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 Mars 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 Mars 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 Mars 202156min
Billy Cottrell, the Tyrant Mayor of Cedar Key, Florida
The politically-connected, cartoonishly belligerent Billy Cottrell was a terrible Mayor, hated and feared by the locals of Cedar Key, Florida -- and no one was sure what to do. At least, that is, unti...
4 Mars 202145min
The US and the UK Almost Went to War over a Pig
In 1859, a dispute between neighbors in the San Juan Islands of the Pacific Northwest led to the untimely death of a local (and very unlucky) pig. What could have been an easily resolved situation qui...
2 Mars 202151min
The 1973 Michigan Pizza Funeral
Illario 'Mario' Fabbrini was true American success story: An immigrant who built his own pizza empire just as this iconic food was becoming a normalized, nation-wide delicacy. When the business was br...
25 Feb 202135min
Elagabalus The Raunchy, Racy High Priest Who Became a Roman Emperor
Born Varius Avitus Bassianus, the emperor now known as Elagabalus scandalized ancient Rome with his constant displays of extravagance, his numerous sexual escapades -- and his insistence that all peop...
23 Feb 202153min
John Wilkins Started a 17th-century Astronaut Program, Part 2: Wilkins (Tries to) Start a Space Program
As John Wilkins began to put more serious thought into the idea of sending people to the moon, he reached out to fellow intellectuals in hopes of exploring the problem. So: How did they go about plann...
19 Feb 202124min
