The 10 Best Ridiculous History Podcast Episodes
1) The Duke of Portland Hated People and Loved Tunnels
We've all had those days where we just need a little solitude, a quiet place away from the clamor and chatter of other people. However, William John Cavensidh-Scott-Bentinck, the 5th Duke of Portland,...Show More
2) The FBI versus Hip-Hop
Nowadays, hip-hop is everywhere -- this genre informs countless aspects of modern music around the world. Shortly after its creation, power structures in the United States sought to suppress this musi...Show More
3) Marie Antoinette and the Diamond Necklace Hoax
Queen Marie Antoinette's reputation was already tarnished by gossip in 1784, but was completely ruined by the implication that she defrauded the crown jewelers, conning them out of a dazzling, expensi...Show More
4) How a German Prince Built his own Artificial Volcano
Like many nobles of his day, Leopold III Friedrich Franz traveled widely in his youth, taking in the ancient wonders of Europe. A stunning experience witnessing an eruption at Mount Vesuvius transform...Show More
5) How MLK influenced Star Trek
Star Trek is one of the world's most well-known sci-fi franchises, spanning decades in film, TV, books, games and more. While it's had its fair share of lighthearted moments (hello, Tribbles!), its vi...Show More
6) Why You Can't Say "MacBeth" in a Theater
As one of history's most well-known, highly-regarded writers, it's no secret that Shakespeare's life and work is full of strange stories -- but did you know one of his most famous plays is considered ...Show More
7) Austin and the Texas Archives War
After its formation in 1836, the new Republic of Texas had some problems -- multiple people wanted the capital in different places. The Republic's archives were seen as a stamp of legitimacy to any c...Show More
8) Ada Lovelace, Part One: How Lord Byron’s Daughter Became a Tech Visionary
Today Ada Lovelace is hailed as one of the most important figures in the early history of computing -- but, during her childhood, her mother was worried she might take after her father, the famous poe...Show More
9) Railroad Tycoons Decided What Time It Is Now
Nowadays the world is divided into a series of 'time zones.' Yet before the 1880s, towns across the United States ran on a sort of local time -- when you left one town, you often traveled slowly enoug...Show More
10) A Grave Mistake: The Story of Patton's "Abandoned Rear"
When George S. Patton decided to found a tank training school in the tiny French village of Bourg, the mayor approached him in tears. "An American soldier has died here," said the mayor, "and I would ...Show More