Transcript Every year of May 1st, people all around the northern hemisphere celebrate the arrival of spring. A day we call May Day. But it is also the day that communist countries held military parades, and the Soviets would show off all of their military strength in public. Mayday is also the international distress signal …
Transcript In 1815, one of the most catastrophic and deadly events in recorded human history occurred in Indonesia. A volcanic explosion took place which was larger than anything, any human had ever witnessed in over 10,000 years. The total global death toll from the event might have been as high as the tens of millions. …
Transcript Many people have an idealized view of how science works. They think that someone makes a discovery or publishes a paper, then everyone acknowledges their discovery, and everyone moves on to the next thing. Science! However, that isn’t quite how things work in reality. The real advancement of science can be quite messy. One …
Transcript When you think of battles involving broadswords and longbows you probably thinking back to the time of Braveheart. But what if I told you that those weapons were being used much more recently in a modern mechanized war? …well, at least one guy was using them in World War II. Learn more about ‘Mad’ …
Transcript He was a painter, a writer, sculptor, photographer, and one of the most significant avant-garde artists of the 20th century. He was also a showman, celebrity, and one of the well-known personalities in the world. …and he had one of the most famous mustaches in history. Learn more about Salvador Dali on this episode …
Transcript Historically, an army could have days, weeks, or even months to prepare for war. However, with the development of intercontinental missiles and nuclear weapons, the time for preparation was reduced to hours or even minutes. In light of these changes, it was necessary to develop a system that allowed for rapid mobilization and readiness. …
Transcript If I were to say “prisoner of war interrogator” something rather menacing probably comes to mind. If I were to say “Nazi prisoner of war interrogator” something really menacing probably comes to mind. And If I were to say the “the greatest Nazi prisoner of war interrogator”, you are probably imagining a truly horrifying, …
Transcript Navigation on the open ocean is extremely difficult. It is a skill that takes years to master. Even with years of skill, an experienced mariner was still able to ground their ship on an unseen reef, underwater rocks, or a sandbar, because they didn’t know their precise location. The main problem, which was unsolved …
Transcript Standing next to an extremely tall structure can be an exhilarating experience. Something which was no less exhilarating to early humans. Ever since humans created the first pile of rocks, we have been trying to build ever-larger piles of rocks. These piles of rocks eventually evolved into structures hundreds of meters tall. Learn more …