Ella Spitz
As seen in:
MSN,
Yahoo Life,
Yahoo News,
Flipboard,
Yahoo Sports,
Yahoo,
All That's Interesting,
The Portland Press Herald,
Truthout,
Republican-American
and
Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Ella Spitz
A 4,300-Year-Old Burial Of A Woman Holding A Baby Was Just Uncovered During Road Construction In Czechia
The approximately 30-year-old woman was found lying in a crouched position on her right side with an infant in her arms, face to face. Archaeologists in Czechia discovered an Early Bronze Age burial of a woman holding a newborn baby, as well as several other ancient burials and artifacts. Around 4,300 years ago, a woman in present-day Czechia was buried on her right side with her legs flexed — and a newborn baby cradled in her arms, face to face.
Inside The Military Career Of Jimmy Stewart, The Actor Who Took A Hiatus From Hollywood To Fight In World War 2
Jimmy Stewart flew 20 combat missions during World War II and retired from the Air Force Reserve in 1968 as a brigadier general, making him the highest-ranking actor in U.S. military history. Jimmy Stewart is a Hollywood legend, but he also spent 27 years in the military. Jimmy Stewart was one of the most celebrated actors of the Golden Age of Hollywood. But shortly after winning his first Oscar in 1941, he made an unexpected move: He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Forces.
A Long-Lost Georgia O’Keeffe Painting Was Found In A New York Woman’s Closet Under A Row Of Fur Coats — And It Could Now Fetch $3 Million At Auction
When an elderly New York woman invited her niece to her apartment to help go through her things and get her affairs in order, she casually mentioned that she'd been holding onto a lost masterwork from one of the 20th century's most iconic artists. This rediscovered Georgia O’Keeffe painting from 1930, Near Abiquiu, New Mexico I, is estimated to sell at auction for between $3 million and $5 million.
Syd Barrett Penned Some Of Pink Floyd’s First Hits. Then LSD And Mental Illness Derailed His Career
3 hours ago John Jeffers once blocked for Vikings legend√ on the football field. After his guitar-only national anthem on Monday Night Football, angry fans wanted the NFL to ban rock renditions altogether. The Whiskey Myers lead guitarist took center stage for the Star-Spangled Banner before Vikings-Bills, but …
Syd Barrett Penned Some Of Pink Floyd’s First Hits. Then LSD And Mental Illness Derailed His Career
Syd Barrett co-founded Pink Floyd in 1965 and served as the band's frontman and primary songwriter, but he left the group in 1968 after his behavior became increasingly erratic. Syd Barrett was the lead guitarist, frontman, and primary songwriter for Pink Floyd from 1965 to 1968. In 1965, Syd Barrett co-founded Pink Floyd, and the band soon skyrocketed to fame.
Paleontologists In Germany Just Found A 47-Million-Year-Old Owl Fossil — With Its Last Meal Still Sitting In Its Stomach
Paleontologists in Messel, Germany recently unearthed an exceptionally well-preserved prehistoric owl fossil that could shed new light on when exactly these birds became nocturnal. Researchers believe that this owl hunted during the day, which provides new data for the ongoing question of when these birds first became nocturnal. Researchers in Germany have discovered the exceptionally well-preserved fossil of a young owl that dates back a whopping 47 million years.
The Earliest-Known Use Of Cannabis Has Been Uncovered In A 2,800-Year-Old Tomb In Siberia
While exploring an ancient Scythian tomb in the Uyuk Valley, researchers noticed scores of little black balls — which turned out to be 1,400 cannabis seeds. Researchers determined that these cannabis seeds found within a Scythian tomb date back a record-setting 2,800 years. Humans may have been using cannabis for its psychoactive properties hundreds of years earlier than previously thought.
The Controversial Story Of Shoeless Joe Jackson, The Baseball Star Who Was Banned From The Sport For His Alleged Role In The Black Sox Scandal
Shoeless Joe Jackson and seven of his White Sox teammates were banned from Major League Baseball after their alleged involvement in fixing the 1919 World Series — but debate over Jackson's role in the scandal continues to this day. Shoeless Joe Jackson was one of baseball’s brightest stars — until he was banned from the sport. During his decades-long career in professional baseball, “Shoeless” Joe Jackson earned a .356 batting average — one of the highest in major league history.
Archaeologists In Greenland Just Uncovered The Ruins Of A Medieval Norse Church With A Skeleton Buried On The Grounds
Found in Qinngua, this church is situated just three miles from Brattahlíð, the 10th-century estate of the famous Viking explorer Erik the Red. Archaeologists have identified a Norse church in Greenland for the first time in 60 years.
Inside The Many Luxuries Enjoyed By First-Class Passengers On The Titanic
First-class passengers on the RMS Titanic paid thousands of dollars for their tickets, and enjoyed elegant accommodations, sunny promenades, and decadent, multicourse meals. Before its ill-fated voyage, the Titanic was praised as the pinnacle of luxury and comfort. As the RMS Titanic prepared to set sail in April 1912, it was hailed as the pinnacle of comfort and luxury. The ship was equipped with luxurious restaurants and cafes, bedroom suites, and even a swimming pool.
McSorley’s, The Beloved New York City Bar That’s Like A 19th-Century Time Capsule
Established more than 150 years ago, McSorley's Old Ale House is crammed with historical artifacts from the days of Abraham Lincoln — and it still only serves the same two kinds of beer it always has. And if you liked this post, be sure to check out these popular posts: 1 of 29 McSorley's Old Ale House was established in the mid-19th century and has been a New York City institution ever since.
Archaeologists In Pompeii Just Found A Cupboard Filled With Personal Items That Had Gone Untouched Since The Eruption Of Mount Vesuvius
Among the items once held in this cupboard were tweezers, a pestle for mixing makeup, a glass perfume bottle, and an incense burner. Archaeologists discovered dozens of personal objects in a Pompeii cupboard that had gone untouched for nearly 2,000 years. When Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 C.E., the bustling ancient city of Pompeii, near the Bay of Naples, was wiped from the face of the Earth.
Who Are The Ainu People? Inside The Rich History And Culture Of The East Asian Indigenous Group
The Ainu were hunter-gatherers who lived across Japan and into southeastern Russia, but centuries of forced assimilation have virtually eliminated their language and traditions. An Ainu family on “display” at the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition. For hundreds of years, the Ainu people have lived in northern Japan and southeastern Russia. Culturally and physically different from the Yamato people — Japan’s dominant ethnic group — they have a rich and unique history.
Who Are The Ainu People? Inside The Rich History And Culture Of The East Asian Indigenous Group
4 hours ago Experts have cracked a four-letter code to open an ancient padlock from a shipwreck off the Welsh coast using modern scanning technology. The 400-year-old brass lock was discovered by metal detectorist Peter Hughes in the sand near Margam in Port Talbot, in 1999. It forms part of a wider treasure …
The Extraordinary Career Of Chuck Yeager, The Record-Breaking Pilot Who First Exceeded The Speed Of Sound
Chuck Yeager's 70-year aviation career spanned World War II and the Vietnam War, but he's best known as the test pilot who broke the sound barrier in 1947. Chuck Yeager in the cockpit of the Glamorous Glennis, the Bell X-1 in which he broke the sound barrier in 1947. When Chuck Yeager enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Forces in 1941, he wasn’t eligible to be a pilot due to his age. Just three years later, he was a flying ace — but that wasn’t his biggest accomplishment.
Archaeologists In Turkey Just Found A Clay Brick Marked With A Paw Print Made By A Dog 4,000 Years Ago
The brick, likely stepped on by the dog when it was first drying and solidifying, was found among the ruins of a house that was destroyed sometime around 1700 B.C.E. Archaeologists in Tavşanlı Höyük discovered a dog’s paw print that had been embedded in a clay brick 4,000 years ago.
Archaeologists In Romania Have Discovered An 1,800-Year-Old Sarcophagus Of A Roman Child — And It’s Filled With Toys
The Roman-era sarcophagus held the remains of flower garlands, clay toys, and two bulla pendants that were typically worn by freeborn Roman boys. Archaeologists discovered a Roman child’s sarcophagus near the ancient city of Tomis in present-day Romania. Archaeologists from the Constanța Museum of National History and Archaeology in Romania recently announced the discovery of a rare, sealed Roman-era sarcophagus belonging to a young child.
Inside The Legend Of The Cailleach, The Powerful Celtic Goddess Of Winter And Storms
A one-eyed "hag" who fights off spring each year, the Cailleach is closely associated with destruction, but also has ties to Celtic creation myths. The Cailleach is a deity of Gaelic folklore associated with winter. In Gaelic folklore, the Cailleach is a divine “hag” that serves an immensely important role as a goddess associated with winter and storms. She is closely tied with destruction, but also with creation myths.
The Chilling Story Of Rolling Hills Asylum And The ‘Shadow People’ That Haunt Its Halls
Rolling Hills Asylum opened in Upstate New York as a poorhouse in 1827, and today visitors to the allegedly haunted site report floating orbs, disembodied voices, and the shadowy spirits of former residents. Rolling Hills Asylum, the former Genesee County Poor Farm that’s said to be haunted by the ghosts of its former residents. Today, Rolling Hills Asylum is a paranormal tourist attraction in Upstate New York.
Chante Mallard Hit An Unhoused Man With Her Car — Then Left Him To Slowly Die In Her Garage While Still Lodged In Her Windshield
On October 26, 2001, Chante Mallard hit Gregory Glenn Biggs with her car in Fort Worth, Texas, then drove home and left Biggs to die slowly over the course of several hours. Chante Mallard, the woman who struck Gregory Glenn Biggs with her car in 2001. Early in the morning on Oct. 26, 2001, 25-year-old nursing assistant Chante Mallard was driving home from a night out in Fort Worth, Texas, when she hit an unhoused man with her car.
Grimoires: The Spellbooks With Instructions For Everything From Treating Bee Stings To Summoning Demons
Grimoires date back as far as ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, but they became widespread in Europe during the Middle Ages — until the Catholic Church began targeting them. An excerpt from the Picatrix, a Latin translation of an Arabic grimoire from the 11th century. In musical and film adaptations of Gregory Maguire’s Wicked, a pinnacle moment for Elphaba before she turns into the Wicked Witch of the West comes when she is able to read from The Grimmerie.
What Does ‘To Run The Gauntlet’ Mean? How A Form Of Corporal Punishment Became A Popular Idiom
Today, running the gauntlet means to face a series of challenges, but the idiom was originally a militaristic corporal punishment in which offenders were forced to run through two rows of people armed with weapons. Today, “running the gauntlet” is only used figuratively, to mean facing trials and hardships, but it used to be a brutal corporal punishment.
Archaeologists Exploring The Ruins Of Ancient Troy Just Found A Bone Flute From The Era Of The ‘Iliad’ And The ‘Odyssey’
The first musical instrument ever discovered in Troy, the flute adds a new chapter to the archaeological record of this iconic ancient city in northwestern Turkey. For the first time in 160 years of excavations, archaeologists unearthed a musical instrument at Troy: a flute made of bone. Archaeologists excavating the ancient city of Troy in Turkey discovered a bone flute that dates back about 2,800 years.
Archaeologists in Alaska found 13,000-year-old relics from some of the first settlers to cross the Bering Land Bridge into North America
Archaeologists excavating a prehistoric site in Alaska known as Shég' Xdaltth'i' discovered a wealth of remains from a 13,000-year-old base camp built by some of the first ancestral Native Americans to settle the continent. The site was near the Bering Land Bridge, a stretch of terrain connecting Asia and North America that formed 35,000 years ago, but has been underwater for the last 12,000 years.
Why The Norse Underworld Known As Helheim Isn’t As Fearsome As It Seems
Helheim, the frigid underworld ruled by the goddess Hel in Norse mythology, isn't a place of punishment but rather a continuation of life where the deceased eat, drink, sleep, and fight. The Norse goddess Hel sits in Helheim with Garmr, the dog that guards the gates to the underworld. Most people have heard of Valhalla, the Norse afterlife where Vikings feasted, drank, and fought to the death only to rise again each day. But there was another realm for the dead that isn’t as well-known: Helheim.
Archaeologists In Alaska Found 13,000-Year-Old Relics From Some Of The First Settlers To Cross The Bering Land Bridge Into North America
Researchers exploring these settlements, known as Shég' Xdaltth'i', unearthed everything from the remains of domesticated dogs to bird beaks that had been sharpened into weapons. Archaeologists excavating Shég’ Xdaltth’i’ found more than 80,000 relics that demonstrate how ancestral Native Americans lived some 13,000 years ago.
Archaeologists In Alaska Found 13,000-Year-Old Relics From Some Of The First Settlers To Cross The Bering Land Bridge Into North America
Tourists flocked to the Abu Simbel temple in Egypt on Thursday to witness a rare astronomical ceremony that has been taking place for thousands of …
The Eerie Story Of Stull Cemetery, The Tiny Kansas Graveyard Said To Contain A Portal To Hell
For generations, stories have spread that Stull Cemetery contains a portal to Hell, and that the devil visits the graveyard on Halloween and the spring equinox. Stull Cemetery, as seen in 2019. The sleepy village of Stull, a small settlement about 50 miles west of Kansas City, shot into the spotlight in the 1970s after a University of Kansas student newspaper alleged that the Stull Cemetery was haunted. What’s more, the paper claimed that the cemetery contained a portal to hell.
Excavators Preparing To Build An Elementary School In Germany Just Uncovered A 7,000-Year-Old Burial
The remains were found in a crouched position characteristic of the Linear Pottery culture, though experts still don't know the significance of this unusual funerary procedure. Archaeologists discovered a Neolithic burial as well as the remains of a Linear Pottery culture wooden house at the site of a future school in Leipzig.
A Farmer Working His Land In Northern Egypt Just Stumbled Upon Two Colossal Statues Of Ramesses The Great
Khaled al-Shahat was surveying his property in Behbeit El-Hagar when he found a peculiar pink rock that looked out of place — and soon led to the discovery of two enormous statue heads. After the farmer found a rock with hieroglyphics on it, he contacted archaeological officials who fully unearthed two statue heads of the beloved pharaoh who ruled 3,200 years ago.
Workers Preparing To Build A House On The Corsican Coast Just Stumbled Upon A Roman-Era Dwelling Carved Directly Into The Bedrock
Lifestyle 2 hours ago Take a Look at the Stunning Italian Estate That Plays a Role on The Diplomat Elle - Adrienne Gaffney • 2h The 170-acre property once belonged to the Ferragamo family. For the end of The Diplomat season 4, our favorite characters made their way from the London halls of government to scenic Tuscany, where they attend a G7 summit.
Workers Preparing To Build A House On The Corsican Coast Just Stumbled Upon A Roman-Era Dwelling Carved Directly Into The Bedrock
Archaeologists digging at Cap Corse along the Bay of Meria uncovered a sturdy foundation made of carefully-carved stone blocks, with rooms separated by large monoliths of schist. This ancient Roman-era dwelling was found during preventative excavations ahead of planned house construction on Corsica.
Archaeologists in Turkey believe they just found the world's oldest shipwreck
An ancient cargo vessel believed to be the world's oldest shipwreck has been found off the coast of Turkey. This sunken ship dates back an astonishing 4,700 years — right around the time when the pyramids of Egypt were being built just across the Mediterranean Sea.
Archaeologists In Turkey Believe They Just Found The World’s Oldest Shipwreck
This 33-foot cargo vessel was transporting several dozen ceramic containers across the Mediterranean when it sank some 4,700 years ago. Researchers off the coast of Kekova Island in Antalya discovered artifacts from a shipwreck that dates back as far as 4,700 years. An ancient cargo vessel believed to be the world’s oldest shipwreck has been found off the coast of Turkey.
The Breakers: Inside The Opulent Gilded Age Mansion Built By Cornelius Vanderbilt II
Though the Vanderbilts spent millions to build The Breakers, they considered the 70-room mansion in Newport, Rhode Island to simply be their "summer cottage." And if you liked this post, be sure to check out these popular posts: 1 of 37 The Breakers was built in 1893 by the railroad businessman Cornelius Vanderbilt II. 2 of 37 The 70-room mansion covers almost an acre of the 13-acre property and is a popular tourist attraction in Newport, Rhode Island.
‘A Cultural And Historical Atrocity’: A Carving Older Than The Pyramids Was Just Destroyed By Border Wall Construction In Arizona
In April 2026, heavy machinery working in Arizona's Sonoran Desert tore a 50-foot swath through the Las Playas Intaglio, a giant fish that was carved into the earth by the Tohono O'odham people at least 6,500 years ago. Researchers initially believed that the carving that was damaged by border wall construction was 1,000 years old, but they’ve since learned that it is in fact closer to 6,500 years old.
Archaeologists Believe That This Mass Grave Found In Latvia Holds The Brutalized Victims Of A Viking Raid
These six sets of remains found in Čunkāni-Dreņģeri cemetery — four men and two children — show multiple injuries from sharp-edged weapons like axes and swords. Archaeologists discovered a 1,200-year-old grave in Latvia that was filled with six people who may have died in a Viking raid. Archaeologists excavating a 1,200-year-old grave in Latvia discovered the remains of six people who may have been brutally killed during a Viking raid.
This Painting Was Purchased At An Estate Sale In Michigan For $30. It Just Sold At Auction For $1.3 Million
In 2025, a man attending an estate sale at the home of a deceased doctor in Michigan came upon a painting languishing in a dimly-lit corridor leading to the garage — and it turned out to be Gertrude Abercrombie's lost 1951 masterpiece, Alderman Merriam's Shells. Gertrude Abercrombie’s 1951 painting Alderman Merriam’s Shells was rediscovered in 2025 when it was bought at an estate sale for $30.
‘It would have been very gruesome': Researchers just proved that Egyptian rulers were buried with dozens of human sacrifices
In Umm el-Qaab, a royal funerary complex in Abydos, ancient Egypt's first pharaohs were laid to rest some 5,000 years ago — alongside dozens of their subjects. For decades, this burial arrangement puzzled archaeologists and historians, largely because many of these people seemed to have died at the same time, and it wasn't a case of natural causes.
Melting Ice In Southern Norway Just Revealed Dozens Of Prehistoric Arrows Dating As Far Back As 6,000 Years
With 48 arrows discovered in all, researchers unearthed both shafts and heads, which were made out of everything from slate to bone to mussel shell. Researchers excavating Norway’s glaciers discovered 48 prehistoric arrowheads. Archaeologists in Norway just made a series of astonishing discoveries while exploring the Jotunheimen mountains about 200 miles northwest of Oslo. In all, researchers recovered 48 prehistoric arrows from the melting ice, including one that dates as far back as 6,000 years.
Archaeologists in Egypt just found a 1,900-year-old ring depicting the Lighthouse of Alexandria
Excavations taking place in the Eastern Harbor of Alexandria, Egypt have recently recovered pottery and glass artifacts, as well as a rare bronze ring emblazoned with an image of the Lighthouse of Alexandria. Egyptian officials said that this was the first time that the lighthouse, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World , was found depicted on a ring of this kind.
Archaeologists In Egypt Just Found A 1,900-Year-Old Ring Depicting The Lighthouse Of Alexandria
One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Lighthouse of Alexandria stood an astonishing 330 feet high, placing it among the world's tallest buildings for centuries before its gradual destruction in the Middle Ages. Archaeologists in the Eastern Harbor of Alexandria discovered a rare bronze ring engraved with an image of the Lighthouse of Alexandria.
The Shadowy Story Of Operation Condor, The Covert Plot To Eliminate Political Dissidents Throughout South America
In the 1970s and '80s, a cabal of South American military dictators working with U.S. support conspired to capture and murder untold tens of thousands of their political enemies. Operation Condor ran for roughly a decade, but its impact is still felt to this day. In the 1970s and 1980s, thousands of people in South America disappeared. They were men and women; young and old.
Archaeologists In Russia Just Found An Ancient Warrior’s Grave Filled With Weapons, Sacrificed Animals, And A Jug Emblazoned With A Pentagram
Experts believe that this Maeotian warrior was laid to rest with both a coin featuring the likeness of Alexander the Great and a jug adorned with a pentagram in order to provide him with totemic protection on his journey into the afterlife. This 2,000-year-old burial of a Maeotian warrior also contained the remains of his horse, a pentagram-adorned drinking vessel, and a rare gold coin.
Archaeologists Exploring The Mountain Forests Of Central Germany Just Discovered An Ancient Roman Temple Dedicated To The God Of War
Measuring 16 feet in length and featuring stone walls that are more than a foot and a half thick, this site went undiscovered for nearly two millennia while sitting only a few inches beneath the surface. Archaeologists uncovered a Roman temple dedicated to Mars, the god of war, in a German forest. In the forests of Germany’s Taunus Mountains, near the modern-day town of Rosbach vor der Höhe, archaeologists recently found the remnants of a Roman temple dedicated to Mars, god of war.
This cipher that Napoleon used went unsolved for 217 years. ChatGPT just solved it in six hours
In March 1809, on the precipice of war with the Austrian Empire, French leader Napoleon Bonaparte sent a message to his senior general, Auguste de Marmont. The first line was in standard French: “You must have received, General Marmont, my letters of the 8th, 14th and 20th of this month.” But the next 24 lines were all written in code. After the cipher's answer key was lost to history, the letter's secrets remained shrouded in mystery for 217 years.
This Cipher That Napoleon Used Went Unsolved For 217 Years. ChatGPT Just Solved It In Six Hours
While the first of the message's 24 lines is in French, the rest is in a mix of letters, numbers, and made-up symbols so baffling that no cryptographer had come close to decoding it. Napoleon sent the cipher to General Auguste de Marmont in March 1809 in hopes of warning him about enemy troop positions on the eve of war with Austria. In March 1809, on the precipice of war with the Austrian Empire, French leader Napoleon Bonaparte sent a message to his senior general, Auguste de Marmont.
A New Species Of Dinosaur With Four Wings Was Just Identified By Paleontologists In China
This predatory microraptor measured just 21 inches across, but nevertheless used its razor-sharp claws and teeth to hunt early mammals, lizards, amphibians, and juvenile dinosaurs. Paleontologists studying the Early Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation in northeastern China identified a new microraptor species known as Norellraptor barsboldi. Paleontologists in northeastern China discovered a well-preserved fossil of a tiny dinosaur that lived more than 100 million years ago.
This 2,800-year-old palace discovered in Ethiopia may have been one of the world's very first skyscrapers
Today, the world's great skyscrapers, built with steel frames and concrete, reach heights of more than 2,000 feet. Although the skyscraper may seem like a symbol of modernity itself, the fact is that, thousands of years ago, ancient builders were attempting to reach great heights as well.
This 2,800-Year-Old Palace Discovered In Ethiopia May Have Been One Of The World’s Very First ‘Skyscrapers’
For centuries, historians have known of various accounts from the Middle East and northeastern Africa that speak of supertall buildings being constructed in the region some 2,000 years ago — and now we may have proof. A new study has shown that the Grat Be’al Gibri palace at Yeha could have supported 16-19 floors. Today, the world’s great skyscrapers, built with steel frames and concrete, reach heights of more than 2,000 feet.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Ella
Contact Ella, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack