Four Eyes Good: The History of Glasses

Everyone knows who Frank Lloyd Wright is, but did you know there was a grisly massacre at his home in 1914? Find out all about it in this classic episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

In the late 1800s, white supremacists in Wilmington, NC staged a coup and bloody massacre of its black citizens in order to stem the tide of black progress and stifle the vote. This is that story.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

Weather balloons are the workhorse of the meteorological world, which is why they’ve been used daily around the world for most of a century. Let’s salute these unsung heroes of weather prediction by getting to know them better. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

If you had to name the innovations that have transformed human civilisation, you might suggest the printing press or the Internet, but the humble pair of spectacles has also revolutionised the way many of us experience the world. It's said that an astonishing three quarters of th ... Show More

More and more of us are in need of glasses these days and luckily, there is now a much more positive perception of people with “four eyes.” However, it wasn’t always that way. So where did the stereotypes come from, and is there a chance that people who wear glasses are smarter t ... Show More

Was Google Glass an idea ahead of its time? What are its origins and where is it today?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

It’s hard to imagine how anyone looked cool before the invention of sunglasses, but just when did humans pop their first pair of shades? In this episode of Invention, Robert Lamb and Joe McCormick discuss everything from the blinding white hell of arctic wastes to the blood-soake ... Show More

Spectacles have been around for centuries, and have a huge impact on many people's quality of life. So why is it estimated that more than two billion people aren't aware that they need them? Tim Harford considers the difference that seeing clearly makes to the world. 

Fashion historian Jessica Glasscock joins us for a two-part episode on the fascinating, 750 year history of eyeglasses and eyewear. Jessica is the author of the new book Making a Spectacle: A Fashionable History of Glasses. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/dressed- ... Show More

Looking back on things that were made in the past can always be enlightening--and more than a little curious.Join our Patreon for ad-free episodes!: https://www.patreon.com/grimandmildSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

<p>When were glasses invented? What happened back then if your horse stepped on them? How is the digital age changing adults’ and kids’ vision? The first half of this special bonus episode about Optical Technology features the charmingly hilarious director of the Museum of the Ey ... Show More