Smartest Year Ever

In this episode of Smartest Year Ever , Gordy uncovers the hidden history of Monopoly —and it’s not the rags-to-riches story you’ve been told. Everyone knows Monopoly as the classic board game where you crush your family and friends into financial ruin. But few realize that the game began as a cautionary tale against monopolies , created by an inventor who wanted to teach players the dangers of un...

Esperanto is the language that set out to change the world. In this episode of Smartest Year Ever , Gordy dives into the story of L. L. Zamenhof , the Polish doctor who believed a single, neutral, easy-to-learn language could unite humanity. From its bold beginnings in 1887, to its suppression under Hitler and Stalin, to its surprising survival today—Esperanto has lived a remarkable life. Why did...

Theodore Roosevelt ’s 1912 campaign nearly ended in bloodshed—but instead, it became one of the most legendary moments in American political history . On the night of October 14, 1912, Roosevelt was shot in the chest while campaigning in Milwaukee . What happened next only added to the Bull Moose mythos —and solidified Roosevelt’s place as one of the most unforgettable figures in U.S. history. In...

 Christopher Columbus is celebrated every year in the United States — but there’s a big historical twist most people miss. Gordy dives into the history of Columbus Day , the myth-making that turned Columbus into an American icon, and the surprising truth about where he actually traveled. Why does the U.S. honor a man who never even touched its soil? And how did maps, textbooks, and politics turn C...

What did the world look like before the Americas appeared on any map? In 1492, Martin Behaim unveiled the Erdapfel , the oldest surviving globe in existence. This hand-painted sphere was a Renaissance masterpiece—and yet, it’s hilariously wrong. Based on Marco Polo’s exaggerations, Ptolemaic geography, and medieval sailor legends , the Erdapfel shows a world with no Americas, an oversized Japan, a...

In 1981, a bizarre coup plot unfolded that blended neo-Nazis, mercenaries, and a deposed Caribbean prime minister into one of the most farcical operations in modern history. Known as Operation Red Dog , this failed attempt to seize control of the island of Dominica became infamous as the so-called “Bayou of Pigs.” In this episode, Gordy explores how a group of extremists loaded up weapons, ammo, a...

In 897 AD, Rome staged one of the most grotesque and unforgettable trials in history. The defendant wasn’t alive—he was already buried. Months after his death, Pope Formosus was dug up, dressed in papal robes, and placed in a courtroom chair to face charges in what became known as the Cadaver Synod . In this episode of Smartest Year Ever , Gordy unpacks the twisted mix of medieval politics, papal...

In 1958, Mao Zedong launched the Four Pests Campaign as part of the Great Leap Forward , a nationwide effort to eliminate rats, flies, mosquitoes, and sparrows. The goal was to protect crops and public health. Instead, it spiraled into one of the greatest ecological disasters in modern history . Gordy takes you inside this story of pots, pans, and sparrows falling from the sky , showing how a war...

The Great Stink of 1858 was more than just a bad smell—it was one of the most pivotal turning points in Victorian history. In this episode of Smartest Year Ever , Gordy uncovers how the Thames turned toxic , why Parliament nearly shut down , and how this crisis gave rise to one of the greatest feats of 19th-century engineering: Joseph Bazalgette’s modern London sewer system . From the Industrial R...

In 1944, a secret U.S. Army unit carried inflatable tanks , blasted fake soundscapes , and staged phantom divisions across Europe. Known as the Ghost Army , this group of artists, designers, and engineers turned creativity into one of the most unusual weapons of World War II . Gordy takes you through how these master illusionists used camouflage, sound effects, and radio trickery to deceive the Na...

George Washington’s teeth are legendary—but not for the reasons most people think. For centuries, kids have been taught that America’s first president had wooden teeth , but that’s one of history’s most stubborn myths. The reality is stranger, more unsettling, and far more revealing about life in the 18th century . In this episode of Smartest Year Ever , Gordy digs into the myth vs. reality of Was...

Today, Gordy explores the surprising history of generational names —from the Lost Generation to Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and Gen Z. Why did we start labeling entire age groups with catchy titles? And who decided which names stuck? This episode traces the evolution of generation branding , from sociological theory in the 19th century to cultural touchstones like Hemingway, Tom Broka...

Is superhuman strength in emergencies real—or just a myth? Gordy explores the phenomenon known as hysterical strength , those jaw-dropping moments when people seem to summon superhuman power in a crisis. From stories of mothers lifting cars to scientific insights into adrenaline , motor unit recruitment , and pain suppression , this episode dives into the fascinating mix of physiology , myth , and...

What is the ugliest color in the world? On this episode of Smartest Year Ever , Gordy digs into the strange story of Pantone 448C , a muddy greenish-brown shade that became the unlikely star of a worldwide public health campaign. This episode explores: How color psychology influences perception and behavior Why Pantone 448C was chosen in cigarette packaging regulations The role of design, branding...

 Why do we say Germany in English when locals call it Deutschland ? Why is Japan “Japan” to us but Nihon in Japanese? And why does Greece go by “Hellas” inside its own borders? In this episode of Smartest Year Ever , Gordy dives into the fascinating world of exonyms and endonyms —the outsider names and insider names that reveal the tangled history of languages, empires, and trade routes. From Roma...

Olympus Mons is the tallest mountain in the solar system —a Martian giant that makes Mount Everest look like a speed bump. Gordy breaks down just how massive this shield volcano is, why Mars can grow mountains on a scale Earth can’t touch, and how humans first discovered it. From comparisons with Mauna Kea and Everest, to the role of weak gravity and the lack of plate tectonics , this episode unpa...

How many poppy seeds does it take to make a drug test go positive? Gordy digs into the strange overlap between breakfast bagels , opium poppies , and the science of urine testing thresholds . This episode of Smartest Year Ever explores how Papaver somniferum (the opium poppy) ended up blurring the line between a harmless poppy-seed muffin and a failed drug screening . From the Sumerians calling it...

Do animals have accents? Gordy dives into the fascinating world of animal communication —from whales with regional songs, to bird dialects , to cows rumored to moo with local twangs. This episode explores how creatures from orcas to sparrows to goats develop unique sounds depending on geography, culture, and social learning. What starts as a simple question— do animals have accents like humans? —o...

Animals once stood trial in real courts. From pigs in pants to rats with lawyers, the medieval justice system went to bizarre lengths to prosecute creatures for crimes. Gordy explores the strangest animal trials in history, where the line between justice, religion, and superstition completely blurred. You’ll hear about a pig executed in France , rats defended in court , insects excommunicated by t...

Benjamin the Tasmanian Tiger is one of the most haunting symbols of extinction. This episode of Smartest Year Ever dives into the tragic story of the last thylacine , also known as the Tasmanian tiger , and the powerful concept of an endling —the final surviving member of a species. Gordy explores how Benjamin’s lonely fate in Hobart Zoo became a global reminder of the irreversible cost of extinct...

The Greasefish of Lake Tota —a strange Colombian catfish so packed with fat it could be lit like a torch. Gordy dives into the bizarre story of Rhizosomichthys totae , an enigmatic species once found in Colombia’s largest lake. Was it truly driven extinct by invasive rainbow trout, or could it still be hiding in the depths today? This episode of Smartest Year Ever blends science, history, and curi...

Why do some roads have deer crossing signs , while others get full-on wildlife bridges ? In this episode, Gordy explores the strange, data-driven world of animal crossing signs —from the famous Christmas Island crab migration (where officials built actual crab bridges and underpasses ) to moose crossings in North America , toad fences in Germany , and even squirrel skybridges in Washington State....

On today’s Smartest Year Ever , Gordy dives into the strange world of island evolution . Why do elephants become pygmy mammoths on the Channel Islands, while small creatures like rodents balloon into giants? Biologists call this phenomenon the island syndrome —also known as the island rule or Foster’s rule . It explains how insular dwarfism shrinks massive animals like mammoths and hippos, while i...

How far can a bird really fly without stopping? In this episode of Smartest Year Ever , Gordy explores one of the most extreme endurance records in the animal kingdom. It’s part of Animal Week , and today’s subject, the bar-tailed godwit looks ordinary on the beach—but in the air, it achieves something that pushes the limits of biology, navigation, and survival. From reconfiguring its body before...

Who really invented the high five? Gordy takes us inside the surprising and surprisingly recent story of one of the world’s most universal gestures. From Dodger Stadium in 1977 to the University of Louisville basketball courts , this episode traces the origins of the high five, its ties to sports history , and its cultural journey from jazz slang to global celebration. Along the way, Gordy uncover...