30+ Weirdly Interesting Pictures That Capture a Moment in History

“The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there.” wrote L.P. Hartley in his 1953 novel The Go-Between. And he wasn’t wrong! We’ve compiled some unique photos and images featuring the craziest elements from history, from Ancient Egyptian police monkeys to famous novelists taking part in pantless duels, and from Roman Emperors to The Muppets. So, join us as we celebrate our weird and wonderful past.

Another Fine Mess You've Gotten Me Into, Wilbur

Not counting Icarus and Daedalus, French inventor Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier was the first human to fly in a hot-air balloon in 1783. But Orville and Wilbur Wright were the first to fly in an airplane. On December 17th, 1903, at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, the Wright brothers flew the first powered aircraft four times, with their longest flight lasting 59 seconds and covering 852 feet.

But did you know that almost immediately after their first flight, their plane, the imaginatively named Flyer 1, was destroyed by a strong gust of wind? It's unknown which of the Wright brothers caused the gust by having beans for breakfast.

You’re Under Arrest for Monkeying Around!

Did you know that ancient Egyptians used baboons to catch criminals? Yep, it's true. Thousands of years ago, not only did criminals get in trouble with their mummies, but monkeys were used like we use police dogs today. How do we know? Well, artworks and hieroglyphs depict Egyptian officers using baboons on leashes to apprehend criminals.

This classical artwork from the Saqqara necropolis shows an ancient Egyptian officer unleashing a baboon on a thief in a marketplace and the criminal begging them to call the animal off before it bites his leg off!

Google Maps on a 1920s Apple Watch

Today, we all wear Apple Watches and use Google Maps to navigate. But the idea of a map on your watch is nothing new. This map watch comes from the 1920s and features tiny maps that you can scroll up and down using the two dials on the side.

Instead of downloading apps, you'd load up tiny maps showing the road you were traveling on and nothing else. We guess they worked, as you only needed to know which roads to turn or not turn onto.

The Great Smog of London

On December 5th, 1952, a gothic smog descended on London. The Great Smog was known as "pea-soupers" as it was like looking through pea soup. It was caused by cold weather and airborne pollutants from burning coal. Things got so bad that blind people had to help citizens find their way home in the dark.

Four thousand people lost their lives in the Great Smog, and 100,000 more were made ill by the smog's effects. Then, on December 9th, a change in the weather dispersed the smog.