Don't Drink the Milk – The curious history of things

Humans have always wanted to look into the future – but have we lost control over it? Travel with us to the bellybutton of the world to uncover the secrets of the oracles of old and to find out what they can show us about our algorithm-driven present. It's a tale of fate and free will, from Oedipus to AI, from Greece to the Netherlands and beyond. Take your seats for an episode in three acts.

Who put the cheese in your stuffed-crust pizza? Or cows on a Caribbean island? And when more than half the world's population can't actually digest milk, is it really essential for a healthy diet? On a trip through time and taste – to dairy-obsessed Bulgaria, colonial Trinidad and Tobago and the 'Got Milk?' era – we explore humanity's millennia-long relationship with milk.

The little booklets we use to cross borders and take a vacation abroad didn't always exist. So where did they come from? Stories of privilege, control and belonging are hidden in the watermarked pages of our passports. Our travels take us to a little country with a complicated past, where we find some unexpected pieces of the puzzle – from citizenship to micronations to cold hard cash.

A brainstorming session takes an unexpected turn, leading us to the land of Jane Austen, Bridgerton and Victorian parlor games. But what's that got to do with Russian scandals, a 90s classic kids' movie and a bucket of milk? Join us for the first episode of Don't Drink the Milk to find out what's up with our quirky name.

Join us as we journey across Europe and beyond, tracing the unexpected backstories of things we all think we know well. Discover how they made their way around the world – by force, by chance or by choice. No need to pack your bags. Just be sure to subscribe to Don't Drink the Milk, wherever you listen to podcasts.