Episodes

‘Cafe coronaries’ were a fact of life until The Journal of Emergency Medicine published details of The Heimlich Manoeuvre on June 1, 1974. In so doing, they made a household name of thoracic surgeon Henry Heimlich, and saved countless diners from choking in restaurants.  In this episode, Arion, Olly and Rebecca examine whether Heimlich’s notoriety […]

John Harvey Kellogg believed his corn flakes had a future as a sexual suppressant when he filed a patent for “Flaked Cereals and Process of Preparing Same” on 31st May, 1895. What the Seventh Day Adventist and eugenicist hadn’t counted on was his brother Will – who combined his discovery with sugar; effectively creating the

Before ‘Tomb Raider’, before ‘Mortal Kombat’, before ‘Street Fighter’, there was something even WORSE. ‘Super Mario Bros’ – which opened in the United States on 28th May, 1993 – was such a critical and commercial failure that for years afterwards Nintendo kept their franchises out of Hollywood hands. Relocating the action to ‘Dinohattan’, the film

Microwave cookery was first demonstrated by Ross Kilgore of Westinghouse at the Chicago World’s Fair, which opened on 27th May, 1933. But the event was deemed to be a side-show of little scientific significance, and was forgotten until microwaves were ‘discovered’ two decades later. Incredibly also on display at the Chicago World’s Fair were incubated

The most iconic image of the 80s? Arguably. One of the biggest-selling posters of all time? Unquestionably. Yet ‘L’Enfant’ – captured on 26th May 1986 by photographer Spencer Rowell – was just a workaday, rapid-turnaround project for high street store Athena. The photo, which went on to adorn over five million walls, is often credited

Chinese citizens were once again able to read and perform the works of William Shakespeare on 25th May, 1977.  Chiang Ching, Chairman Mao’s wife, had instituted the ban eleven years earlier – amidst concerns that the Bard’s works could be reinterpreted to undermine the Party’s rule and ideology. In this episode, Rebecca, Olly and Arion

Spectacle, camp and glamour were NOT on the agenda in Lugano, Switzerland on 24th May, 1956: the inaugural Eurovision Song Contest was broadcast mostly on the radio, and featured a whistling duo as its interval act. Who had to perform twice. Voting controversy, however, was enshrined in the institution right from the outset – as

When Carl Wickman started America’s first bus company on 21st May, 1914, they weren’t a bus company, and they weren’t called Greyhound – they were a commuter service for miners in Hibbing, Minnesota. But, despite their ‘dirty dog’ reputation (and the fact they’re now owned by a British conglomerate), the company is still seen as

When Hitachi launched their ‘personal massager’ on 20th May, 1968, they had no idea (or so they claim) that they were about to, um, go down in sex toy history. The Magic Wand was initially developed to relieve tension and relaxing sore muscles – but soon became celebrated as the most powerful vibrator the world

When Marilyn Monroe delivered her breathy, flirtatious rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’ to JFK on 19th May 1962, columnist Dorothy Kilgallen remarked, ‘it seemed like Marilyn was making love to the President in front of 40 million Americans.’  In fact the two are said to have never seen each other again, and just three months later