Margaret Caroline Rudd was a con woman in late 18th-century London. She lived a lifetime of spending other people’s money in one way or another, getting away with the most audacious crimes by leveraging some peculiarities of the era. First, a husband was always considered responsible for debts incurred by his wife, no matter the circumstances. Second, crime victims were often blamed for their losses, and often were too embarrassed to complain. Third, a well-dressed, well-mannered woman of some class was given the benefit of a doubt. While Rudd had many ways of separating people from their money, her main career was prostitution.

She had her established clients, and a host of high-society connections to procure more. Blackmail and fraud were occasional sources of income, but for the most part she lived a lavish life as the mistress of a rotating cast of thoroughly beguiled, and often foreign, men. A certain reputation with the locals was inevitable, after all⁠⁠—yet even those who knew for certain that she had fleeced friends often found her irresistible when their turn came. She was by all accounts quite average in beauty, but as historian Sarah Bakewell put it, “Caroline had wit in the full eighteenth-century sense of the term: insight, intellect, adaptability, cynicism, and the ability to use language as a deadly weapon.” She could talk her way into, and out of, anything, at least as long as the listener was male. Some of her lovers included the poet John Boswell (who wrote extensively of her wickedness even as he continued to visit her nightly), the Marquis of Granby (who died carrying a mind-boggling £37,000 in debt, due in no small part to Caroline), and possibly even King George’s brother, the Duke of Cumberland.

Rudd had three children with David Perreau, and eventually roped his twin brother into a scheme to defraud. After so many years of getting away with various crimes, Rudd became the subject of a sensational and scandalous trial. Read about the crimes and trials of Caroline Rudd at Damn Interesting. The story is available in both text and audio.

I was not aware of the pocket. pic.twitter.com/bWywuHJk9f

— jamie (@gnuman1979) August 28, 2020

Did you know that sea otters have pockets? It's true! They have a fold of loose skin under their forearms where they keep their favorite rock, which they use to open shells. They can also stash food in their pouches while they swim to the surface. If that's surprising to you, read on about their sex habits. -via Everlasting Blort

Over a period of 110 years, werewolves roamed France. Or maybe they were just wolves, but a lot of people were killed or injured, and a lot of people were executed, accused of being a werewolf. Between 1530 and 1640, those accusations were lodged against around 30,000 people.

As it pertains to France, the country’s history with wolf-related mythology is long and rich with stories such as the La Bête duGévaudan, or The Beast of Gévaudan, which for three years terrorized the area. The first attack occurred in April of 1764, and the victim, a young woman tending her flock of sheep, described her assailant as looking “like a wolf, yet not a wolf.” She survived when her sheep went into action, defending the teenage girl from the Beast. Two months later, another young girl, Jeanne Boulet, was attacked and killed by what the residents of Gévaudan thought to be a natural predator, given the fact Boulet was also tending a flock of sheep. Two more fatal attacks would follow within a matter of weeks, both young field workers, a girl, age fifteen, and a boy age sixteen. This would be the start of more than 100 documented fatal attacks in Gévaudan in which most of the victims were partially eaten. The residents of Gévaudan would take up arms, and large rewards were offered for the capture or killing of The Beast of Gévaudan. Experienced hunters and even groups of children would go out in search of the Beast and return with stories of battling a giant wolf (noted in the book Monsters of the Gévaudan: The Making of a Beast). One such incident describes the wolf attacking a group of young children, five boys and two girls in a bog where they were playing. The wolf preyed on the youngest of the group, an eight-year-old boy who he clenched in his massive jaws as the kids attacked the wolf with their make-believe weapons (in this time period, pretend bayonets), finally getting the animal/manimal torelease their friend.

Some actual beasts were hunted and killed, but the attacks went on in Gévaudan and different parts of France. Read more about the "werewolves" and their victims at Dangerous Minds.

Pinpointing the oldest city in the world seems like a fool's errand. For one thing, archaeologists keep discovering "new" ancient ruins where no one lives now. For another thing, the ability to accurately date a civilization that lasted a long time is a difficult art. But most of all, how can science agree on the definition of a city?

For example, archaeologists working in Mexico might classify the Zapotec capital of Monte Albán as a city, when it exceeded more than 5,000 residents by 300 B.C. But that size wouldn't cut it five centuries later, in 200 A.D., when the great Teotihuacan likely harbored 100,000 people.

Perhaps more important than the city itself is its relationship with surrounding lands. Many archaeologists say cities, by definition, rely on hinterlands for food, water and raw materials. A city stands out as the largest settlement and civic center in a landscape of smaller, socially-tied villages, homes and farms. People from the greater region would identify with the big city, like how today's Wellesley, Massachusetts residents might say they're from "outside Boston." The city designation depends, then, on a site's prominence relative to other settlements nearby.

At the very least, most archaeologists would classify a site as a city if it functioned as a regional hub. That means it contained major public attractions, like amphitheaters, monuments and markets, and housed a substantial portion of the regional population — usually 5,000 residents or more before 1 A.D.

Any of these definitions is relative, as a population of 5,000 would be considered a small town today. So there are, at this time, quite a few contestants for the title of the world's oldest city. Read which ancient metro areas those are at Discover magazine.  -via Strange Company

(Image credit: Gzzz)

Movies can make us afraid of all sorts of wild animals, but the truth is that we have little to fear, since wild animals are usually afraid of us- with good reason. Still, some apex predators will kill and eat you if there's nothing tastier around. For some reason, the article begins with a story of people eaten by catfish, but catfish aren't on the list. What is on the list are the predators most likely to kill you. Keep in mind, wild animals will kill you in defense even if they aren't hungry, so don't put yourself in a position where they feel threatened. Neither wolves nor werewolves made the list.

And remember, the animal that causes the most human deaths is a tiny insect.

(Image credit: Benh LIEU SONG)

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School just started a week ago and tomorrow is already an exam...wow.🙄💁🏼‍♀️ _________________________________________________ Wig: @trendywigs

A post shared by 𝐇𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐲𝐥𝐞𝐬 & 𝐓𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐬♡𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐚 (@hairstylist.dream) on May 18, 2020 at 3:31am PDT

Milena, a 17-year old hairstylist from Germany, is a master of her craft. Working upon mannequin wigs, she creates intricate hair designs that appear to be almost magical. Her Instagram page includes video instructions on how to replicate her work upon a friend's hair--or your own, if you're exceptionally dexterous.

Mattel is releasing a new themed Barbie doll in honor of Mexico's Día de Muertos, or Day the Dead. Or sort-of new. They released a limited edition Day of the Dead Barbie last year, and it went over so well that it's now going to be an annual release, different each year, so collectors can begin saving them in the box.

As Romper reports, the 2020 doll flaunts a pale pink lace hoop skirt underlaid with a colorful floral pattern (interspersed with a few skulls). Her braided updo features flowers to match, and her makeup is painted to emulate the beautiful calaveras, or decorative skulls, that are seen at many Día de Muertos celebrations. Last year’s Barbie, on the other hand, has two long braids with blue highlights, and she wears a black trumpet-flared gown adorned with butterflies and flowers.

Día de Muertos is the first day of November, and the dolls will be shipping beginning on October second. You can pre-order yours, if you have $75.

Have you ever wondered how sharks would look if they had teeth and a tongue similar to ours? Would they look more terrifying? Would they look funny? Or would they look cute or beautiful?

I’ll let you be the judge of that.

See the pictures over The Mind Circle.

(Image Credit: The Mind Circle)

It’s already difficult enough to raise a child. But there is something even more difficult than raising a child, and that is raising a genius one. They stand out from everybody else, as they are just more advanced than other kids. The education system also doesn’t help them much, because the system is catered towards average kids.

This article from Big Think gives us some advice on how to raise genius kids. But these tips are not only applicable to raising genius children, but also to children in general.

Here are some few tips.

• Expose children to diverse experiences.
• When a child exhibits strong interests or talents, provide opportunities to develop them.
• Support both intellectual and emotional needs.
• Help children to develop a 'growth mindset' by praising effort, not ability.

See the others over at the site.

What are your thoughts about this one?

(Image Credit: FelixMittermeier/ Pixabay)

If you are a gamer, then you know how much it means when your partner becomes interested in the game, or the games, that you play. It shows how much they want to know you. It’s an unforgettable moment.

(Image Credit: Viva La Dirt League/ YouTube)

Kuno is a Belgian Malinois who served in the British army. Last year, Kuno accompanied special forces on a night raid targeting al-Qaeda extremists in Afghanistan. Kuno saved the lives of his unit, but he was shot in both his back legs, leaving him severely injured.

Vets had to amputate part of one of his rear paws to prevent a life-threatening infection taking hold.

After returning to the UK on an RAF plane, he underwent extensive reconstructive surgery.

Just like injured soldiers, Kuno began a lengthy rehabilitation programme to restore function to his nerves and muscles, and is said to have particularly enjoyed his sessions on the hydrotherapy treadmill.

Within months, he was fitted with a custom-made prosthesis to replace his missing paw and an orthotic brace to help his injured limb.

Kuno, who was on his second deployment when he was injured, is the first UK military dog to be fitted with such devices, which allow him to run and jump unencumbered - giving him many more happy years in retirement.

The four-year-old dog will receive the Dickin Medal, the highest honor a military animal can receive, in a virtual ceremony in November. That's a good dog. Read how Kuno put his life on the line against al-Qaeda at BBC News.  -via Strange Company

Dogs just might be the most wonderful creatures that have existed on our planet. They shower us with a lot of love and affection, and just through their presence they give us comfort and joy. Aside from that, they make us wonder about them. “What do they talk about with other dogs?” “How do they see us humans?” “What do they think about?” These are some questions that might be going inside our minds.

In these comic strips, Denise Natali-Paine gives us what she thinks goes on the minds of dogs. If you have a dog, then you might be able to relate to these strips.

See them at Bored Panda.

(Image Credit: Denise Natali-Paine/ Bored Panda)

Candy-making is already art in itself. But take it to the next level and you get this: treats that look like creatures, so beautifully made that you wouldn’t want a bite of them, let alone a lick.

These candies are made by Kurokazu, a wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets) chef.

See more of his creations over at his Instagram and Twitter accounts.

Via 9GAG

(Image Credit: kurokazu_45/ Twitter)

We know flamingos have upside-down beaks because they feed upside-down, but have you ever seen them do it? This underwater footage captures them in the act at the San Diego Zoo.

These pretty in pink birds feed by sucking in water and mud at the front of their bills, then pumping it out at the sides. Briny plates called lamellae act like tiny filters, trapping shrimp and other small water creatures for the flamingos to eat. Everybirdy loves seafood!

Read more about the flamingos at the zoo's website. -via Everlasting Blort

When we first saw the binary stars of Tatooine, it was hard to wrap our heads around how that worked. Since then, astronomers have found plenty of binary star systems, in which two stars revolve around a common center of gravity. The system called GW Orionis (in the Orion constellation) is a young system with three stars, two that form the normal binary and another revolving around the two a few hundred million miles away. There are three rings of dust surrounding GW Orionis, one with an unusual tilt.

Now, a closer analysis reveals that the rings may hold more than just dust; according to two recent studies, published today (Sept. 3) in the journal Science and May 21 in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, there could be a young planet, or the makings of one, bulging up inside the rings and throwing off the whole system's gravitational balance. The presence of such a planet would not only help explain why the system's inner ring appears to be wobbling around wildly like a broken gyroscope — but, if confirmed, the distant world would also become the first known example of a single planet orbiting three suns at once, the researchers said.

"Our simulations show that the gravitational pull from the triple stars alone cannot explain the observed large misalignment [in the rings]," Nienke van der Marel, an astrophysicist at the University of Victoria in Canada and co-author of the May 21 study, said in a statement. "We think that the presence of a planet … has likely carved a dust gap and broken the disk [where the inner and outer rings meet]."

Read about the rare planet and how it was discovered at LiveScience. -via RealClear Science

(Image credit: Kraus et al., 2020)