Podcast Transcript On December 6 every year, countries all across Europe celebrate Saint Nicholas Day. The way they celebrate can vary dramatically from place to place, but what they all have in common is honoring a man with a long white beard who gives presents to children. If all that sounds familiar, it should. Learn …
Podcast Transcript Have you ever met someone who couldn’t pronounce the name nearby town, or they just spoke different enough that you could tell that they were from somewhere else? If so, you have probably learned about shibboleths without even knowing it. These differences in speech have been used to identify people for centuries. Learn …
Podcast Transcript One of the most important gods in the Roman pantheon was the goddess Vesta. Vesta was the goddess of the hearth and home, and her temple was one of the most important in ancient Rome. It was attended by six women who were some of the most important in all of Roman society. …
Podcast Transcript When humans first managed to harness heavier-than-air flight, they did so by using piston engines and propellers. Several decades later, a more efficient means of propulsion was developed. It could make planes travel faster and higher and could use less fuel over longer distances. In addition to transforming civilian and military aviation, new …
Podcast Transcript Throughout history, there have been some truly remarkable people who have done some truly remarkable things. One such person was Adrian Carton de Wiart. If you don’t know who he is, thanks, ok, because by the end of this episode, you surely remember his story, if not his name. He was courageous, a …
Podcast Transcript Over the last 200 years, railroads have been one of the most important methods of transportation. Railroads helped make the modern world. They are capable of transporting people and goods quickly over long distances at a low cost. However, most people would be shocked to learn that railways predate the development of locomotives. …
Podcast Transcript Located on a peninsula and series of islands off the southeastern coast of China lies what is today called the Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong. Hong Kong didn’t play a central role in the thousands of years of Chinese history. However, it has played a pivotal role in the region for the …
Podcast Transcript In the early 17th century, Japan was witness to a samurai who was arguably its greatest warrior ever. He wasn’t just one of the greatest swordsmen in history; he was a philosopher, a writer, an artist, and, in contravention to the samurai code at the time, he was a vagabond. Today, he is …
Podcast Transcript In 1889, two brothers, Andre and Edouard Michelin, started a company that made the world’s first removable pneumatic tires. Today, their names are synonymous with fine dining around the world. If you wonder what rubber tires have to do with the world’s greatest restaurants, I assure you it all makes perfect sense, even …