A History of Motion Pictures

A History of Motion Pictures

Podcast Transcript Perhaps the greatest advancement in the arts in the 20th century was the creation of motion pictures.  Motions Pictures was a brand-new art form. While initially it was just recorded stage presentations, it eventually evolved into something much more.  Today, it is a multi-billion-dollar industry, which is all due to countless technical advancements …

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A Brief History of Nothing

A Brief History of Nothing

Podcast Transcript One of the most difficult concepts for early thinkers to get their heads around was the idea of nothing.  Everywhere we go, all our lives, there is something. There is air and matter that surrounds us everywhere because if there weren’t, we wouldn’t be here.  Eventually, scientists and philosophers became comfortable with the …

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The Geography of Mexico

The Geography of Mexico

Podcast Transcript Just south of the United States and north of Guatemala is Mexico, a fact which I’m sure all of you know.  However, most people don’t know that much about Mexico. There are caricatures of Mexico, and many people are familiar with some of the tourist areas, but that’s about it.  In reality, Mexico …

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The 1919 Chicago Black Sox Scandal

The 1919 Chicago Black Sox Scandal

Podcast Transcript In October 1919, the champions of the National League, the Cincinnati Reds, faced the champions of the American League, the Chicago White Sox, in the World Series.  While Cincinnati won the championship on the field five games to three, the series will be forever remembered because of the events surrounding it. Even a …

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A History of Textiles, Fabrics, and Cloth

A History of Textiles, Fabrics, and Cloth

Podcast Transcript I would say that there is a very good chance that almost everyone listening to the sound of my voice right now is wearing something made of cloth.  Cloth, textiles, and fabrics go back a very long way, but despite their ancient origins, not every culture had them.  Yet, where they existed, they …

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The Battle of Carrhae

The Battle of Carrhae

Podcast Transcript In the year 53 BC, Rome suffered one of the greatest military defeats in its history. A Roman army led by Marcus Lucinius Crassus was led into the desert in present-day Southern Turkey and was systematically destroyed by an army from the Parthian Empire.  The defeat itself didn’t radically weaken Rome, but the …

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The Himalayas

The Himalayas

Podcast Transcript Located between China and India, Pakistan, Buthan, and Nepal is the world’s highest chain of mountains, The Himalayas.  The Himalayas aren’t just very tall, picturesque mountains that are the home of Mount Everest. They are perhaps the most important mountain range on Earth.  The Himalayas serve as the source of several of the …

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The Apollo 1 Disaster

The Apollo 1 Disaster

Podcast Transcript In the early 1960s, the United States was always a step behind the Soviet Union in the space race.  By the mid-1960s, the Americans had caught up. They didn’t have many glamorous firsts, but they were doing increasingly difficult things in space. All of that came crashing to a halt on January 27, …

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The Herculaneum Papyri

The Herculaneum Papyri

Podcast Transcript In the mid-18th century, excavations in the ancient town of Herculaneum, just outside the city of Pompeii and destroyed by the same volcano, discovered something….interesting.  They found a villa that contained 1800 ancient scrolls. Unfortunately, the volcano’s heat carbonized them, making them illegible and incredibly fragile. Still, for over 250 years, scholars have …

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