How Much Did Rome and Sub-Saharan Africa Know About Each Other?

How Much Did Rome and Sub-Saharan Africa Know About Each Other?

Podcast Transcript The Romans were familiar with Africa, or at least part of it. At one point, they controlled everything on the north coast of Africa from Morocco to Egypt.  However, below their African territories was the vast Sahara Desert, which was extremely difficult to cross. For all practical purposes, it served as a permeable …

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“Honest” Jack Sheppard

"Honest" Jack Sheppard

Podcast Transcript In early 18th-century London, a petty criminal became one of the most celebrated people in England.  He wasn’t celebrated despite the fact that he was a criminal; he was celebrated because he was a criminal. The authorities didn’t share in the public’s enthusiasm. He was arrested several times, but he managed to escape …

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Emperor Diocletian

Emperor Diocletian

Podcast Transcript In the middle of the Third Century, things were looking really bad for the Roman Empire.  This period was marked by civil war, economic collapse, foreign invasions, and a rapid succession of emperors, often military usurpers, most of whom died violently.  If things had gone just a little differently, we would have been …

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All About Comets

All About Comets

Podcast Transcript For thousands of years, people have looked into the night sky and occasionally seen something unusual. It was something fuzzy, sometimes bright, it had a tail and it wasn’t there before. It appeared out of nowhere and, after a few weeks or months, disappeared as mysteriously as it had appeared. When these events …

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The Norman Conquest

The Norman Conquest

Podcat Transcript On October 14, 1066, England changed forever.  Forces led by William of Normandy sailed from France and defeated the King of England, putting the country on a radically different trajectory.  It affected everyone from the aristocracy down to the commoners, and it even trickled down to the very language spoken in the country …

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The RMS Titanic

The RMS Titanic

Podcast Transcript On April 15, 1912, one of the greatest disasters in modern nautical history took place.  The RMS Titanic, one of the most celebrated ships of its era, struck an iceberg and sank on its inaugural voyage.  While the story of the Titanic is well known, it has often been exaggerated, and there are …

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Seed Oils

Seed Oils

Podcast Transcript Whether or not you are aware of it, in the last day, if you are anywhere near average, there is a very good chance that you have consumed seed oils.  Seed oils are everywhere in the modern diet. They are contained in almost every processed food and a great many foods prepared at …

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Triple Crowns and Grand Slams

Triple Crowns and Grand Slams

Podcast Transcript Many different sports have a concept of a triple crown or a grand slam.  What it is defined as differs from sport to sport, but what they all have in common is that achieving a triple crown or a grand slam is considered to be the pinnacle of the game.  In some sports, …

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A Brief History of Australia

A Brief History of Australia

Podcast Transcript Australia is a unique country.  By area, it’s huge. By population, however, it is dwarfed by smaller countries such as Nepal, Ghana, Yemen, and the United Kingdom.  By modern standards, the nation is quite young, yet it has a history that goes back further than almost any other country.  …and there is also …

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