Omnibus

Omnibus

History EN ↓ 715 episodes

Every week, Ken Jennings and John Roderick add a new entry to the OMNIBUS, an encyclopedic reference work of strange-but-true stories that they are compiling as a time capsule for future generations.

Be sure to visit the podcast's website and support the creator: www.omnibusproject.com

Author

Omnibus

Category

History

Podcast website

www.omnibusproject.com

Latest episode

Oct 14, 2026

Where to listen?

Podcasts in the app Replaio Radio Coming soon

Podcasts are coming to the app soon. Install now and be the first to see a whole new take on podcasts

Get it on Google Play Install for free Android almost 10M downloads · 4.8 rating iOS soon

Episodes

The Torch Lady (Entry 1319.MT2507) 07.04.2022

In which a multitude of actresses and one journalist remember being the model for the Columbia Pictures logo, and Ken's fuse box is in the wrong place. Certificate #28564.

Minitel (Entry 791.IS4209) 05.04.2022

In which a French-only precursor to the World Wide Web appears in the late 1970s in a wave of Gallic futurist fervor, and John may have been making long distance calls from a Parisian prison. Certificate #23054.

Camel Beauty Pageants (Entry 177.MT2324) 31.03.2022

In which a Bedouin cultural revival in modern-day Arabia leads to a thriving circuit of competitive camel events, and Ken thinks Brazil is acting a little desperate. Certificate #37337.

Eyebrows (Entry 446.IS4804) 29.03.2022

In which we follow the evolution of the human brow from prehistoric man up through the Kardashians, and John looks into Sanskrit. Certificate #22352.

Hang In There, Baby (Entry 566.MT2413) 24.03.2022

In which a Beverly Hills celeb photographer, a Siamese kitten named Sassy, and a Broadway legend collaborate to create modern poster culture, and Ken hates the ticking of a giant Garfield watch. Certificate #19046.

Winnipeg the Bear (Entry 1436.PR1712) 22.03.2022

In which a Canadian veterinarian saves an orphaned cub on his way to France, unwittingly giving the world a great literary gift, and John thinks there should be a railway car just for thrash metal. Certificate #51029.

The Hudson Brothers (Entry 604.1J0210) 17.03.2022

In which an Oregon pop trio become near-stars of record, TV, and screen in the mid-1970s, and Ken wonders who the Bee Gees are romancing in the afterlife. Certificate #37614.

The Great Lisbon Earthquake (Entry 548.1S1415) 15.03.2022

In which a new breed of Portuguese statesman rebuilds his capital after the worst natural disaster in European memory, and John thinks a rainbow would never hold up in court. Certificate #30150.

Fanta (Entry 453.EX1524) 10.03.2022

In which a wartime shortage of secret ingredient 7x gives the world its second favorite soda brand, and Ken pronounces beverages like an Okie. Certificate #25939.

The Royal Anus of Louis XIV (Entry 1086.2CH2118) 08.03.2022

In which modern surgery begins at Versailles inside the most beloved bottom in all of France, and John has Moroccan gravel in his foot for years. Certificate #52937.

Nadia's Theme (Entry 823.PS5707) 03.03.2022

In which a minor bit of a movie score improbably becomes a chart-topping hit thanks to daytime soaps and Olympic gymnastics, and Ken doesn't enjoy the bongo as a lead instrument. Certificate #25729.

Lisztomania (Entry 726.MT0908) 01.03.2022

In which a Hungarian composer and virtuoso pianist becomes Europe's first rock star, and John is looking for a German countess with the right braids. Certificate #39341.

The Megavitamin Craze (Entry 772.PR2516) 24.02.2022

In which a two-time Nobel Prize winner believes he has discovered the cure for the common cold, and Ken wants cilantro to tell him what to do. Certificate #31531.

The Mill (Entry 788.MK1242) 22.02.2022

In which a coinage act officially defines American currency much smaller than a penny, and John has an important question about a shrimp restaurant. Certificate #40326

Beanie Babies (Entry 106.PR2105) 17.02.2022

In which 1990s America becomes convinced that the world's least cuddly stuffed animals are the road to financial freedom, and Ken's very valuable comic book gets covered with jelly. Certificate #47159.

Vinegar Valentines (Entry 1396.PS10105) 15.02.2022

In which Victorians use February 14 to woo their sweethearts but also to insult all their enemies, and John reveals the best night of the year to play a concert. Certificate #36155.

The Hays Code (Entry 572.MT2325) 10.02.2022

In which scandal-plagued Hollywood hires a Harding Administration official to clean up suggestive movies, and John is a student of kissing. Certificate #29282.

The Anarchy (Entry 024.DA1106) 08.02.2022

In which a German empress comes within a whisker of the English crown during a bloody civil war, and Ken discovers history's most fateful case of diarrhea. Certificate #45359.

Trofim Lysenko (Entry 743.MT1325) 03.02.2022

In which a Soviet agronomist misunderstands genetics so badly that millions of people die, and John finds giraffes to have the sexiest eyelashes. Certificate #27832.

Chindogu (Entry 215.PR0812) 01.02.2022

In which a Japanese college dropout invents a new kind of not-entirely-useless invention, and Ken enjoys a tidy sum. Certificate #36799.

Ledger Art (Entry 709.2P0115) 27.01.2022

In which accounting records become the basis for an important new genre of Native American painting, and Ken gets nostalgic for his childhood dog food invoices. Certificate #25974.

Penguin Classics (Entry 915.EC1212) 25.01.2022

In which a boring train ride from Devon leads to the creation of the modern paperback library, and John's daughter is a snob about sans serif typefaces. Certificate #41769.

Roxas v. Marcos (Entry 1086.PR1506) 20.01.2022

In which a humble locksmith sues the dictator who stole his golden Buddha, and Ken thinks teaching multiplication to juries was a mistake. Certificate #46804.

Welsh Patagonia (Entry 1421.DE2609) 18.01.2022

In which a small group of nationalists leave Wales for the prairies of Argentina, and John explains why he pronounces "Nazi" to rhyme with "snazzy." Certificate #53240.

The Fastest Bicyclist (Entry 445.IS0526) 13.01.2022

In which the world land speed cycling record reaches incredible heights using the power of the slipstream, and Ken doesn't need to hear the word "torque" so much. Certificate #43944.

Listen to the Omnibus podcast in Replaio

Radio and podcasts in one app - free, with no sign-up. Install today and do not miss the launch

Get it on Google Play

Replaio is not a podcast publisher; show names, artwork and audio belong to their authors and are distributed through public RSS feeds.