Understanding Fractals

Understanding Fractals

Podcast Transcript Some of the most beautiful things in the world of mathematics are fractals.  Fractals are unique geometric objects that are both easy to comprehend and have complicated mathematics.  Moreover, fractals are not just a theoretical mathematical construction. Fractals can be found everywhere in nature, including trees, beaches, and even your own body.  Learn …

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Hosting the Olympics

Hosting the Olympics

Podcast Transcript In July 2017, the International Olympic Committee did something unprecedented. It awarded not one, but two cities Olympic games at the same time. The 2024 games to Paris and the 2028 games to Los Angeles.  However, this decision wasn’t a stroke of genius. It was an act of desperation.  That is because no …

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The Canadian Parliament

The Canadian Parliament

Podcast Transcript Every country has its own system of government. Even when systems are quite similar, there are usually idiosyncrasies about each system, which makes them different.  Canada is no exception.  However, many people outside of Canada, especially those to the immediate south, have no clue how the Canadian system works or how it came …

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The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

Podcast Transcript In 1908, the United States did something unprecedented in its history: It created a general-purpose investigative police branch for the Department of Justice.  The federal government had l enforcement organizations before, but they had very narrow missions.  From its humble beginnings, the FBI radically changed over the next several decades and became one …

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The Vikings

The VIkings

Podcast transcript One of the most feared groups of people from the 8th to the 11th centuries was the Vikings.  The Vikings stuck fear into the hearts of people all around coastal Europe. They could appear like a bolt out of the blue to raid and pillage villages.  Yet the Vikings were more than mindless …

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All About Lions

All About Lions

Podcast Transcript Lions are one of the most respected animals in the animal kingdom.  They are called the king of the jungle (even though they don’t really live in jungles), they are used on the crests of royal houses, and the ancients made a lion one of the signs of the zodiac.  They have been …

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Questions and Answers: Volume 26

Questions and Answers: Volume 26

Podcast Transcript January is the first month of the year in the Gregorian calendar. Its name derives from Janus, the Roman god of beginnings and transitions. Janus symbolizes new opportunities and looks both forward and backward.  It is often associated with new resolutions, fresh starts, and winter in the Northern Hemisphere, while it marks the …

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A History of Tokyo

A History of Tokyo

Podcast Transcript Tokyo, Japan, is currently the largest city in the world, with a total metropolitan population of over 37 million people. However, it wasn’t always the case. In fact, unlike many great cities of the world, Tokyo’s roots do not go back to ancient times. Its importance as a city is relatively recent, historically …

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A Brief History of Game Shows

A Brief History of Game Shows

Podcast Transcript Ever since the advent of broadcast television, one of the staples of television programming has been game shows.  Game shows have been around for almost 90 years, and during that time, contestants have won everything from a goat to millions of dollars.  Some game shows require an incredible amount of skill, and others …

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