Let's Learn About...

We're BACK, BABYYY! Let's Learn About... is returning at the end of May 2025, just with a few changes. I can't wait to crawl inside your ears again and teach you new things! 🧠 --- Send Us a Voice Note! Want to feature at the start of an episode? Please send us a voicenote with a fun fact you've learned, or something you found particularly interesting from one of our previous episodes, and we'll i...

We're always on a mission to show that LGBTQ+ love has existed long before any of us. In this episode, Charlotte covers a brief history of gay relationships in ancient literature, particularly in Ancient Greek and Roman mythology, and a little bit of 11th century Japanese literature too. Stay tuned in a couple of episodes time, when we jump forward a bit to classic literature. --- References for T...

Ellie shares 13 weird things that have washed ashore in different parts of the world, including an entire 10-foot tree in La Push, a German U-Boat in 1919 that turned out to be lethal, and hundreds of rubber ducks that are still likely to be floating out in the oceans today. --- References for This Episode: (See our website below for all links) 20 Strange Things That Have Washed Ashore - The Fact...

Charlotte talks about Bishop Castle, a huge stone building in Colorado built over the course of 60 years by one man, Jim Bishop. The family describe it as "a monumental statue in stone and iron that cries loud testament to the beauty and glory of not only having a dream, but sticking with your dream no matter what." Learn about the history of this amazing place – and you can even visit for free! -...

In this episode, Ellie talks about someone who fits perfectly in our 'awesome women of history' series: Grace O'Malley, the Pirate Queen of Ireland. Best summed up by Irish historian and novelist Anne Chambers, O'Malley was a fearless leader, by land and by sea, a political pragmatist and politician, a ruthless plunderer, a mercenary, a rebel, and above all, a woman who broke the mould and played...

Throughout history, there have been so many different methods people have used to affect change in the world, from peaceful protests to revolutions that are anything but quiet. But one of the methods that has risen to prominence over the last century or so is "craftivism": a word that combines craft and activism. Charlotte talks all about craftivism in today's episode, from the banners made by the...

We're very excited to be joined by Ben Ebbrell, otherwise known as Ebbers, from YouTube's Sorted Food! We talk all about how to be a better home cook, including essential kitchen equipment and cupboard staples, how to expand your culinary knowledge, how to be excited even about midweek cooking, and lots more. Ben also talks about his history of food, how he found his passion for it, and how Sorted...

On 25th December, lots of families across the UK will tuck into a Christmas dinner. Everyone has their favourite part that they just can't go without, whether it's the roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings or our personal favourite – pigs in blankets! But what did Christmas dinner in Britain look like throughout the ages? And where did some of our traditional Christmas day eats begin? It started earl...

If you've seen the Disney adaptation of Pinocchio, you might think it's one of the darker, scarier films Disney have made. But did you know the original tale written by Carlo Collodi is even more terrifying? We're talking abuse, starvation, death... yeah, it's a fun ride (and written for children!!). In this episode, Charlotte tells the original dark tale of Pinocchio, some of the possible inspira...

We're so excited to be joined by Dr. Emily Garside to talk about her book, Gay Aliens and Queer Folk: How Russell T. Davies Changed TV . We nerd out about Russell T. Davies' entire writing career and how he changed the landscape of queer and working class characters on TV, and how Wales and the UK as a whole has been impacted by the phenomenon of  Doctor Who . We also discuss the positive queer re...

Halloween is widely celebrated around the world in many different ways, but have you ever considered how to make your celebrations inclusive and accessible to all? Accessibility is a huge thing today, and it's really important not to make anyone feel left out of the celebration. In this episode, Charlotte shares some studies and ideas to make your spooky holiday more inclusive, so everyone can enj...

In 1923, Walt Disney founded his company with nothing but determination and a dream. In the century since its creation, it has taken over the world with theme parks, media of all kinds, merchandise, and more. In this episode, Ellie takes us through the entire 100-year history of the Walt Disney Company, from its humble beginnings to the multimedia giant it is today. --- Where to Find Us:  Head to...

Barbie was created in 1959 by Ruth Handler as an alternative to baby dolls, giving girls the opportunity to imagine their future selves not only as caregivers, but as anything they wanted to be. Over the last 60 years, Barbie has empowered girls to imagine themselves in aspirational roles from a princess to president — but there's a lot more to the story. In this episode, we learn about the histor...

We're back after our hiatus, and it's time for another episode about animals and mythology! Did you know that Corgis, the most adorable butt-wiggling dogs in the world, are noble steeds for fairies in Welsh myths? In this episode, Ellie tells us a few different stories involving these pointy-eared cuties. --- Where to Find Us:  Head to our website, learnaboutpod.com , to read the full episode note...

We're just dropping in to say we're taking a short break and we'll be back very soon! In the meantime, head over to our Patreon where we'll be keeping you updated, and you'll be first to know about our plans to return! --- Where to Find Us:  Head to our website, learnaboutpod.com , to read full episode notes and see a list of links and resources used to research every episode. You can also follow...

Right now, trans rights are a minefield, and people just want to be able to live in a body they feel comfortable in without being persecuted. Some believe trans and gender non-conforming identities are a new fad, but history proves otherwise! In this episode, Charlotte talks about 7 people throughout history who prove that trans and non-binary identities have always existed, since the beginning of...

In our third special Pride episode, Ellie talks about the life of Harris Glenn Milstead - otherwise known as Divine, the iconic drag queen of the 20th century. Learn about Divine's film career with director John Waters, and their incredible influence that can be seen in both drag and film culture today. --- Where to Find Us:  Head to our website, learnaboutpod.com , to read the full episode notes...

In the 1950s, the concept of medical gender transitioning became possible in the UK, and 2023 marks just over 70 years since the first known transition surgery was carried out in Britain. One of the people whose story really should be heard more is Michael Dillon, a British trans pioneer. His story leading up to this milestone was long and complex, and Dillon's life is neglected by mainstream LGBT...

It's June, which means it's Pride Month - and once again, we're here with a special series of Pride episodes! To kick us off, Charlotte talks about activism and allyship: how to be an activist (whether you're LGBTQ+ or not), why allies are so important, safeguarding and protecting LGBTQ+ students in educational settings, and how to stay safe while you practice your activism. --- Where to Find Us: ...

We love learning about the planets in our solar system, and this is one of our favourites - except it's no longer classed as a planet, and we're not having that. Of course, we're talking about Pluto. In this episode, Ellie talks about this little former planet that is so full of wonderful mysteries and discoveries! --- Where to Find Us:  Head to our website, learnaboutpod.com , to read the full ep...

Most people love chocolate in some form, but do you know where chocolate came from or its rich history that spans centuries? In this episode, Charlotte covers the history of chocolate, going right back to ancient times and up to the world-famous chocolatiers of the last couple of centuries. We also learn about ethical chocolate production, slave-free cocoa initiatives, and Fair Trade. --- Where to...

If we were to say that today's episode is about a beautiful woman/sea creature who was tricked to live a life ashore and be potentially cursed for the rest of their life, we'd forgive you for thinking we're talking about mermaids. But not quite! Ellie is turning to Scottish folklore to tell us a story about Selkies - mythological seal creatures who shed their skin on land to take on human form. --...

Think you know much about your ancestors? How about way back before the human race existed as we know it? In this episode, Charlotte goes back a few million years to pre-human times and covers a brief history of our human lineage, from our most ancient ancestors, and discoveries of new related species that were made as recently as 2013. --- Where to Find Us:  Head to our website, learnaboutpod.com...

English writer H. G. Wells was prolific in many genres, writing more than fifty novels and dozens of short stories, and has been called the 'father of modern science fiction'. He was also considered to be a futurist, with his works imagining time travel, alien invasion, invisibility, and biological engineering before these subjects were common in the genre. So Ellie wanted to find out... how many...

We're joined by Lyndall Cave for a super long and informative guest episode! Have you ever wondered what actually goes into the clothes you wear or the things you use in everyday life, whether that's the materials themselves or the process it took to make them? This is what Lyndall covers in this episode, going right back to the fibres that fabrics are made of. We also talk about ethical and susta...