Bone Fraud: The Piltdown Man

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Manhattan’s Knoedler Gallery made about $80 million selling art by Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock, Robert Motherwell, and other Abstract Expressionist icons. But in 2011, the truth came out: the paintings were forgeries. The buyers were scammed. E ... Show More

Nikola Tesla patented over 300 inventions. When he died, the US government confiscated 80 trunks of his notes and blueprints… and only returned 60 to his heir. In his lifetime, Tesla tinkered with weather control machines, alien transmission readers, and a “death ray” that would ... Show More

Several murders have been dubbed “the crime of the century," but the Lindbergh kidnapping case of 1932 might actually deserve the title. According to some, it shaped the culture of conspiracy theories in America. Was Bruno Richard Hauptmann really guilty, or was he framed? Did he ... Show More

In October 2000, the first and only Persian mummy in history was offered for sale. This unique discovery rocked the world of archeology — and raised immediate questions. Where did it come from? Who found it? And above all… was it real? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podc ... Show More

What was life like for our earliest ancestors? Which of our qualities are uniquely human, and which are just... primal? From the discoveries of paleoanthropologists, to the experiments of evolutionary biologists, today we’re examining the mysteries of our species — and what exact ... Show More

From ancient caves to subterranean cities, humans have lived underground for centuries throughout history. Why? And what happens when people from above descend into the dark? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 

From South Africa's Kingdom of the Sky comes the story of Kammapa: a shapeless, ravenous beast that nearly swallowed all of humanity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 

It has existed for as long as human history, and yet it remains taboo. From government fines to public humiliation to murder—wandering outside your relationship has always been fraught with danger. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 

From the early 20th century author Algernon Blackwood comes a chilling story of how an innocent mistake subjected a young man to an otherworldly encounter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 

<p>What do we know about the earliest hominins to exist? With a story spanning one million years and counting, we're discovering more about how we came to be every day. </p><br><p>In this episode of The Ancients, we're on location in the Natural History Museum in London as Trista ... Show More

<p>Where do humans come from? Or, perhaps more interestingly, <em>who</em> did humans evolve from? A question once posed by the likes of Charles Darwin and other early naturalists, the answer has changed throughout history. But now, thanks to advancements in archaeology and devel ... Show More

This episode is a mystery in the most classic literary sense of the word. It’s a whodunit detective story that spans more than a century - the saga of the Piltdown Man Hoax. From a gravel pit in Sussex, we follow the faked fossils through history, to what’s now the Natural Histor ... Show More

In the late 1980s he claimed to be the final savior of the world, but behind Hogen Fukunaga’s grandiose claim was a shrewd businessman who scammed millions from loyal followers. His method? Detailed foot readings that cost hundreds of dollars. Learn more about your ad choices. Vi ... Show More