Transcript Far above the Arctic Circle on the Norwegian island of Svalbard, built into the side of a mountain which is permanently frozen, is humanity’s greatest insurance policy. There lie genetic backup copies for much of the world’s agricultural crops. These seeds are stored for a day which hopefully will never come. Learn more about …
Transcript Airplanes were not the first type of aircraft. Lighter-than-air airships were flying decades before the Wright Brothers flew their first airplane. Of all the airships, there was one company that became so successful in airship development and construction that their name became synonymous with the rigid airship. Learn more about zeppelins on this episode …
Podcast Transcript One of the most transformative events of the 20th century was the Russian Revolution. The Revolution was responsible for the downfall of the Russian monarchy and the rise of the Soviet Union, the world’s first communist country. However, its impact wasn’t limited to Russia. It had reverberations that were felt all over the …
Podcast Transcript Seventy percent of the Earth’s surface is covered with water… and the vast majority of it is useless for consumption or agriculture. This problem has been known for thousands of years, and for thousands of years, humans have recognized that it is possible to turn seawater into drinking water; it was just difficult …
Podcast Transcript During World War II, the US Army assigned statistician Abraham Wald the task of statistically figuring out where extra armor should be added to American bombers. After analyzing the evidence and sharing it with the Army, he recommended the exact opposite of what the Army assumed. The reason was that the Army had …
Podcast Transcript We are all familiar with things that fly in the air. Hot air balloons, dirigibles, blimps, airplanes, and helicopters. However, there is another category of flying craft that most people aren’t familiar with. It isn’t an airplane, and it isn’t a helicopter. It actually lies somewhere in between. By combining parts of both, …
Podcast Transcript In the summer of 1944, the Allied forces planned an audacious amphibious landing on the beaches of France. It involved hundreds of ships, hundreds of thousands of men, and meticulous planning. Those who landed would face fierce resistance from entrenched German forces. …and I am not talking about D-Day and the invasion of …
Podcast Transcript In the year 1800, the last year of the 18th century, the world was on the precipice of radical change. The scientific revolution, the agricultural revolution, and the industrial revolution had all begun, but were yet to hit full swing. There were also literal revolutions afoot. Countries began overthrowing their leaders or colonial …
Podcast Transcript Over the years, human life expectancy has increased dramatically. While there have been many developments that have led to longer human lifespans, most of that has come from just a few major advancements. One of the biggest of which has been the development of surgery. The types of surgical procedures that exist today …