1 of 115 Billion

To mark the end of our first series, we're doing something a little different. Hidden in the heart of London is Postman's Park, home to the Memorial to Heroic Self-Sacrifice. Each plaque tells the true story of an ordinary person who gave their life trying to save someone else. In this special episode, we explore the history of the memorial and uncover some of its most remarkable acts of c...

Timothy Dexter had no education, no business experience, and a talent for making decisions that everyone else thought were ridiculous. Yet time and again, those impossible ideas made him one of the wealthiest men in early America. Discover the unbelievable true story of the man who kept winning by being wrong. Get in touch with the pod: Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠1of115billion⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email: ooftbpod@gmail.com 1...

As a young boy, Sidi Mubarak Bombay was captured and sold into slavery far from home. After winning his freedom, he returned to Africa and became one of the most trusted guides of the nineteenth century, helping lead some of history's greatest expeditions across the African continent. Get in touch with the pod: Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠1of115billion⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email: ooftbpod@gmail.com 1 of 115 Billion is a narrat...

In 1803, William Buckley disappeared into the Australian wilderness. With no knowledge of the land and little chance of survival, he was presumed dead. Thirty-two years later, he walked back into civilisation with one of the most remarkable survival stories in history. Get in touch with the pod: Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠1of115billion⁠⁠⁠ Email: ooftbpod@gmail.com 1 of 115 Billion is a narrative history and bi...

Khutulun was a Mongol princess, warrior, and the daughter of Kaidu Khan. Remembered for riding into battle and for a legendary wrestling challenge no man could overcome, her story is one of power, defiance, and myth on the Mongolian steppe. Get in touch with the pod: Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠1of115billion⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email: ooftbpod@gmail.com 1 of 115 Billion is a narrative history and biography podcast telling the...

In revolutionary France, a French soldier became famous for an appetite that seemed impossible. Studied by army doctors, tested in one of history’s strangest military experiments, and remembered as a medical mystery, his story remains one of the most unsettling ever recorded. Get in touch with the pod: Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠1of115billion⁠⁠⁠ Email: ooftbpod@gmail.com 1 of 115 Billion is a narrative history...

In 1887, Nellie Bly convinced doctors she was suffering a serious mental breakdown so she could be sent inside one of New York City’s most feared asylums. What she found there would shock the public, expose hidden cruelty, and help change the future of investigative journalism. Get in touch with the pod: Instagram: ⁠⁠1of115billion⁠⁠ Email: ooftbpod@gmail.com 1 of 115 Billion is a narrative history...

In 1895, Joshua Slocum set out alone in a rebuilt boat with no engine, no crew, and one impossible goal: to become the first person to sail solo around the world. Facing storms, pirates, and thousands of miles of open ocean, his voyage became one of history’s greatest solo adventures. Get in touch with the pod: Instagram: ⁠1of115billion⁠ Email: ooftbpod@gmail.com 1 of 115 Billion is a narrative hi...

Born into slavery, Bass Reeves escaped into the lawless frontier, a dangerous stretch of wild country where fugitives and outlaws went to disappear. He later returned as one of the most feared lawmen of the Wild West, arresting more than 3,000 criminals and building a legend few marshals could match. Get in touch with the pod: Instagram: 1of115billion Email: ooftbpod@gmail.com 1 of 115 Billion is...

Welcome to 1 of 115 Billion. Where each week we take a look at the life of one of the 115 billion humans who have ever lived on this planet. We don't look at your Napoleans or your US Presidents, instead we find those who never got the accalim they probably deserve. Episode 2 takes a look at the life of Ching Shih. Born into poverty she would later rise from working in a brothel to commanding the...

Welcome to 1 of 115 Billion. Where each week we take a look at the life of one of the 115 billion humans who have ever lived on this planet. We don't look at your Napoleans or your US Presidents, instead we find those who never got the accalim they probably deserve. For our opening week we explore the life of Jack Churchill - a soldier in WW2 who would go into battle with ancient weapons, and woul...