s a few common questions bound to arise looking at the conflict in Europe, along with detailed answers explaining the situation&nbsp;in depth.

Actual Historians Answer Questions About NATO, The UN, Treaties, And Alliances

General

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Meanwhile, in Russia...

Russian History

Vladimir Putin is the subject of much emotional debate, internationally and <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/people-share-what-it_s-like-to-be-in-russia-as-it-invades-ukraine/will-morgan-1" target="_blank">within his own country</a>.&nbsp;Why did Putin attack Ukraine? What&#39;s the history between Russia and Ukraine? How did Putin ascend to power?

There&#39;s a lot to dig&nbsp;into, and no doubt&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/historians-answer-bible-questions/setareh-janda" target="_blank">qualified historians</a>&nbsp;would be the best ones to shed light on it all. Luckily, one great place to find credentialed historians more than willing to offer their time&nbsp;is Reddit&#39;s &quot;Ask Historians&quot; community, where people go to get some solid answers. Reading answers from the historians&nbsp;who know their Bolsheviks&nbsp;from their Mensheviks gives us a better understanding of events in the region.&nbsp;

Having an in-depth understanding of a particular region or situation&nbsp;can add to your knowledge about what&#39;s truly going on, and how it may end up shaping the future of the world.&nbsp;

Actual Historians Answer Questions About Russia And Vladimir Putin

Lists of real criminals and details about the bizarre, disgusting crimes they committed.

Insane True Crime & Criminals

True Crime

Most of us love a good mystery -&nbsp;as long as it&#39;s in a book or a movie, and does not remain unsolved. In real life, the families of victims who have not yet found justice live in limbo. Not only do they have to live with the loss of a loved one, but&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/unresolved-mysteries/chrissy-rose" target="_blank">justice delayed remains justice denied</a>.&nbsp;

This is where cold case detectives step in. They take cases that are years old, with seemingly no clues. But with DNA advancement, some sheer luck, and a ton of hard work, investigators are often successful. Here are some <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/jane-and-john-does-identified/patrick-thornton" target="_blank">mysteries that were finally solved</a>, where the victims&#39; families got some answers, if not closure.&nbsp;

Cold Cases We Were Surprised And Relieved To See Finally Solved

Weird History

Do you remember all the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/whoa-facts-90s-heartthrobs/elle-tharp" target="_blank">&#39;90s teen heartthrobs</a> who graced the covers of Tiger Beat? Or the bad boys who kept making news in J-14? Whatever happened to those handsome dreamboats who made adolescent teenagers swoon and moon over them?

Most are still around, although they&#39;ve&nbsp;grown up from the &quot;Macarena&quot; days. Some of these former&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/80s-heartthrob-facts-whoa/olivia-pasquarelli" target="_blank">teen heartthrobs</a> are now dads to teens themselves&nbsp;and have carved out a living from whatever life threw at them. Facts about these former film and TV teen favorites will send you on a dreamy walk down adolescent memory lane.

Facts About Nostalgic Heartthrobs We Totally Forgot Existed

Person

Facts About Nostalgic Heartthrobs We Completely Forgot Existed

What&#39;s worse than an <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/creepy-unexplained-stories-in-america/jacob-shelton" target="_blank">unsolved mystery that keeps you awake</a>&nbsp;at night? Not much!&nbsp;Sometimes investigators go at these conundrums with surprising findings and persistence, but they remain stubbornly unsolved. Where did Jimmy Hoffa go? What happened to&nbsp;Malaysia Airlines Flight 370? Or for that matter, where do eels come from?

The world is a big place, full of things we still need to understand and solve. Add&nbsp;to that the human factor and a dash of chaos, and you have <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/unresolved-mysteries/chrissy-rose" target="_blank">bona fide unsolved mysteries</a> that most of us would love to see solved in our lifetimes. Here are some of them -&nbsp;the kind that can keep you awake at night, wondering&nbsp;who did it, and how....&nbsp;

Mysteries We Can't Believe We Still Don't Know The Answers To

Lists of fascinating and bizarre real cases that continue to stump detectives and amateur sleuths.

Unsolved Mysteries

Mysteries

Most of us love a good mystery, especially the solved ones. It is the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/unresolved-mysteries/chrissy-rose" target="_blank">unsolved cases</a> that get your goat, with the endless what-ifs and whodunits. Whether&nbsp;it&#39;s&nbsp;a real-life mystery or a plot in a movie, <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/little-known-mysteries-with-answers/jason-f-collins" target="_blank">a puzzle&nbsp;solved</a>&nbsp;always makes for easier breathing in&nbsp;the end.&nbsp;

But sometimes, solving a mystery does not answer all the questions or bring closure. You may know who did it, but why&nbsp;remains an enigma. Or in the case of a family tragedy, you may have all the answers, but still feel unsettled or simply sad about what happened.

Here are some <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/strange-mysteries-solved/mike-rothschild" target="_blank">solved mysteries</a> that don&#39;t offer a satisfying sense of closure.

Solved Mysteries That Seem Strange Even For Us

Interesting tidbits and things you should know about everything from the US Constitution to the modern banana industry.

Wow! That's Fascinating

Whoa Facts

A little knowledge is supposed to be a dangerous thing. But if &quot;little knowledge&quot; refers to&nbsp;trivia, it sure can be fun - especially when you have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/cool-little-known-facts/rima-pundir" target="_blank">little-known facts</a> to brag about.&nbsp;

Our planet is full of <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/human-body-facts-same-different/melissa-sartore" target="_blank">amazing humans</a>, <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/unsettling-wild-animal-facts/will-morgan-1" target="_blank">animals</a>,&nbsp;plants, and <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/snacks-from-the-90s/pierce-nahigyan" target="_blank">snack foods</a>. So here are some facts about all&nbsp;those things that may shock or amuse you, and surely make you want to share them with someone else.&nbsp;

Fun Facts We Just Learned That We Can't Wait To Share With Friends

Historical Figures

Stories about people&nbsp;escaping tough situations can be inspiring, especially when the escapee is innocent and truly deserves freedom.&nbsp;Sometimes, the most interesting getaway stories are about how <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/historic-prison-escapes/tracey-graham" target="_blank">people escaped from prison</a>, which doesn&#39;t make them heroes. But other escapees are more heroic, admired for their courage as they&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/positive-holocaust-escape-stories/setareh-janda" target="_blank">broke free from inhumane conditions</a>.

Real-life escape artists from history had a lot of brains and gumption. Vote up the stories about escapes that required serious guts, even if the escapees weren&#39;t inspiring or courageous.

Stories About Daring And Elaborate Escapes Throughout History

The history of humankind has been a twisted and bloody one - with wars, atrocities, and brutalities galore. Some countries&#39; populations never recovered after wars. From the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/weird-but-true-sparta-facts/emily-mast" target="_blank">Spartans</a> to the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/disgusting-imperial-rome/carly-silver" target="_blank">Romans</a>, the English to the Moors, you&#39;ll find weird trivia about all kinds of people, in every era. And while <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/fascinating-todayilearned-history-facts/garri-chaverst" target="_blank">history can certainly be fascinating</a>, sometimes it can be downright stomach-churning.

Here go some of the weirdest tales from the past that made our jaws drop. You may need to take a seat for this and sip a calming brew.&nbsp;

Things We Just Learned From History That Made Us Say 'That's Weird!'

Things We Just Learned From History That Made Us Say "That's Weird"

The world is way more <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/historical-mysteries-people-want-solved/melissa-sartore" target="_blank">complicated, secretive, and mysterious</a> than we think. Just look at all the trivia about it. Even if we spent our lives studying the scrolls of the Library at Alexandria, or tried to go through each page of the internet, we would still not know it all. Every day, people unearth new facts and <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/modern-archaeological-facts/zach-seemayer" target="_blank">make new discoveries</a>, and our life span is&nbsp;not enough to learn everything.&nbsp;

But for those of us with a quest for knowledge, learning even a little bit of trivia each day is a big deal. Every new fact we learn -&nbsp;big or small - about the world of today or the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/fascinating-todayilearned-history-facts/garri-chaverst" target="_blank">historical one</a>&nbsp;adds to our repertoire. When it comes to knowledge, it&#39;s the journey that&#39;s the most fun, right? On that note, here are some facts we cannot believe we didn&#39;t know before.&nbsp;

Facts We Can't Believe No One Told Us Before Now

Facts We Can't Believe No One Told Us Before Now Before Now

Facts are fun. Cool facts are even better and can make you the star of any gathering. The world is a strange place, so your treasure trove of information could be <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/unsettling-wild-animal-facts/will-morgan-1" target="_blank">unsettling facts about wild animals</a>&nbsp;or jaw-dropping nuggets about nature and <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/whoa-human-anatomy-facts/pierce-nahigyan" target="_blank">the human body</a>. 

Learning about such things not&nbsp;only sharpens your mind&nbsp;but also gives you fodder to share with friends and family. So here are some cool facts to wax eloquent about.

Cool Facts That More People Should Know

These are the most dramatic, petty, savage, and entertaining rivalries since Cain & Abel.

Where's the Beef?

Unscripted

There is space for everyone in the market today and yet company feuds abound. We know about many of them - but do we truly know about the turning points in company feuds?

How did it all begin? What is the story behind how famous companies started really going for the jugular? And how did it make famous brands or ideas turn into <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/historic-company-fails/katherine-walker" target="_blank">serious missteps</a>? The stories behind some of the most public company feuds are both surprising and brutal. Vote up the stories that make you want to gasp and clutch your pearls because of <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/corporate-brands-sassy-comebacks-twitter/damon-davis" target="_blank">how personal the attacks were</a>.

The Moments Company Rivalries Turned Personal

Company

People describe their experiences working with stars of all ages in all environments.

Stars on Stars

Fellow actors and crew describe what it's like to work with Hollywood's most familiar faces.

Acting with the Stars

Behind The Scenes

Method acting is when actors immerse&nbsp;themselves fully, emotionally and physically, in a role. Behind-the-scenes stories about method actors reveal that many have stayed in character off-camera as well. Like when <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/firsthand-depictions-of-tom-hanks/katherine-walker" target="_blank">Tom Hanks</a> decided not to bathe for weeks to look the part in Castaway. Or when <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/people-talk-about-nicolas-cage/pierce-nahigyan" target="_blank">Nicolas Cage</a> had his teeth pulled out, minus anesthesia, to feel the pain his Vietnam vet character endured in the movie Birdy.&nbsp;

Those who have worked closely with method actors on a film set offer different reactions to their character-focused colleagues, ranging from awe to puzzlement. Stories that reveal what directors and&nbsp;co-stars say about method actors, and what it&#39;s like&nbsp;to work with them, might surprise you.

What People Who Worked With Method Actors Said About Them

It&rsquo;s always fun to have some trivia and facts on&nbsp;hand for the next time you want to slay a party. The trivia could be about anything you find interesting, from <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/unsettling-wild-animal-facts/will-morgan-1" target="_blank">wild animals</a>&nbsp;to pets, <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/fascinating-todayilearned-history-facts/garri-chaverst" target="_blank">historical figures</a> to <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/weird-but-true-us-president-facts/stephanroget" target="_blank">political ones</a>. Of course, you could share one of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/true-stories-history-terrifying/melissa-sartore" target="_blank">creepier facts on the list</a>&nbsp;if your audience enjoys nightmare fuel. 

Either way, having facts stored in your head makes you the life of any gathering. So here goes some more trivia, fun to read and share. Vote up the ones you find most interesting.

Fascinating Facts We Need To Remember For Our Next Trivia Night

Since the dawn of civilization, a lot of important things have happened. Here are lists of about the many winding routes we took to get where we are today.

Historical Contexts

We all attend school for learning, but what if some of those lessons end up <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/historic-villainy-undeserved/elle-tharp" target="_blank">teaching the wrong history</a>? Plenty of historic misconceptions exist about famous figures in the world&nbsp;&nbsp;- especially about what they did or said. Most of these are stories, made to add to their legend.&nbsp;Think of history as the &quot;Telephone&quot; game. When a message is passed along from person to person, it changes. The final form is often a very corrupted version of the original. The same happens with history&nbsp;&nbsp;- especially in the times of Internet myth, memes, and propaganda.

Don&#39;t believe everything you read. On that note, here are some factoids we keep getting wrong about history. And it&#39;s not just us making the mistakes;&nbsp;the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/common-myths-about-american-history/jason-f-collins" target="_blank">history buffs err as well</a>.

Things We Keep Getting Wrong When We Think About History

Geographers argue whether the Earth has seven continents - Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia/Oceania, Europe, North America, and South America -&nbsp;or just six.&nbsp;Those in the latter camp say Europe and Asia <a href="https://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/continents.htm" target="_blank">make up one continent</a> (Eurasia) because they are one large landmass. The word &quot;<a href="https://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/continents.htm" target="_blank">continent</a>,&quot; after all, comes from the Latin word&nbsp;&quot;continere&quot; (&quot;to hold together&quot;).&nbsp;

That argument might never be resolved, but in the meantime, Europe is home to other&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/whoa-geography-size-facts/melissa-sartore" target="_blank">geography facts</a>&nbsp;that might surprise you.&nbsp;

European Geography Facts That Made Us Say 'Wait, What?!'

Inspecting mysterious and heinous crimes that stumped detectives.

Mysterious Crimes

Most of us love good mysteries, be it thrilling reads or nail-biting watches. In the fictional world, there are few mysteries left unsolved. By the end of a gripping book or movie, the bad guy usually faces the consequences of their actions.

But the real world is darker, and there are plenty of <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/unexplained-mysteries-that-were-solved/setareh-janda" target="_blank">unsolved mysteries</a>. It&rsquo;s one thing to read about them and empathize, but it&rsquo;s another to live through one. However,&nbsp;there can be&nbsp;light at the end of the tunnel for people living through unsolved mysteries and crimes. Because authorities keep working on cold cases, there have been times when&nbsp;people have <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/solved-mysteries/jason-f-collins" target="_blank">found closure</a>.

But these mysteries remain unsolved - and are all the more disturbing because of it.

Mysteries That We Wish We Knew The Answers To

We live in somewhat challenging times, so having something wholesome to read about can brighten any dull day. And <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/history-stories-that-made-us-cry/will-morgan-1" target="_blank">history is full of such feel-good&nbsp;facts</a>&nbsp;-&nbsp;the kind that can make you cry, but in a good way. Studies suggest that <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/is-crying-good-for-you-2021030122020" target="_blank">shedding a few tears is cathartic</a>. Crying releases endorphins and makes you feel better, and eases pain inside you. So be ready to shed a tear or two, because there is still plenty of sweetness to go around in the world,&nbsp;whether from humans or other animals.&nbsp;

Here are some uplifting facts to get us through the tough times. Plus, it&#39;s always helpful to learn something new that can add a little spring to every step. Just knowing that the world is a more wholesome place than we thought is good enough.

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