Tarrare: The Hungriest Man in History

Tarrare: The Hungriest Man in History

Transcript Have you ever been really full after a meal? Like really really full?  Could you imagine eating and never feeling full? Like going to an all you can eat fish restaurant and then getting kicked out for eating too much and going fishing so you can eat more fish?  Well, there was one Frenchman …

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The Svalbard Global Seed Vault

The Svalbard Global Seed Vault

Transcript Far above the Arctic Circle on the Norwegian island of Svalbard, built into the side of a mountain which is permanently frozen, is humanity’s greatest insurance policy.  There lie genetic backup copies for much of the world’s agricultural crops.  These seeds are stored for a day which hopefully will never come. Learn more about …

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A History of the Zeppelin

A History of the Zeppelin

Transcript Airplanes were not the first type of aircraft. Lighter-than-air airships were flying decades before the Wright Brothers flew their first airplane. Of all the airships, there was one company that became so successful in airship development and construction that their name became synonymous with the rigid airship. Learn more about zeppelins on this episode …

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The Russian Revolution

The Russian Revolution

Podcast Transcript One of the most transformative events of the 20th century was the Russian Revolution.  The Revolution was responsible for the downfall of the Russian monarchy and the rise of the Soviet Union, the world’s first communist country.  However, its impact wasn’t limited to Russia. It had reverberations that were felt all over the …

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Desalination

Desalination

Podcast Transcript Seventy percent of the Earth’s surface is covered with water… and the vast majority of it is useless for consumption or agriculture.  This problem has been known for thousands of years, and for thousands of years, humans have recognized that it is possible to turn seawater into drinking water; it was just difficult …

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Survivorship Bias

Survivorship Bias

Podcast Transcript During World War II, the US Army assigned statistician Abraham Wald the task of statistically figuring out where extra armor should be added to American bombers. After analyzing the evidence and sharing it with the Army, he recommended the exact opposite of what the Army assumed. The reason was that the Army had …

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Autogyros

Autogyros

Podcast Transcript We are all familiar with things that fly in the air. Hot air balloons, dirigibles, blimps, airplanes, and helicopters. However, there is another category of flying craft that most people aren’t familiar with. It isn’t an airplane, and it isn’t a helicopter. It actually lies somewhere in between.  By combining parts of both, …

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What Are The Top Things To Do In Paraguay?

What Are The Top Things To Do In Paraguay?

Paraguay, while endowed with numerous resources and abundant ways to unwind from busy urban lifestyles, has often not been on many tourists’ radars. And you know what that means – tons of sites to explore, devoid of the usual hassles that come with venturing into popular tourist spots. There is so much you can do …

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Operation Dragoon

Operation Dragoon

Podcast Transcript In the summer of 1944, the Allied forces planned an audacious amphibious landing on the beaches of France. It involved hundreds of ships, hundreds of thousands of men, and meticulous planning.  Those who landed would face fierce resistance from entrenched German forces.  …and I am not talking about D-Day and the invasion of …

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