The Very Strange Life of Ida Wood

The Very Strange Life of Ida Wood

Podcast Transcript Ellen Walsh was born in 1838 in England.  She moved to the United States, changed her name, climbed the social ladder, and wound up an extremely wealthy woman.  In 1907, she abruptly disappeared from public life.  Then 25 years later, she appeared once again, and her life became tabloid fodder that shocked the …

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Ranked Choice Voting

Ranked Choice Voting

Podcast Transcript All around the world, more jurisdictions are implementing a voting system known as ranked choice voting.  Ranked choice voting is very different from voting for a single candidate.  As such, many people who have been voting for years don’t understand how ranked choice voting works or why it is being implemented.  Learn more …

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Wiliam Marshall: The Greatest Knight in History

Wiliam Marshall: The Greatest Knight in History

Podcast Transcript The middle ages didn’t have sports like we have today, but they did have competitions.  These competitions were tournaments between knights where they demonstrated their martial prowess.  During this period, there was one knight who stood out amongst all the rest.  He never lost a match and rose to a level where he …

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All About Lasers

All About Lasers

Podcast Transcript In 1917, Albert Einstein published a paper whereby he proposed a new method of creating light based on the principles of quantum physics. Over 40 years later, researchers finally put Einstein’s ideas into practice. For years it remained a solution in search of a problem. Today, the number of applications for this source …

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The Second Triumvirate

The Second Triumvirate

Podcast Transcript From the years 59 to 53 BC, three high-ranking Romans conspired to control the Roman political system for their own benefit. They called this system a triumvirate. A decade later, Rome found itself under the control of three more men and yet another triumvirate.  This one was very different than than the first. …

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The Judgement of Paris

The Judgement of Paris

Podcast Transcript Before 1976, the California wine industry wasn’t on anyone’s radar. Most Americans didn’t even know that wine was produced in California.  Everyone in the knew, without any doubt, that the greatest wines in the world were all produced in France. In particular, from regions such as Bordeaux and Burgundy. However, in just one …

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The Zodiac

The Signs of the Zodiac

Podcast Transcript Several thousand years ago, astronomers in the Middle East studying the night sky divided it into 12 equal regions. Each region was given a name, was associated with an animal and a constellation.   These divisions became the basis for the nascent disciplines of astronomy and astrology. Today, the system created by those ancient …

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The History of Postal Delivery

The History of Postal Delivery

Podcast Transcript Since humans began to adopt writing systems, they also created systems for passing along written messages.  For thousands of years, it would have been possible to get messages to distant parts of whatever empire or kingdom you happened to live in, provided you found the right courier and had enough money.  Today, the …

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Was King Arthur Real?

Was King Arthur Real?

Podcast Transcript King Arthur is one of the most popular and widely known characters in literary history around the world. Tales have been told about him for almost a 1,000 years.  However, many people have wondered if King Arthur was a real person or if he at least was based on a real person or …

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