Ridiculous History

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Animals On Trial, Part 2: Legal Personhood "Goes Wild" Jul 27, 2023

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Given that more and more evidence shows all kinds of non-human animals are capable of experiencing grief, loss, joy and pain, should they not have some of the same legal rights guaranteed (in theory, at least) to humans? In the second part of this two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max explore legal cases around the world wrestling with this issue.

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Animals On Trial, Part 1: Tons of Animals Went to Kangaroo Courts Jul 25, 2023

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While the the concept of a court system is an entirely human invention, it turns out non-human animals have been in some sort of court not once, but countless times across the span of history. In the first part of this two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max explore the strange way in which early court cases against animals led to animal rights.

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Broken Arrows, Part 2: In Which Actions Have Consequence Jul 20, 2023

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In part two of this special two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max dive further into the (objectively disturbing) truth about just how many nuclear weapons are currently MIA. The gang speculates on the implications of these missteps -- and, as they wonder about the consequences of their actions,

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Broken Arrows, Part 1: Whoops, Where's Our Nuke? Jul 18, 2023

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Nuclear weapons are one of the most dangerous things humanity ever invented. So while we might reasonably assume people would keep a close eye on these potentially world-ending bombs and missiles...we would be wrong. In this week's two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max explore the harrowing, ridiculous times humans absolutely lost track of live nukes -- some of which are still out there, somewhere, in the modern day.

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New Providence: That Time Pirates Had A Government Jul 13, 2023

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The so-called Golden Age of Piracy was a time of lawless, terrifying, at-times amazing and objectively ridiculous history. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Matt explore a fascinating claim: Did some anti-authoritarian pirates really form their own government?

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Tons of People Married Their First Cousins Jul 11, 2023

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What do Albert Einstein, Jesse James and Saddam Hussein have in common? Like many notable figures throughout history, these men ended up marrying their first cousins. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max dive into the stories of how these historical figures ended up in romantic relationships with members of their extended families.

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Lost Media, Part 2: The Magnificent Ambersons Jul 06, 2023

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True story: Orson Welles has a film no one will ever see. In the second part of this continuing series, the guys explore "The Magnificent Ambersons," from its origins to its adaptations all the way to what could have been Our Pal Orson's next masterpiece -- only to end up as his most haunting regret.

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The Ridiculous History of "Snake Oil" Jul 04, 2023

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Nowadays, "snake oil" usually means a fake medicine or treatment that claims -- with no evidence -- to cure any number of medical conditions. But where did this term come from? In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max dive into the story of Clark Stanley, the Rattlesnake King who (accidentally) helped create the modern FDA.

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Badass of the Week, Part 2: Rise of the Kung Fu Werewolf Jun 29, 2023

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Everyone can agree the story of T'ai Djin is amazing -- he was born afflicted with a rare genetic condition that made him look like a werewolf, was adopted by Shaolin monks and became the most badass guy in China -- but how much of the story is fact, and how much is fiction? In part two of this week's series, the guys chat with Badass of the Week creator Ben Thompson about T'ai Djin, the nature of heroism, myth, and much, much more.

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Badass of the Week, Part 1: An Origin Story Jun 27, 2023

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What makes an historical figure larger than life? Since 2004, author and historian Ben Thompson has been writing about the most badass people in history, from generals to saints, from pioneers to criminals. In the first part of this special two-part series, Ben (Bowlin), Noel, and Max hang with the creator of Badass of the Week.

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