Podcast Transcript On May 7, 1915, nearly a year into the First World War, the British steamship RMS Lusitania was sunk by a German U-boat off the southern coast of Ireland. Over 1,100 people were killed, many of whom were civilians from the United States who were not participants in the war. Although the loss …
Podcast Transcript Many people think that the closest the world ever came to nuclear war was during the Cuban Missile Crisis. To be sure, that was a very tenuous point in history. However, there is a good argument to be made that the closest the world has come to nuclear war actually took place in …
Podcast Transcript In 1913, the United States created its third national bank. Unlike the previous two, this bank was organized in a completely different manner. Its structure was designed to avoid the problems of the previous national banks. Also, unlike the previous national banks, this one was not subject to open and lengthy public debate. …
Podcast Transcript Known for its beautiful beaches and unique culture, the Dominican Republic is one of the Caribbean’s crown jewels. However, it has had a history totally unlike its neighbors. Even Haiti, which shares an island with the Dominican Republic, went down a totally different path. Today, the Dominican Republic is a relatively stable, prosperous …
Podcast Transcript November, the 9th month of the Roman calendar and the 11th month in our calendar, is upon us. It is the month when we think of turkeys, pilgrims, and when the weather gets colder. It is also the month when people will fight each other to the death for discount television sets on …
Podcast Transcript Pumpkins are a staple of the autumn season, used in events like Halloween and Thanksgiving as symbols of the holidays, as well as in various culinary dishes. Pumpkins, which are technically a fruit, not a vegetable, are one of the oldest domesticated plants in the world and have been used for centuries in …
Podcast Transcript During the First World War, most of the attention, at least in the West, was focused on the Western Front. However, the Western Front was not the only front in the war. There were actually multiple fronts, including the Middle East, Africa, the Balkans, and Italy. The largest of these non-Western fronts was …
Podcast Transcript Located in an arc sweeping to the east and south of the Marina Islands and Guam is the deepest part of the ocean, the Mariana Trench. Running over 2,500 kilometers or 1,200 miles, the very deepest part of the trench is known as Challenger Deep. At the very bottom of the sea, there …
Podcast Transcript In the 13th century, a French knight came forward and displayed what he claimed was the burial cloth of Jesus Christ. Almost immediately, its authenticity was challenged by religious authorities. In the centuries that followed, it became an object of fascination, curiosity, veneration, and controversy. Finally, after centuries of conflicting opinions, scientists were …