In this episode were spinning the story of one the worlds most timelessly popular toys, the Hula Hoop.While its often thought of today as a fad of the past, the Hula Hoop has actually existed in a variety of different forms for centuries, and is debat

This episode explores one of the darkest versions of the American Dream - the deadly world of the Mafia.For more than a century, the organized crime groups also known as the Cosa Nostra have inspired fear and fascination in America, as they change and e

In this episode were looking at the history of the unsung pioneers of space travel, Monkeys and Chimpanzees!Before rockets were safe enough to take humans, and even after, NASA and rival organizations sent apes into space to test conditions without risk

This time were looking at another epic of classic Hollywood cinema, Ben-Hur. Widely considered one of the greatest films ever made, Ben-Hur had more than enough drama happen off screen to fill all 4 hours of the blockbusters running time.What is the st

This episode takes us to a poignant time in the history of rock music: the brief and brilliant life of Buddy Holly. We travel back in time to learn about the young man behind the music: who accomplished such a lot, and could have achieved so much more. We

In this episode were looking at what is arguably the greatest medical catastrophe in recent history, the Thalidomide Scandal. A drug designed to reduce morning sickness in pregnant women, Thalidomide caused more than 10,000 children in the late 1950s and

In this episode were looking at the lives of Americas first real celebrity killers, 19 year old Charles Starkweather and his 14 year old girlfriend, Caril Ann Fugate.The object of perverse levels of public attention, the pair participated in a series of

This episode takes us back to the world of sport, and the era of California Baseball, when major league teams packed their bags and headed West in search of new opportunities.The Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants are the most famous teams that cho

In this episode we discuss the most famous French leader of the 20th century - General Charles de Gaulle. Hes the stubborn military commander who defied the Germans during WWII, and became the voice of hope that inspired thousands.After the war, he was

In this episode were traveling back to the Middle East in the 1950s - and to the time when the United States conducted its first major military intervention in the area - in Lebanon.What were the origins of the Lebanese crisis, and what led the American