Join Holly and Tracy as they bring you the greatest and strangest Stuff You Missed In History Class in this podcast by iHeartRadio.
Part one of the mid-year coverage of things literally and figuratively unearthed in the last quarter includes updates, more updates, animals, edibles and potables, and accidental finds. Research: Addley, Esther. “Solstice-aligned 5,000-year-old monument ‘once in a lifetime find’, say archaeologists.” The Guardian. 6/17/2026. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jun/18/solstice-aligned-monument-archaeology-wiltshire-stonehenge-prototype Anderson, Sonja. “These 600-Year-Old Chinese Surgical Instruments Are Coated in an Early Local Anesthetic—Carefully Extracted From a Poisonous Plant.” Smithsonian. 5/29/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-600-year-old-chinese-surgical-instruments-are-coated-in-an-early-local-anestheticcarefully-extracted-from-a-poisonous-plant-180988865/ Archaeology Magazine. “Copper Part From Illicit 19th Century Still Discovered in Scotland.” 5/12/2026. https://archaeology.org/news/2026/05/12/copper-part-from-illicit-19th-century-still-discovered-in-scotland/ Associated Press Copenhagen. “Archaeologists discover wreck of Danish warship sunk by Nelson 225 years ago.” The Guardian. 4/2/2026. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/apr/02/archaeologists-discover-wreck-danish-warship-sunk-admiral-nelson Bassi, Margherita. “After Nearly 80 Years of Doubt, Scientists Say a Spear Lodged Between Elephant Ribs Offers Evidence That Neanderthals Hunted Big Game.” Smithsonian. 4/10/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/after-nearly-80-years-of-doubt-scientists-say-a-spear-lodged-between-elephant-ribs-offers-evidence-that-neanderthals-hunted-big-game-180988522/ Baum, Stephanie and Robert Egan. “Bolivian mummy rewrites scarlet fever's past, suggesting killer bacterium circulated centuries before colonization.” EurekAlert. 4/15/2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-bolivian-mummy-rewrites-scarlet-fever.html Blackwood, Emma. “Baby fossils reveal link between human and Neanderthal development.” University of Queensland. Via EurekAlert. 6/19/2026. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1132850 Blair, Elizabeth. “Decades-old, newly restored Smithsonian carousel reopens — to children’s delight.” WAMU. 4/25/2026. https://wamu.org/story/26/04/25/decades-old-newly-restored-smithsonian-carousel-reopens-to-childrens-delight/ Blake, Elissa. “New evidence reveals a millennium-old dingo was ritually buried, and cared for, along the Darling (Baaka) River in Australia.” University of Sydney. Via EurekAlert. 5/18/2026. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1128408 Cerino, Marco. “Appeals court clears Trump's path to alter Philadelphia slavery exhibit at historic site.” Philadelphia Tribune. 6/18/2026. https://www.phillytrib.com/news/local_news/appeals-court-clears-trumps-path-to-alter-philadelphia-slavery-exhibit-at-historic-site/article_8ac83e65-6a6d-4db1-91c4-074f98c96a74.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=user-share Clark, Gaby. “Climate and competition alone cannot explain Neanderthal extinction, study finds.” Phys.org. 4/23/2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-climate-competition-neanderthal-extinction.html Clark, Gaby. “Did Neanderthals use rhinoceros teeth as tools?” Phys.org. 6/18/2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-neanderthals-rhinoceros-teeth-tools.html Clark, Gaby. “Nondestructive DNA sampling reveals 1,300 years of secrets in historic parchments.” Phys.org. 5/18/2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-nondestructive-dna-sampling-reveals-years.html Clark, Gaby. “Surprising diversity found among Europe's last Neanderthals.” Leiden University. Via Phys.org. 6/24/2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-diversity-europe-neanderthals.html Cummings, Mike. “Medici brothers' remains reveal Renaissance-era malaria strains, closing the book on a murder mystery.” Phys.org. 6/30/2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-medici-brothers-reveal-renaissance-era.html Defranceschi, Laura. “Ötzi and his microbiome: a 5,300-year-old relationship.” Eurac Research. Via EurekAlert. 6/2/2026. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1129908 Dungate, Joanna. “Shakespeare’s ‘missing’ London house mapped with new discovery.” Kings College London. Via EurekAlert. 4/15/2026. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1123989 Egan, Robert. “Neanderthal dentists used stone drills to treat cavities nearly 60,000 years ago, ancient molar suggests.” Phys.org. 5/13/2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-neanderthal-dentists-stone-drills-cavities.html Egan, Robert. “Stonehenge Altar Stone's epic transportation across ancient Britain detailed in new study.” Curtin University. Via Phys.org. 6/4/2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-stonehenge-altar-stone-epic-ancient.html Ellenby, Danielle. “Medieval Japanese poetry and buried trees help elucidate volatile space weather.” EurekAlert. 4/9/2026. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1123008 Forbes, Ellie. “Archaeologists discover unexploded mortar shell at Culloden Battlefield.” Scottish Field. 4/14/2026. https://www.scottishfield.co.uk/news/archaeologists-discover-unexploded-mortar-shell-at-culloden-battlefield/ Harley, Sadie and Robert Egan. “Ancient chicken bones reveal human management in Korea 2,000 years ago.” Phys.org. 4/22/2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-ancient-chicken-bones-reveal-human.html Jones, Sam. “Hidden treasures: Spanish archaeologists discover trove of ancient shipwrecks in Bay of Gibraltar.” The Guardian. 4/15/2026. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/apr/15/hidden-treasures-spanish-archaeologists-discover-trove-of-ancient-shipwrecks-in-bay-of-gibraltar Kuta, Sarah. “A Shipwreck, but Make It Fashion: Researchers Transformed Wooden Fragments From a 17th-Century Shipwreck Into a Pair of Stylish Maxi Dresses.” Smithsonian. 5/26/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-shipwreck-but-make-it-fashion-researchers-transformed-wooden-fragments-from-a-17th-century-shipwreck-into-a-pair-of-stylish-maxi-dresses-180988825/ Kuta, Sarah. “Archaeologists Discover Evidence That a Wooden Prototype for Stonehenge May Have Aligned With the Solstice 500 Years Before the Stone Circle.” Smithsonian. 6/19/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-discover-evidence-a-wooden-prototype-for-stonehenge-may-have-aligned-with-the-solstice-500-years-before-the-stone-circle-180988988/ Kuta, Sarah. “Did Homo Sapiens Really Outsmart Neanderthals? Different Skull Shapes Didn’t Necessarily Mean Unequal Brain Capacity, New Research Shows.” Smithsonian. 5/13/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-homo-sapiens-really-outsmart-neanderthals-different-skull-shapes-didnt-necessarily-mean-unequal-brain-capacity-new-research-shows-180988738/ Kuta, Sarah. “Did Homo Sapiens Really Outsmart Neanderthals? Different Skull Shapes Didn’t Necessarily Mean Unequal Brain Capacity, New Research Shows.” Smithsonian. 5/13/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-homo-sapiens-really-outsmart-neanderthals-different-skull-shapes-didnt-necessarily-mean-unequal-brain-capacity-new-research-shows-180988738/ Kuta, Sarah. “Potatoes Didn’t Just Feed Ancient Indigenous Communities in the Andes—the Tasty Tubers Also Reshaped People’s DNA.” Smithsonain. 5/12/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/potatoes-didnt-just-feed-ancient-indigenous-communities-in-the-andes-the-tasty-tubers-also-reshaped-peoples-dna-180988732/ Kuta, Sarah. “This American Submarine Lost During WWII—Along With 83 Crew Members—Has Been Discovered in the Pacific Ocean.” Smithsonian. 6/3/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-american-submarine-USS-Herring-lost-during-WWII-along-with-83-crew-members-has-been-discovered-in-the-pacific-ocean-180988895/ Kuta, Sarah. “Turtles May Have Been Tasty Snacks for Neanderthals 125,000 Years Ago. But Their Shells Were Probably the Real Prize.” Smithsonian. 4/15/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/turtles-may-have-been-tasty-snacks-for-neanderthals-125000-years-ago-but-their-shells-were-probably-the-real-prize-180988550/ Kuta, Sarah. “What Killed the Neanderthals? New Research Suggests a Lack of Genetic Diversity May Be Partially to Blame.” Smithsonian. 4/24/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-killed-the-neanderthals-new-research-suggests-a-lack-of-genetic-diversity-may-be-partially-to-blame-180988612/ Lakowski, Amy. “Digging for Remnants of the Battle of Bunker Hill.” Bostonia. Boston University’s Alumni Magazine. 6/22/2026. https://www.bu.edu/articles/2026/digging-for-remnants-battle-of-bunker-hill/ Lawson-Tancred, Jo. “The Sagrada Familia Will Finally Be Completed in 2026. The Last Challenge? Demolishing the Homes of Some 3,000 Local Residents.” ArtNet. 2/13/2023. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/sagrada-familia-2026-local-residents-2254826 Lock, Lisa and Robert Egan. “Ancient curse tablet bears rare Greek inscription with binding spell intended to harm enemies.” Phys.org. 6/17/2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-ancient-curse-tablet-rare-greek.html Lu, Donna. “Signs of ‘feeding’ ritual at dingo burial site shed new light on bond between First Nations people and canines.” The Guardian. 5/18/2026. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/may/19/dingo-burial-site-first-nations-people-relationship-to-animals net. “Lost Writings of Saint Augustine Found in Medieval Manuscript.” 6/2026. https://www.medievalists.net/2026/06/lost-writings-of-saint-augustine-found-in-medieval-manuscript/ net. “Secret Letter Detailing Late Medieval Britain Fully Decoded.” https://www.medievalists.net/2026/04/secret-letter-detailing-late-medieval-britain-fully-decoded/ Mehrtens, Michelle. “A Young Black Girl Was the First to Desegregate a Maryland Carousel in the 1960s. Now, the Historic Merry-Go-Round Will Entertain Visitors on the National Mall.” Smithsonian. 4/22/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/a-young-black-girl-was-the-first-to-desegregate-a-maryland-carousel-in-the-1960s-now-the-historic-merry-go-round-will-entertain-visitors-on-the-national-mall-180988596/ Mondal, Sanjukta. “Scraped from ancient Roman toilets, these crusted remains expose a pathogen found far earlier than expected.” Phys.org. 4/23/2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-ancient-roman-toilets-crusted-expose.html Moreau, Didier and Julie Louis. “Thirty previously unpublished verses by Empedocles discovered on a papyrus from Cairo.” University of Liege. Via EurekAlert. 4/1/2026. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1122449 Mosquera, Pau. “Sagrada Família’s 144-year journey nears its end with the Tower of Jesus Christ.” CNN. 6/8/2026. https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/08/style/sagrada-familia-barcelona-tower-jesus-christ-intl Nicholls, Catherine and Taylor Nicioli. “Papyrus scroll burnt to a crisp during Vesuvius eruption deciphered with help of AI.” CNN. 6/26/2026. https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/26/science/papyrus-scroll-vesuvius-ai-scli-intl Oster, Sandee et al. “Rare 500-year-old freeze-dried potatoes unearthed at Inca coastal site.” Phys.org. 6/14/2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-rare-year-dried-potatoes-unearthed.html Oster, Sandee. “A kohl bottle from York may hint at an ancient Egyptian in Roman-Britain.” Phys.org. 5/31/2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-kohl-bottle-york-hint-ancient.html Oster, Sandee. “Lavatory shaft reveals the cost of 17th‑century vanity in Germany.” Phys.org. 6/23/2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-lavatory-shaft-reveals-17thcentury-vanity.html Oster, Sandee. “Mummified dogs reveal Tiwanaku people buried companions beside homes long before they became status symbols.” Phys.org. 6/29/2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-mummified-dogs-reveal-tiwanaku-people.html Randolph, Mary. “A Man and His Dog Discovered a 3,400-Year-Old Ax Head While Out for a Walk in One of England’s Ancient Forests.” Smithsonian. 4/30/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-man-and-his-dog-accidentally-discovered-a-3400-year-old-ax-head-while-out-for-a-walk-in-one-of-englands-ancient-forests-180988649/ Randolph, Mary. “After a Poet’s Love Story Was Cut Short, His Letters Mysteriously Disappeared—Until Rare Book Dealers Acted on a Hunch.” Smithsonian. 4/21/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/after-john-keats-love-story-was-cut-short-his-letters-mysteriously-disappeared-until-rare-book-dealers-acted-on-a-hunch-180988585/ Science in Poland. “Ancient ‘beer’ traces found in 4,500-year-old vessels in Northeastern Poland.” 5/17/2026. https://scienceinpoland.pl/en/news/news%2C112850%2Cancient-beer-traces-found-4500-year-old-vessels-northeastern-poland.html Solly, Meilan. “A 13-Year-Old Boy Found This Bronze Coin in a Field. It Turned Out to Be the First Ancient Greek Artifact Discovered in Berlin.” Smithsonian. 8/28/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-13-year-old-boy-found-this-bronze-coin-in-a-field-it-turned-out-to-be-the-first-ancient-greek-artifact-discovered-in-berlin-180988627/ Solly, Meilan. “New research has identified four members of the doomed 1845 search for the Northwest Passage, including the owner of a paper-stuffed wallet that has long mystified historians.” Smithsonian. 5/8/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-franklin-expedition-officer-died-in-the-arctic-in-uniform-that-didnt-belong-to-him-now-dna-has-revealed-his-identity-180988702/ Solly, Meilan. “These Italian Teenagers Stayed Overnight at Their School. They Found Ancient Roman Ruins Hidden in the Basement.” Smithsonian. 6/8/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-italian-teenagers-stayed-overnight-at-their-school-they-found-ancient-roman-ruins-hidden-in-the-basement-180988917/ The History Blog. “1,500-year-old kitchen knife set found in Hadrianopolis.” 4/22/2026. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/75890 The History Blog. “11th c. sword found in Warta River in Poland.” 6/15/2026. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/76308 The History Blog. “Charred loaf of bread found at Roman military camp.” 4/24/2026. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/75904 The History Blog. “First-grader on field trip finds 1,300-year-old sword.” 5/13/2026. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/76055 The History Blog. “Matching fragments of Silla stele reunited.” 4/15/2026. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/75837 Thorsberg, Christian. “A Hiker in Norway Found an Elite Warrior’s Golden Sword Ornament. It Was Likely a Sacrifice to the Gods Made During a Time of Turmoil.” Smithsonian. 5/8/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-hiker-in-norway-found-an-elite-warriors-golden-sword-ornament-it-was-likely-a-sacrifice-to-the-gods-made-during-a-time-of-turmoil-180988707/ University of Copenhagen. "4,000-year-old tablets reveal magic spells, kings feared, and a beer receipt." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 5 May 2026. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260504023848.htm. University of Iowa Health Care. "Ancient DNA shared with Neanderthals may explain human language." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 12 June 2026. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260611024612.htm University of York. “Ancient DNA from Tuscan Wells Reveal Origins of Modern Wine.” 5/12/2026. https://www.york.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/2026/research/ancient-dna-tuscan-wells-origins-wine/ Wexler, Ellen. “Archaeologists Unearth a Papyrus Fragment From the ‘Iliad’ Tucked Inside the Wrappings of a 1,600-Year-Old Egyptian Mummy.” Smithsonian. 4/23/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-unearth-a-papyrus-fragment-from-the-iliad-tucked-inside-the-wrappings-of-a-1600-year-old-egyptian-mummy-180988603/ Wexler, Ellen. “Divers Discover the Shipwreck of a World War I-Era Coast Guard Cutter, Which Vanished With 131 Sailors on Board in 1918.” Smithsonian. 5/7/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/divers-discover-the-shipwreck-of-a-world-war-i-era-coast-guard-cutter-which-vanished-with-131-sailors-on-board-in-1918-180988676/ Wexler, Ellen. “Why Did the Handwriting in This 248-Year-Old Notebook Look Familiar? It Turned Out to Be a Forgotten Mozart Manuscript.” Smithsonian. 6/25/2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-did-the-handwriting-in-this-248-year-old-notebook-look-familiar-it-turned-out-to-be-a-forgotten-mozart-manuscript-180989017/ Whiddington, Richard. “Newly Recovered Love Letters by John Keats Could Net $2 Million at Auction.” ArtNet. 5/12/2026. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/john-keats-love-letters-sothebys-auction-2772300 Whiddington, Richard. “Rare Centuries-Old Notebook Discovered in Medieval Latrine.” ArtNet. 5/18/2026. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/notebook-medieval-latrine-2774230 Whiddington, Richard. “Shakespeare’s London Home Finally Located After Centuries of Mystery.” ArtNet. 4/17/2026. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/shakespeare-london-home-site-found-2766154 Widdington, Richard. “Lost Copy of Earliest-Known English Poem Found in Roman Library.” ArtNet. 5/10/2026. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/caedmon-hymn-copy-rome-library-trinity-college-2771600 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
20/07/2026 • 41:36
This 2023 episode covers how humans have worked on ways to make garments water resistant almost since they started to wear them. But figuring out how to manufacture a raincoat using rubber was a big breakthrough that took centuries.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
18/07/2026 • 39:11
Holly and Tracy discuss how frustrating Charles Goodyear could be. Then Holly talks a lot about shoes and how much she loves them.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
17/07/2026 • 30:15
The evolution from leather-soled shoes of the 19th century to the sneakers people wear today started slowly, then built momentum. Many of the big names in sneakers today got their start surprisingly early in the process. Research: “A Column for the Girls.” Brooklyn Eagle. July 28, 1895. https://www.newspapers.com/image/50411759/?match=1&terms=%22sand%20shoes%22 Barrett, Jennifer. “The History of Adidas and Puma.” Newsweek. March 13, 2008. https://www.newsweek.com/history-adidas-and-puma-86373 Bisno, Adam. “The search for lost X-patents.” USPTO. July 13, 2022. https://www.uspto.gov/blog/the-search-for-lost-x “Brand Story.” Dunlop. https://www.dunlopboots.com/why-dunlop/brand-story Carpenter, Julia. “Adidas vs. Puma: The Family Rift That Shaped the Sportswear Industry.” History. May 6, 2026. https://www.history.com/articles/adidas-puma-rivalry-dassler “Chuck Taylor Converse All Star: The Man Who Made the Shoe.” Indiana Historical Society. https://indianahistory.org/events/chuck-taylor-converse-all-star-the-man-who-made-the-shoe-2/ “The Company.” New Balance. https://www.newbalance.gr/en/etaireia/profil/?__cf_chl_f_tk=TZRFzU2s58Jw3z.lFjWqe.bQmjADyBkIMMpMI4v.Cuk-1783279660-1.0.1.1-sWRq2n.zJUdoWCA6sKXCjtDKIRGvxztpX5Rhq4MRJ4s Cousens, Nico. “Inventions that made the modern running shoe.” Kilburn & Strode. April 17, 2018. Cunliffe, Paul and Lauren Hirst. “Co-founder of £2.5bn brand started out as factory help.” BBC. Oct. 1, 2025. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp8jdlndg0xo Department of Nike Archives. “From Waffle Iron to World Stage: The True Story of the Nike Moon Shoe.” Nike. Sept. 15, 2025. https://about.nike.com/en/magazine/nike-moon-shoe-waffle-iron-true-history “Fashion Notes.” The Times-Union. July 22, 1882. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1275226621/?match=1&terms=%22lawn-tennis%20shoe%22 “The History of the Sneaker.” The Washington Post. May 14, 2002. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2002/05/14/the-history-of-the-sneaker/aa2096d1-a7e2-4427-a324-cb603512722d/ Hunt, Kristin. “11 Comfy Facts About Keds.” Mental Floss. March 26, 2022. https://www.mentalfloss.com/culture/fashion-beauty/11-comfy-facts-about-keds “The Invention of the Iconic Vans Skateboarding Shoe.” The Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation.” https://invention.si.edu/invention-stories/invention-iconic-vans-skateboarding-shoe “Journey of an Icon: The History of the Chuck Taylor All Star.” Nike. https://about.nike.com/en/magazine/converse-chuck-taylor-all-star-iconic-sneaker-true-history Keller, Kate. “A Brief History of America’s Obsession With Sneakers.” Smithsonian. May 18, 2018. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/brief-history-americas-obsession-sneakers-180969116/ Lorge, Barry Steven, Aberdare, Morys George Lyndhurst Bruce, 4th Baron. "tennis". Encyclopedia Britannica, 16 Jun. 2026, https://www.britannica.com/sports/tennis Lou, Michelle. “Nike’s rare ‘Moon Shoe’ is sold for $437,500, shattering the auction record for sneakers.” CNN. July 23, 2019. https://www.cnn.com/style/article/nike-moon-shoe-sold-auction-trnd “Notice! Tennis Players!” Des Moines Register. June 8, 1888. https://www.newspapers.com/image/127760140/?match=1&terms=%22lawn-tennis%20shoe%22 “Off The Wall- Since 1966. The Story Of Vans.” Vans. https://www.vans.com/en-us/about#early-1970s “Patent India Rubber or Gum Elastic Shoes.” Monmouth Democrat. January 22, 1835. https://www.newspapers.com/image/496911351/?match=2&terms=Wait%20Webster “Peachtree Through the Years 1970-2021.” Atlanta Track Club. https://www.atlantatrackclub.org/event-information-history “Plaint of an Old Shoe.” The Boston Globe. Aug. 23, 1894. https://www.newspapers.com/image/430680218/?match=1&terms=sneaker “Plimsoll Draws the Line.” Nautilus International. April 24, 2026. https://www.nautilusint.org/en/news-insight/telegraph/plimsoll-draws-the-line/ “Puma and Adidas' rivalry has divided a small German town for 70 years — here's what it looks like now.” Business Insider. October 2018. https://www.businessinsider.com/how-puma-and-adidas-rivalry-divided-their-founding-town-for-70-years-2018-10 Rickey, Melanie. “Flash of Genius.” The Independent. June 28, 1996. https://www.the-independent.com/life-style/flash-of-genius-1339404.html “Sneakers.” Record-Journal. Aug. 8, 1898. https://www.newspapers.com/image/674954692/?match=6&terms=sneaker “Sneakers Latest in Women’s Wear.” The Battle Creek Enquirer. May 18, 1913. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1044420723/?match=1&terms=sneaker “’Sneakers’ the Things.” L'abeille De La Nouvelle-Orléans (New Orleans Bee). Nov. 11, 1904. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1323250586/?match=1&terms=sneaker “Sneakers – Worldwide.” Statista. https://www.statista.com/outlook/cmo/footwear/sneakers/worldwide Sun, Michael. “‘Everyone owns at least one pair’: $75bn sneaker industry unboxed in Gold Coast exhibition.” The Guardian. Nov. 25, 2023. https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2023/nov/26/sneakers-unboxed-hota-shoe-exhibition-gold-coast-queensland-australia Tikkanen, Amy. "history of sneakers". Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Oct. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/topic/history-of-sneakers Turner, Thomas. “The Production and Consumption of Lawn-Tennis Shoes in Late-Victorian Britain.” Journal of British Studies. JULY 2016, Vol. 55, No. 3 (JULY 2016), pp. 474-500. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/26598891 Turner, Thomas. “The Sports Shoe: A History from Field to Fashion.” Bloomsbury. 2019. Umoh, Ruth. “Here’s how much Nike’s billionaire founder paid for the infamous swoosh logo in 1971.” CNBC. Sept. 5, 2018. https://www.cnbc.com/2018/09/05/heres-how-much-nikes-billionaire-founder-paid-for-its-swoosh-logo.html “Value of the sneakers market worldwide from 2018 to 2030.” Statista. https://www.statista.com/forecasts/1017918/sneakers-market-value-forecast-worldwide/ “Where Basketball was Invented: The History of Basketball.” Springfield College. https://springfield.edu/about/birthplace-of-basketball “40. For a method of attaching leather soles to boots and shoes of India rubber; Wait Webster, city of New York, May 21.” Journal of the Franklin Institute. Volume 14, Issue 6. 1832. Page 391. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0016-0032(32)90275-0. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
15/07/2026 • 46:21
Charles Goodyear's work is important to so many things we have in the 21st century. But his life and his work to create a stable rubber was full of problems -- many of them caused by Goodyear himself. Research: Britannica Editors. "Charles Goodyear". Encyclopedia Britannica, 25 Dec. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-Goodyear “Charles Goodyear.” Who Made America? PBS. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/theymadeamerica/whomade/goodyear_hi.html “Charles Goodyear - Vulcanization of Rubber.” National Inventors Hall of Fame. https://www.invent.org/inductees/charles-goodyear “Charles Goodyear - Vulcanized Rubber.” Lemelson-MIT. https://lemelson.mit.edu/resources/charles-goodyear “Charles Goodyear and the Vulcanization of Rubber.” ConnecticutHistory.org. https://connecticuthistory.org/charles-goodyear-and-the-vulcanization-of-rubber/ “Charles Goodyear’s Machine for Making Rubber Fabrics.” ConnecticutHistory.org. https://connecticuthistory.org/charles-goodyears-machine-for-making-rubber-fabrics/ “Death of Charles Goodyear.” Carbondale Advantage. July 21, 1860. https://www.newspapers.com/image/638799032/?match=2&terms=%22charles%20goodyear%22 Goodyear, Charles. “Gum-elastic and its varieties : with a detailed account of its applications and uses, and of the discovery of vulcanization.” New Haven. Published for the Author. 1853. https://archive.org/details/gumelasticitsva121853good/ Goodyear, Charles. “IMPROVEMENT IN INDIA-RUBBER FABRICS.” United States Patent Office. June 15, 1844. https://web.archive.org/web/20150714081931/http://www.dpma.de/docs/service/klassifikationen/ipc/auto_ipc/us3633a.pdf “Goodyear’s Gum Elastic Drapery and Parchment.” The Washington Union. May 4, 1837. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1038143941/?match=3&terms=%22charles%20goodyear%22%20mail Iles, George. “Leading American Inventors.” H. Holt 1912. Accessed online: https://books.google.com/books?id=Hn0_AAAAIAAJ&source=gbs_navlinks_s “India Rubber Fabric.” Daily Cleveland herald. October 10, 1835. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1073496245/?match=1&terms=%22Charles%20Goodyear%22 Slack, Charles. “Noble Obsession: Charles Goodyear, Thomas Hancock, and the Race to Unlock the Greatest Industrial Secret of the Nineteenth Century.” Hyperion. 2003. Snow, Richard F. “Charles Goodyear.” American Heritage. April/May 1978. Vol. 29, Issue 3. https://www.americanheritage.com/charles-goodyear See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
13/07/2026 • 48:23
This 2022 episode covers the development of penicillin, which started – but definitely did not end – with the chance discovery of some mold in a petri dish. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/07/2026 • 42:45
Tracy shares stories of her time in London. There is also a discussion of Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin’s marriage.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/07/2026 • 20:00
After earning her first-class degree in chemistry from Oxford, Dorothy embarked on an impressive career in the new field of X-ray crystallography. She would ultimately earn many, many accolades for her work. Research: "Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin." Encyclopedia of World Biography Online, Gale, 1998. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, Biophysical Society. “Profiles in Biophysics: Dorothy Hodgkin.” 2016. https://www.biophysics.org/profiles/dorothy-hodgkin Boon, Rachel. “Curator Rachel Boon celebrates the work of Dorothy Hodgkin.” Science Museum. 12/10/2014. https://blog.sciencemuseum.org.uk/celebrating-dorothy-hodgkin-britains-first-female-winner-of-a-nobel-science-prize/ Bragg, Sir William. “Concerning The Nature Of Things.” London. Bell & Sons. 1932. https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.222386/ Bud, Robert. "Discoverers and developers of penicillin (act. 1928–1950)." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. May 21, 2009. Oxford University Press. Date of access 22 Jun. 2026, https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-97279 Dodson, Guy. “Dorothy Mary Crowfoot Hodgkin, O.M. 12 May 1910--29 July 1994.” Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society , Dec., 2002, Vol. 48 (Dec., 2002). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/3650256 DOROTHY CROWFOOT HODGKIN. NobelPrize.org. Nobel Prize Outreach 2026. Wed. 24 Jun 2026. https://www.nobelprize.org/stories/women-who-changed-science/dorothy-hodgkin/ Ferry, Georgina. "Dorothy Hodgkin". Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 May. 2026, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Dorothy-Hodgkin. Accessed 24 June 2026. Ferry, Georgina. "Hodgkin, Dorothy Mary Crowfoot (1910–1994), chemist and crystallographer." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. May 21, 2009. Oxford University Press. Date of access 22 Jun. 2026, https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-55028 Ferry, Georgina. “Dorothy Hodgkin: A Life.” Bloomsbury. 1998, 2014. Ferry, Georgina. “Dorothy Hodgkin: on proteins and patterns.” The Lancet, 384, 1496-1497. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(14)61912-7/fulltext Ferry, Georgina. “The making of an exceptional scientist.” Nature. Vol. 464. April 29, 2010. Gamble, Jessa. “When Hodgkin met Thatcher.” Nature. Vol. 514. October 16, 2014. Hodgkin, Dorothy Crowfoot. “The X-ray analysis of complicated molecules.” Nobel Lecture, December 11, 1964. https://www.nobelprize.org/uploads/2018/06/hodgkin-lecture-1.pdf Hodgkin, Dorothy. “The Pugwash Movement.” India International Centre Quarterly. Vol. 13, No. 2. June 1986. Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/23001474 Howard, Judith A.K. “Dorothy Hodgkin and her contributions to biochemistry.” Nature Reviews. Vol. 4. November 2003. gale.com/apps/doc/K1631003072/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=8d7c4045. Accessed 23 June 2026. Pearce, JMS. “Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin OM, FRS (1910-1994).” Hektoen International. https://hekint.org/2020/11/04/dorothy-crowfoot-hodgkin-om-frs-1910-1994/ Perutz, Max. “Dorothy Crowfoot ” The Independent. Via The Crystallographic Community. https://www.iucr.org/people/crystallographers/dorothy-crowfoot-hodgkin-by-m.f.-perutz Pietzsch, Jochim. “Perspectives: Enhancing X-ray vision.” Nobel Prize. https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/chemistry/1964/perspectives/ Ramaseshan, S. “Dorothy Hodgkin and the Indian Connection.” Notes and Records of the Royal Society of London , Jan., 1996. http://www.jstor.com/stable/531845 Root-Bernstein, Robert. “Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin: Structure as Art.” Leonardo , 2007, Vol. 40, No. 3 (2007). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/20206415 Science History Institute Museum and Library. “Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin.” https://www.sciencehistory.org/education/scientific-biographies/dorothy-crowfoot-hodgkin/ The Royal Society. “Dorothy Hodgkin FRS.” https://royalsociety.org/about-us/who-we-are/diversity-inclusion/case-studies/scientists-with-disabilities/dorothy-hodgkin/ “Science for peace Building cultures of cooperation and non-violence through scientific collaboration.” 2025. Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep73183.6 University of Oxford History of Science Museum. “Modelling the Structure of Penicillin.” https://www.mhs.ox.ac.uk/backfromthedead/exhibition/the-structure-of-penicillin/index.html Vijayan, M. “An outstanding scientist and great humanist: An obituary of Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin.” Current Science, 10 August 1994, Vol. 67, No. 3 (10 August 1994). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/24095820 Wallace, Rob. “Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin: Captured by Crystals.” National World War II 3/16/2022. https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/dorothy-hodgkin-penicillin-insulin See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
08/07/2026 • 43:15
Dorothy Hodgkin's career in X-ray crystallography impacted a lot of science in the 20th century. Part one of her story covers her early life and formative experiences that led her to her field of research. Research: "Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin." Encyclopedia of World Biography Online, Gale, 1998. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, Biophysical Society. “Profiles in Biophysics: Dorothy Hodgkin.” 2016. https://www.biophysics.org/profiles/dorothy-hodgkin Boon, Rachel. “Curator Rachel Boon celebrates the work of Dorothy Hodgkin.” Science Museum. 12/10/2014. https://blog.sciencemuseum.org.uk/celebrating-dorothy-hodgkin-britains-first-female-winner-of-a-nobel-science-prize/ Bragg, Sir William. “Concerning The Nature Of Things.” London. Bell & Sons. 1932. https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.222386/ Bud, Robert. "Discoverers and developers of penicillin (act. 1928–1950)." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. May 21, 2009. Oxford University Press. Date of access 22 Jun. 2026, https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-97279 Dodson, Guy. “Dorothy Mary Crowfoot Hodgkin, O.M. 12 May 1910--29 July 1994.” Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society , Dec., 2002, Vol. 48 (Dec., 2002). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/3650256 DOROTHY CROWFOOT HODGKIN. NobelPrize.org. Nobel Prize Outreach 2026. Wed. 24 Jun 2026. https://www.nobelprize.org/stories/women-who-changed-science/dorothy-hodgkin/ Ferry, Georgina. "Dorothy Hodgkin". Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 May. 2026, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Dorothy-Hodgkin. Accessed 24 June 2026. Ferry, Georgina. "Hodgkin, Dorothy Mary Crowfoot (1910–1994), chemist and crystallographer." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. May 21, 2009. Oxford University Press. Date of access 22 Jun. 2026, https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-55028 Ferry, Georgina. “Dorothy Hodgkin: A Life.” Bloomsbury. 1998, 2014. Ferry, Georgina. “Dorothy Hodgkin: on proteins and patterns.” The Lancet, 384, 1496-1497. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(14)61912-7/fulltext Ferry, Georgina. “The making of an exceptional scientist.” Nature. Vol. 464. April 29, 2010. Gamble, Jessa. “When Hodgkin met Thatcher.” Nature. Vol. 514. October 16, 2014. Hodgkin, Dorothy Crowfoot. “The X-ray analysis of complicated molecules.” Nobel Lecture, December 11, 1964. https://www.nobelprize.org/uploads/2018/06/hodgkin-lecture-1.pdf Hodgkin, Dorothy. “The Pugwash Movement.” India International Centre Quarterly. Vol. 13, No. 2. June 1986. Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/23001474 Howard, Judith A.K. “Dorothy Hodgkin and her contributions to biochemistry.” Nature Reviews. Vol. 4. November 2003. gale.com/apps/doc/K1631003072/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=8d7c4045. Accessed 23 June 2026. Pearce, JMS. “Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin OM, FRS (1910-1994).” Hektoen International. https://hekint.org/2020/11/04/dorothy-crowfoot-hodgkin-om-frs-1910-1994/ Perutz, Max. “Dorothy Crowfoot ” The Independent. Via The Crystallographic Community. https://www.iucr.org/people/crystallographers/dorothy-crowfoot-hodgkin-by-m.f.-perutz Pietzsch, Jochim. “Perspectives: Enhancing X-ray vision.” Nobel Prize. https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/chemistry/1964/perspectives/ Ramaseshan, S. “Dorothy Hodgkin and the Indian Connection.” Notes and Records of the Royal Society of London , Jan., 1996. http://www.jstor.com/stable/531845 Root-Bernstein, Robert. “Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin: Structure as Art.” Leonardo , 2007, Vol. 40, No. 3 (2007). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/20206415 Science History Institute Museum and Library. “Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin.” https://www.sciencehistory.org/education/scientific-biographies/dorothy-crowfoot-hodgkin/ The Royal Society. “Dorothy Hodgkin FRS.” https://royalsociety.org/about-us/who-we-are/diversity-inclusion/case-studies/scientists-with-disabilities/dorothy-hodgkin/ “Science for peace Building cultures of cooperation and non-violence through scientific collaboration.” 2025. Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep73183.6 University of Oxford History of Science Museum. “Modelling the Structure of Penicillin.” https://www.mhs.ox.ac.uk/backfromthedead/exhibition/the-structure-of-penicillin/index.html Vijayan, M. “An outstanding scientist and great humanist: An obituary of Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin.” Current Science, 10 August 1994, Vol. 67, No. 3 (10 August 1994). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/24095820 Wallace, Rob. “Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin: Captured by Crystals.” National World War II 3/16/2022. https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/dorothy-hodgkin-penicillin-insulin See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
06/07/2026 • 38:04
This 2023 episode covers Sarah Bradlee Fulton, sometimes called the Mother of the Boston Tea Party. But available information about her is basically a series of anecdotes, and can’t really be corroborated.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
04/07/2026 • 32:29
Tracy talks about her visit to the Bunker Hill monument. She then describes a very early morning start when she went to visit Oxford on her recent trip to England.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
03/07/2026 • 29:26
Elizabeth Blackwell was born in London in the early 18th century, and was known in her lifetime for her achievements as a botanical illustrator. Research: “A Genuine Copy of a Letter &c.” Stockholm, August 20. H. Carpenter in Fleet Street, 1747. https://books.google.com/books/about/A_Genuine_Copy_of_a_Letter_from_a_Mercha.html?id=EPRbAAAAQAAJ Alexander, Isabella and Cristina S. Martinez. “2. The First Copyright Case under the 1735 Engravings Act: The Germination of Visual Copyright?” From Circulation and Control: Artistic Culture and Intellectual Property in the Nineteenth Century. Marie-Stéphanie Delamaire and Will Slauter, editors. https://doi.org/10.11647/OBP.0247 Beharrel, Will. “Elizabeth Blackwell's Curious Herbal.” The Linnean Society. 7/28/2021. https://www.linnean.org/news/2021/07/28/elizabeth-blackwells-curious-herbal Blackwell, Elizabeth (1737). A Curious Herbal. Containing Five Hundred Cuts of the most useful Plants, which are now used in the Practice of Physick. Engraved on folio Copper Plates, after Drawings, taken from the Life. By Elizabeth Blackwell. To which is added a short Description of ye Plants; and their common Uses in Physick. London: Printed for Samuel Harding in St Martin’s Lane, MDCCXXXVII (1737) Rubenstein QK99.A1 B53 1737 folio v.1 c.1. Scan of preface. https://blogs.library.duke.edu/rubenstein/files/2022/10/blackwell-preface-scaled.jpg Bruce, James. “Lives of Eminent Men of Aberdeen.” Aberdeen. The University Press. 1841. https://archive.org/details/b33028722/ Chelsea Physic Garden. “Curious Herbal; Curious Tale.” Newsletter. Spring-Summer 2005. Child, Lydia Maria. “Biographies of Good Wives.” Boston: Munroe & Francis. 1850. https://archive.org/details/biographiesofgoo00chil_0 Elliott, Brent. “The World of the Renaissance Herbal.” Renaissance Studies. Vol. 25, No. 1. February 2011. Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/24420235 Evenden, Doreen A. "Blackwell [née Simpson], Elizabeth (1699–1758), botanical author and artist." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. August 08, 2024. Oxford University Press. Date of access 18 Jun. 2026, https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-2540 Grosjean, A. N. L. "Blackwell, Alexander (bap. 1709, d. 1747), agricultural improver and government agent in Sweden." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. June 08, 2023. Oxford University Press. Date of access 18 Jun. 2026, https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-2539 Huler, Scott. “A Beautiful Find.” Duke Mag. 9/5/2023. https://dukemag.duke.edu/stories/beautiful-find Madge, Bruce. “Elizabeth Blackwell—the forgotten herbalist?” Health Information & Libraries Journal, 18: 144-152. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1471-1842.2001.00330.x Monroe, Nicky. “Elizabeth Blackwell’s Curious Herbal.” RHS Libraries and Collections. https://www.rhs.org.uk/education-learning/libraries-at-rhs/articles/elizabeth-blackwell Newman, Joyce. “Will The Real Elizabeth Blackwell Please Stand Up?” New York Botanical Garden. 7/1/2013. https://www.nybg.org/blogs/plant-talk/2013/07/exhibit-news/will-the-real-elizabeth-blackwell-please-stand-up/ O’Keeffe, Lynda. “Guest post by Lynda O’Keeffe – A Curious Herbal Elizabeth Blackwell’s Pioneering Masterpiece of Botanical Art.” All Things Georgan. 3/8/2024. https://georgianera.wordpress.com/2024/03/08/guest-post-by-lynda-okeeffe-a-curious-herbal-elizabeth-blackwells-pioneering-masterpiece-of-botanical-art/ Pardoe, Heather and Maureen Lazarus. “Images of Botany: Celebrating the Contribution of Women to the History of Botanical Illustration.” Collections: A Journal for Museum and Archives Professionals, Volume 14, Number 4, Fall 2018, pp. 545–566. RHS Digital Collections. “Elizabeth Blackwell's Curious Herbal.” https://collections.rhs.org.uk/collection/111276 Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. “Elizabeth Blackwell: Prison, Plotting and the Curious Herbal.” https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/heritage-blog/elizabeth-blackwell-prison-plotting-and-curious-herbal Shirk, Henrietta Nickels. “Contributions to Botany, the Female Science, by Two Eighteenth-century Women Technical Communicators.” Technical Communication Quarterly. Vol. 6, No. 3. Summer 1997. Tyson, Janet Stiles. “Introducing Elizabeth Blackwell to Hans Sloane.” British Library Untold Lives Blog. 5/18/2021. Via Archive.org. https://web.archive.org/web/20210619032948/https://blogs.bl.uk/untoldlives/2021/05/introducing-elizabeth-blackwell-to-hans-sloane.html Tyson, Janet Stiles. “The Rubenstein Library’s disruptive copy of A Curious Herbal.” 11/14/2022. https://blogs.library.duke.edu/rubenstein/2022/11/14/a-curious-herbal/ Tyson, Janet. “'A Curious Herbal' as Material Witness.” The Linnean Society. 1/10/2023. https://www.linnean.org/news/2023/01/10/a-curious-herbal-as-material-witness See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
01/07/2026 • 34:52
Very soon after it was completed in 1842, the Bunker Hill monument started to be about a lot more than just the battle that took place on June 17, 1775. Research: "Battle of Bunker Hill." Britannica Library, Encyclopædia Britannica, 18 Nov. 2025. libraries.state.ma.us/login?eburl=https%3A%2F%2Flibrary.eb.com&ebtarget=%2Flevels%2Freferencecenter%2Farticle%2FBattle-of-Bunker-Hill%2F18086&ebboatid=9265928. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026. Markoe, Lauren. “Gun Owners take Aim at New Law.” The Patriot Ledger. Oct. 10 and 11 1998. National Park Service. “Peter Brown.” Last updated 2/26/2025. https://www.nps.gov/people/peter-brown.htm National Park Service. “Remembering Revolution: Bunker Hill Monument.” Last updated 1/2/2025. https://www.nps.gov/bost/remembering-revolution.htm#27EBF851-37AB-4F4E-AA50-9BEDD914F0CC Webster, Daniel. “Dedication Speech for the Unveiling of the Bunker Hill Monument.” 6/17/1843. Via American Battlefield Trust. https://www.battlefields.org/learn/primary-sources/dedication-speech-unveiling-bunker-hill-monument National Park Service. “The Bunker Hill Monument Association: Expressing Gratitude and Patriotism.” Last updated 1/22/2024. https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/bhma.htm National Park Service. “Bunker Hill Lodge.” Last updated 1/12/2026. https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/bh-lodge.htm National Park Service. “King Solomon's Lodge.” Last updated 3/30/2023. https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/bh-ksl.htm Warren, George Washington. “The history of the Bunker Hill monument association during the first century of the United States of America.” Bunker Hill Monument Association. https://archive.org/details/historyofbunkerh00warr/ The Society of the Cincinnati in the State of New Hampshire. “Caleb Stark.” https://www.socnh.org/caleb-stark/ Stebbins, G.B. “May Day – North and South.” The liberator. v.16:no.21(1846:May 22). Via Digital Commonwealth. https://www.digitalcommonwealth.org/search/commonwealth:gb19h555q Mansfield, Howard. “Silent Witness.” Yankee. Mar/Apr2025, Vol. 89 Issue 2, p80-106. National Park Service. “Bunker Hill Monument Projection, 1998.” https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/bunker-hill-monument-projection-1998.htm Hay, John. “Broken Hearths: Melville's ‘Israel Potter’ and the Bunker Hill Monument.” The New England Quarterly , June 2016, Vol. 89, No. 2 (June 2016). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/24718238 Purcell, Sarah J. “Commemoration, Public Art, and the Changing Meaning of the Bunker Hill Monument.” The Public Historian , Vol. 25, No. 2 (Spring 2003). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/tph.2003.25.2.55 Everett, Edward. “An oration delivered at Charlestown, on the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill, June 17, 1850.” Boston. 1850. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.31822038214979 National Park Service. “Irish Claims to the Revolution.” 2/26/2025. https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/irish-claims-to-the-revolution.htm “Unworthy of Concord: A Know-nothing Appeal.” Pilot, Volume 38, Number 18, 1 May 1875. https://newspapers.bc.edu/?a=d&d=pilot18750501-01.2.19&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN-------+%2C+4---------------- National Park Service. “Operation POW.” March 1, 2023. https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/operation-pow.htm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
29/06/2026 • 45:49
This 2021 episode talks about several specialists – most with some involvement with the Nazi party – who entered the U.S. and became citizens through Operation Paperclip.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
27/06/2026 • 36:24
Holly talks about the agreement known as the Pact of the Catacombs and recent developments related to it. There's then discussion of Daguerre's Legion of Honor medal.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
26/06/2026 • 25:06
On September 16, 1890, Louis Le Prince vanished. He was never seen or heard from again. While that is the most well-known thing about him, he had a whole life before that which involved some very intriguing things. Research: “Amongst the persons …” The Leeds Mercury. August 2, 1870. https://www.newspapers.com/image/390297596/?match=1&terms=%22Louis%20Le Prince%22 Atreyee Gupta. “The Disappearance of Louis Le Prince.” Materials Today. Volume 11, Issues 7–8. 2008. Page 56, https://doi.org/10.1016/S1369-7021(08)70160-3. Aulas, Jean-Jacques and Jacques Pfend. “Louis Aimé Augustin Le Prince, inventeur et artiste, précurseur du cinéma.” 1895. Vol. 32. 2000. https://doi.org/10.4000/1895.110 Britannica Editors. "Étienne-Jules Marey". Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 May. 2026, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Etienne-Jules-Marey Casey, Keiron. “The mystery of Louis Le Prince, the father of cinematography.” Science + Media Museum. Aug. 29, 2013. https://blog.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk/louis-le-prince-created-the-first-ever-moving-pictures/ “CINEMATOGRAPHY Pioneers of Early Cinema: Louis Aimé Augustin Le Prince (1841-1890?).” National Media Museum. https://www.meiermovies.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/PioneersOfEarlyCinemaLouisLe Prince.pdf “First Surviving Film.” Guinness World Records. https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/first-surviving-film Fischer, Paul. “The Man Who Invented Motion Pictures: A True Tale of Obsession, Murder, and the Movies.” Simon & Schuster. 2022. “Hannibal Goodwin.” National Inventors Hall of Fame. https://www.invent.org/inductees/hannibal-goodwin Kelley, Peter. “Louis A. A. Le Prince and the Whitley Family.” Oak Leaves. Oakwood and District Historical Society. Summer 2002. https://www.oakwoodchurch.info/Oak%20Leaves%20Part%203%20-%20Louis%20A%20A%20Le%20Prince%20and%20the%20Whitley%20Family%20by%20Peter%20Kelley.pdf Le Prince, A. “METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ANIMATED PICTURES OF NATURAL SCENERY AND LIFE.” U.S. Patent Office. Jan. 10, 1888. https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/26/13/3c/c0bd20490abc9b/US376247.pdf Lewis, Maria. “The tragedy of Louis Le Prince.” ACMI (Australian Centre for the Moving Image). https://www.acmi.net.au/stories-and-ideas/tragedy-louis-le-prince/ “The Life, Mystery and Legacy of Louis Le Prince.” Leeds Museums & Galleries. https://museumsandgalleries.leeds.gov.uk/blog-life-mystery-and-legacy-of-louis-le-prince-fylq Marey, Etienne-Jules. “Chronophotographic gun.” Google Arts and Culture. https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/chronophotographic-gun-%C3%89tienne-jules-marey-otto-lund/KAFgqcxSaDadqw?hl=en “New research centre honours father of film.” The Reporter. University of Leeds. May 19, 2003. https://web.archive.org/web/20120205020340/http://reporter.leeds.ac.uk/490/s6.htm “PUBLIC HEALTH STATEMENT NITROBENZENE.” Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/ToxProfiles/tp140-c1-b.pdf Rawlence, Christopher. “The Missing Reel: the untold story of the lost inventor of moving pictures.” New York : Atheneum : Maxwell Macmillan International. 1990. Accessed online: https://archive.org/details/missingreeluntol0000rawl/mode/1up “Single-lens Cine Camera by Louis Le Prince.” Science Museum Group. https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co18634/le-prince-single-lens-cine-camera-cine-camera-cinematograph Swift, John. "Siege of Paris". Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 Jan. 2026, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Siege-of-Paris-1870-1871 Britannica Editors. "Franco-German War". Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 May. 2026, https://www.britannica.com/event/Franco-German-War Youngs, Ian. “Louis Le Prince, who shot the world's first film in Leeds.” BBC. June 23, 2015. https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-33198686 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
24/06/2026 • 48:11
The story of the Roman catacombs is vastly different than that of the catacombs of Paris, as Rome’s are much older and were created for very different reasons. Research: Bonello, Giovanni. “Charting the enigmatic life of Antonio Bosio.” Times of Malta. Dec. 6, 2014. https://timesofmalta.com/article/Charting-the-enigmatic-life-of-Antonio-Bosio.547468 Bonello, Giovanni. “How Antonio Bosio Became famous Worldwide.” Times of Malta. Dec. 13, 2014. https://timesofmalta.com/article/How-Antonio-Bosio-became-famous-worldwide.548393 Bosio, Antonio. “Roma sotteranea.” 1650. Accessed online: https://books.google.com/books?id=zCXXSKqq3nQC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_atb#v=onepage&q&f=false Britannica Editors. "Edict of Milan". Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 Aug. 2019, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Edict-of-Milan Britannica Editors. "First Jewish Revolt". Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Mar. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/event/First-Jewish-Revolt Britannica Editors. "Law of the Twelve Tables". Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Mar. 2018, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Law-of-the-Twelve-Tables “The Catacombs of Rome.” The Atlantic Monthly. March 1858. https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1858/03/the-catacombs-of-rome/627225/ Coleman-Norton, Paul R. “The Twelve Tables.” 2024 (eBook). https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/14783/pg14783-images.html “Diocletianic Persecution.” Ebsco. 2023. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/religion-and-philosophy/diocletianic-persecution “Jews in Roman Times.” The Roman Empire. PBS. https://www.pbs.org/empires/romans/empire/jews.html Lamberton, Clark D. “The Development of Christian Symbolism as Illustrated in Roman Catacomb Painting.” American Journal of Archaeology, vol. 15, no. 4, 1911, pp. 507–22. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/497187 Munro, Dana Carleton et al. “Translations and reprints from the original sources of European history : series for 1897.” University of Pennsylvania. 1898. https://archive.org/details/translationsrepr00munr/page/n3/mode/2up Northcote, James Spencer. “The Roman Catacombs.” Sophia Institute Press. 2017. (Reprint) Northcote, James Spencer. ““The Roman Catacombs; or Some Accounts of the Burial Places of the Early Christians in Rome.” Philadelphia. Peter F. Cunningham. 1857. (Reprint) Osborne, J. “The Roman Catacombs in the Middle Ages.” Papers of the British School at Rome , 1985, Vol. 53 (1985), pp. 278-328. https://www.jstor.org/stable/40310821 Perrottet, Tony. “Explore Rome’s Hidden Underworld, Where a City Lurks Beneath a City.” Smithsonian. April/May 2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/explore-romes-hidden-underworld-city-beneath-city-180986228/ “PONTIFICAL COMMISSION FOR SACRED ARCHAEOLOGY – Historical Notes.” Vatican. https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_commissions/archeo/inglese/documents/rc_com_archeo_doc_20011010_cenni_en.html Richter, J. P. “Early Christian Art in the Roman Catacombs.” The Burlington Magazine for Connoisseurs, vol. 6, no. 22, 1905, pp. 286–262. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/856226 “The Roman Catacombs.” Architecture. April 20, 1888. No. 414, p. 224. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nyp.33433084078983&seq=414&q1=catacombs “The Roman Catacombs.” Scientific American, vol. 58, no. 20, 1888, pp. 312–312. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/26094597 Rossi, Giovannie Battista de, et all. “Roma sotterranea : or, Some account of the Roman catacombs, especially of the cemetery of San Callisto ; comp. from the works of Commendatore de Rossi with the consent of the author.” Longmans, Green, Reader and Dyer. London. 1869. https://archive.org/details/a606740800rossuoft/a606740800rossuoft/page/6/mode/2up RUTGERS, LEONARD VICTOR, and לאונרד רוטגרס. “הקטקומבות היהודיות ברומא: הערכה מחודשת / THE JEWISH CATACOMBS OF ROME RECONSIDERED.” Proceedings of the World Congress of Jewish Studies / דברי הקונגרס העולמי למדעי היהדות, י, 1989, pp. 29–36. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/23535611 Terry, Andrea, and John Osborne. “Un Canadien Errant: Charles Smeaton and the Earliest Photographs of the Roman Catacombs.” RACAR: Revue d’art Canadienne / Canadian Art Review, vol. 32, no. 1/2, 2007, pp. 94–106. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/42630755 Yeomans, Sarah. “City of the Dead.” Archaeology, vol. 61, no. 4, 2008, pp. 55–62. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/41780388 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
22/06/2026 • 40:37
This 2021 episode covers Operation Paperclip, which was the U.S. effort to bring German scientists to work in the U.S. after World War II. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
20/06/2026 • 38:47
Tracy talks about how she first became interested in Casimir Pulaski's story, and how her focus changed during research. She also talks about selecting episode topics and later learning the subject is problematic.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
19/06/2026 • 26:35
Rebecca Smith Pollard published a book of poems to mark the U.S. centennial in 1876, and also a novel with some questionable messages. She also developed a method to teach children to read that was ahead of its time. Research: Chetwynd, Sally Morong “Sam.” “Birth of Rebecca Smith Pollard, Education pioneer – Sept. 20, 1831.” Brass Castle Arts. 9/20/2014. https://brasscastlearts.blogspot.com/2014/09/birth-of-rebecca-smith-pollard.html The Writer’s Almanac. “Tuesday, September 20, 2011.” https://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/index.php%3Fdate=2011%252F09%252F20.html History of Literacy. “Pollard Nominated to Reading Hall of Fame.” History of Reading News. Vol.XXVI No.1 (2002:Fall). Via Archive.org Wayback Machine. https://web.archive.org/web/20160729031119/https://historyliteracy.org/scripts/search_display.php?Article_ID=240 Haefner, Marie. “An American Lady.” The Palimpsest. The State Historical Society of Iowa. April 1957. The Palimpsest archive 38(4), 129-176. doi: https://doi.org/10.17077/0031-0360.22585 Pollard, Rebecca S. “The Prayers of Eleven Hundred Children.” Our Dumb Animals. Vol. 24, No. 8. January, 1892. https://archive.org/details/sim_animals_our-dumb-animals_1892-01_24_8/ The Catholic Educational Review. “Phonetics, Their Origin and Function.” Vol. 24. May 1926. https://archive.org/details/sim_catholic-educational-review_1926-05_24/ “Pollard’s Advanced Speller.” Education. Vol. 18, Issue 1. September 1897. https://archive.org/details/sim_education-us_1897-09_18_1/ Pollard, R.S. “Educational Appliance.” U.S. Patent No. 375,095. December 20, 1887. Heilman, Arthur W. “Principles and practices of teaching reading.” Columbus, Ohio, C. E. Merrill Books. 1961. Huey, Edmund Burke. “The History And Pedagogy Of Reading With A Review Of The History Of Reading And Writing And Of Methods Texts And Hygiene In Reading.” The Macmillan Company. 1915. “A New Road to Learning.” The Des Moines Register. Page 23. 12/3/1911. Wheatley, Jeffrey. “The Wrong Feeling of Feeling Right: Fanaticism and Sentiment in Anti-Abolitionist Novels.” From Religion and Social Change. Edited by Sabrina Danielsen. Journal of Religion and Society. Supplement 26 (2025.) Harrington, Kate and Miss M.E. Wilson. “The Moonlight Tryst.” Louisville Journal. 1/7/1854. Pollard, Rebecca S. “Emma Bartlett: or, Prejudice and fanaticism.” Cincinnati, Moore, Wilstach, Keys & Overend. 1856. “Emma Bartlett: or, Prejudice and Fanaticism.” Ottumwa Semi-Weekly Courier. 4/16/1857. Pollard, Rebecca S. “Centennial and Other Poems.” Philadelphia : Lippincott. 1876. Kirkham, Samuel. “English Grammar in Familiar Lectures.” New York. Robert B. Collins. “Portrait and Biographical Album of Lee County, Iowa.” Chicago: Chapman Brothers, 1887. https://sites.rootsweb.com/~iabiog/lee/pbh1887/pbh1887-s.htm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
17/06/2026 • 41:43
Pulaski is often built up into an almost mythic figure who represents patriotism, bravery, freedom, independence, and the U.S. as a melting pot. a nation of immigrants. But there’s also a very different version of his story. Research: “Benjamin Franklin to George Washington, 29 May 1777,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Franklin/01-24-02-0072. [Original source: The Papers of Benjamin Franklin, vol. 24, May 1 through September 30, 1777, ed. William B. Willcox. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1984, p. 98.] https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Franklin/01-24-02-0072 “General Count Casimir Pulaski: ‘The Father of the American Cavalry’: First Commander of Washington’s Cavalry; Commander of the Independent ‘Pulaski’s Legion.’” The American Catholic Historical Researches , JANUARY, 1910, New Series, Vol. 6, No. 1 (JANUARY, 1910). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/44374799 American Battlefield Trust. “Casimir Pulaski.” https://www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/casimir-pulaski Britannica Editors. "Confederation of Bar". Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 Sep. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Confederation-of-Bar. Accessed 20 May 2026. Britannica Editors. "Confederation of Bar". Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 Sep. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Confederation-of-Bar. Accessed 21 May 2026. Britannica Editors. "Kazimierz Pułaski". Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Mar. 2026, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Kazimierz-Pulaski. Accessed 20 May 2026. Britannica Editors. "Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth". Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Dec. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/place/Polish-Lithuanian-Commonwealth. Accessed 21 May 2026. Britannica Editors. "Stanisław II August Poniatowski". Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 Feb. 2026, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Stanislaw-II-August-Poniatowski. Accessed 21 May 2026. Byczkiewicz, Romuald K. “For Your Freedom and Ours: Casimir Pulaski, 1745-1779.” Sarmatian Review(Vol. 26, Issue 1). George Washington’s Mount Vernon. “Casimir Pulaski.” https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/casimir-pulaski Georgia Southern University. “Georgia Southern researchers solve Casimir Pulaski mysteries, subject of Smithsonian Channel’s ‘America’s Hidden Stories: The General Was Female?’” 3/28/2019. https://www.georgiasouthern.edu/2019/03/28/georgia-southern-researchers-solve-casimir-pulaski-mysteries-subject-of-smithsonian-channels-americas-hidden-stories-the-general-was-female-free-screening-on-arm Hautzinger, Daniel. “Who Was Casimir Pulaski, the Polish Revolutionary War Hero Honored with a Holiday and Street in Chicago?” WTTW. 11/17/2025. https://www.wttw.com/playlist/2025/11/17/casimir-pulaski-revolutionary-war Jones, Charles C. Jr. “Casimir Pulaski: An Address Before the Georgia Historical Society.” 1/13/1871. Savannah. 1873. https://polona.pl/item-view/8e95b726-b73c-4a27-9070-d7750b57cc4f Jones, Charles Colcock. “Sepulture of Major General Nathanael Greene : and of Brig. Gen. Count Casimir Pulaski.” Augusta, Ga, 1855. https://archive.org/details/sepultureofmajor00jonerich/ Kajencki, Francis C. “Casimir Pulaski, Cavalry Commander of the American Revolution.” Southwest Polonia Press. 2002. Kajencki, Francis C. “The Pulaski Legion in the American Revolution.” Southwest Polonia Press. 2004. Makarewicz , Stanislaw. “The Four Birth Records of Kazimierz Pulaski.” https://www.poles.org/birth.html Manning, Clarence A. “Casimir Pulaski, a Soldier of Liberty.” Bulletin of the Polish Institute of Arts and Sciences in America, January, 1944,Vol. 2, No. 2 (January, 1944). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/24725053 Moyer, Del-Louise. “Rebecca Langley and the Pulaski Banner.” Pennsylvania German Blog. 11/22/2015. https://alyssumarts.com/2015/11/22/rebecca-langley-and-the-pulaski-banner/ National Archives. “Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 8205, for Eleazer Phillips, South Carolina.” NAID: 196395780. https://catalog.archives.gov/id/196395780? National Park Service. “Casimir Pulaski Memorial.” https://www.nps.gov/nama/planyourvisit/pulaski.htm National Park Service. “Casimir Pulaski.” Fort Pulaski National Monument. https://www.nps.gov/people/casimir-pulaski.htm Pienkos, Angela. “Bicentennial Look at Casimir Pulaski: Polish, American and Ethnic Folk Hero.” Polish American Studies , Spring, 1976, Vol. 33, No. 1 (Spring, 1976). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/20147942 Pinkowski, Jack. “Mysteries Surrounding Casimir Pulaski.” "Bialy Orzel," April 18, 2008, p. 26-27. https://www.poles.org/L_Kaz/E_Kaz.html Pula, James S. “Pułaski at Savannah: A Journey through Fact and Fiction.” The Polish Review, Vol. 67, No. 4 (2022), pp. 5-33 (29 pages). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/48805968 Pula, James S. “Whose Bones Are Those?: The Casimir Pulaski Burial Controversy.” The Georgia Historical Quarterly , 2016, Vol. 100, No. 1 (2016). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/43855885 Somers, Jennifer. “Who was Casimir Pulaski? Why does Illinois celebrate him?” KSDK. 3/6/2023. https://www.ksdk.com/article/news/history/casimir-pulaski-day-illinois-meaning-first-monday-in-march/63-2698e93d-1c82-4e42-ac52-4ab47903ccde Spencer, Richard Henry. “Pulaski's Legion.” Maryland Historical Magazine. September 1918. Ungvarsky, Janine. “Casimir Pulaski.” Ebsco. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/military-history-and-science/casimir-pulaski United States Senate. “Ex. Doc. No. 120: Reports of the Secretaries of State, War, an d the Treasury, respecting the services of Count Pulaski.” Wickham, Jonathan, director. “The General was Female?” Smithsonian Channel - America's Hidden Stories. 4/8/2019. Williams, Henry. “An address delivered on laying the corner stone of a monument to Pulaski, in the city of Savannah.” Commissioners of the Monument Fund. 1855. https://archive.org/details/addressdelivered00geor/ Wizevich, Eli. “Discover the Short Life and Long Legacy of Casimir Pulaski, a Polish Cavalry Officer Who Became an American Revolutionary Hero.” Smithsonian. 3/6/2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/discover-the-short-life-and-long-legacy-of-casimir-pulaski-a-polish-cavalry-officer-who-became-an-american-revolutionary-hero-180986162/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
15/06/2026 • 45:10
This 2022 episode covers the 1901 discovery of Ada Maria Redpath and her son Jocelyn Clifford dead in their home. What exactly happened between the two of them is something we will likely never understand.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
13/06/2026 • 32:44
Holly and Tracy talk about how frequently the U.S. Post Office has stopped criminals, and about E. Virgil Neal using his intellect for shady business dealings.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/06/2026 • 17:49
In the early 20th century, Neal's company Force of Life was investigated for fraud. But somehow, Neal managed to get through the scandal and went on to found a cosmetics company that became very successful. Research: “Can’t Find E. Virgil Neal.” New York Times. January 15, 1906. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1906/01/15/100496816.pdf?pdf_redirect=true&ip=0 “Claimed to Raise the Dead.” Kansas City Star. Jan. 13, 1906. https://www.newspapers.com/image/653825670/?match=1&terms=%22Claimed%20to%20raise%20the%20dead%22 Conroy, Mary Schaeffer. “The Cosmetics Baron You’ve Never Heard Of: E. Virgil Neal and Tokalon.” Third Edition. Altus History Publishing. 2014. “E. Virgil Neal Passes Away at Geneva June 30.” The Sedalia Democrat. July 3, 1949. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sedalia-democrat-e-virgil-neal-obit/185827307/ “False Advertising Chief ‘Stimulant’ in Nixated Iron.” New York Tribune. Dec. 16,1917. https://www.newspapers.com/image/894241833/?terms=%22e.%20virgil%20neal%22 “Force of Life Charges Dismissed.” Buffalo News. April 24, 1906. https://www.newspapers.com/image/329115069/ “FORCE OF LIFE'S WIND-UP.; E. Virgil Neal Still Missing, but Offices Are Being Dismantled.” New York Times. Jan. 17, 1906. https://www.nytimes.com/1906/01/17/archives/force-of-lifes-windup-e-virgil-neal-still-missing-but-offices-are.html “Force of Lifers Sent Many Decoy Letters.” New York Times. February 7, 1906. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1906/02/07/101765677.pdf?pdf_redirect=true&ip=0 “Here’s a Hyopnotic Bank.” New York Sun. March 3, 1903. https://www.newspapers.com/image/207217198/?match=1&terms=Columbia%20Scientific%20academy “How Force of Lifers Did a Rush Business.” New York Times. Jan. 15, 1906. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1906/01/15/100496815.pdf?pdf_redirect=true&ip=0 “James R. O’Beirne.” Fordham University. Office of the President. https://www.fordham.edu/about/leadership-and-administration/administrative-offices/office-of-the-president/about/hall-of-honor/james-r-obeirne/ “Jury Disagrees Cartilage Case.” Buffalo Courier Express. May 5, 1918. https://www.newspapers.com/image/352806300/?match=1&terms=%22e.%20virgil%20neal%22 “Medical Mail-order Frauds.” American Medical Association. 1915. Accessed online: https://books.google.com/books?id=Cyq6AAAAIAAJ&vq=neal&source=gbs_navlinks_s “Medicine: From Sedalia.” Time Magazine. Dec. 25, 1933. https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,746617-1,00.html “A Message to the Sick.” Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. Feb. 9, 1900. https://www.newspapers.com/image/135238292/?match=1&terms=vitaopathy “Most Beautiful Woman in Paris.” The Times-Union. October 6, 1909. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1278623430/?match=6&terms=To-Kalon Neal, E. Virgil and John H. Moore. “Modern Illustrative Banking.” American Book Company. 1904. Accessed online: https://archive.org/details/modernillustrati00neal/modernillustrati00neal/ Neal, E. Virgil and C.T. Craig. “Modern Illustrative Bookkeeping.” American Book Company 1901. Accessed online: https://archive.org/details/illustratimodern00nealrich/page/16/mode/2up “Neal, of ‘Nuxated Iron’ Fame, Held on Fraud Charge.” Times-Transcript. April 15, 1918. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1106273916/?match=1&terms=%22Neal%20of%20Nuxated%20Iron%22 “Neal Returns for Business.” Post-Standard. April 30, 1906. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1091107180/ Bennet, James. “Tokalon.” Cosmetics and Skin. Jan. 26, 2025. https://cosmeticsandskin.com/companies/tokalon.php “Gigantic Swindle Probably Bared.” Nebraska City Weekly. Jan. 16, 1906. https://www.newspapers.com/image/728074626 “In Force of Life Case.” Houston Post. Jan 13, 1907. https://www.newspapers.com/image/94975109 “Nuxated Iron Sellers in Libel Suit.” The Times-Transcript. June 10, 1918. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1106285753/?match=1&terms=%22e.%20virgil%20neal%22 “Part I: The 1906 Food and Drugs Act and Its Enforcement.” U.S. Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/changes-science-law-and-regulatory-authorities/part-i-1906-food-and-drugs-act-and-its-enforcement “Personal Magnetism.” San Francisco Examiner. March 8, 1903. https://www.newspapers.com/image/457762995/?match=1&terms=Columbia%20Scientific%20academy “Pope Receives O’Beirne.” New York Times. Sept 25, 1910. https://www.newspapers.com/image/20505640/?match=1&terms=%22pope%20receives%20o%27beirne%22 Schwarcz, Joe, PhD. “The Prince of Quackery.” McGill Office for Science and Society. July 16, 2025. https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/pseudoscience-history/prince-quackery “Thought Waves Between ‘Em.” New York Sun. April 12, 1903. https://www.newspapers.com/article/new-york-herald-e-virgil-neal-and-the-a/185828789/ “Tribune’s Answer in Libel Suit Calls E. Virgil Neal a Quck.” New York Tribune. June 23, 1918. https://www.newspapers.com/image/469171423/?match=1&terms=%22e.%20virgil%20neal%22 “Vain Search for Neal.” New York Times. January 16, 1906. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1906/01/16/101763032.pdf?pdf_redirect=true&ip=0 “WORRIED ABOUT NEAL & CO.: Depositors, You See, Don’t Like Hypnotism in Banking.” New York Sun. March 4, 1903. https://www.newspapers.com/article/new-york-herald-e-virgil-neal-hypnotic/176427712/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/06/2026 • 41:22
E. Virgil Neal’s career started out with writing successful textbooks, but then took a turn into being a stage hypnotist and then a series of dicey mail-order businesses. Research: “Can’t Find E. Virgil Neal.” New York Times. January 15, 1906. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1906/01/15/100496816.pdf?pdf_redirect=true&ip=0 “Claimed to Raise the Dead.” Kansas City Star. Jan. 13, 1906. https://www.newspapers.com/image/653825670/?match=1&terms=%22Claimed%20to%20raise%20the%20dead%22 Conroy, Mary Schaeffer. “The Cosmetics Baron You’ve Never Heard Of: E. Virgil Neal and Tokalon.” Third Edition. Altus History Publishing. 2014. “E. Virgil Neal Passes Away at Geneva June 30.” The Sedalia Democrat. July 3, 1949. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sedalia-democrat-e-virgil-neal-obit/185827307/ “False Advertising Chief ‘Stimulant’ in Nixated Iron.” New York Tribune. Dec. 16,1917. https://www.newspapers.com/image/894241833/?terms=%22e.%20virgil%20neal%22 “Force of Life Charges Dismissed.” Buffalo News. April 24, 1906. https://www.newspapers.com/image/329115069/ “FORCE OF LIFE'S WIND-UP.; E. Virgil Neal Still Missing, but Offices Are Being Dismantled.” New York Times. Jan. 17, 1906. https://www.nytimes.com/1906/01/17/archives/force-of-lifes-windup-e-virgil-neal-still-missing-but-offices-are.html “Force of Lifers Sent Many Decoy Letters.” New York Times. February 7, 1906. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1906/02/07/101765677.pdf?pdf_redirect=true&ip=0 “Here’s a Hyopnotic Bank.” New York Sun. March 3, 1903. https://www.newspapers.com/image/207217198/?match=1&terms=Columbia%20Scientific%20academy “How Force of Lifers Did a Rush Business.” New York Times. Jan. 15, 1906. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1906/01/15/100496815.pdf?pdf_redirect=true&ip=0 “James R. O’Beirne.” Fordham University. Office of the President. https://www.fordham.edu/about/leadership-and-administration/administrative-offices/office-of-the-president/about/hall-of-honor/james-r-obeirne/ “Jury Disagrees Cartilage Case.” Buffalo Courier Express. May 5, 1918. https://www.newspapers.com/image/352806300/?match=1&terms=%22e.%20virgil%20neal%22 “Medical Mail-order Frauds.” American Medical Association. 1915. Accessed online: https://books.google.com/books?id=Cyq6AAAAIAAJ&vq=neal&source=gbs_navlinks_s “Medicine: From Sedalia.” Time Magazine. Dec. 25, 1933. https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,746617-1,00.html “A Message to the Sick.” Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. Feb. 9, 1900. https://www.newspapers.com/image/135238292/?match=1&terms=vitaopathy “Most Beautiful Woman in Paris.” The Times-Union. October 6, 1909. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1278623430/?match=6&terms=To-Kalon Neal, E. Virgil and John H. Moore. “Modern Illustrative Banking.” American Book Company. 1904. Accessed online: https://archive.org/details/modernillustrati00neal/modernillustrati00neal/ Neal, E. Virgil and C.T. Craig. “Modern Illustrative Bookkeeping.” American Book Company 1901. Accessed online: https://archive.org/details/illustratimodern00nealrich/page/16/mode/2up “Neal, of ‘Nuxated Iron’ Fame, Held on Fraud Charge.” Times-Transcript. April 15, 1918. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1106273916/?match=1&terms=%22Neal%20of%20Nuxated%20Iron%22 “Neal Returns for Business.” Post-Standard. April 30, 1906. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1091107180/ Bennet, James. “Tokalon.” Cosmetics and Skin. Jan. 26, 2025. https://cosmeticsandskin.com/companies/tokalon.php “Gigantic Swindle Probably Bared.” Nebraska City Weekly. Jan. 16, 1906. https://www.newspapers.com/image/728074626 “In Force of Life Case.” Houston Post. Jan 13, 1907. https://www.newspapers.com/image/94975109 “Nuxated Iron Sellers in Libel Suit.” The Times-Transcript. June 10, 1918. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1106285753/?match=1&terms=%22e.%20virgil%20neal%22 “Part I: The 1906 Food and Drugs Act and Its Enforcement.” U.S. Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/changes-science-law-and-regulatory-authorities/part-i-1906-food-and-drugs-act-and-its-enforcement “Personal Magnetism.” San Francisco Examiner. March 8, 1903. https://www.newspapers.com/image/457762995/?match=1&terms=Columbia%20Scientific%20academy “Pope Receives O’Beirne.” New York Times. Sept 25, 1910. https://www.newspapers.com/image/20505640/?match=1&terms=%22pope%20receives%20o%27beirne%22 Schwarcz, Joe, PhD. “The Prince of Quackery.” McGill Office for Science and Society. July 16, 2025. https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/pseudoscience-history/prince-quackery “Thought Waves Between ‘Em.” New York Sun. April 12, 1903. https://www.newspapers.com/article/new-york-herald-e-virgil-neal-and-the-a/185828789/ “Tribune’s Answer in Libel Suit Calls E. Virgil Neal a Quck.” New York Tribune. June 23, 1918. https://www.newspapers.com/image/469171423/?match=1&terms=%22e.%20virgil%20neal%22 “Vain Search for Neal.” New York Times. January 16, 1906. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1906/01/16/101763032.pdf?pdf_redirect=true&ip=0 “WORRIED ABOUT NEAL & CO.: Depositors, You See, Don’t Like Hypnotism in Banking.” New York Sun. March 4, 1903. https://www.newspapers.com/article/new-york-herald-e-virgil-neal-hypnotic/176427712/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
08/06/2026 • 35:28
This 2022 episode covers Hortense and Marie Mancini, who tried to make a place for themselves in 17th-century Europe, defying all kinds of conventions along the way. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
06/06/2026 • 42:22
Tracy talks about a book that she didn't use for research on Viola Roseboro'. Holly talks about how wealth inequality has shaped science history.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
05/06/2026 • 27:52
Boyle is frequently described at the first modern chemist, but his work encompassed much more than that. Among other things, he was a founding member of the Royal Society. Research: Boyle, Robert. “An account of Philaretus during his Minority.” Accessed online: https://celt.ucc.ie/published/E650001-100.html Boyle, Robert. “New experiments physico-mechanicall.” Oxford. 1660. https://archive.org/details/chepfl-lipr-AXA74/mode/1up?q=proportional Boyle, Robert. “New experiments physico-mechanical, touching the air.” London. Richard Davis. 1682. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A29007.0001.001?rgn=main;view=fulltext Boyle, Robert. “The Sceptical Chymist.” London. J. Crooke. 1661. Accessed online: https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/22914/pg22914.txt “Copy of Sir Robert Boyle's Will.” Brief History of Blue. https://omekas.prattsi.org/s/HistoryofBlue/item/109 “December 31, 1691: Death of Robert Boyle.” This Month in Physics History. APS News. Dec. 1, 2016. https://www.aps.org/apsnews/2016/12/this-month-in-physics-history Henderson, Felicity. “What Scientists Want: Robert Boyle’s To-do List.” The Royal Society. August 26, 2010. https://royalsociety.org/blog/2010/08/what-scientists-want-boyle-list/ Highmore, Nathaniel. “The history of generation. Examining the several opinions of divers authors, especially that of Sir Kenelm Digby, in his Discourse of bodies ...” 1651. Accessed online: https://wellcomecollection.org/works/kv5tr2uz/items Martin, Christy. “Full Boyle.” Distillations Magazine. Science History Institute Museum and Library. May 13, 2012. https://www.sciencehistory.org/stories/magazine/full-boyle/ Masson, Flora. “Robert Boyle: A Biography.” London: Constable & Company Ltd. 1914. Accessed online: https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/73234/pg73234.txt Principe, Lawrence M.. "Robert Boyle". Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 Apr. 2026, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Robert-Boyle “Robert Boyle (1627-1691): Sherborne School library benefactor.” The Old Shirburnian Society. https://oldshirburnian.org.uk/robert-boyle-1627-1691/ “Robert Boyle: wishlist of a Restoration visionary.” The Guardian. June 3, 2010. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2010/jun/03/robert-boyle-royal-society-wishlist “The Royal Society of London.” National Museum Australia. https://www.nma.gov.au/exhibitions/exploration-and-endeavour/royal-society-london Sweeney, Patricia E. “Robert Boyle.” Ebsco. 2022. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/robert-boyle West, John B. “The Original Presentation of Boyle’s Law.” Journal of Applied Physiology 1999 87:4, 1543-1545. https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/jappl.1999.87.4.1543 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
03/06/2026 • 44:17
Viola Roseboro’ isn’t well-known today, but she played a big behind-the-scenes role in the careers of a lot of American writers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, shaping what’s thought of as the American literary canon. Research: “4 New Features.” Washington D.C. Evening Star. 4/29/2013. https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83045462/1913-04-29/ed-1/?sp=10&r=-0.115,-0.055,1.648,0.596,0 Dykeman, Wilma. “Tennessee Women: An Infinite Variety.” Newport. Wakestone Books. 1993. Gorton, Stephanie. “The Strange, Forgotten Life of Viola Roseboro’.” The Paris Review. 2/24/2020. https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2020/02/24/the-strange-forgotten-life-of-viola-roseboro/ Gregorie, Anne King. “Reviewed Work(s): Viola, The Duchess of New Dorp: A Biography of Viola Roseboro by Jane Kirkland Graham.” The South Carolina Historical Magazine, Vol. 57, No. 2 (Apr., 1956). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/27566059 Howell, Isabel. “Reviewed Work(s): Viola, the Duchess of New Dorp, a Biography of Viola Roseboro' by Jane Kirkland Graham.” Tennessee Historical Quarterly, December, 1956. Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/42621315 McClure, S. S. “My Autobiography.” London: J. Murray. 1914. https://archive.org/details/myautobiography00mcclrich/ New York Times. “VIOLA ROSEBORO', FICTION EDITOR, 87; Former McClure's, Collier's Executive Dies--Helped O. Henry Get Start Bought Tarkington Stories Praised by Will Irwin.” 1/30/1945. https://www.nytimes.com/1945/01/30/archives/viola-roseboro-fiction-editor-87-former-mcclures-colliers-executive.html Osborn, Scott C. “Reviewed Work(s): Viola, The Duchess of New Dorp: A Biography of Viola Roseboro by Jane Kirkland Graham.” The Journal of Southern History, Vol. 22, No. 2 (May, 1956). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/2954261 “Person Annotations.” From “#0088: Transcription of Letter from Willa Cather to Viola Roseboro', June 14 [1903].” The Complete Letters of Willa Cather. Center for Digital Research in the Humanities at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. https://cather.unl.edu/writings/letters/let0088#ref001 Robinson, Phyllis C. “Willa: The Life of Willa Cather.” New York. Doubleday. 1983. Roseboro, Viola. “Begging as an Avocation.” New York World. 12/11/1887. Via New York University “Undercover Reporting.” https://undercover.hosting.nyu.edu/s/undercover-reporting/item/13733 A. W.. “Reviewed Work(s): Viola, the Duchess of New Dorp. A Biography of Viola Roseboro' by Jane Kirkland Graham.” Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society (1908-1984), Vol. 49, No. 1 (Spring,1956). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/40189490 Schmalhofer, Stephen. “The Making of My Ántonia.” First Things. 12/17/2018. https://firstthings.com/the-making-of-my-ntonia/ Schmalhofer, Stephen. “Viola Roseboro’s literary garden.” The New Criterion. 12/12/2018. https://newcriterion.com/dispatch/viola-roseboros-literary-garden-10164/ Skaggs, Merrill M. “Viola Roseboro': A Prototype for Cather's ‘My Mortal Enemy’.” The Mississippi Quarterly , Winter 2000-01, Vol. 54, No. 1 (Winter 2000-01). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26476820 Skaggs, Merrill Maguire. “Willa Cather's New York: New Essays on Cather in the City.” Fairleigh Dickinson University Press. 2000. Tarbell, Ida M. “All In The Day S Work An Autobiography.” The Macmillan Company. 1939. https://archive.org/details/allinthedayswork010810mbp/ The Georgia Historical Quarterly. “Reviewed Work(s): Viola, The Duchess of Nenx Dorp. A Biography of Viola Roseboro'. Two volumes in one by Jane Kirkland Graham.” Vol. 40, No. 2 (June, 1956). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/40577676 Adkins, Gilbert R. “Two Daughters of Tennessee.” Franklin County Historical Review. 1986: XVII:1, 30-42. Johanningsmeier, Charles. “Unmasking Willa Cather's ‘Mortal Enemy.’” Cather Studies. Vol. 5. https://cather.unl.edu/scholarship/catherstudies/5/cs005.johanningsmeier Williams, Jay. “Author Under Sail: The Imagination of Jack London, 1893-1902.” University of Nebraska Press, 2014. Project MUSE. https://muse.jhu.edu/book/35026. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
01/06/2026 • 36:01
This 2016 episode covers the May 30, 1948 flood that destroyed Vanport, Oregon. What really makes the story more than a historical footnote is how it ties into the racial makeup of both Portland and Oregon at the time.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
30/05/2026 • 26:59