Podcast Episodes
Back to SearchUnderwear history: everything you wanted to know
Episode 2165
When did people first start wearing underwear? What's the difference between drawers and bloomers? Did medieval women wear bras? Were Victorian corse…
1 year, 3 months ago
Medieval relic hunters: the quest for Notre-Dame's crown of thorns
Episode 2164
The crown of thorns was one of the greatest medieval relics, supposedly pressed into the head of Jesus Christ by mocking Roman soldiers. Hunted down …
1 year, 3 months ago
Tudor England | 3. Culture and innovation
Episode 2163
Why were festivals and feasts such major events in the Tudor age? What toxic beauty products did Elizabeth I plaster her face with? And were the work…
1 year, 3 months ago
Tempting treats & festive feats: christmas shopping down the ages
Episode 2162
As we get closer to Christmas, many people will be heading out to the shops to look for the perfect presents. And this mad dash in search of festive …
1 year, 3 months ago
Robert the Bruce: life of the week
Episode 2161
Robert the Bruce may be lauded as a Scottish national hero, a noble warrior who fended off the English and claimed a spectacular victory at the battl…
1 year, 3 months ago
Germany's postwar reinvention
Episode 2160
In 1945, Germany lay in ruins – both physically and morally. Nearly 80 years after the Second World War, it has since been transformed into an econom…
1 year, 3 months ago
Robot history: everything you wanted to know
Episode 2159
When did automatons first emerge? Which science-fiction depiction of robots is the most accurate? And why did so many people fall for a hoax machine …
1 year, 3 months ago
Britain's wild republican decade
Episode 2158
For some, it's hard to imagine Britain without a king or queen. Yet, nearly 400 years ago, that prospect became a reality. In January 1649, after a b…
1 year, 3 months ago
Tudor England | 2. Daily life
Episode 2157
What was the most popular pastime of the Tudor age? Why was bathing even once a month considered dangerous? And how could living alongside your pets …
1 year, 3 months ago
Kublai Khan: ruler of the waves
Episode 2156
Genghis Khan may have built a formidable land empire, but his grandson Kublai Khan mastered the seas. So how did a nomadic leader come to have such a…
1 year, 3 months ago