Mundane objects that cross our path every day usually hide interesting origins and mysteries. This a sample of stories from glitter, flip flops, pockets and more.
Over the last half century the decorative pillow has been crowding out our sitting and sleeping spaces, multiplying across our beds and couches decade by decade. For some, decorative pillows are a fun...Show More
From Japan to Hawaii to California, this week we learn about the origins of the ubiquitious flip-flop. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/list...Show More
James Ward introduces another curious talk about a subject that may seem boring, but is actually very interesting.... maybe. Brian Mackenwells is passionate about pencils. In this Boring Talk he shar...Show More
Some brands aren’t cool no matter how hard they try. Others start out cool, but lose their cachet over time. Then there are the brands that somehow, surprisingly turn cool. Without really changing the...Show More
What do you hear when you walk into a Casino? It can feel like chaos, but each sound is carefully curated to draw you in and make you stay. One collection of sounds are scientifically and artistically...Show More
Womenswear is littered with fake pockets that don’t open, or shallow pockets that can hardly hold more than a paperclip. If women’s clothes have pockets at all, they are often smaller and just fit les...Show More
Alexis Madrigal brings you the gripping story of how a new way of shipping stuff across the ocean fed the Vietnam War, destroyed America's great port cities, and created global trade as we know it. ...Show More
Producer Christine Driscoll meets an alleyway plant dealer and discovers an industry right under our noses. Our SponsorsEveryday Bravery - subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts Sonos - Sonos is a ...Show More
The origins of the office cubicle and it's creator's ideas about office design might surprise you. Open vs closed offices? Oh yes, we talk about it. In this episode, we delve into the history of the c...Show More
Endless Thread solves one of the internet’s most compelling unresolved mysteries. Inspired by a New York Times feature about glitter last year, Redditors have obsessed over identifying the mysterious ...Show More