The North Pole, Part 1: Maps and Legends
In 1569, Gerardus Mercator creates the first world map. It's the predecessor of the cartoonishly inaccurate Mercator projection, and this math guides people toward what they believe to be the North Po...
17 Kesä 202029min
The Mysterious Origin of (and Disturbing Problems with) the "Wolf Whistle"
It's one of those iconic 'you know it when you hear it' sounds - the two-note whistle made famous in old Tex Avery cartoons and multiple films of yesteryear. But what is the wolf whistle? Where did it...
12 Kesä 202035min
World War I and the Rise of the Peat Moss Bandage
War often drives innovation — often out of desperation. In World War I, doctors were overwhelmed and dangerously short on supplies, especially bandages. With no end in sight for the cotton shortage, i...
10 Kesä 202035min
Flashback: Unforeseen Consequences Throughout History: Part 2
How did air conditioning fundamentally change the course of U.S. politics? What does the Y.M.C.A. have to do with cigarettes? Join Ben and Casey as they welcome special guest, Sean Braswell, to learn ...
5 Kesä 202028min
Flashback: Unforeseen Consequences Throughout History: Part 1
How did air conditioning fundamentally change the course of U.S. politics? What does the Y.M.C.A. have to do with cigarettes? Join Ben and Casey as they welcome special guest, Sean Braswell, to learn ...
3 Kesä 202039min
Louis Wain, the Godfather of Cat Memes: Part 2
Before the days of WiFi, Reddit, nyan cat and grumpy cat alike, one man set the art world on fire with his increasingly bizarre paintings and sketches of cats. Join Ben, Noel and Casey as they welcome...
29 Touko 202044min
Louis Wain, the Godfather of Cat Memes: Part 1
If you're listening to this podcast, you definitely know about cat memes. At this point, they're almost like an internet currency all their own. But far before the days of WiFi, Reddit, nyan cat and g...
27 Touko 202031min
Feedsack Fashion: How Thrifty Inventiveness Transformed America
In the early 20th century, rural US residents were all-too-accustomed to scraping by, often by any means necessary. Families without the means to buy what they wanted invented ingenious ways of recycl...
22 Touko 202036min
