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The Killer Marketing Campaign Behind Guy Fawkes
Nowadays people across the planet are familiar with the story of Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot. People even celebrate the anniversary of the event, often interpreting it as a protest against over…
Published on 7 years, 9 months ago
When Ancient India Beat Machiavelli to the Punch
Commonly regarded as one of humanity's premiere works on the art of pursuing and securing power, Niccolò Machiavelli's book ''The Prince'' has become so popular that the name of its author is synonym…
Published on 7 years, 9 months ago
The Rise of Harvey Wiley's Poison Squad
Nowadays U.S. grocery shoppers can be reasonably certain that the foods they purchase are safe (if not healthy). But this wasn't always the case. In fact, if it wasn't for one extremely driven, imper…
Published on 7 years, 9 months ago
Step Aside, James Bond: The Strange Stories of Espionage Animals
It's no secret that espionage and spycraft are common tools in the murky realm of geopolitics -- but not every spy is some sort of James Bond type character in a bespoke suit with a penchant for mart…
Published on 7 years, 9 months ago
How MLK influenced Star Trek
Star Trek is one of the world's most well-known sci-fi franchises, spanning decades in film, TV, books, games and more. While it's had its fair share of lighthearted moments (hello, Tribbles!), its v…
Published on 7 years, 9 months ago
What was the 'Great Stink' of London?
Every city has its drawbacks -- parking, for example, or crime, or the price of a decent pizza slice -- but in the 1800s London faced a particularly unusual and disgusting problem: the city literally…
Published on 7 years, 10 months ago
How Farmers Built A Barbed Wire Phone Network
Nowadays smartphones are an ubiquitous part of many civilizations, but not so long ago telephones of any sort were a rare commodity -- and the infrastructure was enormously expensive. When telephones…
Published on 7 years, 10 months ago
The Strange Story of Canadian Margarine Bootleggers
Today, most grocery stores carry a variety of margarine and butter brands -- but this wasn't always the case. In fact, both Canada and the United States once had bizarre laws banning the production o…
Published on 7 years, 10 months ago
When People Waged War Over Eggs
How much would you pay for an egg? Would you kill for one? Join the guys as they explore the strange story of the Gold Rush, the Common Murre and Farallon Island -- the site of California's Egg War
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Published on 7 years, 10 months ago
The Wild West Was Actually Pretty Chill
If you're like most people, the phrase ''Wild West'' conjures images of brutal gunfights in dusty, tumbleweed-ridden streets, visions of criminals slinking into the shadows of dimly-lit saloons and t…
Published on 7 years, 10 months ago