Saddam’s Favorite Artist

the dictator who loved bad fantasy

Rowena spent two decades building a career as a top fantasy artists... and then two of her paintings were found hanging in Saddam Hussein's "love nest."

Categories: Arts & Culture, Bonus Episodes

Tags: art fascism Presented by #13 science fiction

Published: October 3, 2022

Jelly Time

what's the difference between jam and jelly?

...and for that matter, what the heck is marmalade? Have no fear, #7 has all the answers!

Categories: Arts & Culture, Series 11, Wild Card

Tags: food Presented by #6 Presented by #7

Published: August 22, 2022

The White City

an interview with Michael Finney of the Chicago 1893 Project

We're talking with Michael Finney about the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, what it meant to the city and the nation, and resurrecting it augmented reality.

Categories: Arts & Culture, Feats of Building & Engineering, Series 10

Tags: 1893 Chicago World's Fair and Columbian Exposition Chicago, IL

Published: May 2, 2022

Tales from the Cryptid

on the trail of the Typhonian beast

We know all the coolest Ancient Egypgian gods have animal heads, but ask yourself: what kind of animal is Set?

Categories: Arts & Culture, Bonus Episodes, Legendary Lands & Beasts

Tags: cryptozoology D&D Dungeons & Dragons Egypt Presented by #13

Published: February 21, 2022

Crunchy or Wrong

a deep dive into the sticky, messy history of peanut butter

Who deserves the credit for inventing peanut butter? A Michigan physician? A Missouri snack food maker? A Canadian chemist? None of the above?

Categories: Arts & Culture, Man's Amazing Inventions, Series 9

Tags: 1904 St. Louis World's Fair and Louisiana Purchase Centennial Exposition food Food and Drug Administration pickles Presented by #6 Presented by #7

Published: January 31, 2022

You Are Who You Eat

foods named after famous people

Time to dress up, because #7 is inviting you to a dinner party where all the foods are famous. Or at least have famous namesakes.

Categories: Arts & Culture, Popular Facts & Fallacies, Series 7

Tags: cocktail food François Pierre La Varenne Presented by #7

Published: June 7, 2021

More Lovely and More Temperate

poor estate planning, a daring art theft, and a brief history of Anglo-Irish relations

In which two Irish art students commit a daring daylight museum heist with virtually no planning, and somehow get away consequence-free.

Categories: Arts & Culture, Series 7

Tags: art art history civil law crime London, England Presented by #13 United Kingdom World War I

Published: April 12, 2021

The Icelander

a tale of public art, politics, and racism

Why, exactly, was there a statue of a Viking explorer in Philadelphia? And why isn't it there now?

Categories: Arts & Culture, Daring & Epic Journeys, Series 5

Tags: art art history Fairmount Park Iceland Leif Eiriksson Pennsylvania Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia, PA Presented by #13 Thorfinn Karlsefni Thorvald Eiriksson Vikings Vinland

Published: September 28, 2020

Milking It for All It’s Worth

let's get saucy and talk about béchamel

We delve into the world of sauces by talking about the history and use of the milkiest sauce of all - béchamel!

Categories: Arts & Culture, Series 3

Tags: béchamel food France François Pierre La Varenne Presented by #7

Published: April 20, 2020

The Brouhaha

when abstract art when on trial

Is Constantin Brâncuși's "Bird in Space" a masterpiece, or just a hunk of polished bronze? Why not let the courts decide?

Categories: Arts & Culture, Series 1

Tags: art art history civil law Ezra Pound Presented by #13

Published: October 21, 2019