Victor Lustig: Con Man Extraordinaire
He’s most famous for selling an iconic structure he didn’t own, but Robert Miller, known better by his alias Count Victor Lustig, led a life [Read more]
Podcast
A Brief History of Colors
Pigments and dyes have come from all manner of animals, vegetables and minerals. From ochre to cochineal red to the rarest of purples, color has [Read more]
The Full Motion Video Era – Home Gaming
How was full motion video used in early computer and console games? And why is it so hilariously bad? Learn more about your ad-choices at [Read more]
The German view on the First World War
As we approach the centenary of the First World War, historian Alexander Watson, author of Ring of Steel: Germany and Austria-Hungary at War, 1914-1918, offers a German and Austro-Hungarian perspective on the events of 1914–18 and explains ho…
The Full Motion Video Era – The Arcade
What is FMV and how did it change video games? From the brilliant to the brilliantly awful, we take a look at FMV. Learn more [Read more]
The Klondike Big Inch Land Promotion
In the mid-20th century, one ad company had a wacky plan to actually dole out land deeds as part of a cereal promotion. How did [Read more]
Fireworks, Part Two
Where does the color come from in fireworks? How are those giant displays choreographed? We conclude our discussion on fireworks. Learn more about your ad-choices [Read more]
The Tulsa Race Riot and Black Wall Street
“Black Wall Street” was a nickname for Greenwood, a vibrant suburb of Tulsa, Oklahoma, which was destroyed in a race riot in 1921. And while [Read more]
Richard III and dirty Tudors
Chris Skidmore, who is writing a new biography of Richard III, talks to us about how his research is presenting a different picture of the controversial 15th-century king. Meanwhile, we speak to Pamela Hartshorne about the challenges people faced in Tu…