There are legends among the Cherokee and other Native American tribes of a people that existed in North America well before the arrival of Columbus  that had very light skin and large "moon eyes".  Theories have abounded about who or what these Moon Eyed people were, from Albinos, to decedents of pre-Columbian  Welsh explorers, to Aliens (of course).  Take a listen and see what you think is behind the stories of the Moon Eyed People

Mankind has been practicing many forms of body modification for tens of thousands of years.  Most are aware of things like piercings and tattoos, but there are some more extreme forms that have been used across the globe at different times by different societies.  One of these, is intentional cranial deformation, or skull shaping.  Many groups have bound the heads of their children to create a particular skull shape that was considered aesthetically pleasing or a sign of high social standing.  Listen in and find out all about the art of shaping one's head. 

One of the most enduring myths from the time of Spanish conquest of the New World is the take of El Dorado, the city of gold.  We discuss the actual historical roots of the myth and how the Spanish and other colonial powers began to dream of cities full of gold.

This week's podcast details two tales of missing persons who were assumed dead in strange circumstances and were eventually found years later.  Always good when a disappearance has a happy (ish) ending.

This week we discuss the Unification Church, more commonly known as The Moonies.  The church was founded by Sun Myung Moon and began to grow in the years after World War II.  Moon claimed to be the second coming of Jesus Christ, sent to complete his mission on earth and bring about The Kingdom of God.  The church is widely considered to by a cult and is mostly known for it's huge mass marriage ceremonies, marrying thousands of couples at once.  Interestingly the church has branched in to politics and business, with forays into seafood and world politics.  Come take a listen and learn more.

The fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory was the deadliest industrial disaster in US history.  146 workers lost their lives when a fire started in the factory, located on the 8th - 10th floors of the Asch Building near Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village.   The owners of the building kept the doors of the factory locked during working hours to prevent the workers from taking unauthorized breaks and lead to the great loss of life.  Come learn about the fire, and the effect it had on worker safety in America.

Time for a little story about mysterious treasure, tons of gold, land lost to immanent domain, and the whole lot possibly stolen by... LBJ?  The treasure of Victorio Peak was found by Doc Noss in 1937, and supposedly dwelled without hidden caverns under the mountain.  However, before he could removed it all, the area was taken over as part of White Sands Missile Range.  Legal battles raged over who owned the treasure and who could search for it and rumors even persist that Lyndon Johnson himself showed up on the scene to run off with the gold.  Come take a listen to the story of lost Mexican gold... it's a wild one. 

Time for a deep dive into some lesser known mythology.  Rather than Greeks, Romans, or Norse, we take a look at a figure from Irish mythology, The Morrigan.  The Morrigan is an Irish goddess of war and fate that plays a role in many ancient Gaelic stories.  She backs various figures in battle, controls the fate of kingdoms, and often like to hang out as a raven or cow.  What's not to like?  Tune in and find out more. 

Today's topic is one from the all time annals of unethical experimentation, The Tuskegee Experiment.    From 1932-1972 black men who were infected with syphilis were monitored by their doctors without being told of their condition and without being treated long after the disease became easily curable.  Since their infected status was kept from them, they unknowingly infected their partners and children were born with congenital syphilis.  The experiment was not ended until a whistleblower finally went to the press about it, not due to any sudden bout of ethical or moral concern.  Come take a listen and learn about the Tuskegee Syphilis Study and other unethical medical experiments from history.

This week we continue our discussion of the Terra Nova expedition, Robert Falcon Scott's attempt to become the first human to reach the south pole. This week we discuss the push for the pole and the result of the race between Scott and Amundsen including the tragic aftermath.  Take a listen and join us for some time spent in the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration. 

This week we discuss the Terra Nova expedition, a largely privately funded attempt by Robert Falcon Scott to become the first human to reach the south pole.  While history most often centers on the race between Scott and Norwegian Roald Amundsen to reach the pole, the expedition was took part in a great deal of other exploration and scientific discovery.  This week we learn about the start of the expedition and the discoveries made in 1910-1911, before the push for the pole.