In 1695, Alexander Selkirk ran away and joined a band of buccaneers. In 1704, after a fight with his captain, Selkirk was put ashore on an uninhabited island about 400 miles west of Valparaiso. Tune in to learn more about the real-life Robinson Crusoe.
Yesterday
Unearthed! In Spring 2026, Part 1
Part one of this quarter's edition of Unearthed! features updates, medical things, books and letters, oldest known things, and smells. Research: Abdallah, Hannah. “Analysis of charred food in pot reveals that prehistoric Europeans had surprisingly complex cuisines.” EurekAlert. 3 ... Show More
43m 14s
Jan 2022
EP164: The Manhattan Project: The Story of a Place, a Photographer, and a Moment
On this episode of Our American Stories, Richard Cook tells us the story of how in 1943 the town of Oak Ridge, Tennessee was established and went from 58,000 acres of farm land to a town of 75,000 people.Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Learn more abou ... Show More
38m 16s
Mar 2023
Shetland: Edge of the Prehistoric World
<p>Over 100 miles further than the northern reaches of Britain, beyond Orkney, are a remote group of islands that make up Shetland. It’s one of the best kept secrets of prehistoric Scotland, containing evidence of the lives that were lived there some 5,000 years ago. With Viking ... Show More
45m 11s
Dec 2018
Part Two: The Accidental Genocide of the Andaman Islands
<p>In the last episode, we discussed talked mostly about the history of the Andaman islands in general, and not North Sentinel Island specifically. In Part Two, Robert is joined again by Andrew Ti (Yo Is This Racist) to discuss the Sentinel Island in detail. </p><p> </p> Learn m ... Show More
41m 34s
Jun 2023
Wreck, Scandal & Mutiny on HMS Wager
<p>In 1740, the Royal Navy ship <em>The Wager</em> set sail for the Pacific to take part in the War of Jenkins' Ear. The unfortunate ship was separated from the fleet and, after pulverising storms and outbreaks of scurvy, ended up sinking near a small island off the coast of Chil ... Show More
27m 1s
Sep 2021
Robert Smalls Stole A Confederate Ship and Sailed to Freedom, Part One: Planning the Heist
<p>Born into slavery, Robert Smalls dreamed of freedom for not just himself and his family, but all oppressed people. As the US became consumed in the Civil War, he hatched a daredevil plan to make this dream a reality -- by stealing a Confederate ship and sailing straight past t ... Show More
25m 12s