You know the drill — all it takes is one sperm, one egg, and blammo — you’ve got yourself a baby. Right? Well, in this 2015 episode, conception takes on a new form — it’s the sperm and the [...]

In the weeks following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a young doctor in Germany sees that abortion pills are urgently needed in Ukraine. And she wants to help. But getting the drugs into the [...]

In this episode, first aired in 2011, we talk about the meaning of a good game — whether it's a pro football playoff, or a family showdown on the kitchen table. And how some games can make you [...]

For a special New Year’s treat, we take a tour through the history of the universe with the help of… poets. Our guide is Maria Popova, who writes the popular blog The Marginalian (formerly Brain [...]

This episode —first released in 2009 and then again in 2015, with an update — asks, what is “normal”? Maybe it exists, maybe not. We examine peace-loving baboons with Stanford neuroscientist [...]

At any given moment, nearly 500,000 people are crammed together in a metal tube, hurtling through the air. In this episode, we look at the strange human experiment that is flying together. Special [...]

This episode, first aired in 2017, has Reporter Tracie Hunte and Editor Soren Wheeler exploring a hidden power in the U.S. Court System that is either the cornerstone of our democracy or a trapdoor [...]

January 30, 1649 / 1661. London, 1649. King Charles I lays his head on a chopping block. The axe falls and, soon with it, the monarchy. What follows is Parliament’s grueling effort to set up a [...]

January 27, 1925. Musher “Wild Bill” Shannon and his team of sled dogs race off into the frigid Alaskan night. He’s carrying a package of life-saving serum, wrapped in fur to keep it from [...]

Here’s a special episode of Cautionary Tales, a podcast from our friends at Pushkin Industries. On Cautionary Tales, bestselling author Tim Harford shares stories of human error, natural disasters, [...]

January 11, 2022. Lt. Col. James Harvey arrives at Nellis Air Force base in Nevada for the first time in 73 years. He’s there to accept a plaque celebrating the last time he was there—for the Air [...]

January 3, 1924. Archeologists crowd into an ancient Egyptian tomb to uncover what awaits them in the unopened burial chamber. The world is waiting to find out. That’s because two years before, the [...]

December 26, 2022. For the first time, a behind-the-scenes look at a key part of the History This Week episode-making process. Today, we’re inviting our listeners to pull up a chair and join one of [...]

Christmas Eve, 1913. For months, newspapers have been trumpeting an urgent message: Do your Christmas shopping early. It would be easy to assume this was the work of greedy department [...]

By Elena Barattini It was the 19th of April 1840. The Villanueva, a packet boat flying the Spanish flag, dropped anchor in the flocked harbor of Havana. Fifteen passengers disembarked and [...]

In this latest episode of In Theory, Disha Karnad Jani interviews Judith Surkis, Professor of History at Rutgers University, about her book Sex, Law, and Sovereignty in French Algeria, 1830-1930 [...]

By Fasil Merawi  This piece has the goal of introducing three groups of intellectuals who hold distinct views on Ethiopia’s venture into modernity. If one wants to understand the general [...]

By Jonathan Egid Where would you go if you wanted to consult the largest collection of Ethiopian philosophical manuscripts anywhere in the world? Addis Ababa might be a good guess, at the [...]

By Adam Simmons ‘Ethiopia’ is an ancient toponym that dates to at least the twelfth century BCE. However, it did not refer to the region of the modern-day country until many centuries [...]

By the Primary Editors *** What is Ethiopia and where is Ethiopia? At first glance, these questions seem simple enough. However, as our forum “Intellectual Histories of Ethiopia” [...]

  The Blue Rider Almanac was a showpiece for the Blue Rider art group in early 20th century Munich. Curated by the group’s founders Wassily Kandinsky and Franz Marc and published [...]

left to right: Return of the Banished by Keith Parkinson, via keithparkinson.com, with From the Goddesses Project by Luis Royo, via luisroyo.com; and fantasy art by Gerald Brom for the [...]

  All throughout history, the world has told stories of fantastical creatures. Many of these beings were considered wondrous and incredible. However, the reverse side must also [...]

  The Eiffel Tower has been a potent symbol of Parisian identity since the day it opened on March 31 1889. Designed by eminent French engineer Gustave Eiffel, it represented the [...]

  The end of World War II brought about independence for many Asian countries that had long been colonies of the Empire of Japan. However, there were often strong disagreements [...]

Pyramid of Djoser   Egypt’s oldest mummy may have been discovered in a tomb near the Step Pyramid of Djoser, at Saqqara. The mummy could also be the most complete one ever [...]

Igbo civilians   Few conflicts have impacted the world like the Nigerian Civil War. The scale of the war and its legacy would shape postcolonial conflicts in Africa for decades to [...]

Karen Carpenter died on February 4, 1983, after steadily poisoning herself with ipecac syrup, which she was using to try to maintain her weight while struggling with an eating disorder. The post [...]

After 52 years, the Mohave County Sheriff's Office in Arizona has identified the murdered woman as Colleen Audrey Rice after a successful crowdfunded DNA genealogy test. The post This Jane Doe [...]

Experts believe that the statue may depict Hercules or perhaps a Roman emperor dressed as the ancient hero. The post This Ancient Statue Of A Hercules-Like Figure Was Just Discovered In A Roman [...]

For years, stories have circulated about a line of dogs named Gunther who inherited the fortune of a wealthy countess in 1992 — but is it all a hoax to help sell real estate? The post The Real [...]

Ancient Hun warrior's tomb uncovered in Romania, lost van Dyck found in a New York barn, prehistoric whale skull discovered in Maryland. The post This Week In History News, Jan. 22 – 28 [...]

Founded in the 1960s by Brazilian mystic Neiva Chaves Zelaya, Valley of the Dawn, a.k.a. Vale do Amanhecer, claims that its followers are reincarnated aliens. The post Inside The Fascinating World Of [...]

The scientists took inspiration from sea cucumbers, which are able to switch between soft and stiff states in order to protect themselves. The post Scientists Create Shapeshifting Humanoid Robot [...]

The Library of Congress posted a photo: Van Vechten, Carl,, 1880-1964,, photographer. [Portrait of Marian Anderson] 1940 Jan. 14. 1 photographic print : gelatin silver. Notes: Photograph [...]

The Library of Congress posted a photo: Lundy, Victor Alfred,, 1923-, artist. [Soldiers looking at ship in the distance] 1944 August 27. 1 drawing. Notes: Sketch showing soldiers from [...]

The Library of Congress posted a photo: A group of New York women transcribing popular fiction into Braille for blinded ex-service man under the direction of the New York County Chapter ARC. A [...]

The Library of Congress posted a photo: Frissell, Toni,, 1907-1988,, photographer. Frederick Vanderbilt's House - "Hyde Park" 1964. 1 photograph : color transparency ; 35 mm [...]

The Library of Congress posted a photo: Frissell, Toni,, 1907-1988,, photographer. Gloria Vanderbilt - 1 February, 1966. 1 photograph : color transparency ; 35 mm (slide format) Notes: [...]

The Library of Congress posted a photo: Frissell, Toni,, 1907-1988,, photographer. Vogue, Ann Taylor May, 1967. 1 photograph : color transparency ; 35 mm (slide format) Notes: Please use [...]

The Library of Congress posted a photo: Frissell, Toni,, 1907-1988,, photographer. Courcheval, --- Annik Schäffler January, 1970. 1 photograph : color transparency ; 35 mm (slide [...]