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Before becoming the homepage editor at HowStuffWorks.com, Deblina Chakraborty studied publishing and writing at Emerson College and worked as a writer and editor in both Boston and Mobile, Ala. When she's not writing and editing stuff (and sometimes even when she is), she's usually daydreaming about her next travel adventure -- though you might also find her playing or watching soccer or adding to her collection of kung fu flicks. You can find Deblina on Twitter at @MissedinHistory and on Facebook at the official Stuff You Missed in History Class page.
Most Recent: Deblina Chakraborty Postings
History Caught in Crossfire
by Deblina Chakraborty | February 12, 2011
All too often, historical sites crumble under the weight of time or get wiped out by natural disasters. Sometimes, as in the recent case of Cambodia’s Temple of Preah Vihear, we even destroy them ourselves.
Mysterious lady, were you really a man?
by Deblina Chakraborty | February 5, 2011
Just when you thought it was safe to move on to another intriguing historical mystery, suddenly it’s cool again to speculate about the “Mona Lisa.” Recently, several new theories have popped up about Leonardo da Vinci’s über-famous, 16th-century portrait of a lady. Now, Italian researcher Silvano Vincenti has a new guess about the identity of the artwork’s mysterious subject.
An Addendum to the Story of Chopin
by Deblina Chakraborty | January 28, 2011
Snoozing while listening to piano music is one thing, but drifting off while playing it? Now, that seems highly unlikely. And yet that’s exactly what 19th-century composer Frederic Chopin used to do: nod off and hallucinate about things like drowning at the bottom of a lake. For years, nobody really knew why. But a new study in the journal Medical Humanities reveals that Chopin’s episodes may have been caused by epilepsy.
Accommodations fit for a king: Many high-end hotels claim to have them, but how many can actually prove it? Not too terribly many, but thanks to a recent deal made by administrators of France’s Versailles Palace, we’ll soon be able to add one more to the list. Next year, a historic mansion right next to King Louis XIV’s former digs will open up as a luxury hotel and give guests a glimpse into life at court.
Chernobyl Tourism: Not for the Faint of Heart
by Deblina Chakraborty | December 17, 2010
The Ukrainian government announced this week that they’ll open Chernobyl — the site of the world’s worst nuclear disaster — to tourists next year. Would you risk a little radiation to check it out?
In recent weeks, I’ve written about the individual merits of gigantic, religious landmarks and eclectic, roadside attractions. Now, a group of private investors is banking on a combination of the two as the key to tourism success. The governor of Kentucky recently announced plans for this faith-based project — known as Ark Encounter — and its massive centerpiece: a “full-size” replica of Noah’s ark.
Cadillac Ranch: One Man’s Junk, Another’s Canvas
by Deblina Chakraborty | November 24, 2010
Barreling down I-40, just outside of Amarillo, Texas, you may speed past a sight that gives you pause: a row of 10 colorful Cadillacs stuck nose-first into the ground, as if they were dropped from the sky. No need to adjust your specs or down another Red Bull to jog your powers of perception. What you’re seeing isn’t a mirage — it’s Cadillac Ranch, a ’70s-era art installation that some call the Mecca of U.S. roadside attractions.
Night (After Night) at the Museum
by Deblina Chakraborty | November 17, 2010
Kate McGroarty is just wrapping up an enviable journey. Over the past month, she’s gotten to sleep on a World War II submarine and in a cutting-edge home powered completely by solar and wind energy. She’s toured the Apollo 8 command module with astronaut Jim Lovell as her guide. She’s even done a handstand in a tornado. And she’s done it all without leaving her current hometown of Chicago.
Statue with No Limitations
by Deblina Chakraborty | November 9, 2010
If bigger is always better, then Poland now has a huge leg up in the realm of religious tourism. A construction team in the tiny Polish town of Swiebodzin completed work on an enormous statue of Jesus Saturday, and according to some locals, it’s the tallest Jesus statue in the world.
Life After Death in Capuchin Catacombs
by Deblina Chakraborty | October 29, 2010
Long eyelashes. Plump cheeks. Curly, blonde hair topped with a cheerful, yellow ribbon. These features belong to little Rosalia Lombardo, whose well-preserved frame has lain in Sicily’s Capuchin Catacombs for decades. In her tiny, glass-topped coffin, Rosalia looks like she’s sleeping, but she died nearly 100 years ago at age 2, and if you venture beneath the streets of Palermo to see her, you’ll also run into about 8,000 of her closest corpse pals.
Recent Postings by Category
BrainStuff
- Thank You and Best Wishes to Marshall Brain
- Contest – Design a $300 house and win $25,000
- How the Philtrum works – the place under your nose where your face comes together
The Coolest Stuff on the Planet
- Golden Fields of Canola
- The Park That Never Sleeps: Central Park
- Draw a Pretty Picture With Your Bike and Your Phone
Keep Asking
- Why can a 5 foot 8 inch man dunk a basketball on a 10 foot rim while some people of taller stature can’t?
- What happens to our sun once it runs out of fuel?
- How do we know the age of the universe?
Stuff Mom Never Told You
- Who invented the Christmas card?
- How the Kinsey Report Fueled Whiskey Sales
- How to Get Your Wedding Announcement into The New York Times
Stuff to Blow Your Mind
- Blow Your Mind: Nebula in a Box
- Blow Your Mind: Three Minutes Till Impact
- Touching the Void: Psychedelics and Death
Stuff You Should Know
- Stuff You Should Know at SXSW
- The Southern Death Cult, the Maya and Georgia
- Deformed Baby Spider Brains
The Stuff of Genius
CarStuff
- Listener Mail: What’s the world’s largest engine?
- Listener Mail: What makes a “classic car” classic?
- Was Chrysler’s “It’s Halftime in America” Super Bowl commercial a little too political?
How-to Stuff
- How to Enjoy the Fruits of Your Labor
- How to Travel the World in 4 Days
- How to Smell Like Someone at HowStuffWorks
PopStuff
- PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 68: Astrology: What’s PopStuff’s Sign?
- PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 67: Collecting: PopStuff’s Cabinet of Curiosities
- PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 66: Tracy and Holly’s Running Playlists
Stuff They Don't Want You To Know
- Good News from the Oldest Mayan Calendar
- One Year Later: Colony Collapse Disorder
- Who Killed Martin Luther King, Jr.?
Stuff to Change the World
- Who will own the Arctic?
- Obesity: The New Global Crisis
- Bill Gates Makes For A Pretty Decent Cartoon
Stuff You Missed in History Class
- Butch Cassidy: Should we read between the lines?
- Are we rooting for D.B. Cooper?
- Party Time: A Look at Unconventional Politics
