When author and historian Hampton Sides was deep into researching another polar expedition, he stumbled upon the tragic journey of USS Jeannette. He couldn’t believe Captain De Long’s voyage wasn’t common knowledge. The 33-man crew endured extreme hardship, and only 13 survived what Sides calls “the American Shackleton story.” Hampton Sides joins host Mike C ... Show More
Jul 2024
Everest '96: Trapped in the Death Zone | Top of the World | 2
<p>As the climbers make their final push for the summit, time is of the essence. They must make it to the top before 2 p.m. to ensure they get back to camp before dark. But due to delays, most of them don’t reach the summit until late in the afternoon, and by then, everyone is ex ... Show More
43m 33s
Jul 2024
Everest '96: Trapped in the Death Zone | Descent Into Darkness | 3
<p>As the climbers descend from the summit, it becomes a race against time to get back to camp before dark. But a severe blizzard slows their progress to a crawl, and altitude sickness starts to take hold. Some climbers get stuck in the upper reaches of the mountain, while others ... Show More
40m 27s
Apr 2024
Andrés Reséndez, "Conquering the Pacific: An Unknown Mariner and the Final Great Voyage of the Age of Discovery" (Mariner Books, 2022)
The Pacific Ocean is twice the size of the Atlantic, and while humans have been traversing its current-driven maritime highways for thousands of years, its sheer scale proved an obstacle to early European imperial powers. Enter Lope Martin, a forgotten Afro-Portuguese ship pilot ... Show More
1h 8m
Jun 2025
The Mutiny of Henry Hudson
June 22, 1611. It’s been a long, cold winter. Henry Hudson and his crew have been stranded in the Canadian Arctic for months, living on the ice in wooden shacks - starving, sick, and ready to go home. And yet, Hudson wants to carry on and search for the Northwest Passage, a theor ... Show More
34m 1s
Apr 2025
The Titanic’s First and Last Voyage
April 10, 1912. As the RMS Titanic pulls away from a crowded port on the south coast of England, it almost crashes. Just in time, it’s able to turn off its engines and prevent a collision with a smaller ship. Four days later, though, a serious disaster will not be avoided, and th ... Show More
35m 41s
Nov 2024
The Mayflower: What Was Life Like At Sea?
<p>A cargo hold, just 5 feet tall and divided up with canvas - this is what served as the living quarters for the 102 passengers of the Mayflower on their 66 day crossing to North America.</p><br><p>Don is joined by guest Anna Scott, a researcher from the University of Lincoln, t ... Show More
38m 9s
Jul 2023
119: Indrid Cold, the Truth about Planet Lanulos and the Mystery of the Smiling Man
On November 2nd, 1966, Woody Derenberger was driving home from a business trip when he encountered an extraterrestrial being named Indrid Cold.
Cold communicated with Woody telepathically, and the two went on to be lifelong friends. Other people close to Woody, including family, ... Show More
39m 19s
Oct 21
CLASSIC: Gustaf Broman Tried to Cross the Atlantic in a Canoe . . . Or Did He?
Ben here: Noel and I are sailing the seas this week -- wish us luck! Luckily, our Super Producer Max is holding it down with some of our favorite Classic episodes. Here's one I especially enjoyed from 2019, all about strange ocean travels: "In 1895, Gustaf Broman announced he wou ... Show More
38m 59s