Podcast Transcript For centuries, sailors told tales of gigantic waves that they encountered at sea, and for centuries, scientists didn’t believe them. However, over time, evidence began to pile up, which suggested that the legends of these freak waves were, in fact, true. These waves are rare, still not well understood, and terrifying to ships …
Podcast Transcript In the 1860s, one of the bloodiest wars in the Western Hemisphere took place….and it wasn’t the US Civil War. It was a war between Paraguay and an alliance of Uruguay, Argentina, and Brazil, and it was one of the bloodiest ever fought in Latin America. It was a conventional war that resulted …
Podcast Transcript At the end of the Second World War, Europe was a mess. The economies of most countries were in shambles and the threat of communism loomed over the continent. In a speech at Harvard University on June 5, 1947, U.S. Secretary of State George C. Marshall proposed a plan which could help get …
Podcast Transcript Every year, hundreds of millions of birds around the world migrate. Some migrate short distances, some migrate incredibly long distances, and others don’t bother to migrate at all. For centuries, people didn’t know why birds migrated, how they managed to travel such long distances every year, or where they went. Thanks to modern …
Podcast Transcript One of the defining events of the Middle Ages took place in Constantinople on April 12, 1204. Soldiers of the Fourth Crusade, under orders of the Doge of the Republic of Venice, breached the walls and sacked one of the greatest cities on Earth. The sack wasn’t just an orgy of violence and …
Podcast Transcript For over 600 years, the empire that dominated the region of Southeast Asia was the Khmer Empire. Built out of a collection of kingdoms, the Khmer Empire dominated its corner of Asia. It was an advanced civilization known for its massive building projects and its system of waterworks. Even though the empire eventually …
In the late 19th century, New York City was the battleground for a conflict between two great powers. These powers were not armies or nations; rather, they were newspaper conglomerates headed by two of the most powerful figures in the history of American media. The competition between them was furious, and it was fought not …
Podcast Transcript Every October in the Northern Hemisphere, leaves on the trees turn color and fall to the ground. While the leaves turn from green to the bright colors of autumn, listeners’ green questions are also transformed into colorful answers. Stay tuned for volume number 23 of questions and answers on this episode of Everything …
Podcast Transcript When we look at history, we tend to focus on grand things like great leaders and great battles. In reality, what makes for successful empires is often the mundane: stable laws, an uncorrupt civil service, or, for large sprawling empires, a system of roads. Roads were one of the secrets to the success …