Let's Learn About...

Every language has its own idioms -- phrases that when taken literally don't make a lot of sense, but everyone knows what they mean when used in the right context. In this episode, Ellie takes us through the origins of 11 common, everyday English idioms, and where their literal meanings came from. --- Where to Find Us:  Head to our website, learnaboutpod.com , to read the full episode notes and se...

Since history began, humans have made astonishing discoveries or invented things that have changed the world. But unfortunately, these important discoveries and inventions are not always credited to the right people. In this episode, Charlotte takes a deep-dive into 5 scientific and cultural discoveries and inventions that have been incorrectly attributed to the wrong person, including the theory...

We're back with more dark tales and folklore... but is this one really just a folk tale, or did it really happen? Most of us have probably heard of the tale of the Pied Piper of Hamelin, either through the famous poem by Robert Browning or the version of the story written by Michael Morpurgo. But in this episode, Ellie tells the story written by our favourite gritty writing duo – the Brothers Grim...

Stranger Things has taken the world by storm with its fourth season, and one of the reasons we love it so much is because of the influence D&D has on the show. But how much are the Stranger Things monsters actually inspired by their D&D counterparts? How similar, or wildly different, are they?  In this episode, Charlotte compares the Stranger Things vs D&D versions of the Demogorgon, Mind Flayer,...

Last year, we talked about our tips living alone for the first time, but a lot has changed since then - Charlotte moved to another part of the country, and Ellie bought her first property! In this episode, we share some of our tips, speaking from experience, to make renting and first-time buying as stress-free as possible. --- Where to Find Us:  Head to our website, learnaboutpod.com , to read the...

We've got another rather large episode for you today! We're joined again by our friend Charly to discuss LGBTQ+ representation in some of our favourite TV shows that have come out this year: Heartstopper, Our Flag Means Death, and we also touch upon Stranger Things. We talk about why we love the shows so much, how the queer representation is done so well (or not so well), and generally just fangir...

This is part 2 of this episode - please listen to the previous episode to hear part 1! In this episode, we continue talking about D&D classes! Whether it's a sneaky rogue, a fist-swinging barbarian, or a charming bard, we tell you everything you need to know about the classes of D&D, including the stats, the details, and some inspiration to create a character for each of them. --- Where to Find Us...

We're returning to the world of Dungeons and Dragons for another episode in our series for beginners, by beginners! This time, we're talking about classes! Whether it's a sneaky rogue, a fist-swinging barbarian, or a charming bard, we tell you everything you need to know about the classes of D&D, including the stats, the details, and some inspiration to create a character for each of them. Note: W...

In our final episode of Pride Month, Ellie talks about homosexuality (and bisexuality) in the animal kingdom, from gay swans mating for life to actual male dolphin orgies. (Yes, really.) It proves once and for all that homosexuality is not just a human thing, and it's everywhere in nature! (Warning for explicit chats about animals having sex. I mean, it's basically what this episode is all about.)...

As trans and non-binary identities—and the alternative pronouns that come along with them—are becoming more common, some people are still hung up over the fact that language is changing, despite the fact these changes have been happening over the last few hundred years. In this episode, we cover the history of gender-neutral pronouns, what pronouns are and why we should respect them, and some freq...

Flowers always hold meaning, and while most people know the red rose is a symbol of romance and the four-leaf clover is for good luck, there are a whole array of floral symbols that reference LGBTQ+ identities! In this episode, Ellie takes us through some of the biggest botanic symbols adopted by the LGBTQ+ community, including violets, pansies and lavender. We also talk a bit about our own identi...

It's officially Pride Month! In the first special Pride Month episode of 2022, Charlotte dives into one of her favourite things: queer YA literature. When was the first LGBTQ+ young adult book published, and how have they grown since? Content warnings: bullying, bigotry, suicide, homophobia --- Where to Find Us:  Head to our website, learnaboutpod.com , to read the full episode notes and see a lis...

Fans of the HBO Max show Our Flag Means Death  will appreciate this episode! Ellie talks about the life of one of the most famous pirates in history: Edward Teach, more commonly known as Blackbeard. It's safe to say, he fit one heck of a life of piracy in just two short years! --- Where to Find Us:  Head to our website, learnaboutpod.com , to read the full episode notes and see a list of links and...

Get ready for a bucket full of physics, because it's time to talk about time travel and Einstein's theory of relativity! Is it possible, or will it be possible in our future, for us to time travel? What's the science behind it? Find out the answers in this episode. --- Where to Find Us:  Head to our website, learnaboutpod.com , to read the full episode notes and see a list of links and resources u...

This is another episode in our D&D series, where we teach you things about Dungeons & Dragons for beginners, by beginners! In this one, we talk about races that you can play, from noble elves and rugged dwarves to huge half-orcs and humble humans. --- Where to Find Us:  Head to our website, learnaboutpod.com , to read the full episode notes and see a list of links and resources used to research th...

In this episode, we're so excited to be joined by Liv Albert, host of Let's Talk About Myths, Baby! and author of two books! We managed to cram so many topics into one hour, including: How we need to look at Greek mythology, especially translations of the original texts, through a critical lens The ethical issues surrounding colonialism in (mostly British) museum collections How the accuracy of Di...

Have you heard of Gouverneur Morris? We hadn't either - but he was actually one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, and he had a surprisingly odd and eventful life! Ellie tells his story, including some of the ways he was instrumental in the development of the US Constitution and of the US in general, as we know it today. --- Where to Find Us:  Head to our website, learnaboutpod.com , to...

Charlotte explains into the etymology⁠—a.k.a. the interesting language origins⁠—of 11 random words: avocado, cappuccino, disaster, handicap, salary, nightmare, sandwich, quarantine, groggy, clue, and shambles. --- Where to Find Us:  Head to our website, learnaboutpod.com , to read the full episode notes and see a list of links and resources used to research this episode. You can also follow us on...

We're so excited about this episode, because it's our first LLA D&D episode where we're interviewing a guest all about their D&D experiences! We chat to Rosiee Thor, a YA sci-fi/fantasy author, all about the time she used D&D as a way to explore her own non-binary identity, and how it was the most rewarding experience for her. We also chat about what it's like to be a full-time author alongside pl...

Previous LLA guest Linde joins us again for another guest episode! This time, she's telling us all about the pharaohs of the first dynasty of Ancient Egypt, starting with Narmer way back in the year 3159 BC. --- Where to Find Us:  Head to our website, learnaboutpod.com , to read the full episode notes and see a list of links and resources used to research this episode. You can also follow us on In...

Because of the dangers faced by sailors and fishermen, there are countless superstitions around safety and luck on the sea. While most no longer apply, we do wonder if some of them still linger in the back of some sailors' minds... In this episode, Ellie takes us through some signs of good luck, bad luck, and even omens of death for sailors and pirates. --- Where to Find Us:  Head to our website,...

This episode of Let's Learn About D&D is all about characters and how to create them! We share our own characters that we're currently playing and how our character creation processes differed. We then share some helpful tips on creating your own well-rounded characters. --- Where to Find Us:  Head to our website, learnaboutpod.com , to read the full episode notes and see a list of links and resou...

March 8th is International Women's Day, so in this episode, Charlotte covers the history of IWD, outlines some of the stats that show how far away we still are from global gender equality, and shares the story of 4 inspirational women who paved the way to the rights we have today (even if there is still a long way to go!). --- Where to Find Us:  Head to our website, learnaboutpod.com , to read the...

What is more British than the National Trust? And whilst we celebrate pride month during July on this podcast, in the UK it's actually celebrated in February. So why not celebrate them both in one episode?! Ellie talks about 7 National Trust properties that were once owned and loved by prominent LGBTQ+ figures throughout history, including Vita Sackville-West and Virginia Woolf. --- Where to Find...

In a couple of weeks (March 1st), the people of Wales will celebrate St David's Day, so it's finally time for some more Welsh mythology on this podcast! Charlotte tells the legend of the red dragon and how the tale has differed over the centuries, and also covers the history of why the Welsh flag has a red dragon on it. --- Where to Find Us:  Head to our website, learnaboutpod.com , to read the fu...