English Learning for Curious Minds | A More Interesting Way To Learn English

  In March of 2018, it was revealed that 50 million Facebook profiles had been "hacked" and used to target American voters.  The story involved Donald Trump, a supposed Russian spy, a Cambridge researcher and a political consulting company. The only problem was, how much of it was actually true? The breaking of the story on March 18th 2018 A summary of the Cambridge Analytica report in The Guardia...

  In the late 19th century there was fierce competition to provide electricity to the rapidly industrialising USA. The winner would be rewarded with huge wealth and fame. But who would claim the prize, and how dirty would the fight get? Difference between AC & DC The Golden Age in America Early electrical inventions The race to invent indoor electric lighting Thomas Edison's incandescent elect...

  Worldwide we produce over 2 billion tonnes of rubbish every year. In this episode, we explore the history of rubbish collection and look at what happens to our rubbish after the truck comes to take it away. How much rubbish does the average person throw away? Iceland vs. Lesotho How much is actually recycled A brief history of rubbish disposal Rubbish disposal in Ancient Greece Monte Testaccio &...

  For much of human civilisation, people have fought each to the death as a way of resolving arguments. In this episode, we'll explore the curious and bloody history of one-on-one combat, from ancient Rome to 20th century France. The most recent "modern" duel (1967, France) The ancient concept of "champion warfare" Trial by combat: a legal way to resolve a dispute How trial by combat worked: a pra...

  In this episode, we'll explore the weird and fascinating origins of five foods that you know and (perhaps) love. From the sandwich to tomato ketchup, chicken tikka masala, fish & chips and even the teabag, discover the weird and wonderful stories behind these well-known dishes. Weird origin story #1: The Sandwich Weird origin story #2: Tomato ketchup Weird origin story #3: Fish & chips W...

  There are over a billion smokers across the world, and over 7 trillion cigarettes are smoked every year. In this episode, we'll look at the history of smoking, from the "discovery" of tobacco by Christopher Columbus to how tobacco companies keep us smoking, even when we know the dangers to our health. Tobacco in indigenous societies in the Americas 1492 - the year Christopher Columbus discovers...

  It's an amazing piece of legislation that protects the Earth's most isolated continent. In this episode, we'll learn all about the history of Antarctica, which countries tried to claim it as their territory, and how the situation was resolved to benefit all humankind. Background to Antarctica The early history of Antarctic exploration Antarctica and whaling The rush to discover the magnetic Sout...

  In the 18th century, a small region of southwest England was the national centre for the illegal importing of goods such as tea and rum. In this episode, we'll discover how smuggling really worked, who was involved, and why it was so successful for such a long period of time. Cornwall today Cornwall's relationship with London The Cornish identity Britain in the 18th century The reason that impor...

  He was the Romantic poet famously described as "mad, bad, and dangerous to know". In this episode, we'll learn about his scandalous life, how he shocked the nation so badly he had to leave, and how England's first "rock star poet" became a national hero in Greece. The early life of Lord Byron His time at Harrow school Going to Cambridge University, sleeping around, and keeping a bear as a pet Hi...

  In September 1939, the British government embarked on the biggest civilian operation in British history when it moved over a million children out of British cities to live with strangers in the countryside. In this episode, we'll learn about this amazing mission and the mark it left on the country. September 1st, 1939 - the start of Operation Pied Piper Why children were sent away before the fir...

  From a young age, he believed he was destined for greatness, and he became the UK's prime minister at the age of 55. Discover how Boris Johnson's rise to power was unusual and full of contradictions, and how his fall was entirely predictable. Similarities between Donald Trump & Boris Johnson The early life of Boris Johnson A clever-but-lazy student His early career as a journalist Getting sa...

  It's the second most popular drink in the world after water, with 3.7 billion cups drunk every single day. In this episode, we explore tea's fascinating history, how it changed global politics, caused countries to go to war with each other, and literally changed the world. How much tea do we really drink every year? Myths about the discovery of tea Early tea consumption in East Asia Tea first be...

  Learn how to actually use podcasts to improve your English listening, vocabulary, speaking, and even writing. This is a special episode packed full of tips & tricks to help you use podcasts in a more effective way. What most people do when listening to podcasts to learn a language Listening tip #1: How to become a more attentive listener Listening tip #2: Listening out for word/phrase use Li...

  On February 6th, the 95-year-old Queen Elizabeth will celebrate her 70th anniversary of being the queen of the United Kingdom. In this episode, we’ll ask ourselves what happens next, how will the next king be different, and what the future holds for the British Royal Family. The British royal family as a family business Practical question: who will the next monarch be? The popularity of Queen El...

  In the 17th century, Britain decided to kill its king and experiment with life without a monarch. In this episode we'll learn about the English Civil War, the 11 years the country spent without a monarch, why the monarchy was eventually restored, and the impact this had on the country. The background to the English Civil Wars The Divine Right of Kings The errors of judgment of Charles I Dissolvi...

  Over the past twenty years, over half a million Americans have died of opioid overdoses. In this episode, we'll explore how this happened, who is responsible, and ask ourselves whether the USA will ever be able to kick its addiction to prescription opioids.  Origin of "opioid" Opioid overdoses in the US vs Western Europe What caused the boom in opioid use in the United States? Morphine & her...

  He was told by countless people that he would never make it as a star, yet by his mid-20s he was the most successful musician in the world. In this episode, we'll learn about how Elvis Presley defied all his critics, became the biggest star of the 1960s, created the category of rock and roll but then lost the battle with his personal demons. The USA that Elvis Presley was born into Being given h...

  His early life was full of tragedy and misfortune, but Ray Charles never let this get in his way. In this episode, we'll learn about how Ray Charles overcame adversity to become one of the most loved musicians in American history.  The early life of Ray Charles: born to a teenage mother in an institutionally racist country Ray Charles: "Even compared to other blacks we were on the bottom of the...

  As a general rule, people are very bad at predicting the future. In this episode, we'll take a look at some predictions of the future from the past, looking at what people thought our "today" would be like, the times they got it wrong, the times they got it eerily correct, and we'll also look at some predictions about what the future holds for future generations. Why there was never a great need...

  He was the most famous bank robber in American history and is still thought of as a Robin Hood-type figure in popular culture. Learn about how John Dillinger went from a quiet life to becoming America's Public Enemy Number One, and how the law finally caught up with him. The early life of John Dillinger: a naughty but not inherently bad boy Moving out of the city to stay out of trouble Being arr...

  The Peaky Blinders were a violent gang that terrorised the streets of Birmingham in the late 19th century.  Who actually were these men, what did they do, to who and why, and were the "real" Peaky Blinders anything like the ones in the TV series? The start of the TV series "Peaky Blinders" Life in Victorian England Life in 19th century Birmingham Petty crime and drinking in urban areas The creat...

  In the space of fewer than 100 years, fast food has fundamentally changed the global culinary landscape. In this episode, we explore how it has managed to grow so much and what it is doing to our societies, world and bodies, and ask ourselves whether we'll ever kick our fast-food addiction. 1% of the world's population will eat at McDonald's today The entire population of Scotland is flipping bu...

  Every day 1% of the world's population will eat at McDonald's, and hundreds of millions more will eat burgers, chips and all sorts of different fast food. But just how popular is it, how is it so cheap and where did it come from in the first place? Ancient "fast food" The first modern fast food at White Castle in 1921 Bringing the automobile assembly line to the kitchen Why there was an early em...

  Within the course of a few years, Robert Baden-Powell created a global movement that united children from all over the world. In this episode, we'll take a look at how he came up with the idea, why it was so appealing, and the legacy that he has left on the world. The early life of Robert Baden-Powell Doing what was expected of an upper-class Englishman in the Victorian era Baden-Powell in The B...

  Although there have always been children, the concept of "childhood" is more recent than many people think, with one French historian declaring that childhood didn't exist until the 17th century. In this episode, we'll explore how ideas of childhood have changed, from John Locke to Jean-Jacques Rousseau, from the English Romantic poets right through to the creation of the teenager in post-war Am...