Potpourri Volume II: The Frozen Four

Potpourri Volume II: The Frozen Four

Transcript Once again it is time to investigate the stories which are interesting, but not big enough to justify their own show. It is time for another potpourri episode.  This time the common theme is cold, ice, and frozen temperatures. These stories may seem unbelievable but are true. As true as the Stark Family motto …

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Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About The Global Positioning System

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About The Global Positioning System

Transcript Today, GPS devices that can determine where you are in the world have become ubiquitous. In fact, there is a very good chance that the device you are using to listen to this podcast has a GPS receiver in it.  GPS is used for a wide variety of applications all over the world. It …

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All Roads Lead to Rome

All Roads Lead to Rome

Transcript You have probably heard the expression “All roads lead to Rome”. Well, it isn’t just a pithy saying to reference how you can take many paths to reach the same goal. It has a very literal meaning and its origin comes from a monument that still, sort of, exists in Rome today. Learn more …

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The Lykov Family

The Lykov Family

Transcript In 1978, a Soviet helicopter pilot flying over the forests of Siberia made an incredible discovery. Not far from the border of Mongolia, up the side of a mountain, he saw a clearing and signs of human habitation.  The location was far removed from any other humans. In fact, it was almost 250 kilometers …

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Nijmegen: The City That Remembers

Nijmegen: The City That Remembers

Transcript Located approximately 100km east of Rotterdam, the city of Nijmegen is a mid-sized Dutch city situated on the Waal river that few people outside of the Netherlands are familiar with. For the last several years, every single day regardless of the weather, people of Nijmegen have honored events that took place in the city …

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The Discovery of Fire

The Discovery of Fire

Transcript When we think of what made human beings into human beings, one of the first things which come up is the discovery of fire. The control and use of fire is one of the earliest things which our ancestors did, which separated us from other apes and began us on the path to becoming …

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Potpourri Volume I: Survival

Potpourri Volume I: Survival

Transcript In the course of doing research for shows, I often come across interesting facts that wouldn’t really make for an entire episode. They are really interesting, but I’m not sure how I could turn it into even a short daily podcast like this one.  So, the solution was to create an episode where I …

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The History of the Dollar as a Currency

The History of the Dollar as a Currency

Transcript The currency in the United States is the dollar. You probably already knew that. It is also the name of the currency in over 20 other countries including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. What is a dollar exactly, and why is that the name of the currency in these countries?  Learn more about …

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Who Discovered Calculus?

Who Discovered Calculus?

Transcript For the last 300 years, a debate has raged between mathematicians about who should be credited with the invention of calculus: Sir Isaac Newton or Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz. The sides of the debate have mostly been based on geography with English mathematicians advocating for Newton, and Continental Europeans siding with Leibniz.  Learn more about …

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