‘Lost In History’: 30 Illuminating Pictures That “Throw Light On Our Past”

It’s virtually impossible to feel how fast time flies until it passes right behind us, leaving the sense it was only yesterday we had our first day at school or said ‘I Do’. Present moments sneakily turn into memories, and it’s a never-ending cycle.

But thanks to the invention of photography and people who stood behind the lens, not everything gets lost in history. People, places, events that happened years, decades and hundreds of years ago are all made immortal by the camera.

One such mesmerizing gallery is curated by the Lost In History Twitter account dedicated to sharing photos that they say “throw light on our past.” Below, we selected some of the most incredible and interesting photos shared there, so pull your seat closer!

This post may include affiliate links.

History

Final score:

530points

POST

Daria Z 2 years ago

Friendship goals 😌

82points

View more comments

History

Final score:

424points

POST

Laura Henderson 2 years ago

Bless this man for his humanity and bravery.

151points

View More Replies...

View more comments

History

Final score:

399points

POST

Icy_Question_4977 2 years ago

I read a lot of mystery books about the Orient Express, and it is described as very luxurious and beautiful. I can see now why

103points

View More Replies...

View more comments

Some time ago, Bored Panda spoke with Lisa Yaszek, a Regents Professor of Science Fiction Studies at Georgia Tech where she researches and teaches science fiction as a global language crossing centuries, continents, and cultures. We found out about the cultural and societal significance of old photos, as well as the meanings behind them. It turned out that old photographs can tell us more about life in the past than you will ever learn from history books.

History

Final score:

375points

POST

Stephanie Did It 2 years ago

It's beautiful like water flowing.

90points

View more comments

History

Final score:

351points

POST

James016 2 years ago

Seen it in person, it's wonderous to look at

87points

View More Replies...

View more comments

History

Final score:

347points

POST

Laura Henderson 2 years ago

Amazing, rising literally from the ashes. I do hope she didn't die horribly of radiation poisoning...

164points

View More Replies...

View more comments

First and foremost, it’s important to understand that old photos affect our perception of time in unique ways. According to Lisa, they do that “by making abstract historical events visually concrete, giving us an emotional connection to eras we might not otherwise know very much about, exactly, through books or family stories.”

She gave an interesting example: “I was really taken by images of Japanese-Americans in WWII U.S. internment camps, young people protesting low wages for teachers in the Great Depression, female engineers working for the Space Race, and little kids protesting Daylight Savings Time—my own son especially appreciated that one…"

History

Final score:

339points

POST

Esha 2 years ago

"Nooo... I'm not feeling this one just a few more.."

56points

View more comments

History

Final score:

303points

POST

Mr. Cinder 2 years ago

What are the cannibals going to eat? They're nothing but bones. What a horrific picture.

269points

View More Replies...

View more comments

History

Final score:

291points

POST

October 2 years ago

And people are still policing womens clothing

273points

View More Replies...

View more comments

Another way old photos alter our perception of time is by showing that people in the past had just as rich and complex lives as we have today. Lisa explained that “we tend to assume that in the past, women were limited to work as wives and mothers, and we certainly see a number of images here celebrating women’s work in the home.”

But the reality couldn’t be further from the truth. “We also see women doing all sorts of work in the public sphere as well—everything from attending school graduations and working on supercomputers to taking back the streets of postwar London and bouncing drunks out of bars,” the professor explained.

#10

History

Final score:

279points

POST

LisaMarie 2 years ago (edited)

The part in Schindlers List which upsets me the most is when they are told to carefully write their names on their suitcases as they will get them back when they get off the train. You then see the suitcases being brought to the sorting areas and the contents being put into various piles like this. The fact that they gave these prisoners a glimer of hope (that their possessions would be returned to them) while knowing what was in store for them is just heartbreaking 😥

230points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#11

History

Final score:

274points

POST

Andrès Dì Fonoĺĺosa 2 years ago

Beauty in chaos!!

66points

View more comments

#12

History

Final score:

269points

POST

Icy_Question_4977 2 years ago

Wow, how does he find the specific colour?

102points

View More Replies...

View more comments

Moreover, old photographs remind us of something we tend to forget: “that people in the past have had many of the same challenges and triumphs as we have, and that we can look to them for inspiration regarding how to make sense of the present and build new futures,” Lisa concluded in this in-depth interview we had.

#13

History

Final score:

265points

POST

Icy_Question_4977 2 years ago

That picture is absolutely gorgeous

92points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#14

History

Final score:

256points

POST

Firstname Lastname 2 years ago

TIL goats like bananas. Looked into it, and in addition to hay and grains, I learned they also eat "foods like fruits, dried fruits, veggies, graham crackers, cheerios, Cheetos, and even corn chips."

70points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#15

History

Final score:

253points

POST

Nathaniel 2 years ago

"Stop, Hammer time! You can't touch this, You can't touch this, You can't touch this, Break it down!"

163points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#16

History

Final score:

252points

POST

Chris 2 years ago

100% better than Edison, who was a liar and a thief.

202points

Womaninsky 2 years ago

The most unsung hero!!! Hoover stole his papers Tesla had saved over his lifetime. Then his information was used and secreted for evil!! God bless Teslas humble soul!!

22points

Load More Replies...

Organic AutosMI 2 years ago

I wonder where we would be technologically if we had adopted Tesla's energy designs.

17points

Womaninsky 2 years ago

And an elephant murderer!!

14points

Slammer 2 years ago

Yes! Glad someone finally put it in print.

3points

Cuppa tea? 2 years ago

Well, he was American after all. I see where Elon Musk has his ideas, contrary to his company name.

3points

Shea Keenan 2 years ago

Absolutely!

2points

Jessica Julian 2 years ago

And an animal murderer.

2points

cameron headlee 2 years ago

Edison invented the first light bulb that could actually be used as a light source in people's homes. Everyone else had a little table top bulb that could light up if they tried real hard. It's like if someone claimed an inventor didn't invent a car because they are the ones that got an engine block to run for 30 seconds in their garage.

1point

Veronica Vatter 2 years ago

So true,!!

1point

Anthony Mccoy 2 years ago

And a murderer...

0points

Robert Giese 2 years ago (edited)

No, incorrect. The man was an inventor, copywriter and pantentor. When you run a company with people making things under your name and you're the best in the building, two things happen. One, everything under the building with your name on it is yours. That's just how the world works. Two, again, being the best and the boss, everything was brought to Edison for improvement and approval. He made 90% of the things we know better and more practical before it was made. Learn history before acting like you know it. Disney wasn't antisemetic, Ford did not actually support the Nazis (read all the letters) and Edison was not a thief or liar. Learn your history kids, and learn how life works before you pretend to know.

-1point

Artsy Bookworm 2 years ago

Such a sad story. Never got the credit he deserved while he was still alive

22points

SerumSeven 2 years ago

This was after Edison finally sucked out his soul.

14points

David Brown 2 years ago

I'd like to see what he would be dreaming up today if he were still alive. Super intelligent and interesting dude.

13points

Lonecoolman 2 years ago

SAD TO KNOW HE WAS NEVER RECONIZED AS THE BRILLANT MAN HE WAS AND THAT EDISON WAS A D BAG.

13points

Seth Marsh 2 years ago

Not while he was living anyway. He's very much recognized as a genius now.

4points

Load More Replies...

Anna Bertholf 2 years ago

He was destroyed by big business power companies and, yes, the despicable, so-called genius, Edison. Tesla was and is the greatest mind of the 19th and 20th century. Edison was a charlatan backed by business.

11points

Fish Fingers 2 years ago

Possibly the greatest scientific mind that humanity has ever produced. He did things 130 years ago that are only starting to be investigated now. Loved his pigeon.

10points

DrGirlfriend 2 years ago

True grandfather of electric current, true genius!

6points

PjandBolt 2 years ago

Ngl... kinda looks like the cleaner from toy story 2

4points

A Lee 2 years ago

Brilliant mind,in all truth way more advanced than Einstein,but when he developed a way for everyone to have free energy he was going against the greed

3points

JuniorCJ82 2 years ago

gone 6 days later

3points

Dave Holcomb 2 years ago

He's been called the greatest man that time forgot, truth is he's the greatest man our government forced us to forget. Thank goodness that's impossible, Edison is who deserved to be forgotten.

2points

Virginia Brown 2 years ago

Tesla was cheated of his rightful legacy. I'd like to know who got all his notes & if they destroyed them.

2points

M Dream 2 years ago

thank you

2points

Asdomar 2 years ago

Sadly in our society who really excell and want to do good are not praised or helped; he wanted to do good and disregard money and fame in a word where having no money made you miserable... I'm sorry for him, for his genius and his incorruptable morals

1point

Kellie Brown 2 years ago

So tragic and heartbreaking.

1point

A. 2 years ago

Such a tragic ending for an amazing man.

1point

A b 2 years ago

Much love

0points

Andres Rodriguez 2 years ago

Why are all brilliant men look like this guy lol they always look totally confused and bewildered as if they don't know where the hell they are

0points

Unsound Mind 2 years ago

Really sad this man was not treated as the brilliant man he truly was. 100 yrs later and look at what he's doing, absolutely amazing

0points

Coco 2 years ago

a decent world would have protected Tesla... But no, we break everything.

0points

Alexander Superlex 2 years ago

he looks like he just came out of the Madras famine but probably cannibal at it though I mean that's a little meat on him

0points

Michael Gatewood 2 years ago

I wish they would teach the truth about this great man and the trash who is Edison

0points

Plague doctor 2 years ago

The saddest part about Nikola Tesla is that he died in a small apartment in New York. It's even rumored that Edison had people kill him. But that of course it's just a rumor and has no physical evidence pointing to that direction.

0points