Podcast Episodes

CLASSIC: That Time Kansas Imprisoned Women For Having STDs

At the close of World War I, American soldiers returned home from abroad with scars, wounds, stories and, in some cases, infections of which their romantic partners were unaware. When cities in Kansa…

Published on 9 months ago

A Ridiculous History of Processed Cheese

Let's be honest: cheese is inherently weird. As humanity advanced, civilizations leveraged positively alchemical science to arrive at the perfect cheeseburger melt. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and …

Published on 9 months ago

The Darién Gap, or: the Real Reason Scotland Lost Its Independence

Scotland is a fascinating place, with its own rich culture, cuisine and history. Today, it's part of the United Kingdom -- but this wasn't always the case. Join Ben, Noel and Max as they dive into Sc…

Published on 9 months, 1 week ago

CLASSIC: Oregon Was a White Supremacist Paradise

Today Portland, Oregon is often portrayed as a left-leaning haven for hipsters across the country, but the original Oregon was a vastly different place. Listen in to learn more about the ridiculous a…

Published on 9 months, 1 week ago

Introducing: ScienceStuff

Ever wonder if your pet is lying to you, what's inside a black hole, or whether you'd survive being cryogenically frozen? With infectious curiosity, cartoonist and former roboticist Jorge Cham makes …

Published on 9 months, 1 week ago

Introducing: SNAFU Season 3: Formula 6

Hi, Ridiculous History Fans! We want to share a new season of SNAFU with Ed Helms. 

About the show: This is the story of Prohibition you haven't heard. Sure, Prohibition was a gigantic SNAFU to begin…

Published on 9 months, 1 week ago

Apple Versus Apple: The Beatles' Decades-long IP War

Spoiler: The Beatles are kind of famous. Yet even worldwide acclaim didn't make them immune to lawsuits. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore the strange story of Apple Inc and Apple Corps, …

Published on 9 months, 1 week ago

Ancient Wonders of the Modern World: The (Alleged) Hanging Gardens of Babylon

We've all heard of The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World -- but what are they, exactly? What made these specific seven creations wonders? Why are some equally impressive structures not considered wo…

Published on 9 months, 2 weeks ago

CLASSIC: Project A119: The Cold War Plan to Nuke the Moon!

It sounds like something straight out of your favorite sketch comedy show -- what if a crack team of scientists joined forces with the world's most powerful military on a mission to nuke the moon? Do…

Published on 9 months, 2 weeks ago

The US Camel Corps, Part Two: The Legend of the Red Ghost

As Major Wayne and company finally make the US Camel Corps a reality, tensions continue to rise across the US: the increasingly divided North and South stand at the brink of war. As Ben, Noel and ret…

Published on 9 months, 2 weeks ago