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Auction Houses: It's Not *All* Money Laundering
We've all heard of auction houses. Nowadays, these are often best-known as specialized institutions catering to international institutions and a smal…
1 year, 10 months ago
CLASSIC: "Vitamin Donuts" Were A Real Thing
Donuts: they're sweet, delectable and dangerous. Nowadays they're best known as a sugary snack or a nice accompaniment to a cup of coffee, but this w…
1 year, 10 months ago
Thomas Nast, Part Two: A Cartoonist Conquers Corruption (and Moves to Ecuador)
Rising from humble beginnings, Thomas Nast soon became something very much like the conscience of America. His illustrated takedowns of corruption sp…
1 year, 10 months ago
Thomas Nast, Part One: The Cartoonist Who Shaped America
Tons of people have a soft spot for their favorite cartoon or comic strip -- yet few have attained the social status of the legendary artist Thomas N…
1 year, 11 months ago
CLASSIC: The Rotten, Sausagey Secret Origin of Botox
Today botox is one of the world's most well-known wrinkle treatments, as well as a go-to joke in the realm of pop culture. But where did this treatme…
1 year, 11 months ago
Books You Can't Read -- By Design!
Books are amazing. When you think about it, a good book can be a portal to another world. A book can a time machine, and the right story can genuinel…
1 year, 11 months ago
La Maupin: The Swordfighting Opera Singer of France
During the era of Louis XIV, Julie D'Aubigny became one of the most popular criminals in all of high society. In today's episode, the guys welcome re…
1 year, 11 months ago
CLASSIC: The Weird World of Meat Jell-O (A Gelatin Origin Story)
Today Jell-O and other gelatin foodstuffs are generally relegated to world of desserts, but this wasn't always the case. In fact, gelatin took a long…
1 year, 11 months ago
A History of Roller Coasters, Part Two: Higher, Faster, More Expensive
In the history of roller coasters, one thing became clear: the public wanted extremes -- the fastest, the highest, the most dangerous of rides. In pa…
1 year, 11 months ago
A History of Roller Coasters, Part One: Early Ups and Downs
If you described the concept of a roller coaster to an alien, they'd probably be baffled: Why on Earth are humans purposely recreated the sensation o…
1 year, 11 months ago