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That Time People Rioted Over a Hot Air Balloon
These days hot air balloons are often thought of as anachronistic novelties -- but in the early days of aeronautics, they were considered fascinating…
4 years, 8 months ago
An Alabama Town Built a Statue Honoring the Insect that Almost Destroyed It
Enterprise, Alabama is home to a fascinating statue honoring the boll weevil, a tiny creature that once wreaked havoc across cotton country. So what …
4 years, 8 months ago
A Prince and His Poodle: The Supernatural Adventures of Rupert and Boy
When the Earl of Rundel learned his acquaintance Prince Rupert was languishing in an Austrian prison during the Thirty Years' War, he gifted the prin…
4 years, 8 months ago
How One Guy Made Europe Fall In Love With Potatoes
Today, the humble potato can be found in restaurants and dinner tables across the world -- but this wasn't always the case. In today's episode, Ben a…
4 years, 8 months ago
Weird Courtship Rituals, Part Two
What exactly is Bhutanese "Night Hunting," and how does it work? How do some rural Cambodian communities navigate the tricky world of dating while li…
4 years, 8 months ago
Weird Courtship Rituals, Part One
Would you whisper sweet nothings to your sweeheart through a six-foot tube with your Puritan grandmother in the room? Would you force feed your child…
4 years, 8 months ago
A Brief History of Underwear
Underwear! Whether we're talking boxers, briefs, loincloths, brassieres or even lingerie, undergarments have a storied history in cultures across the…
4 years, 8 months ago
One Guy Was Certain Telepathic Snails Would Replace Telegraphs
Since before the dawn of recorded history, human beings have been obsessed with talking to each other. This primal impulse inspired French occultist …
4 years, 8 months ago
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 …
4 years, 9 months ago
Where do Lemonade Stands Come From?
Today, most Americans think of lemonade stands with nostalgia. In decades past, this could be an enterprising kid's first brush with the world of bus…
4 years, 9 months ago