The Avignon Papacy
For centuries, the pope was one of Europe's most powerful figures, ruling the Church from Rome and challenging kings and emperors alike. Then, in the early 14th century, a bitter struggle with the F...
15 Sep 16min
Cod: The Fish That Shaped History
For centuries, one seemingly ordinary fish helped feed armies, sustain empires, launch fishing fleets across the Atlantic, and shape the economies of entire nations. It could be preserved for months...
14 Sep 14min
The Cheyenne Mountain Complex
Buried deep beneath thousands of feet of granite in Colorado is one of the most famous military installations ever built. Designed during the Cold War to remain operational during a nuclear attack, ...
13 Sep 16min
Ivan the Terrible
In the 16th century, one ruler transformed a growing principality into a powerful empire, crowned himself with a new title, conquered vast territories, and reshaped the political order of Eastern Euro...
12 Sep 16min
The Immovable Ladder of Jerusalem
For centuries, one of the holiest places in Christianity has been governed by an extraordinarily delicate balance of tradition, property rights, religious rivalry, and international diplomacy. In thi...
11 Sep 15min
The Srivijaya Empire
For centuries, one of Asia's most powerful empires controlled the vital sea lanes connecting China, India, and the Middle East. It grew fabulously wealthy from trade, became a major center of Buddhi...
10 Sep 16min
A History of Looney Tunes
For decades, audiences around the world have watched a collection of characters survive explosions, outwit hunters, fall from cliffs, and repeatedly bend the laws of physics. What began as inexpensiv...
9 Sep 14min
Organ Transplants
For most of human history, when a vital part of the body failed, there was little doctors could do. Then a series of advances in surgery, immunology, and pharmaceuticals made something once consider...
8 Sep 16min
