The Founding of the Smithsonian, Part Two: James Gives America a Fortune -- and a Mission

The Founding of the Smithsonian, Part Two: James Gives America a Fortune -- and a Mission

There's no way around it: James Smithson had a tough life. Yet his unhappiness may, in an indirect way, be the prime reason the Smithsonian Institute exists today. In part two of this special two-part episode, special guest Lizzie Peabody, the host of Sidedoor, delves into the story of how James Smithson donated a massive windfall to the United States -- and, at the same time, gave them an enormous mission. Tune in to learn more.

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CLASSIC: Idiomatic for the People II, Part I: What's in a word?

CLASSIC: Idiomatic for the People II, Part I: What's in a word?

Language is beautiful and, in many cases, continually evolving. As a result, we end up with hundreds of strange idioms and figures of speech that we use on a daily basis, with little to no understandi...

7 Maalis 49min

The Spiritualism Movement Was Utterly Ridiculous, Part One: A Prank Goes Viral

The Spiritualism Movement Was Utterly Ridiculous, Part One: A Prank Goes Viral

It's a pickle for the ages: What happens when you die? The Spiritualism movement may seem obscure today -- but back in the mid-19th century, this religious and social phenomenon absolutely rocked the ...

5 Maalis 54min

History's Weirdest National Anthems

History's Weirdest National Anthems

Let's be honest: national anthems are cool... but definitely propaganda, and often objectively weird. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore some of history's strangest national anthems. Some a...

3 Maalis 33min

CLASSIC: The Statue of Liberty Almost Lived in Egypt

CLASSIC: The Statue of Liberty Almost Lived in Egypt

Today the Statue of Liberty is one of the most famous landmarks in the United States -- but it almost didn't make it to Ellis Island. Join the Ben and Noel as they explore the strange story of Frédéri...

28 Helmi 33min

Vacuum Cleaners are Ridiculous!

Vacuum Cleaners are Ridiculous!

Did you know over 90% of US households own a vacuum cleaner? These handy-dandy descendents of the carpet sweeper revolutionized the cleaning game... but where did they come from? As Ben, Noel and Max ...

26 Helmi 35min

The Ridiculously Adorable, Feminist History of Kewpie Dolls

The Ridiculously Adorable, Feminist History of Kewpie Dolls

When illustrator and novelist Rose O'Neill first debuted the Kewpie cartoons in 1909, these loveable little characters took the world by storm. Yet O'Neill didn't stop there. In today's episode, Ben, ...

24 Helmi 33min

CLASSIC: Agent Garbo: The Strange Tale of the Man Who Saved D-Day

CLASSIC: Agent Garbo: The Strange Tale of the Man Who Saved D-Day

When Juan Pujol first volunteered to spy for the British during World War II, they didn’t take him seriously. That all changed when he got a gig spying for the German government. Listen to learn the s...

21 Helmi 40min

The Most-hated Condiment? A Ridiculous History of Mayonnaise

The Most-hated Condiment? A Ridiculous History of Mayonnaise

Often called "the thick, creamy bastard child of oil and eggs" (well, called that at least once by Ben), mayonnaise remains one of the world's most divisive condiment. But where did it come from? In t...

19 Helmi 47min

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