Teach Me Something

The Iberian Peninsula, the land that makes up current day Portugal and Spain, has been ruled and influenced by a large number of cultures and religions. Join us to learn about the approximately 2000 years that spans from around 500 BCE to the end of the Reconquista in 1492 CE. Spoiler alert, in order to have a Reconquista, you first have to have a Conquista. Support this show http://supporter.acas...

In this episode of Teach Me Something we are promoting a second set of women in the field of science who haven't gotten the credit they deserve. From the bottom of the ocean to the far reaches of space, these women have made incredible discoveries and its time we heard about them. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more info...

For a much of our history, the academic, and especially STEM fields, have not been very inclusive of women. In fact, many of the women who fought and struggled to be a part of these fields have been mostly excluded from the history books, and their advancements attributed to men. In this episode we are going to shine a light on just a few of the women who deserve credit for their incredible work....

Come with us on a tour of incredible examples of technology from the ancient world. Some that we know a bit about and some that we are still baffled by today. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The animal kingdom has a lot good smellers (the action of smelling) and a lot of good smellers (the noun of being smelly), so let's talk about both. Join us in the debate of which animals are the best at smelling and get into the controversy of how this is defined. Then, stick with with us to learn all about what animals have been coveted for their smells and which ones just have a pleasant popcor...

Ever wanted to know the difference between hair and fur? In this episode we examine what hair is, how it grows, and why it is where it is and then at the end we reveal the truth about fur. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eponyms are words that are derived from people's names and I bet you guys will be surprised by the last one we talk about in this episode (spoiler alert; its the word guy). Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us in this part 2 episode on viruses where we take a turn for the deadly. We examine which viruses have the highest fatality, which cause the most annual deaths, and which has the all time death total. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this part 1 episode on viruses, we jump into interesting and beneficial aspects of viruses. Join us to explore how viruses work, debate if they are alive, and learn about their application in fighting our foe bacteria. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Epigenetics is a relatively new and very exciting branch of biology that studies the chemical tags and conditions that control what genes in our DNA are turned on or off at different times. Join us in this episode to get a very brief overview of how epigenetics work and learn about some of the interesting findings on how one generation effects the next (and the next). Support this show http://supp...

Do you love coffee or potatoes? If so, you are lucky you don't live in Prussia or France in the 1700s as those items both were banned at one point. Join us in this episode as we explore many different things we enjoy today, ranging from purple clothes to dying, that have been banned throughout history. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com...

Humans as a species love our alcohol, but humans aren't the only animal to consume ethanol. Ever wondered where alcohol comes from, what animals drink it naturally, or what species could drink us under the table? Well look no further than this episode where we explore animals that consume alcohol. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/priv...

In this episode of Teach Me Something we are once again joined by resident European history buff Warren as we discuss the amusing epithets of many European monarchs. We run the whole spectrum from the Impotent to the Babymaker to Battle-Seizer the Battle-Decliner to the Terrible, so come and learn how exactly these kings have earned their nicknames. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/tea...

There are millions of species of animals and only a handful of them have been domesticated. In this episode we dive into the definition and process of animal domestication, learn about the origins of many domesticated animals, and about some domesticated populations that have become feral. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for...

Did you know that some cancers are contagious? But they are extremely rare. In this episode you can learn which unfortunate animals get these cancers and which one is being driven to the point of extinction by this deadly disease. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are here to talk about cosmetics in the final episode of our history of hygiene series, including a whole lot of advice from Pliny the Elder. Learn about the history of skincare, haircare, perfume, and makeup, and how many of those things were likely to kill you. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us as we explore the various definitions of fruits and vegetables and ultimately come to the conclusion: its confusing. Let's just say, when it comes to botany, the existence of vegetables is questionable, but one thing is certain, coconuts are dangerous. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Canada is a large country with a lot of border. We discuss a few silly wars that have shaped those boarders plus throw in a bonus silly war that Australia fought against its great emu population. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Let's clear this up right off the bat, MSG is safe to eat and is delicious. Join us to learn about the discovery of MSG and umami and hear about the devastating consequences of bad science. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We travel to all corners of the world in this episode to explore and compare origin stories and mythology from a number of cultures. From primordial waters to wars between generations of gods there are a surprising number of similarities to be found. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Electricity and electrical charge plays a significant role in the animal kingdom. In general animals rely on electrical charge to make their nervous systems, muscles, and hearts function properly but there are a surprising number of animals that take electricity to another level. Some can sense electrical fields and some can use electricity as a weapon. Join us in this episode to find out more. Su...

In this episode we are joined by special guest Hudson (8) as we explore one of his favorite topics, flags. We explore colours, common symbols, and the age of many country flags; and of course we will dive into the history of a few flags that had influence on the flags of other countries. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for mo...

Let's talk toxins! Join us to learn about all the surprising and not-so-surprising animals that are poisonous, and find out how they are able to resist succumbing to the poisons themselves. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we continue our exploration of the plants crucial to alcohol production and focus in on Europe and Eurasia. We take on heavy hitters like barley and grapes, but also shine some light on supporting characters, like black currant, wormwood, and coriander. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Humans have been making and consuming alcohol for thousands of years and the production of booze is steeped in tradition. In this series we explore the plants that have been fermented or added to alcohol starting with the plants found in the Americas. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.