Uncontacted Peoples

Uncontacted Peoples

Podcast Transcript If you are listening to me speak these words, regardless of where in the world you live, you are part of a global network we call human civilization. You share in the ideas, technology, and goods created worldwide and by people in your community. Most people on the planet are a part of …

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The History of Insurance

The History of Insurance

Podcast Transcript Insurance seems like a pretty modern concept. There are insurance commercials on television, and insurance companies sponsor major sports teams.  Most of us have to buy insurance, or we are at least under someone else’s insurance policy. However, insurance is far from a modern concept. It is actually one of the oldest financial …

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Attila the Hun

Attila the Hun

Podcast Transcript During the 5th century, one name struck fear into the hearts of almost every European: Attila, leader of the Huns.  For a period of almost 20 years, Attila ravaged Europe, conquering various tribes and causing one of the largest migrations ever seen on the continent. Then, quite suddenly and unexpectedly, the conquests of …

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Tsutomu Yamaguchi: The Man Who Survived Two Atomic Bombs

Tsutomu Yamaguchi: The Man Who Survived Two Atomic Bombs

Podcast Transcript There were millions of stories that came out of the second world war.  However, there were none like that of Tsutomu Yamaguchi. On August 6, 1945, he survived an event that no one in world history had encountered before.  Just three days later, he had the misfortune of having to go through it …

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The Meteor That Determined the Outcome of a Battle

The Meteor That Determined the Outcome of a Battle

Podcast Transcript There are many factors that go into the outcome of a battle. The number of soldiers, training, supplies, the weather, and the terrain the battle is fought on all play a part in determining the outcome. However, the biggest factor is the one that no one can control: luck.  There has never been …

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All About the Solomon Islands

All About the Solomon Islands

Podcast Transcript Lying northeast of Australia and almost east of Papua New Guinea lies one of the world’s lesser-known and seldom visited countries: The Solomon Islands. The country has few resources, is located on no major shipping routes, and is seldom mentioned in any news stories whatsoever. Yet it played a major role in the …

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Irrational Numbers

Irrational Numbers

Podcast Transcript There is a particular type of number that is so common we have keys on calculators to handle them.  However, thousands of years ago, their discovery was so upsetting to one group that it may have led to the destruction of their religion and possibly the murder of the man who made the …

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The Origin of Words and Phrases: Sports

The Origin of Words and Phrases: Sports

Podcast Transcript The English language is a very odd thing.  We use many phrases and idioms every day that make no sense if you don’t understand the cultural references behind them. In particular, we have a large number of idioms that come from the world of sports. Idioms which are often used by people who …

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The 1980 Eruption of Mount St. Helens

The 1980 Eruption of Mount St. Helens

Podcast Transcript On May 18, 1980, one of the most violent and cataclysmic natural disasters of the modern era took place.  Mount St. Helens, a stratovolcano located approximately 100 miles or 160 kilometers south of Seattle, exploded.  The effects of the explosion could be noticed over 1,000 miles away, and it forever changed the landscape …

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