Bell Labs (Encore)
What do lasers, photovoltaic cells, the transistor, digital cameras, cell phone technology, the communication satellite, computer networking, radio astronomy, and the UNIX operating system have in com...
7 Juni 20239min
The Cadaver Synod
In January 897, something unprecedented took place in Rome. Pope Formosa, the leader of the Catholic Church, was put on trial. What made this unprecedented wasn’t that the pope was on trial, althoug...
6 Juni 202312min
How The Secret to Silk Was Smuggled Out of China
There was no product more important to the economy of the ancient world than silk. Silk was transported thousands of miles to be purchased by people so far away from its source that they had no clue ...
5 Juni 202312min
The Town That Forgot It Was Part of the United States
International borders can be very strange things. Sometimes they measured down to the millimeter and a heavily marked and fortified. Other times they run through desolate areas where hardly anyone p...
4 Juni 202311min
Questions and Answers: Volume 7
In June of every year, the sun has its solstice. In the north, the days are long; in the south, the days are short, and we can plan our calendars around this event. Just as certain as the sun follows...
3 Juni 202314min
The East African Rift
There is a giant rift in East Africa today. It is a rift that literally tearing countries apart. This rift isn’t cultural, political, or economic, it is geologic. Africa is quite literally being torn...
2 Juni 202313min
The Fermi Paradox (Encore)
In a previous episode, I spoke about the Drake equation and the odds of there being intelligent extraterrestrial life. Many people have used the Drake equation to argue that it is almost impossible fo...
1 Juni 20239min
Uncontacted Peoples
If you are listening to me speak these words, regardless of where in the world you live, you are part of a global network we call human civilization. You share in the ideas, technology, and goods crea...
31 Maj 202314min
