Remedial Polymath

How & why was the Star Spangled Banner written, why does it end with a question, what was the battle like, and why does it still contain so much meaning for Americans today? It's a pretty good story... For 25 straight hours in 1814, British rockets and mortars hammered Fort McHenry—while a young nation waited to see if its flag, and its future, would survive the night. In part two of our Star-...

Why does The Star-Spangled Banner open with a question? Who wrote it—and during what war? In Part 1 of this two-part series, we uncover the wild, overlooked origins of America’s national anthem. From attempted invasions of Canada to the burning of Washington, D.C., this episode explores how a strange and nearly forgotten war—the War of 1812—gave birth to the Stars and Stripes’ most famous tribute....

Welcome to Episode 8 of Remedial Polymath, Water: You Don't Know S&!T About It   Would you believe that the most common liquid on Earth is still magical and mysterious, that scientists still argue about its many odd traits, and that those traits are central to life on Earth?   In this podcast episode, we delve into the fascinating properties of water, exploring its origins, molecular structure...

Mussolini Pt II. The Allies Advantage: How Betrayal Led to Victory   In Dante's "Divine Comedy," the worst sin one could commit was betrayal. What does this have to do with World War Two? Mussolini loved to betray his neighbors, his compatriots, or, believe it or not, Hitler. He just kept committing betrayal no matter the horrible outcomes it gave him. Outcomes that would assure that the Nazis' lo...

Mussolini Pt I. Exploring the Undervalued Ties Between Mussolini and Hitler   Benito Mussolini was the Fascist leader of Italy from 1922-1945. You may know that. What you may not know is that he had a bizarrely similar pre-WWII with Adolf Hitler. More than that, he basically paved a path for Hitler to follow. He did this through creating Fascism and then taking over his government. He also did thi...

Seafood & Fishing Pt. II: Fishy Business - Sustainable Seafood Simplified   This is the second and final part of our exploration into seafood, fishing, and oceanic ecosystems. Here, we will explore the most popular seafood choices in the West and examine their sustainability, health implications, and contamination concerns. So, if you enjoy seafood, this episode will impart valuable informatio...

Fishing & Seafood, A Deep Dive, Pt. I. Ocean Waves with Oysters : Should We Eat Fish?   Think this is a boring topic? Consider this: half of the oxygen you breathe comes from the ocean, 93% of the carbon we create is absorbed by the ocean, tuna + dolphins + sharks could soon be a thing of the past.    Even if you don’t eat fish, don’t live near the ocean, nor care about the creatures within it...

In this episode we take a look at the fascinating history of using a jury of one’s peers as the basis for deciding the outcome of a trial. Because (as long as you're American at least), you probably take this system of trial for granted. But it’s actually a very unique system. And the way it came to us is WILD. Just as important, what’s the philosophy behind it? Is it effective? Should it be chang...

Welcome to episode 2 of Remedial Polymath. In this episode we will explore the mystery and magic surrounding vision. Because in reality we take this sense for granted, and we don't understand much of how it actually works, neither regular people nor scientists. In reality we are imagining a lot of what we see. Doesn't make sense? Then take a listen to learn more.    Please consider assisting (just...

The Effects of The Wild Demography of America in 1776 On The War & The Constitution   What follows are some facts about America at the time of its inception that are downright wild, and thoughts about the knock-on effects of them, which are debatable in scope but undeniable. America in 1776 was estimated to only have 2.5 million people, yet had a geography that was larger than France and Great...

You have found Remedial Polymath. So let’s explain this show… In case you weren’t yet aware, a polymath is someone who is well versed in many areas of study. Remedial of course means you’re not so great in a field of study. The resulting quasi-corny play-on-words of a title means that this podcast will be an informal approach to wide learning with the aim of making you rethink your world just a li...