The 1994 Rwandan Genocide

The 1994 Rwandan Genocide

Podcast Transcript In 1994, the nation of Rwanda endured a brutal 100-day spasm of violence that tore families apart and claimed the lives of over one million people. Members of the ethnic minority Tutsi group were hunted down and murdered by members of the larger Hutu group. While this was the worst episode of violence …

Read more

Synthetic Diamonds

Synthetic Diamonds

Podcast Transcript For thousands of years, diamonds have been among the most valuable substances on Earth.  Diamonds are not only the hardest substances known, but they are also incredibly hard to find.  However, in the last several decades, researchers have discovered ways to make diamonds in the lab, and they are now being made at …

Read more

The History of Coca-Cola

The History of Coca-Cola

Podcast Transcript Perhaps the most well-known brand in the world is Coca-Cola.  The company has become a global powerhouse in the soft drink market through its original cola formula and visual branding. Its products can be found in every country in the world except three, and it is one of the most consistently profitable companies …

Read more

Lend Lease

Lend Lease

Podcast Transcript Before the United States entered the Second World War in late 1941, the US wasn’t an active combatant, but it wasn’t entirely neutral.  In December 1940, after the Nazi invasion of France, President Franklin Roosevelt initiated a program to assist the British who were being assailed on all fronts by Germany.  He likened …

Read more

The Cortes of Leon of 1188

The Cortes of Leon of 1188

Podcast Transcript In 1188, a historic gathering took place in the city of León, in the Kingdom of León and Galicia.  It was a kingdom-wide assembly convened by King Alfonso IX that brought together nobles, clergy, and town representatives to advise the crown. It is significant because it is the earliest documented European assembly to …

Read more

The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope

The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope

Podcast Transcript Assuming everything goes well, sometime in late 2026, NASA’s next major space observatory will launch: The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. Assuming the launch and deployment go well, it will map large areas of the universe to understand why cosmic expansion is accelerating and how galaxies and dark matter evolved.  It will also …

Read more

Pocahontas

Pocahontas

Podcast Transcript One of the most notable figures in early American history is Pocahontas. Best known as the main character in Disney’s animated film Pocahontas, she was not a fictional character. She was, in fact, quite real.  However, her real life was radically different from that depicted in popular culture. In fact, there are enormous …

Read more

All About Helium

All About Helium

Podcast Transcript Sitting at the far top right of the periodic table is the element helium.  Helium is the second-lightest and second-most abundant element in the universe. It is also an inert gas that doesn’t form molecules with anything.  It has extremely few uses and, despite its cosmic abundance, is very hard to find on …

Read more

History of Romance Languages

History of Romance Languages

Podcast Transcript Almost a billion people in the world today speak a language that originated from Latin, aka a Romance Language.  Despite sharing the same origin, the Romance languages have evolved differently, in some cases very differently.  ….and while you are almost certainly aware of the largest Romance language, there is a good chance that …

Read more