127. Spiders
An Italian folk dance has origins in medieval beliefs about a spider bite. Japanese folklore has a shapeshifting spider that lures young men. An 18th century illustration is behind the name of one of ...
26 Juli 15min
126. Silence
A 13th century city restricted the movements of glassmakers to protect valuable production secrets. For much of history, reading aloud was more common than reading silently in the mind. An early music...
19 Juli 13min
125. Maps
A 4,000-year-old carving may be one of the oldest maps in Europe. A west coast American state appeared as an island on maps for centuries. An African territory remains unclaimed because colonial bound...
12 Juli 16min
124. Consequences
This podcast returns on July 12th 2026. A 19th century decision involving 24 rabbits reshaped an entire continent. The inventor of an explosive became synonymous with peace. A president's speech turne...
28 Juni 15min
123. Boredom
This podcast returns on June 28th 2026. An experiment suggests most people would rather give themselves an electric shock than sit alone with boredom. Excavations reveal students were being punished w...
14 Juni 16min
122. VCR
A Hollywood actress's workout helped drive sales of VCRs. A video rental chain laughed at the chance to buy a future streaming giant. Video replay transformed how NFL referees judged the game. Alongs...
7 Juni 13min
121. Attraction
A queen travelled with her dead husband's corpse, reportedly opening the coffin along the journey to kiss his feet. The rejection of repeated marriage proposals may have helped shape some of a poet's ...
31 Maj 15min
