California Was Named for a Fictional Island Ruled by a Black Amazon Queen
California was admitted to the United States as the 31st state in 1850, but it acquired its unique name much, much earlier. Join Ben and Noel as they trace the strange story behind California's name, ...
17 Touko 201831min
Ancient Mayan Ritual Alcohol Enemas
Like many ancient cultures, the civilizations of Mesoamerica had a vast and rich history of unique cultural practices, spiritual beliefs and ceremonies, some of which may seem bizarre to people in the...
15 Touko 201848min
Vermont Was an Independent Republic
Today Vermont is known for its progressive politics, beautiful forestry, Bernie Sanders and Ben and Jerry's. It's not a state you'll hear much about outside of the US and, for many Vermont natives, th...
10 Touko 201843min
The Capture of Guam Was Bloodless and Quick, All Due to a Misunderstanding
Located about 1500 miles to the east of the Phillipines in Micronesia, Guam is a small US territory with a tiny population, beautiful beaches and an incredibly complicated history. For almost four cen...
8 Touko 201838min
Are all US Presidents actually related?
In 2012 a student in Salinas, California, startled genealogists when she claimed that all Presidents save one were actually related. Could it be true? Join Ben and Noel as they dive into this strange ...
3 Touko 201830min
What's the deal with two-dollar bills?
Despite being pretty rare in comparison to other denominations, the U.S. two-dollar bill is one of the most storied notes in American folklore. So why do some people think it's lucky? Why do others th...
1 Touko 201856min
How James Bond Created a Mexican Dia de los Muertos Tradition
The Day of the Dead is a longstanding traditional celebration in Mexico, and currently hundreds of thousands of people associate it with a gigantic parade -- you know, like the one they saw in the Jam...
26 Huhti 201825min
Did Richard Nixon Unwittingly Smuggle Drugs for Louis Armstrong?
It's become one of the strangest anecdotes in modern American history -- numerous sources will swear to you that, in a last-minute panic before reaching customs, legendary musician Louis Armstrong had...
24 Huhti 201836min
