Ridiculous History

Discover the dark allure of arsenic, once dubbed 'inheritance powder' due to its deadly reputation throughout history. Explore how it served both as a potent poison and a medicinal compound, with figures like Julia Tofana weaving through its twisted legacy. Uncover its surprising presence in everyday products of the past and the hidden dangers of white arsenic. Delve into the chilling tales from Victorian England, where societal dynamics complicated its use. Join the journey through history's most morbid mysteries!

The podcast discusses the disturbing history of orphan trains in the US, exploring efforts to improve public health, child auctions and labor proposals, the controversial practice of sending children to farming communities, challenges in documentation and oversight, and the impact of the orphan train movement on the foster care system.

Join the Ridiculous Crime and Ridiculous History teams for a game of 20 Questions on strange historical flexes. Banter about podcast setups, furry community practices, and guessing male political figures from 18th century Europe. Dive into Versailles hygiene, Victorian era films, and a politically applauded act. Enjoy sponsor ads, host reflections, and games on famous historical figures and presidential trivia.

The podcast discusses the controversial history of Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot, exploring theories of government involvement. They delve into the religious turmoil in England, the aftermath of the plot, and the symbolic legacy of Guy Fawkes as a revolutionary figure. The episode also touches on the evolution of Guy Fawkes Day, failed assassination attempts on King George III, and includes sponsor promotions.

Ancient India's Arthashastra predates Machiavelli's 'The Prince' by 2,000 years, outlining similar ruthless strategies. The podcast explores parallels between both texts and discusses unethical tactics for rulers. The hosts take a Machiavellian traits test from the 1970s and banter about human nature.

The podcast explores the origins of artificial flavors, from the development of synthetic flavoring to the establishment of FEMA to combat negative perceptions. They delve into the complexities of taste science, mentioning peach flavor in Fries and Fries and the legacy of iconic Juicy Fruit gum's unique blend of flavors.

Nowadays U.S. grocery shoppers can be reasonably certain that the foods they purchase are safe (if not healthy). Yet this wasn't always the case. In today's episode, we explore the story of one extremely driven, imperfect man, on a mission to clean up America's food industry. Harvey Wiley didn't think it was enough to conduct conventional safety studies, either -- he jumped straight to human experimentation. Join the guys as they delve into the strange story of Harvey Wiley and the Poison Squad in this weekend's Classic episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Discover the science behind artificial flavors through the history of vanilla. Explore lab-grown flesh ethics, Japanese snack flavors, and human taste preferences. Uncover the myths of vanilla flavoring and the evolution of taste perceptions.

At first glance, the Vatican's security service makes no sense. The Swiss Guard is an elite force from, well, Switzerland. So what the heck are these guys from a notoriously neutral nation doing so far down south? In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore the origin and evolution of the world-famous Swiss Guard.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's no secret that espionage and spycraft are common tools in the murky realm of geopolitics -- but not every spy is some sort of James Bond type character in a bespoke suit with a penchant for martinis. In fact, some spies aren't even human. Join Ben and Noel as they dive -- and fly -- into the strange stories of animal spies and nonhuman government operatives, from crows to dolphins, sea lions, cats and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.