If you are listening to my words right now, then you are obviously an internet user. The internet has arguably been the most transformative technology of the last fifty years. But it wasn’t developed overnight or all at once. It was a gradu
The most famous battles of the US Civil War all occurred in the eastern theater, such as Gettysburg, Antietam, Shiloh, and Bull Run. However, one of the most important battles, from both a strategic and tactical standpoint, took place in the
One of the biggest and most important industries in the world is banking. Banks are large, control an enormous amount of money, and are often the most influential economic institutions in most countries. Yet, banks are not a modern inventio
Our calendar and system of keeping time are rather unique. It isn’t nice and tidy like the metric system. It is a collection of odd time units, leap years, and rotating calendars. As such, many people throughout history have thought that th
Just one week after President Abraham Lincoln was re-elected in November 1864, Union General William Tecumseh Sherman set out to execute one of the most audacious plans of the US Civil War. His plan involved violating several central tenets o
After the death or resignation of a pope, but before the election of a new pope, there is a period of time at the Vatican known as Sede Vacante. The Sede Vacante doesn’t last very long, and it doesn’t happen very often, but when it does occur
One of the greatest periods of social and technological change in world history was the Renaissance. At the heart of the Renaissance was the city-state of Florence. It was the home to some of the world’s greatest artists and thinkers. At th
In the year 490 BC, one of the most pivotal battles in world history took place. Just north of the City of Athens, Persian and Greek forces clashed in what was to be the first Persian attempt to invade Greece. Despite being seriously outnum
Today, approximately 160 currencies are used worldwide. Some countries share the same currency, while others use the currency of another country. However, not all currencies are equal. One currency always tends to become the dominant currency
All living things on the planet Earth, from microbes to whales, can be categorized into a single hierarchical system. This system has been developed over the last 300 years. Layers have been added, and there have been debates as to what creat
In 1995, the first planet outside our solar system was discovered. Since then, with improved techniques and tools, over 5,000 exoplanets have been confirmed, and another 10,000 candidates are awaiting confirmation.With some of these exoplan
Modern society is completely dependent on a set of technologies that include computer chips, fiber optic cables, lasers, video screens, electric motors, and batteries. All of those things are dependent on a small category of chemicals called
The modern world runs on metal wires. These thin metal strands literally circle the globe and are responsible for much of the world’s electrical power and communications. It is something so basic that most people never bother to stop and th
Of all the cities that experienced the Second World War, one of the most interesting stories is that of Paris. Paris was not the scene of major fighting like Warsaw, which was all but destroyed. It was occupied for over four years, during whi
When I say precious metals, most of you probably immediately think of gold and silver. Historically, they have indeed been precious metals. However, they are not the only ones. There are elemental metals that are rarer and more expensive th
On June 22, 1941, German forces crossed into the Soviet Union. It was, and remains, the largest military operation in human history. The force that the Germans assembled for the invasion was staggering, consisting of over 3 million men.Howeve
Located in the South Pacific is the nation of Fiji. Fiji is an archipelago of 330 islands located about 1,100 nautical miles north of New Zealand. It is a unique mix of Pacific cultures with both Melanesian and Polynesian influences, with a
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As of the recording of this episode, 1,012 people have been awarded Nobel Prizes across every category. This episode is not about any of them.This episode is about the people who didn’t win a Nobel Prize but arguably should have. Whether
Sometime around eight to nine thousand years ago, ancient people in Asia Minor found a very dull grey metal that turned out to be easy to manipulate when it was heated.For thousands of years, it was used for a variety of purposes, including a
The Solar System is a pretty big place. When most people think of our Solar System, they probably think of the Sun, the planets, and all their moons. However, the solar system is much larger than most people realize. In fact, it is vastly lar
One of the most popular instruments in the world is the guitar. The guitar is the primary instrument in many popular forms of music today. Yet, this wasn’t always the case. The guitar is related to multiple stringed instruments and has a li
For a 10-month period from September 1793 to July 1794, the nation of France went through a period which could only be called insanity. In the aftermath of the French Revolution, a small group of radicals took control of the Revolutionary Fre
Computer software seems to be everywhere. No matter what kind of computer you use or where you use it, all computers use software. That is the entire point of a computer. However, not all software is the same. There are actually enormous di
There is a very good chance that many of you listening have had pasta, maybe within the last week. Pasta is a simple, affordable food that comes in a wide variety of forms. It can be served with almost anything and in a wide variety of styles