Allusionist 228. Draculae part 2: Surprises in the Vaults
This is the second episode of the Draculae miniseries, about a literary mystery which came to me via a meme: “Someone translated Dracula into Icelandic, and it took over 100 years for…
The man whose anti-war art was too radical for anti-war activists
Children of the 60s, 70s, and 80s know Tomi Ungerer as an illustrator of kids' books like "Flat Stanley," "The Mellops" series, and "Crictor." But Ungerer is more than an illustrator…
Cult of Mithras Explained
The Cult of Mithras was a thriving religion in the Roman Empire. But by the 5th century....it was gone. What do we know about the Cult of Mithras? And what…
The history behind your favourite William Morris designs
At a time when factories were reshaping society, Morris and his contemporaries believed mass production was damaging not only the lives of workers, but also the beauty and meaning of…
Before Psychedelia, There Was SPACE AGE Music
At Bandsplaining, we often cover music from the 1960s-present, as this marks the beginning of the electrified, psychedelic era. But this music didn't come out of a vacuum. From the…
HistoryExtra podcast: A history of Christian sacrifice
What's the role that sacrifice has played in the history of Christianity? It's a history that might be more complex, and more surprising, than we think. Jonathan Sheehan's latest book…
What is Atheism?
Religion for Breakfast
HistoryExtra podcast: Redefining historical mothers
Motherhood has long been considered as something expected, rather than extraordinary. Yet from midwives questioning the status quo to pregnant women predicting their futures, there are plenty of historical stories…
99% Invisible: 100 Objects #1: The Century Safe
In 1876, Americans filled an iron safe with objects meant to tell their story — to be opened a century later. Roman Mars and historian Jill Lepore trace its long…
Biblically-Accurate Angels Explained
You may have seen the memes about "biblically-accurate angels." These memes often emphasize the weird, visionary creatures mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. Technically, though, 'biblically-accurate' angels also just look like…