Podcast Transcript One of the most important inventions of the 20th century was the transistor. Prior to the transistor, electronic devices were bulky and dependent on vacuum tubes. Vacuum tubes were large, fragile, power-hungry, and prone to failure. The transistor not only replaced the vacuum tube in many applications but also enabled the miniaturization and …
Podcast Transcript In the 5th century BC, the Greek world found itself in the middle of one of its greatest wars. This wasn’t one of their existential conflicts against the Persians; this was a war of Greeks against Greeks. An alliance of city-states led by Athens fought a coalition led by Sparta for control of …
Podcat Transcript The Guillotine has become infamous for being a symbol of the French Revolution and the Reign of Terror. It has been responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of people since it was first used in 1792. But, of all the ways to execute people, why did they create an elaborate contraption …
Podcast Transcript The 19th Century wasn’t a good one for China. It was marked by the nation being taken advantage of by foreign powers and the signing of lopsided treaties. The 20th Century started out promising, but eventually devolved into a series of warlords and a civil war between two major forces for control of …
Podcast Transcript Michigan and Ohio are two states renowned for their intense rivalry. When you think of the rivalry between the two states, you probably think of the rivalry between the University of Michigan and Ohio State on the football field. However, their rivalry extends far beyond that. In 1835 and 1836, the two states …
Podcast Transcript The months of the year are named after Roman gods, and some are named after their placement in the calendar. However, the first month to be named after an actual person was the month of July, which was named after Julius Caesar. What is surprising isn’t that the name of the month has …
Podcast Transcript Five years ago today, I published the first episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. Since then, I’ve published over 1,800 episodes, written close to 3,000,000 words, and had my podcast episodes downloaded almost 50,000,000 times. In the process of doing all of that, I’ve learned a lot about this show and this audience and …
Podcast Transcript Marcus Licinius Crassus was the richest man in the Roman Republic. His wealth bought him power and influence, but it couldn’t buy him everything. His massive wealth couldn’t give him the respect and authority that came from victory on the battlefield. His desperate attempt to achieve this glory led to his spectacular demise …
Podcast Transcript On the evening of January 30, 1945, the deadliest shipwreck in human history occurred. Most of you might be aware of the sinking of the Titanic or the Lusitania, yet you’ll have never heard of the MV Wilhelm Gustloff. With a death toll about six times worse than the Titanic, the Wilhelm Gustlof …