Today In History with The Retrospectors

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 descent; the bright trail it left was blinding. A young boy witnessed the fall and alerted the townsfolk, leading to a frenzy of villagers rushing to collect souvenirs and good luck charms from the impact site. The local magistrate intervened, preserving the meteorite by having it relocated to the church for safekeeping. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly reflect on how the villagers reacted to the coming of what they called the Thunderstone, or Firestone; explain how the event was widely interpreted as a divine warning mainly thanks to the invention of the printing press; and reveal why the meteorite was affixed to the wall using iron crampons… Further Reading:• ‘This Famous 1492 Meteorite Impact Was Interpreted as an Omen from God’ (VICE, 2016): https://www.vice.com/en/article/jpgk47/this-famous-1492-meteorite-impact-was-interpreted-as-an-omen-from-god• ‘The Meteorite of Ensisheim: 1492 to 1992’ (Harvard, 1991):https://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-iarticle_query?bibcode=1992Metic..27...28M&db_key=AST&page_ind=0&data_type=GIF&type=SCREEN_VIEW&classic=YES• ‘World’s Largest Meteorite Weights Over 100K Pounds But No One Knows Where It Came From’ (Did You Know?, 2018): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lJwXquFpHwLove the show? Join 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS 🌴 to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode every SUNDAY!Plus, get weekly bonus bits, unlock over 70 bits of extra content and support our independent podcast.Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks!We'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/RetrospectorsThe Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Sophie King.Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2023. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 pregnancy test, first made available to British women on 6th November, 1971. Although not at Boot’s.Created by Margaret Crane, a graphic designer for New Jersey pharmaceutical company Organon, the test revolutionised the process of pregnancy detection, which had previously required a clinician to send samples to a laboratory - an exercise that could take up to a fortnight.In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly learn how the ancient Egyptians were years ahead when it came to urine samples; explain why ‘the rabbit died’ had become the accepted euphemism for being up the duff; and watch old episodes of ‘The Dick Van Dyke Show’ and ‘Hill St Blues’ for their research (well, ok, that’s just Rebecca)... Further Reading:• ‘History of the Home Pregnancy Test’ (The Atlantic, 2015): https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/06/history-home-pregnancy-test/396077/• ‘The Unknown Designer of the First Home Pregnancy Test Is Finally Getting Her Due’ (Smithsonian Magazine, 2015): https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/unknown-designer-first-home-pregnancy-test-getting-her-due-180956684/• ‘"Get dressed.... Dad" - Home Response TV Commercial’ (1987): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWLZC0q3iskWe'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/retrospectors The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Sophie King.Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2023. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 toothbrushes. It was part of an extended dental health campaign that included Ali’s bizarre LP, "Muhammad Ali and His Gang vs. Mr. Tooth Decay," featuring Frank Sinatra and released in 1976. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca, and Olly dare each other to listen to the album in full; consider how Ali transitioned his public personality away from his stand against the Vietnam War and embrace of Islam; and seek out the even lesser-known sequel, "Dope! The Dope King's Last Stand", featuring a guest appearance from no less than President Jimmy Carter…Further Reading:• ‘Ali Still The Most in 6 Rounds With Tooth Decay’ (The Washington Post, 1979): https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1979/11/04/ali-still-the-most-in-6-rounds-with-tooth-decay/9700895a-6014-4a38-b2f4-5dfe2ff1cf3f/• ‘Remembering Muhammad Ali’s Trippy, Anti-Cavity Kids’ Record’ (Rolling Stone, 2016): https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/remembering-muhammad-alis-trippy-anti-cavity-kids-record-64027/• ‘Ali and His Gang Fight Mr. Tooth Decay’ (St. John's Fruit And Vegetable Co, 1976): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtiNbm9o8zUFri:We'll be back on Monday - unless you join 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴, where we give you ad-free listening AND a full-length Sunday episode every week!Plus, weekly bonus content, unlock over 70 bonus bits, and support our independent podcast.Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks!The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart.Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2023. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 weren't recorded until 1923. Indeed, four men who would later become U.S. President cheered on their teams at College: Dwight D Eisenhower, Franklin D Roosevelt, George W. Bush, and Ronald Reagan.In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly reveal the ‘grandfather of cheerleading’, who patented pom-poms; explain how the Dallas Cowboys played a pivotal role in the perception of modern cheerleading; and consider the most comical cheerleading names in the canon… Further Reading:• ‘Almanac: The 1st cheerleader’ (CBS News, 2014): https://www.cbsnews.com/news/almanac-the-1st-cheerleader/• A Not-So-Brief and Extremely Sordid History of Cheerleading – Mother Jones (Mother Jones, 2014): https://www.motherjones.com/media/2014/12/cheerleader-history-timeline/• ‘Top 10 Most Watched Cheerleading Routines EVER on YouTube’ (The Cheer Buzz, 2021): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgH-Esw6GpI ‘Why am I hearing a rerun?’ Every Thursday is 'Throwback Thursday' on Today in History with the Retrospectors: running one repeat per week means we can keep up the quality of our independent podcast. Daily shows like this require a lot of work! But as ever we'll have something new for you tomorrow, so follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/RetrospectorsLove the show? Join  🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴 to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode every SUNDAY!Plus, get weekly bonus bits, unlock over 70 bits of extra content and support our independent podcast.Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks!The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Emma Corsham.Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2023. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Wright brothers' initial flight. Early planes were difficult to manoeuvre, and unable to handle significant weight due to their construction from lightweight wood and paper. Nonetheless, the haphazard nature of the bombing attempt, involving improvised techniques and a lack of sophistication, was a bold step in the evolution of military aviation. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how Gavotti’s act laid the groundwork for aerial warfare, sparking discussions about the morality and strategic implications of bombing civilian sites; consider how the Italian press celebrated the achievement as ‘the art of winged death’; and reveal why Gavotti was not called a ‘bomber’, but ‘a Flying Artillerman’...Further Reading:• ‘Libya 1911: How an Italian pilot began the air war era’ (BBC News, 2011): https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13294524• ‘The World’s First Bombing Attack From The Air - Giulio Gavotti’ (Century Of Flight, 2019): https://www.century-of-flight.net/the-worlds-first-bombing-attack/• ‘Douhet and Command of the Air’ (The Dole Institute of Politics, 2017): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvmVyE4XfSILove the show? Join 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS 🌴 to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode every SUNDAY!Plus, get weekly bonus bits, unlock over 70 bits of extra content and support our independent podcast.Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks!We'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/RetrospectorsThe Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Sophie King.Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2023. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

‘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 of ‘Pipes’ as the programme reached its terrifying climax. The show caused outrage for its disturbing content and the way it blurred the line between fact and fiction. Most of the 30,000 complainants didn’t believe the events portrayed were real; they were simply distressed that the BBC would make a horror drama that borrowed the visual language of current affairs television.In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain why the entire cast and crew were holed up in a Chiswick sailing club during the transmission; consider how the show’s pioneering style influenced the likes of Derek Acorah and ‘Most Haunted’; and document the astonishing effect the show allegedly had on young viewers… Further Reading:• ‘Ghostwatch is 30: "It got a reputation as something subversive"’ (Radio Times, 2022): https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/fantasy/ghostwatch-oral-history-rt-rewind/• ‘30 years on, Ghostwatch is still as haunting as ever’ (Little White Lies, 2022): https://lwlies.com/articles/30-years-on-ghostwatch-is-still-a-haunting-watch/• ‘Ghostwatch’ (BBC, 1992): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JkEbGMEXVsLove the show? Join 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS 🌴 to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode every SUNDAY!Plus, get weekly bonus bits, unlock over 70 bits of extra content and support our independent podcast.Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks!We'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/RetrospectorsThe Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Sophie King.Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2023. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn about the historic connection of the Channel Tunnel between Britain and France in this episode. Discover the controversies and concerns surrounding the tunnel construction, as well as the working conditions and cultural differences experienced by British and French workers. Explore the original scheme and early attempts to build the Channel Tunnel in the 1800s.

Nicholas Ray’s ‘troubled teen’ picture, ‘Rebel Without A Cause’ opened in the US on 27th October, 1955. The film was eagerly anticipated, partly due to the recent death of its star, James Dean, in a car accident.Although the movie’s title can be traced back to a book by Dr. Robert Lindner that explored the mind of a teenage criminal, the script underwent multiple revisions - in part so that Dean and the young cast, including Natalie Wood and Dennis Hooper, could contribute improvisation. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly examine the film’s radical sexuality, yet latent conservatism; explain why it received an X rating in the UK; and reveal why it was released in colour, yet initially filmed in black and white… Further Reading:• ‘Rebel Without a Cause: Review’ (Time, 1955): https://time.com/4079963/review-rebel-without-a-cause/• ‘Behind the scenes: Rebel without a Cause’ (BFI, 2014): https://www.bfi.org.uk/features/behind-scenes-rebel-without-cause• ‘Screen Tests - Rebel Without a Cause’ (Warner Bros., 1955): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yj-qDUVJ1vIWe'll be back on Monday - unless you join 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴, where we give you ad-free listening AND a full-length Sunday episode every week!Plus, weekly bonus content, unlock over 70 bonus bits, and support our independent podcast.Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks!The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When Queen and David Bowie met in Switzerland to record their iconic collaboration ‘Under Pressure’ on 26th October, 1981, *quite a lot* of drugs and wine were taken - to the extent that nobody can recall exactly how the iconic pop song came to be formed.What we do know is that Freddie Mercury never performed the monster hit live with Bowie, nor turned up to appear in the video, and that the precise authorship of the instantly recognisable bassline remains hard to establish.In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly probe into Bowie’s tax affairs; relate Brian May’s account of Mercury’s vocal-booth improv; and ask why Jedward and Vanilla Ice appear to have stolen a march on this seminal track…Further Reading:• ‘Feel Like’ (1981), the demo Queen recorded before Bowie turned up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-hKRR5FZ78• ‘Under Pressure’ (1981) - David Bowie and Queen, Official Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a01QQZyl-_I• ‘Inside David Bowie and Queen’s 'Tense' Recording Session for "Under Pressure"’ (Biography, 2020): https://www.biography.com/news/david-bowie-queen-under-pressure-recording-session‘Why am I hearing a rerun?’ Every Thursday is 'Throwback Thursday' on Today in History with the Retrospectors: running one repeat per week means we can keep up the quality of our independent podcast. Daily shows like this require a lot of work! But as ever we'll have something new for you tomorrow, so follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/RetrospectorsLove the show? Join 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴 to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode every SUNDAY!Plus, get weekly bonus bits, unlock over 70 bits of extra content and support our independent podcast.Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks!The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Emma Corsham.Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2023. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Benjamin O. Davis, Sr. became the first African-American general in the US Army on 25th October, 1940 - despite facing opposition from those who saw his appointment as political opportunism, whilst Roosevelt wooed the ‘negro vote’.Despite facing racial discrimination throughout his career, Davis had a deep connection to the military, serving in various roles and campaigns, including the Spanish American War, and had been mentored by Lieutenant Charles Young, the only other black officer at the time. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain why Davis’s date of birth is a question of debate; explain how Davis’s son went on to have a military career that echoed the discrimination and successes of his father’s; and trace the history of black soldiers’ involvement in the US Army since the country’s foundation… Further Reading:• ‘Benjamin O. Davis Sr. (1877-1970)’ (Blackpast, 2017): https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/davis-sr-benjamin-o-1877-1970-2/• ‘Benjamin Oliver Davis, Sr’ (U.S. Army Center of Military History, 2021):  https://history.army.mil/html/topics/afam/davis.html• ‘Benjamin O. Davis, Sr. - First African American to command a Brigade’ (Pritzker Military Museum & Library, 2023): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9FuPcYctBoLove the show? Join 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS 🌴 to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode every SUNDAY!Plus, get weekly bonus bits, unlock over 70 bits of extra content and support our independent podcast.Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks!We'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/RetrospectorsThe Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Sophie King.Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2023. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices