It Started Somewhere

Join Shaimond on 'It Started Somewhere' as we dive into the fascinating history of the US Postal Service. From its humble beginnings at a Boston tavern in 1639 to becoming the largest logistical network outside the military, discover how America's postal system evolved. Learn how Benjamin Franklin revolutionized mail delivery, how postal innovations kept pace with national growth, and...

In this episode of 'It Started Somewhere,' host Shaimond explores the history of the driver's license, tracing its origins from the early 20th century to the present day. The episode covers the initial lack of driving regulations, the first written permission in New York in 1899, the introduction of formal driver's licenses in Massachusetts and Missouri in 1903, and the implementat...

In this episode of 'It Started Somewhere,' host Shaimond delves into the history of the 8-hour workday and the 5-day work week. The episode uncovers how work schedules evolved from agrarian sun-up-to-sun-down routines to the industrial era's grueling long hours. It traces the labor movement's arduous struggle for a shorter workday, marked by strikes, rallies, and significant events like the Haymar...

In this episode of 'It Started Somewhere,' host Shaimond explores the history and transformation of one of America's most critical institutions, the United States Congress. The episode delves into the creation and structure of Congress, detailing its two chambers, the House of Representatives and the Senate, born out of the Great Compromise. It also covers significant changes over the centuries, s...

In this episode of It Started Somewhere, we explore the history behind the Guinness World Records. Join host Shaimond as we uncover how a pub argument in the 1950s led to the creation of a book that has become the ultimate authority on record-breaking feats. Learn about the contributions of the McWhirter twins, the book's rapid rise to fame, and its transformation into a global brand with museums,...

Join host Shaimond in this episode of 'It Started Somewhere' as we delve into the rich history of ice cream. From its ancient origins in China and Persia to the indulgent treats enjoyed by royalty, and the evolution into the beloved dessert we know today. Discover how innovations like Nancy Johnson's hand-cranked ice cream freezer and Jacob Fussel's ice cream factory revolutionized the availabilit...

Join host Shaimond on 'It Started Somewhere' as we explore the journey of dentistry from ancient rudimentary dental work in 7000 BCE to today's advanced techniques. Discover early dental practices, like flint-tipped drills in the Indus Valley and gold wire prosthetics in ancient Egypt, through to groundbreaking milestones such as the first dental school in 1840 and the rise of cosmetic dentistry i...

In this episode of 'It Started Somewhere,' host Shaimond takes listeners on a historical journey through the evolution of recorded music. The episode begins with the 1857 invention of the phonautograph by Edward Leon Scott de Martinville, a device that could trace sound waves but not play them back. The narrative progresses to key milestones such as Thomas Edison's phonograph in 1877, Emile Berlin...

In this episode of 'It Started Somewhere,' host Shaimond explores the fascinating history of money, tracing its evolution from ancient bartering systems to modern cryptocurrencies. The episode delves into the origins of bartering around 6000 BC, the development of commodity money, the revolutionary invention of coinage in 1000 BC, the introduction of paper money in China, the rise of banking in me...

Welcome to 'It Started Somewhere,' where host Shaimond explores the extraordinary history behind ordinary objects. In this episode, discover the fascinating journey of the microwave oven, from its accidental invention by engineer Percy Spencer in 1945 to becoming an indispensable part of modern kitchens. Learn how this technology evolved from a 750-pound commercial machine to the sleek, user-frien...

In this episode of 'It Started Somewhere,' host Shaimond delves into the rich history of popcorn, tracing its origins back to ancient civilizations in the Americas around 3600 BCE. Discover how popcorn was first cultivated from wild grass, its cultural significance among the Aztecs, and its rise in popularity in the 19th century with the invention of the first commercial popcorn machine by Charles...

In this episode of 'It Started Somewhere,' host Shaimond delves into the history of soap, tracing its origins back to 2800 BCE in ancient Babylon. Discover how early soaps were made from animal fats and ashes and their initial use in textile cleaning. Learn about the advancements in soap making by the Egyptians and Romans, the decline during the Dark Ages, and its resurgence in medieval Europe. Th...

In this episode of 'It Started Somewhere,' host Shaimond explores the history and implementation of congestion pricing. The concept originated with economist William Vickrey in the 1950s and has since evolved into a critical tool for managing urban traffic. The episode traces the journey from Vickrey's initial ideas to modern applications in cities like Singapore, London, Stockholm, and New York C...

In this episode of 'It Started Somewhere,' Shaimond explores the history of the Internet and the World Wide Web. Discover how the 1960s Cold War era led to the creation of ARPANET, the first computer network, and the birth of the internet. Learn about pivotal developments, including email by Ray Tomlinson, TCP/IP protocols by Vinton Cerf and Bob Kahn, and the groundbreaking work of Tim Berners-Lee...

Join host Shaimond on 'It Started Somewhere' as we delve into the fascinating history of antibiotics. Discover how these life-saving drugs transformed from ancient moldy bread treatments to groundbreaking scientific breakthroughs. Learn about the pivotal figures like Paul Ehrlich and Alexander Fleming, whose work laid the foundation for modern antibiotic therapy. Explore the Golden Age of Antibiot...

Join host Shaimond in this episode of 'It Started Somewhere' as we explore the rich history of typewriters. Learn about early prototypes, notable inventors like Henry Mill and William Burt, and the significant breakthroughs by Christopher Sholes and Remington that laid the foundation for modern typing. Discover how the QWERTY keyboard was designed to solve key jamming issues and how electric typew...

Join host Shaimond on It Started Somewhere as we explore the history and evolution of trains. Discover how they evolved from horse-drawn carts to modern high-speed marvels, igniting progress and unifying nations. This episode delves into early wagonways, the advent of steam power by pioneers like Richard Trevithick and George Stephenson, the emergence of diesel and electric trains, and the game-ch...

In this episode of 'It Started Somewhere,' host Shaimond explores the rich history of social media, tracing its roots from the early days of ARPANET in the late 1960s to the explosive rise of modern platforms like TikTok. The discussion covers pivotal moments such as the creation of Six Degrees, the dominance of MySpace, and the transformative launch of Facebook. The episode also examines the impa...

In this episode of 'It Started Somewhere,' host Shaimond explores the fascinating history of remote control technology. Starting with Nikola Tesla's groundbreaking wireless controlled boat in 1898, the episode traces the development of remotes through key inventions and advancements, including Zenith's Lazy Bones and Flashmatic, Robert Adler's ultrasonic Space Command, and the transition to infrar...

In this episode of 'It Started Somewhere,' host Shaimond explores the fascinating history of video games. The journey begins in the 1940s with Alan Turing's AI-informed chess game, moves through the groundbreaking creation of 'Spacewar!' at MIT, and heads into the explosive era of arcade games in the 1970s with hits like Pong. It delves into the home gaming market's rise, the crash of 1983, and di...

In this episode of 'It Started Somewhere,' we explore the fascinating history of lawnmowers, tracing back to the 1700s when lawns were maintained using grazing animals, shears, and scythes. The invention of the first lawnmower by Edwin Beard Budding in the 1830s revolutionized lawn care, followed by significant advancements such as the lightweight and quieter Silent Cutter, the first real lawnmowe...

In this episode of It Started Somewhere, host Shaimond delves into the fascinating evolution of elevators, from primitive hoists in ancient times to the sophisticated, computer-controlled systems of today. Learn about key milestones, including the Roman architect Vitruvius' mentions, King Louis XV's counterweighted personal elevator, and Elisha Graves Otis' revolutionary safety brake. Discover how...

This episode of 'It Started Somewhere' delves into the transformative effects of the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978. Host Shaimond examines how the act shifted the US aviation industry from stringent government control through the Civil Aeronautics Board to a more competitive landscape. The episode discusses the reasons behind the push for deregulation, including economic theories and political...

In this episode of 'It Started Somewhere,' host Shaimond delves into the fascinating history of traffic lights. From the world's first gas-lit traffic light invented by J.P. Knight in 1868 to modern AI-powered systems, discover the innovations that have made our roads safer and more efficient. Learn about key milestones such as the development of the first electric traffic light by Lester Wire, th...

In this episode of 'It Started Somewhere,' Shaimond delves into the rich history of Broadway, tracing its roots from the opening of the first significant theater in New York City in 1750 to its current status as a global cultural phenomenon. The episode covers the movement of the theater district uptown, the impact of the New York City Subway, key theaters like the New Amsterdam and Lyceum, challe...