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Knocker-Uppers: The Human Alarm Clocks of the Industrial Age
When adapting to life as factory employees, members of the British and Irish public confronted a new, unexpected obstacle -- how do you make sure you wake up in time for your shift? While predecessor…
Published on 5 years, 3 months ago
That Time New York City Rioted Over Shakespeare
Don't let reality television and wrestling fool you -- celebrity rivalries are a tale as old as entertainment itself. In 1849, the rivalry between two Shakespearean actors culminated in a massive rio…
Published on 5 years, 3 months ago
Babies in Incubators were Once a Sideshow Attraction
Nowadays, incubators are a common sight in hospitals across the US -- but, once upon a time, this life-saving technology was treated like a sideshow attraction. Hundreds of thousands of people flocke…
Published on 5 years, 3 months ago
The Rise of the US Camel Corps
In the years leading to the US Civil War, Uncle Sam searched for some way to safely traverse the desert. Horses, mules and humans alike often died of thirst in the unforgiving climate. Jefferson Davi…
Published on 5 years, 3 months ago
The United Kingdom Has A Weird Thing With Swans
In the days before London found itself riddled with Rolodexes and Lamborghinis, the Crown controlled a now-obscure status symbol: the swan. Every single unmarked swan was the property of the Crown --…
Published on 5 years, 3 months ago
The Nazi Super Horse Program, Part 2: A Horse-filled Heist
As the tide of war turns toward the inevitable defeat of the Nazis, the staff of the secret horse farm fear the oncoming, starving Russian forces will consume their prized Lippizaner horses. In despe…
Published on 5 years, 3 months ago
The Nazi Super Horse Program, Part 1: Equine Eugenics
Adolf Hitler was inarguably a terrible person. He was also weirdly focused on resurrecting Germany's horse industry. Tune in as Ben and Noel explore the strange story of the Nazi super horse program.…
Published on 5 years, 4 months ago
Railroad Tycoons Decided What Time It Is Now
Nowadays the world is divided into a series of 'time zones.' Yet before the 1880s, towns across the United States ran on a sort of local time -- when you left one town, you often traveled slowly enou…
Published on 5 years, 4 months ago
Why do people 'christen' ships with champagne?
We've all heard about the practice of smashing a champagne bottle against the hull of a ship before launching it -- but where does this practice come from? Join the guys as they delve into the surpri…
Published on 5 years, 4 months ago
The Hidden History of Jewish Pirates, Part 2: Famous Privateers
During the age of European expansion, members of the Jewish diaspora traveled to Caribbean and the continents of North and South America, often escaping the intense persecution of the Inquisition. So…
Published on 5 years, 4 months ago