Episodes

In this episode we uncover the incredible story of Scottish surgeon James Braid, who entered the Manchester Athenaeum on 13th November, 1841 as a skeptic of what was then known as ‘mesmerism’, or ‘animal magnetism’ – and left as perhaps the most enthusiastic proponent in Britain of what he came to call ‘hypnosis’. The performance […]

The French government introduced a new State religion on 10th November, 1793: the ‘Cult of Reason’, which attempted to reflect the anti-clerical attitudes of the French Revolution.  But – as with the new secular calendar that reset the year to zero and gave democratic names to the months – the general public did not take

Presidential diplomacy now routinely involves hundreds of trips on Air Force One – but, until Theodore Roosevelt travelled to inspect the Panama Canal on 9th November, 1906, no serving US President had ever ventured abroad. It was the biggest infrastructure project a President had ever undertaken, costing hundreds of millions of dollars and tens of

Bruce Miller appeared to be the victim of a violent robbery at his salvage yard when his body was discovered on 8th November, 1999 – but he had actually been killed as part of a disturbing love triangle; one that led to his wife, Sharee Miller, being imprisoned for second degree homicide in a case

The first meteorite to crash land into Earth – and have its date recorded – impacted the hamlet of Ensisheim (in modern-day France, then Austria) on 7th November, 1492. The stone’s descent created a crater in a wheat field, captivating villagers who believed such occurrences were cosmic signs. A striking deafening noise accompanied the meteor’s

This episode first premiered in 2022, for members of 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴 – where you can also DITCH THE ADS and get weekly bonus bits, unlock over 70 bits of extra content and support our independent podcast. Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks! In today’s episode we explore the incredible history of the at-home

In a quirky blend of sports, public health, and self-promotion, boxing legend Muhammad Ali took on an unusual opponent at the Washington Monument on 3rd November, 1979: ‘Mr. Tooth Decay’. The demonstration, promoted by Don King, culminated with Ali knocking down Decay in the sixth round, prompting the crowd of children to celebrate by tossing

Johnny Campbell, a medical student from the University Of Minnesota, spurred on his alma mater’s struggling football team by leading spectators in a rousing cheer on 2nd November, 1898 – and, in so doing, became the world’s first recognised cheerleader.  Even though the sport now features predominantly female participants these days, the first women cheerleaders

Dropping bombs from planes was unheard of until 1st November 1911, when Italian Lieutenant Giulio Gavotti embarked on an aerial mission over Libya. With a handful of lightweight grenades resting in his lap, he headed to Ain Zara, a village near Tripoli, and chucked them overboard. This audacious act occurred only eight years after the

‘Ghostwatch’, a Halloween drama in the style of a documentary, reached 11 million viewers on its first and only UK broadcast on BBC 1, on 31st October, 1992. It starred Sarah Greene, Craig Charles, Mike Smith, and – in a stroke of genius – trusted veteran broadcaster Michael Parkinson, who became possessed by the voice