Podcast Transcript In 1856, the United States passed a law allowing American citizens to claim islands in the country’s name, provided that no other country claimed them and that no one lived there. The result was a host of scattered islands with zero population becoming part of the country. Today, these islands are still US …
Podcast Transcript For millions of years, the islands of New Zealand remained a pristine wilderness, untouched by human footsteps. That changed in the 13th century when the world’s greatest mariners executed one of history’s most incredible feats of navigation. Guided by the stars and ocean swells, the M?ori arrived with a “Great Fleet” of double-hulled …
Podcast Transcript Around 66 million years ago, a meteorite smashed into what is today the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. The impact of that event changed life on Earth in ways that are still evident today. Proof for this impact wasn’t obvious. There was strong skepticism when the theory was proposed, and it took decades for …
Podcast Transcript For thousands of years, a narrow body of water between Arabia and Persia has shaped the fate of empires, economies, and the modern world. The Persian Gulf has been a crossroads of trade, a cradle of ancient civilizations, and a center of global energy. Control over its waters has sparked conflict, diplomacy, and …
Podcast Transcript Few artists’ works are as instantly recognizable as Vincent van Gogh’s. In just a single decade, he created some of the most famous paintings in history, filled with bold color, swirling movement, and raw emotion. Yet during his lifetime, he sold almost nothing and struggled with poverty and mental illness. Today, his works …
Podcast Transcript Today, baseball is played at the highest levels on nearly every continent. Stars come from the United States, Japan, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Korea, and more. Yet for most of its history, the sport lacked a true international championship featuring the world’s best players. That changed in the 21st century with the creation …
Every year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences hosts the biggest celebration of movies and moviemaking: The Oscars. Thousands of members vote in multiple categories to honor the best films and performances of the previous year. …and in many years, they get it completely and totally wrong. Learn more about the biggest Oscar …
Podcast Transcript For thousands of years, one animal shaped the ecology, culture, and history of an entire continent. In vast herds that once numbered in the tens of millions, the North American bison dominated the Great Plains, sustaining Indigenous societies and transforming the landscape itself. Yet within a single human lifetime, they were driven to …
From the World Heritage inscription for the Villa Adriana (Tivoli): The Villa Adriana (Tivoli) is a masterpiece that uniquely brings together the highest expressions of the material cultures of the ancient Mediterranean world. Study its monuments played a crucial role in the rediscovery of the elements of classical architecture by the architects of the Renaissance …