Roman Gods and Goddesses
Like many ancient civilizations, the Romans had a vast pantheon of gods. Unlike other civilizations, the Romans were very flexible in where their gods came from. In particular, they adopted many o...
25 Jul 202515min
The Murder of Kitty Genovese
On March 13, 1964, at 2:30 am, a woman named Kitty Genovese was returning home from work. As she arrived outside her apartment, a man approached her with a knife. Genovese ran towards her apartment bu...
24 Jul 202514min
The AK-47
In 1946, a former Soviet tank mechanic who had formal training in engineering or manufacturing submitted a design for a new gun in a competition. His design was selected, and it became the new rifle...
23 Jul 202516min
The Lisbon Regicide
On February 1, 1908, the political fortunes of Portugal changed forever. The royal family was returning to Lisbon, traveling in an open horse-drawn carriage. While they were traveling, in broad da...
22 Jul 202514min
Holy Relics
Some of the most venerated objects in many different religions are holy relics. Relics offer a tangible connection to significant figures in various religious traditions, and they are often highly p...
21 Jul 202514min
Air Conditioning (Encore)
One of the biggest problems that humanity has faced for thousands of years is heat. Excessive heat made it difficult to work in the middle of the day. Heat was especially problematic in the tropics,...
20 Jul 202514min
The Sinking of the Mignonette and Justified Cannibalism
On May 19, 1884, a small yacht containing four men set sail from England to Australia. On July 5th, the ship was hit by a massive wave and capsized. The crew escaped the shipwreck on a lifeboat, b...
19 Jul 202516min
The Battle of Cajamarca (Encore)
Some of the most important battles in history, the ones that changed the course of civilizations, are often very small battles. In 1532, a battle, really just a skirmish, took place, which completel...
18 Jul 202513min
