Jeanne Baret, the first woman to circumnavigate the globe, shares her groundbreaking journey in the 18th century. She discusses her role in scientific exploration while breaking gender norms. Jeanne cleverly disguised herself as a man to join a male-dominated expedition, facing societal challenges at sea. The podcast highlights her struggles with identity, relationships among the crew, and her significant contributions to botany. Baret’s inspiring story reshapes our understanding of women's history and explores themes of resilience and adventure.

Harriet Strong, an influential figure in agriculture, navigated a life filled with complexities and controversies. The conversation dives into her contributions and the societal issues surrounding women's health at the time. The hosts reflect on the emotional ties to the Olympic Games, emphasizing personal stories that resonate with audiences, as well as the challenges faced by athletes. They also discuss how the Olympics transformed cities like Atlanta and the larger implications of sports on society and culture.

Dive into the world of defunct Olympic sports with tales of tug of war controversies, unique obstacle course swimming events, and the oddity of live pigeon shooting. Learn about the selection process for Olympic sports and the intriguing history of sports like painting and town planning in the games.

Discover the life of Harriet Williams Russell Strong, an inventor and water conservation advocate. From her struggles with adversity to pioneering water management patents, Strong's entrepreneurial journey and advocacy for women are highlighted. Learn about her innovative flood management methods and her legacy in advocating for women's agency and water management solutions.

Delve into the chaotic and unusual 1900 Paris Olympics with events like firefighting and hot air ballooning. Learn about the disorganization, overshadowing by a local exposition, and the makeshift conditions for athletes. Explore dramatic stories like Marathon Course controversies and standout athlete performances, all amidst a vision of promoting peace through sports.

Holly and Tracy discuss the challenge of understanding concepts in fields outside their own. They also talk about memories from their previous separate trips to Iceland. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learn about the catastrophic Laki Fissure Eruption in Iceland in 1783, its global impact on climate, devastation on society, and link to Nile famine. Explore the mysterious haze that covered Europe, impacting weather patterns and inspiring literary works like Frankenstein and Dracula.

Learn about John Venn, the creator of Venn diagrams, his transition from mathematics to historical writing. Explore his diverse interests, marriage, introduction of Venn diagrams, evolution of logic diagrams, and shift to non-mathematical works. Discover his statistical contributions, cricket bowling machine invention, and modern engineering team's reconstruction.

This 2020 episode covers the path of beekeeping from its global origins thousands of years ago to modern square hives and beekeepers in white suits and big veiled hats. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tracy talks about how and why the Unearthed episodes are structured into categories. There's also discussion of how to manage a visit to the Louvre, and the use of the George Washington cherries. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.