Podcast Transcript Music is a very powerful thing. It can invoke a wide variety of emotions and moods. Particular songs we’ve heard might invoke memories of when we first heard them. However, there is some music that actually can server as a cultural shorthand. Not even full songs are necessary. Just a few notes can …
Podcast Transcript After the Prophet Mohammed’s death in 632, his followers faced a dilemma. Mohammed was not only their spiritual leader but also their political leader. While no one could replace Mohammed, they still needed a leader for their community. The result was the creation of the position of the caliph, or “successor.” A series …
Podcast Transcript For more than 350 years, a single problem stumped the world of mathematics. The problem was extremely simple to state, yet it proved fiendishly difficult to prove. Bounties were placed on finding a solution, and yet many failed to prove it. Finally, in 1994, seemingly out of nowhere, a proof was offered, but …
Podcast Transcript There are many things in our world that have surprisingly ancient origins. One of the things that most definitely does not have ancient origins in the concept of prison and incarceration as punishment. Today, almost everywhere in the world, the primary form of punishment for crimes is incarceration. Yet historically speaking, this form …
Podcast Transcript Since the ratification of the United States Constitution in 1788, there have been 60 presidential elections, which have been run every four years. Over time, a system was developed for the election of the president, including how parties select a candidate and how votes are counted. Some of this has been done via …
Podcast Transcript A little over 400 years ago, the world was undergoing a revolution, although most people who lived at that time probably didn’t know it. For better or worse, long-term and short-term changes were underway. Parts of the Earth that had never been in contact began to make contact with each other, even if …
Podcast Transcript California isn’t just another US state. It is the most populous state in the union, and it has an economy which, if it were an independent country, would be the 5th largest in the world. Yet, this wasn’t always the case. In the 19th century, California wasn’t much at all. Hardly anyone lived …
Podcast Transcript One of the most important inventions in human history was the bow and arrow. A bow and arrow is a rather simple device, but it was a revolutionary advancement in humanity’s ability to hunt and fight. Unlike many early human inventions, the bow and arrow have had an extremely long lifespan. For thousands …
Podcast Transcript From September 1940 until May 1941, the people of the United Kingdom experienced the horrors of war firsthand. Hundreds of bombers ran thousands of missions over civilian areas of Great Britain. The hardest hit of all the cities was the capital of London. By the time the bombing campaign stopped, tens of thousands …