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Yes, We Have Bananas
Episode 1346
Bananas, the world’s favourite fruit, were first displayed in London on 10th April, 1633, in the shop window of botanist Thomas Johnson, editor for G…
3 months, 3 weeks ago
Less of the Moors
Episode 1345
Spain began expel Moriscos - the descendants of Muslims who had converted, often under pressure, to Christianity - on 9th April, 1609.
Although many…
3 months, 3 weeks ago
The Nudge Revolution
Episode 1344
Cass Sunstein and Richard Thaler’s bestseller ‘Nudge’ was released on 8th April, 2008, catapulting a new method of behavioural economics into the pub…
3 months, 3 weeks ago
I'm Betty Ford, And I'm An Alcoholic
Episode 1343
Former First Lady Betty Ford quietly marked what she would later call her “sobriety birthday” on 7 April 1978: a deeply personal victory following ye…
3 months, 3 weeks ago
The Surprising History of Post-Its
Episode 1342
3M scientist Spencer Silver created the adhesive that makes Post-It Notes sticky back in 1968 - but it wasn’t until 6th April, 1980 that the statione…
3 months, 3 weeks ago
The First Motorbike
Episode 1340
Gottlieb Daimler's patent for his high-speed petrol engine (dubbed the "Grandfather Clock") on 3rd April, 1885, wasn't just a technological breakthro…
3 months, 4 weeks ago
Let's Legalise Pinball
Episode 1339
With a single, deliberate shot, Roger Sharpe played pinball for the council of the New York City Council chamber on 2 April 1976, theatrically overtu…
3 months, 4 weeks ago
The Spaghetti Harvest
Episode 1338
One of the most famous hoaxes in broadcasting history aired on the BBC’s revered Panorama programme on April Fools Day, 1957: a segment purporting to…
3 months, 4 weeks ago
Riot in the Concert Hall
Episode 1337
It became known as the ‘Skandalkonzert’: an evening of expressionist, experimental pieces at Vienna’s Great Hall of the Musikverein on March 31, 1913…
4 months ago
The First Ever Starbucks
Episode 1336
When Starbucks opened in Pike Place, Seattle, on March 30th, 1971, it was a simple shop selling whole coffee beans, tea, and spices - with no creamy …
4 months ago