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What is Karaoke? Part Two: Going Global; Careful What You Sing
As the karaoke phenomenon became a global pastime, it likewise transformed to adapt to cultures outside of Japan. In the second part of this two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max explore the expansion o…
Published on 1 year, 3 months ago
What is Karaoke? Part One: An Origin Story
Nowadays most people are at least generally familiar with the concept of karaoke -- technology allows you to sing along with your favorite songs, often to the delight of your friends and fellow amate…
Published on 1 year, 3 months ago
CLASSIC: Did Richard Nixon Unwittingly Smuggle Drugs for Louis Armstrong?
It's become one of the strangest anecdotes in modern American history -- numerous sources will swear to you that, in a last-minute panic before reaching customs, legendary musician Louis Armstrong ha…
Published on 1 year, 3 months ago
The Nebraska Episode
Let's be honest: when many Americans think of Nebraska, we immediately think of corn. Yet there's much more to the Cornhusker State than a single crop. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max dive into…
Published on 1 year, 3 months ago
Occupy Alcatraz!
Alcatraz! For a lot of us, this former island prison occupies an iconic space in the American zeitgeist. It's been home to some of the country's most notorious criminals, and has been the inspiration…
Published on 1 year, 3 months ago
CLASSIC: 3 Times Society Refused to Accept New Books on Science
Progress versus preservation: It's one of the eternal dilemmas found throughout every instance of human civilization. Should we embrace disruptive thoughts and science that challenges our beliefs, or…
Published on 1 year, 3 months ago
The Ridiculous, Murky Origins of Pasta, Part Two: From Myth to the Modern Day
Today pasta is a worldwide phenomena, and the story of pasta's spread is, in a very real way, also a study of global trade and civilization. Tune in to part two of this week's two-part series as Ben,…
Published on 1 year, 3 months ago
The Ridiculous, Murky Origins of Pasta, Part One: Basic Ingredients, Delicious Results
Pasta is amazing. But where does the concept come from? In part one of this week's two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max delve into the origin of a simple series of ingredients -- and discover there's a…
Published on 1 year, 3 months ago
CLASSIC: That Time We Erased a (HUGE) Waterfall
It's often been said that "the art of losing isn't hard to master", and humanity overall seems to have a knack for losing everything from car keys to entire civilizations. Join Ben and Noel as they t…
Published on 1 year, 3 months ago
Patents Are Absolutely Bonkers: An Origin Story
Have you ever had a good idea -- like, a brilliant idea? If so, you may have immediately started trying to figure out the cartoonishly complicated, labyrinthine world of patents. In today's episode, …
Published on 1 year, 3 months ago