It's no coincidence that the bird we eat for Thanksgiving and a Middle Eastern country are both called Turkey. One was named after the other, and it all has to do with a 500-year-old story of emerging global trade, mistaken identity, foreign language...
Yesterday
Charlemagne Dreamed of a Sword With Four Words on It and They Predicted Exactly How His Dynasty Would Fall
Late at night in his palace at Aachen, Charlemagne had a dream. A mysterious figure approached him carrying a sword engraved with four Germanic words: raht, radoleiba, nasg, and enti. The meaning seemed immediately clear to the emperor, who fancied himself a philosopher as well a ... Show More
1h 6m
Sep 15
Cicero—Rome’s Greatest Orator—Saved the Capital From Insurrection, But Couldn’t Save the Republic From Collapse
On December 7, 43 BCE, a sixty-three-year-old man was carried in a litter down a woodland path near the Italian coast, fleeing soldiers who had been sent to kill him. When they caught up, he ordered his attendants to set down the litter, put his head out, and offered them his nec ... Show More
52m 29s
Sep 10
Do Napoleons or Hitlers Really Matter? Whether Leaders Make History or Their Societies Make Them
On March 13, 1930, Adolf Hitler was sitting in the passenger seat of his chauffeur-driven car when a trailer truck sped through an intersection and struck the vehicle, pushing it across the road and stopping just short of crushing it. Everyone survived. Three years later, Hitler ... Show More
44m 16s
Nov 2022
How A Massive Turkey Screw-up Created TV Dinners
Hey, it's us, your pals Ben, Noel and Max from Ridiculous History. We figured the holidays can be stressful for everyone, and we're pretty sure you've heard the history of Thanksgiving countless times. So instead of telling you that story, we decided to celebrate by exploring the ... Show More
53m 26s
Nov 2020
Turkey, Family, and Murder, Oh My!
On today's episode the girls chat about the murderous beginnings of one of our favorite traditions, Thanksgiving! The pilgrims were trash but the turkey be so good. Find out which girl collects plates on Thanksgiving, who starts the political arguments at dinner, and get the answ ... Show More
38m 9s
Nov 2021
From the Vault: Turkey, Wishbones and Gravy
In recognition of Thanksgiving, Robert and Joe devote this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind to the very topics that might float through your head at the dinner table: What is a wishbone, why do we pull it apart and what does it have to do with dinosaurs? Are turkeys mes ... Show More
1h 15m