Episode – 0342 : The Drake Equation Transcript In 1961, at the Green Bank observatory in West Virginia, a small conference was held for astrophysicists. The meeting was organized by […]
Episode – 0341 : Sacco and Vanzetti
Episode – 0341 : Sacco and Vanzetti Transcript In April 1920, two men who were delivering the payroll to the Slater-Morrill Shoe Company in Braintree, Massachusetts were killed in broad […]
Episode – 0333 : Why You Can’t Resign From the British Parliament
Episode – 0333 : Why You Can’t Resign From the British Parliament Transcript The British House of Commons has been called the Best Club in Town due to the fact […]
Episode – 0332 : Academic Degrees
Episode – 0332 : Academic Degrees Transcript Every year around June, millions of people will wear robes and put on funny flat hats to receive their university degrees. But why […]
Episode – 0330 : Gaius Appuleius Diocles – The Richest Athlete in History
Episode – 0330 : Gaius Appuleius Diocles – The Richest Athlete in History Transcript Who do you think what the wealthiest athlete in history? Maybe Michael Jordan. Perhaps Tiger Woods […]
Episode – 0329 : The History of Memorial Day
Episode – 0329 : The History of Memorial Day Transcript Every year, on the last Monday in May, the United States honors its war dead. It is often celebrated with […]
Episode – 0328 : Why Does Liechtenstein Even Exist?
Episode – 0328 : Why Does Liechtenstein Even Exist? Transcript If I was to ask you what the wealthiest royal family in Europe was, your first guess would probably be […]
Episode – 0326 : The Battle of Alesia
Episode – 0326 : The Battle of Alesia Transcript In the year 52 BC, the Roman General Julius Caesar fought the last major battle in the conquest of Gaul. The […]
Episode – 0325 : Potemkin Villages
Episode – 0325 : Potemkin Villages Transcript In 1787, Russian Empress Catherine the Great took a six-month trip to visit her newly acquired territories in the Crimean which had been […]
Episode – 0324 : Bell Labs
Episode – 0324 : Bell Labs Transcript What do lasers, photovoltaic cells, the transistor, digital cameras, cell phone technology, the communication satellite, computer networking, radio astronomy, and the UNIX operating […]
Episode – 0322 : Tarrare: The Hungriest Man in History
Episode – 0322 : Tarrare: The Hungriest Man in History Transcript Have you ever been really full after a meal? Like really really full? Could you imagine eating and never […]
Episode – 0319 : Scurvy
Episode – 0319 : Scurvy Transcript When Europeans began sailing the high seas on extended voyages, the most deadly thing they encountered wasn’t enemy navies, starvation, or even shipwrecks. It […]
Episode – 0316 : Airport Codes
Episode – 0316 : Airport Codes Transcript If you’ve done your share of flying, you are probably familiar with the three-letter airport codes which identify every commercial airport in the […]
Episode – 0315 : Potpourri: Spain Edition
Episode – 0315 : Potpourri: Spain Edition Transcript In the process of doing research, I often come across various stories which are interesting but might not be worthy of a […]
Episode – 0310 : The Largest City in the World
Episode – 0310 : The Largest City in the World Transcript The rise of civilization is sometimes defined as the urbanization of humanity. The transition from hunter-gatherers to living in […]
Episode – 0308 : Juan Sebastián Elcano
Episode – 0308 : Juan Sebastián Elcano Transcript When I was growing up I was taught like so many people that Ferdinand Magellan was the first person to circumnavigate the […]
Episode – 0307 : Mother’s Day
Episode – 0307 : Mother’s Day Transcript Every year, on the second Sunday in May, 96 countries around the world celebrate Mother’s Day. Dozens of other countries celebrate the same […]
Episode – 0305 : The International Red Cross and Red Crescent
Episode – 0305 : The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Transcript Historically, in the aftermath of a battle, there was nothing formal in place to take care of injured […]
Episode – 0303 : The Leaning Tower of Pisa
Episode – 0303 : The Leaning Tower of Pisa Transcript In 1173, the Italian city of Pisa was on top of the world. They were a significant commercial power in […]
Episode – 0302 : Genie the Feral Child
Episode – 0302 : Genie the Feral Child Transcript In October 1970, a blind woman accidentally entered into a Los Angeles County welfare office with a child in tow. The […]