John W. January, veteran of Co. B, 14th Illinois
John W. January, veteran of Co. B, 14th Illinois Cavalry Regiment, with his prosthetic legs. ca. 1890
Utterly Unique Photos
Old and new photographs that can sometimes be odd or surreal but are always unique with an interesting backstory.
Stephan Bibrowski, widely recognized as Lionel the
Stephan gained fame as a sideshow performer due to his unique appearance—his entire body was covered in long hair, resembling that of a lion. This characteristic was likely attributed to a rare condition but his mother attributed the condition to witnessing his father being mauled by a lion while she was pregnant. She deemed Stephan …
Photograph of Mehran Karimi Nasseri, an Iranian
After arriving at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, he was unable to prove his identity or refugee status and was detained in the waiting area for travelers without papers. He lived, studied, slept, and talked with the airport staff from August 26, 1988, to July 2006. His bizarre story inspired multiple movies, most notable …
A Rare Photo from Saddam Hussein’s Engagement Day
A Rare Photo from Saddam Hussein’s Engagement Day in 1963.
Since It’s Saudi National Day, Here’s the First
Since It’s Saudi National Day, Here’s the First Photo of the Founding King, Abdulaziz Al Saud, Taken in Kuwait in 1910 AD at Age 34
8 of the estimated 2,500 Jewish children smuggled
8 of the estimated 2,500 Jewish children smuggled out from the Warsaw Ghetto by Irena Sendler. (Photographed in a Polish convent Circa 1943) More of Irena in the comments.
9/11 aftermath, about 27 hours later. Photograph
9/11 aftermath, about 27 hours later. Photograph by USGS Landsat 7 team, at the EROS Data Center, via NASA.
Photo shows José Salvador Alvarenga in 2014
On November 17, 2012, Salvadoran fisherman José Salvador Alvarenga set out on a two-day fishing trip from Mexico with inexperienced worker Ezequiel Córdoba. A storm disabled their boat, leaving them adrift without paddles or enough food. For 14 months, they floated across the Pacific, with Córdoba dying after four months. To survive, José ate raw …