Teach Me Something

What is the definition of culture? That is a tough question to answer, but one thing is for certain, dolphins have it. From the way they play and hunt to the way they talk, we cover a number of examples of culture in orcas and bottlenose dolphins. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last episode we discussed the history of calendars and this episode we approach the history of time keeping on a smaller scale. Has an hour always been the same length of time? When did keeping track of the time day become important? What are the six candles for? And what is a pennyweight anyways? Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/priv...

We have made several attempts to track time and record the cycles of the moon and sun. Some systems were more accurate than others and some calendars don't even relate to celestial bodies, but all of them provide an interesting glimpse into the culture that used them at that time in history. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy fo...

You may know your ABO blood group, you may event know your RhD blood group, but do you know your Kell, Duffy, or Kidd group? Well, old timey doctors didn't know about any blood groups and they made some poor decisions during the course of medical advancement. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Retroviruses are interesting in so many ways, like breaking the central dogma of molecular biology. Did we mention that you wouldn't be a mammal, or even a vertebrate, without these handy little invaders? Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Roman amphitheatres are a marvel of ancient engineering and construction. Not to be confused with theatres, forums, and other purpose built Roman buildings, the amphitheatres were designed for one goal; violence for public spectacle. From gladiators to ship battles, amphitheatres saw it all. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privac...

How was Rome founded? How much of the world was it destined to rule? How long will the empire last? Who is the greatest leader, descendant from the gods? Answering those questions is easy if you read the Aeneid by Virgil, one of histories most famous pieces of propaganda. Come learn what happened to the survivors of Troy after the events of the Odyssey, which surprisingly seem to mirror the Odysse...

How did ancient Rome transition from a republic to an empire? Great question, and we are here to give you the low down on years of civil war, numerous dictators, and so many women being given away for alliance forming purposes. Worried that we don't have enough tangents? We got you covered with the crazy Roman calendar, Spartacus, and Egypt's civil war. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com...

This episode hits a lot of notes, from English monarchs to mythological monsters. And fear not, dear listener, we also found a way to talk about Pliny the Elder. So join us to learn a little about porphyria, and a lot about all the other interesting tangents we manage to fit in. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more inform...

Socrates once said, "the only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing," and for this episode that couldn't be more true. We've consulted the latest research to figure what we think we know and what we know we don't know. As far as prehistoric Homo sapiens are concerned, the answer is... who knows? Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/p...

Are you like the two of us, having learned about early Hominins more than a decade ago? If so, come learn how much of your education is wrong, or only partially correct. We will learn about the human family tree right up until Homo sapiens. (That episode is next) Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we are joined by our son to tell the story of cane toads in Australia. We also talk about the costs, both economic and ecological, of other invasive species in Australia and New Zealand. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is there to say about Paracelsus? Well, a lot really. He was a complicated man with a complicated name and in this episode we discuss his life, beliefs, and impact on medical history. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How many Crusades are there? Great question! The answer is it's difficult to say but that won't stop us from trying anyways. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us as we navigate the depths of octopus senses, reproduction, and intelligence. We cover ancient "wisdom" from Pliny the Elder and update you on current octopus science and discoveries from this year as well. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we delve into the riveting tale of the East India Company's meteoric rise, exploring its transformation from a small group of merchants to a colossal force shaping global history. From trade monopolies to imperial conquests, we uncover the Company's exploitation of trade, use of private armies, and its impact on India and beyond. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-...

Mental illness is a tricking subject and sometimes it presents in interesting ways. Have you ever suspected your behind is made of glass and sitting down could be dangerous? If so, you may be a medieval monarch. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Another episode on parasites? Yes, that's right and this time we dive into some of the fascinating ways parasites alter the behaviour of their hosts. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monotremes (aka platypuses and echidnas) are very strange mammals. Today we explore their similarities to the rest of the mammals and how they differ; significantly more about how they differ. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I hope you like tangents as much as we do, because we have lots for you today. Not only will you learn about Vlad the Impaler but also such thrilling topics as the invention of the printing press and the meaning of the word suzerainty! Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you ever heard of the Soviet scientist Trofim Lysenko? Well I hadn't either and now I'm questioning why not. His pseudo-scientific beliefs may seem amusing to us today but they caused the deaths of millions of people in the 20th century. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There have been hundreds of maritime disasters related to Canadian boats or on Canadian waters, so we have cherry picked a handful of the most interesting, extreme, and historically relevant to tell you about. From the sinking of the Edmond Fitzgerald to the Halifax explosion there is a lot to cover and the Titanic is only mentioned a couple times. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teac...

We finally finish our series on mosquitoes in exquisite and perhaps gross detail. We will fill you in on four parasitic diseases mosquitoes can give you and of course we will tell you how Pliny says you should treat them. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/teach-me-something . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you have mild flu-like symptoms, you probably don't have a debilitating mosquito-borne viral illness...but you might. Tune in to learn how mosquitoes have teamed up with birds to deliver a nasty variety of viruses to us humans. As a bonus, you can also find out which of these viruses apparently make good biological weapons (is there such a thing?). Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/t...