/r/askhistorians

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What the earliest depiction of the sun wearing sunglasses?

1376 upvotes • Hoppy_Croaklightly

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Silver is a commonly used trope as an anti-supernatural metal, from repellant to weapon. What is the history/origin of this mythos? Was it simply it's antibacterial properties or something more?

1375 upvotes • Oresan_Fells

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In 1938 Stalin proposed G.M. Malenkov as the Head of the NKVD, however "a majority of the Politburo recommended L.P. Beria for the post"(Getty, Manning). Does this event indicate that Stalin was actually not in control of the party?

1375 upvotes • Semaug

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What means of contraception or ways did sex workers in a brothel have in the middle ages to avoid pregnancy and what happened when they became pregnant by a customer? NSFW

1375 upvotes • wander995

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Julius Caesar wrote an autobiography while conquering Gaul. Is there a recommended or 'standard' English translation?

1374 upvotes • uninhabited

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Why did early Roman Emperors have so few biological children?

1374 upvotes • jogarz

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When European sailors went to Polynesian (or similar) "tropical paradise" places and hung around with local women, why does there never seem to be mention of backlash from the local men?

1373 upvotes • foodfighter

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An episode of Star Trek from 1967 uses a storytelling contrivance that I recognise from more recent media. Captain Kirk is "killed". It is then revealed that an injection he had been given contained a drug which simulates death. Where did this trope originate and can we trace a "lineage" of its use?

1373 upvotes • Ge0rgeBr0ughton

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Was there an equivalent to "start-ups" in socialist countries? How would an employee/factory director who had an idea for new product or method for producing go about it? Did they submit applications to State planners or ministries and State funded it?

1373 upvotes • Shashank1000

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What is the oldest presidential executive order still in effect?

1372 upvotes • mawkishdave

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Title	Upvotes	Author	Mark as read	Favorited	Rating	Add to a list
What the earliest depiction of the sun wearing sunglasses?	1376	Hoppy_Croaklightly
Silver is a commonly used trope as an anti-supernatural metal, from repellant to weapon. What is the history/origin of this mythos? Was it simply it's antibacterial properties or something more?	1375	Oresan_Fells
In 1938 Stalin proposed G.M. Malenkov as the Head of the NKVD, however "a majority of the Politburo recommended L.P. Beria for the post"(Getty, Manning). Does this event indicate that Stalin was actually not in control of the party?	1375	Semaug
What means of contraception or ways did sex workers in a brothel have in the middle ages to avoid pregnancy and what happened when they became pregnant by a customer? NSFW	1375	wander995
Julius Caesar wrote an autobiography while conquering Gaul. Is there a recommended or 'standard' English translation?	1374	uninhabited
Why did early Roman Emperors have so few biological children?	1374	jogarz
When European sailors went to Polynesian (or similar) "tropical paradise" places and hung around with local women, why does there never seem to be mention of backlash from the local men?	1373	foodfighter
An episode of Star Trek from 1967 uses a storytelling contrivance that I recognise from more recent media. Captain Kirk is "killed". It is then revealed that an injection he had been given contained a drug which simulates death. Where did this trope originate and can we trace a "lineage" of its use?	1373	Ge0rgeBr0ughton
Was there an equivalent to "start-ups" in socialist countries? How would an employee/factory director who had an idea for new product or method for producing go about it? Did they submit applications to State planners or ministries and State funded it?	1373	Shashank1000
What is the oldest presidential executive order still in effect?	1372	mawkishdave