Let’s step back in time... It’s the late 19th century, and the world is buzzing with new tech. Bicycles are the hot new thing, electricity is lighting up cities, and people are starting to dream big—like, flying big. Enter Wilbur and Orville Wright, born in 1867 and 1871, respectively, to a preacher dad, Milton, and a mechanically savvy mom, Susan. These brothers grew up in Dayton, Ohio, in a house full of books and curiosity. Neither went to college, but they were tinkerers from the start. As kids, they built kites, fixed toys, and even made a wood lathe together. Their dad once brought home a toy helicopter, and that little rubber-band-powered trinket sparked something in them

Today, we’re diving into a story that sounds like it’s straight out of a Hollywood blockbuster, but it’s 100% real. We’re talking about a church in Hiroshima, Japan, that stood tall against the unimaginable force of the atomic bomb dropped on 6 August 1945. Not only did the building survive, but so did the people inside it—against all odds. This is the story of the Jesuit Church of Our Lady of the Assumption, a tale of survival, faith, and what some call a miracle. This one is going to have you scratching your heads...

In Episode 11, I told you the story of one of America’s greatest code breakers of World War 2, Elizabeth Smith. Today we’re stepping into the other side of the intelligence game; the more shadowy world of espionage, to uncover the incredible story of Virginia Hall, an American woman who became one of the most dangerous Allied spies of World War II. Known to the Gestapo as the “Limping Lady,” her courage and cunning changed the course of the war. So, grab a seat, as we travel back to Nazi-occupied France.

Today is 6 June 2025; the 81st anniversary of the Normandy Invasion. Code named Overlord, it was faced with all kinds of security headaches. One general let slip the date the invasion was to take place. He was sent home after being busted down in rank to Lt. Col. A London newspaper printed several of the codewords as answers in their weekly crossword puzzle. However, through careful misdirection, the Allied High Command convinced Hitler that the invasion would come hundreds of miles away from the beaches of Normandy. So let’s look at what unfolded over 80 years ago.

Several years ago, there was a Nicholas Cage movie out about a group of men who had a dramatic impact on the course of the Pacific Theater during the second World War. Unfortunately, Windtalkers, focused on Nicholas Cage’s character, rather than on the actual heroes, the Navajo Code Talkers who deserved to be the central point of the film. Today, I will discuss some of the heroes of the Pacific Theater—the real “Code Talkers.”

In today’s episode, we’re diving into one of those stories…and to be honest, it sounds like it’s straight out of a Pixar movie—but as I said… it is real. Picture this: World War II, chaos everywhere, soldiers fighting for their lives, and in the middle of it all… a bear. Not just any bear, but a bear with a military rank, a paycheck, and a taste for beer and cigarettes. This is the story of Wojtek, the Syrian brown bear who became a soldier in the Polish Army. Hang onto your hats, because this one’s wild.

Now, I know what you're thinking: "Dancing? Could be fun!" And, well, under normal circumstances and for certain people, it is fun. But imagine, if you will, an historical event where hundreds, even thousands, of people were seized by an uncontrollable urge… to dance. And I don't mean a casual waltz. We’re talking hours, even days of relentless, frenzied movement. Exhaustion, dehydration, heart attacks… all leading to some truly grim results. This, my friends, is the Dancing Plague, also sometimes referred to as St. John's Dance, and it's one of the most peculiar episodes in medical and social history.

Today’s episode deviates a little from my usual stories—while it is a bizarre event, it is a bit more well known than my previous topics.