The Mad Gasser of Mattoon, Part 2
As the small town of Mattoon captured national attention during the reign of the Mad Gasser, the investigation took a turn. Authorities were baffled by the deluge of reports -- and their inability to ...
30 Mar 202145min
The Mad Gasser of Mattoon, Part 1
As wartime fears peaked across the US during World War II, people throughout the nation were overwhelmed with fears of invading Nazis, secret biological weapons and more. For the residents of Mattoon,...
25 Mar 202126min
A Currency for Colonies: The Strange Story of "Leprosy Money"
For thousands of years people across the planet lived in fear of leprosy (now known as ‘Hansen's Disease). In many cases, people infected with the disease, or even just suspected of having it, were ca...
23 Mar 202137min
Wyoming Tales, Part 2: Absaroka, the State That Almost Was
Back in the 1930s, the residents of Wyoming, Montana and South Dakota felt the federal government— and the state legislatures— ignored them. They felt unheard, unheeded and, most importantly, moved to...
19 Mar 202145min
Wyoming Tales, Part 1: Walking in the Shoes of Big Nose George
George Parrott was a career outlaw -- a known thief, murderer and would-be train robber. When justice finally caught up with him and his game, he was destined for the hangman's noose. Yet George's dem...
17 Mar 202139min
The Rise and Fall of the Flea Circus, Part 2
In the second part of this two-part episode, Ben, Noel and special guest Gabe Luzier drill down into the nuts and bolts of flea circuses -- how did they actually work? Is it true that some flea circus...
11 Mar 202145min
The Rise and Fall of the Flea Circus, Part 1
Fleas -- they're one of the only animals Ben actually doesn't like! Yet, once upon a time, these bloodsucking nuisances were star performers in novelty acts across Europe and, later, North America. Bu...
9 Mar 202131min
History's Most Ridiculous (and Deadly) Beauty Trends
It's a Ridiculous History takeover! In honor of International Women's Day, join the hosts of the podcast Stuff Mom Never Told You for this very special episode diving into the depths of history's most...
8 Mar 202156min
