The Element Thorium

The Element Thorium

Podcast Transcript Located in the 90th place on the periodic table is the element Thorium.  Thorium, as with every element, has unique properties, making it useful in certain applications.  However, Thorium’s best days might still be ahead of it and might move it to the front of the list of the world’s most important elements. …

Read more

The Domestication of Cats

The Domestication of Cats

Podcast Transcript Dogs and cats are both domesticated, four-legged, fur-bearing mammals.  Beyond that, they really don’t have much in common. One of the things that they don’t have in common is how they wound up in the lives of humans.  Cats established their relationship with humans at a totally different point in history and for …

Read more

The Manila Galleons

The Manila Galleons

Podcast Transcript Globalization consists of a system of interlinked markets and economies. Most people think of this as a modern phenomenon, however, its roots go back much further.  One of the earliest examples of globalization took place as early as the 16th century.  The Spanish empire had a global spanning operation that linked together three …

Read more

How Wild Was the Wild West?

How Wild Was the Wild West?

Podcast Transcript The media portrayal of the wild west is filled with gunfights in the middle of the street, bank robberies, and vigilantes. In fact, it is very difficult to find a media portrayal that doesn’t use the wild west as a backdrop for some struggle of good vs. evil and of criminals vs. lawmen.  …

Read more

The International Space Station

The International Space Station

Podcast Transcript Even before humans first went into orbit, there had been dreams of establishing a permanent presence in space.  For almost the last 25 years, humanity has achieved just that. At least one human being has been in Earth orbit without interruption for almost a quarter century.  What has allowed this to happen is …

Read more

Questions & Answers: Volume 6

Podcast Transcript According to the laws of supply and demand, an equilibrium will eventually be researched where suppliers will meet the demands of consumers at a given price and quantity level.  In the case of this podcast, the supply and demand for questions are met at an equilibrium point of exactly one episode every month.  …

Read more

British Coronation Traditions

British Coronation Traditions

Podcast Transcript On May 6, 2023, something will happen in London that hasn’t occurred in 70 years. A British monarch will be crowned. An event for which King Charles has spent his entire life in preparation. The ceremony, which will take place in Westminster Abbey, and will incorporate centuries of traditions, both civil and religious. …

Read more

The History of Cinco de Mayo

The History of Cinco de Mayo

Podcast Transcript Every year Mexico and Mexican culture are celebrated during the holiday of Cinco de Mayo, which in Spanish just means May 5th.  However, many people, especially those outside of Mexico, have no idea what exactly is being celebrated on May 5, and many of those who think they know have the wrong idea. …

Read more

Identical Twins Separated at Birth

Identical Twins Separated at Birth

Podcast Transcript In the 1960s, a New York clinical psychiatrist and an adoption agency conducted an experiment. They separated multiple sets of identical twins and one set of identical triplets into different families to test how much of personality is due to genetics or the environment.  None of the children or families were ever told …

Read more