Best By The Waters Of Babylon Podcasts (2024)

Today's believed to be the day in 1799 when French troops in northern Egypt found the Rosetta Stone, which unlocked a huge amount of knowledge about the ancient world. Or at least it would after scholars spent like two decades figuring out what it said. Plus: Atchison, Kansas is in the middle of its annual Amelia Earhart Festival, celebrating the c…

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New York Once Built Artificial Reefs Out Of Old Ice Cream Trucks 3:02

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29m ago3:02

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For National Ice Cream Day this Sunday, the story of how New York state once upcycled some ice cream trucks into artificial reefs around Long Island. Plus: this Saturday in Pennsylvania, it’s the Made In Bradford Celebration, in the hometown of the Zippo lighter. Sunken Ice Cream Trucks Were Used Create Artificial Reefs in NYC (Untapped New York) M…

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There Was Almost A Scary Sequel To “E.T.” 3:26

39m ago3:26

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This day in 1982 was the date at the top of a movie treatment for “E.T. 2: Nocturnal Fears." And as the title suggests, the sequel would have been a lot creepier than the first movie. Plus: starting tomorrow in Minnesota, it’s the Cosmos Space Festival. Why The ET Sequel Never Happened (ScreenRant) Cosmos Space Festival Keep our show playing throug…

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Embo, Scotland, Declared Itself Independent For A Day 3:01

30m ago3:01

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Today in 1988, the community of Embo, in the Scottish Highlands raised money for a community center by declaring independence from the rest of the UK… but just for one day. Plus: today in 2022, an odd moment in the world of real estate. And milk. Embo Community Centre Appeal (via Archive.org) B.C. real estate agent fined $20K after chugging milk in…

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William Walker, The Diver Who Saved Winchester Cathedral 3:21

2h ago3:21

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Today in 1912, high honors for William Walker, who saved the UK’s famous Winchester Cathedral from partial collapse through five years of foundation work… all of which he did underwater. Plus: this week in Aroostook County, Maine, it’s the Maine Potato Blossom Festival. Saving the Cathedral (BBC) Maine Potato Blossom Festival You can help shore up …

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Buckminster Fuller Proposed Putting A Big Dome Over Manhattan 3:26

1d ago3:26

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Today in 1895, the birthday of Buckminster Fuller, the “engineer, architect and futurist" who once proposed building a see-through dome over part of Manhattan to save energy and money. Plus: a community festival that’s actually in a bunch of communities. The 1960 Plan To Put A Dome Over Midtown Manhattan (Gothamist) This Was Buckminster Fuller’s Pl…

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Ina Koenig Saved A Kid Who Fell Into A Mine Shaft By Keeping His Head Above Water 3:04

2d ago3:04

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Around this time in 2012, a teacher in Germany saved a young student's life, literally keeping the three year old's head above water after falling into an abandoned mine shaft. Plus: starting tomorrow in Oklahoma, it’s the McLoud Blackberry Festival. Teacher jumps down mineshaft to save boy (The Local) The McLoud Blackberry Festival Want more stori…

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Bir Tawil Is Land Between Egypt And Sudan That Neither Country Wants 3:44

3d ago3:44

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Today in 1899, the signing of the Anglo-Egyptian Condominium, that established most of the border between Egypt and Sudan, but eventually led to a dispute over two stretches of land. Both countries want one stretch, and neither wants the other. Plus: this Friday in New Orleans, the running of the bulls! Well, sort of. This man is the latest in a se…

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In A Letter From Ancient Babylon, A Teenager Complains To His Mom About Clothes 3:04

4d ago3:04

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On this National Fashion Day, we have a letter from 3,800 years ago that shows some things never change, like teenagers nagging their parents for a fancier set of clothes. Plus: an artist in Japan designs a pair of jeans that look like they're hanging out unzipped... because that's something someone needs, apparently? Reading Ancient Mail (JSTOR) J…

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Taco Bell Once Trolled America By Claiming It Had Bought The Liberty Bell 3:28

5d ago3:28

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Today in 1776, it's said that the Liberty Bell rang out in Philadelphia for the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence. More than two centuries later, a fast food giant put out fake ads claiming that it had acquired the Liberty Bell to help pay off the national debt. Plus: today in 1978, Def Leppard played its first-ever concert, i…

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Alvin Straight Couldn’t Drive To See His Ailing Brother, So He Took A Road Trip On A Lawn Mower 3:28

8d ago3:28

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Today in 1994, the start of a very unusual road trip: Alvin Straight drove 240 miles by lawn mower. Plus: next week in Wausau, Wisconsin, it’s the Taste ‘N Glow Balloon Fest. Brotherly Love Powers a Lawn Mower Trek (New York Times) Taste 'n Glow Balloon Fest Ride with us as a backer on Patreon --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.co…

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The Washington Monument That Was Built Before The Washington Monument 3:27

9d ago3:27

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Today in 1827, the people of Boonsboro, Maryland marked Independence Day by trying to build a stone monument to George Washington in a single day. It was a Washington Monument way before the opening of the Washington Monument in DC. Plus: today in Michigan, it's the Berrien Springs Pickle Festival. The Little-Known Story of the First Washington Mon…

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Ford Once Tried To Turn A Station Wagon Into A “Pushbutton Camper” 3:04

14d ago3:04

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Today in 1958, the Washington Post reported on a way to transform a Ford station wagon into a full-service campsite with the push of a button. Plus: this weekend in Congham, Norfolk, England, the World Snail Racing Championships. The 1959 Ford Country Squire Camper, the Pushbutton Dream Camper That Never Was (Auto Evolution) SNAIL RACING WORLD CHAM…

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Vensutra: This Side Show You Don't Want to Miss 1:04:10

11d ago1:04:10

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The Breakdown In this episode of the ATX Metal Podcast, Ryan sits down with the band Venustra. The band has a unique theatrical show and incorporates elements of shock rock, Japanese visual Kei, and swing music into their sound. They have faced challenges in defining their genre but strive to create a bigger sound that sets them apart from other ba…

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Utah Restocks Its Remote Lakes By Dropping Fish Out Of Airplanes 3:07

16d ago3:07

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Around this time of a year you may come to witness an eye-opening process in parts of Utah: it’s known as aerial fish stocking. Yes, they drop fish out of airplanes into bodies of water. Plus: in Traverse City, Michigan, there are still a few more days left of the National Cherry Festival. Utah is dropping thousands of fish from planes – again (CNN…

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Every July 1 Is A Million Dollar Day For Baseball’s Bobby Bonilla 3:17

13d ago3:17

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Longtime baseball fans know this is the day each year that former star Bobby Bonilla gets more than a million bucks from the New York Mets, as part of the strangest salary deal the sport's ever seen. Plus: today in 1997, Len Libby’s Chocolates in Maine unveiled an icon, Lenny the chocolate moose. What is Bobby Bonilla Day? Explaining why the former…

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The Treaty That Ended World War I Also Set The International Standard For Musical Pitch 3:30

16d ago3:30

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Today in 1919, the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, which ended the massive conflict known today as World War I and set a lot of postwar international standards, including standard musical pitch. Plus: the Vent Haven Museum in Kentucky showcases the world of ventriloquism, and this weekend it's hosting a a fun run and walk as The Dummy Run 5K. …

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A Town In Japan Built An Anne Of Green Gables-Themed Park 3:17

17d ago3:17

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This month in 1908, Anne of Green Gables was published. L.M. Montgomery's books have a lot of fans in Japan, which is why a community in northern Japan built a park called Canadian World, complete with a recreation of Anne's hometown of Avonlea. Plus: starting this Saturday in Washington state, it’s the Buckley Log Show. Abandoned Avonlea: Anne the…

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Medieval Europeans Really Could Have Banged Coconuts Together, Like In Monty Python 3:14

18d ago3:14

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Yes, the coconut's tropical, and it didn't migrate, but a 2017 research paper found that “Medieval England was unexpectedly full of coconuts.” So King Arthur and his entourage really could've wandered around in search of the Grail banging coconuts together! Plus: starting this Friday in Oklahoma, it’s the Fort Gibson Sweet Corn Festival. Coconuts i…

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Sallie Gardner Was The Galloping Horse In The First Proto-Movie 3:24

19d ago3:24

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This month in 1878, a horse named Sallie Gardner ran past a series of cameras in Palo Alto, California. The series of photos those cameras took paved the way for motion pictures. Plus: starting tomorrow in Deridder, Louisiana, it’s the Beauregard Watermelon Festival. Eadweard Muybridge (International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum) Beauregard …

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Volcanic Ash Shut Down All Of British Airways Flight 009’s Engines - But It Still Landed Safely 3:38

20d ago3:38

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Today in 1982, British Airways Flight 009 made a successful landing in Jakarta, Indonesia, after ash from a nearby volcano had shut down all of the plane’s engines. Plus: today in 2022, six new high school graduates in Port Jefferson, New York had to quickly duck out of the commencement ceremonies to go fight a fire. When volcanic ash stopped a Jum…

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Bat City Black Metal Fest: A chat with Eamon Danzig 43:45

22d ago43:45

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The Breakdown In this episode of the ATX Metal Podcast, Ryan sits down with Eamonn Danzig, one of the creators of the Bat City Black Metal Fest. They discuss the origins of black metal, the message behind the festival, and the efforts to promote inclusivity and distance the genre from its tainted past. The festival will feature eight bands, live sw…

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Dessert Week: If You’re Making Cookies In Space, Be Patient 3:30

23d ago3:30

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This week we’re replaying a few of our sweetest episodes. In this show from January 2020, astronauts on the International Space Station bake chocolate chip cookies. But baking cookies in space is a little different than baking them on Earth. Plus: a new device called the Exolung can keep air flowing for virtually as long as a diver likes. ⁠Space-ba…

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Dessert Week: The Great Banana Split Rivalry 4:07

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This week we’re replaying a few of our sweetest episodes. In this show from June 2019, Wilmington, Ohio and Latrobe, Pennsylvania are split over which town was the true birthplace of the banana split. Plus: the mind-melting TV show known as the Banana Splits Adventure Hour was actually supposed to have an entirely different name! ⁠Wilmington Banana…

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Dessert Week: Even For Meringue This Meringue Is Light 3:30

28d ago3:30

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This week we’re replaying a few of our sweetest episodes. In this show from November 2019, we get a look at a meringue that's just about the lightest dessert ever made. Plus: the story of a light-emitting fungus gnat in Brazil, which is maybe not as appetizing as the first story. ⁠World’s Lightest Dessert Is 96 Percent Air, Weighs Just One Gram⁠ (O…

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Dessert Week: Queen Elizabeth I Had Her Guests Eat Gingerbread Men That Looked Like Themselves 3:50

26d ago3:50

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This week we’re replaying a few of our sweetest episodes. In this show from December 2020, we take a closer look at the amazing and frequently disturbing history of gingerbread, including how one of the most famous royals of all time helped bring gingerbread people into the world. Plus: a lesson in patience from a musical great who made herself int…

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Worship and the Word 4:20

1M ago4:20

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By Dr. Scott Aniol

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Dessert Week: Agnes B. Marshall, The First “Queen” Of Ice Cream 3:26

1M ago3:26

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This week we’re replaying a few of our sweetest episodes. In this show from July 2021, we meet Agnes B. Marshall, who helped make ice cream the icon that it is today. Plus: ground control once played the song “Hello Darlin” by country star Conway Twitty to astronauts in Earth orbit. Only this version of the song was a little different. ⁠The 19th-ce…

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Every Year Readlyn, Iowa Elects An Official Town Grump 3:01

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Today in Readlyn, Iowa, it's the start of Grump Days - because Readlyn proudly bills itself as home to "857 friendly people and one old Grump!" Plus: today in 1955, Paul Bunyan died? Even though he’s a legendary person and didn’t really live? That's what a grave marker in Minnesota claims, anyway. THE TOWN WHERE IT’S FUN TO BE A GROUCH (Now I Know)…

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Tying Cans To A Wedding Car Has Roots In Protesting A Marriage 3:10

1M ago3:10

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Wedding season is definitely here, and today we’ll tell you about a wedding tradition that used to have one very clear meaning and then did a 180. Plus: Stand With Pride is a network of people who volunteer to serve as stand-in parents when families of origin refuse to attend LGBTQ+ weddings. Why Do Couples Tie Cans to Wedding Cars? (New York Times…

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The Baseball Game Lou Gehrig Played After He Stopped Playing Baseball 3:13

1M ago3:13

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Lou Gehrig famously ended his consecutive games streak in the spring of 1939, not long before he was diagnosed with ALS. But on this day in 1939, he played one last exhibition game in Kansas City. Plus: today in 1977, the Kansas City Royals take to the field in Milwaukee with borrowed uniforms after a thief took off with most of their road gear. Ha…

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How Jophery Brown Became One Of Hollywood’s Most Iconic Stuntmen 3:30

1M ago3:30

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Today in 1993, the release of the blockbuster movie Jurassic Park. One of the small but key roles in that movie is the work of Jophery Brown, actor and a stuntman who's performed in some of the biggest movies of the last few decades. Plus: Sal Giardino's New Jersey gravestone is hard to miss: it's a giant black lightbulb featuring the words "World'…

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Be Filled with … Emotion? 8:36

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By Dr. Scott Aniol

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Legend Says Instead of Fighting A War, Two Armies In Switzerland Sat Down For Some Soup 3:08

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Legend has it that today in 1529, two armies in Switzerland decided that instead of having a war, they would have some soup. Plus: Idaho's Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve is holding a centennial celebration through September. In Switzerland, the soup quarrelling politicians share (BBC) 100 Years of the Craters of the Moon (Visit …

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In 1520, Two Kings Spent Millions To Throw Themselves A Party For Over Two Weeks 3:21

1M ago3:21

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Today in 1520 the beginning of what may have been the biggest, most expensive party of all time, involving two kings, 18 days and $19 million. Plus: starting tomorrow in New Orleans, it’s the French Market Creole Tomato Festival. The Field of the Cloth of Gold (Historic-UK.com) French Market Creole Tomato Festival No need to spend millions, you can…

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A Teen Got To The “End” Of NES Tetris, And People Figured Out How To Hack The Software And Keep Playing 3:29

1M ago3:29

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For the birthday of Tetris, the story of a 13 year old who played so deep into the NES version of the game that it crashed - and the gamers who found ways to keep playing even past that "end" point. Plus: starting tomorrow the town of Metropolis, Illinois is hosting its annual Superman Celebration. It’s Possible to Hack Tetris From Inside the Game …

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A Handful Of VIPs Can Travel To Other Countries Without Passports 3:14

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If you're traveling abroad this summer you'll need a passport - unless you're one of a very small number of very prominent people who don't need to use passports. Plus: this week Louisville, Kentucky is home to Ali Fest. Does the President Have a Passport? (Slate) Ali Fest in Louisville, KY Travel over to our Patreon page to get bonus episodes and …

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American Cheese Got Its Start With A Guy From Canada 3:06

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It's National Cheese Day! Today we're telling the story of American cheese, which got its start from a guy who emigrated to Chicago from Ontario. Plus: a region of northern Sweden known as "the Kingdom of Cheese" drives the point home with two 23 foot tall cheese slicers. What Is American Cheese, Anyway? (Serious Eats) A Brief History of "American …

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Decently and in Order: The Spirit’s Work in Corporate Worship 13:24

2M ago13:24

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Often when Christians today think of the Holy Spirit’s work in worship, they anticipate that if he is working, then there will be high euphoria, and surprising, spontaneous outbursts of praise. But is that really how we ought to expect the Spirit to work in corporate worship? ★ Support this podcast ★…

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Alexander Graham Bell Invented A “Photophone” That Sent Sound On Beams Of Light 3:15

1M ago3:15

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Alexander Graham Bell is best known for the telephone, but he thought his light-based calling system, the photophone was way more important... so much so that he even tried to name his daughter Photophone Bell. Plus: for World Bicycle Day, the story of a Japanese company that let customers order a special set of socks that would be knitted by a bic…

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Some American Hockey Players Develop Canadian-Ish Accents 3:26

1M ago3:26

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There’s some linguistic research that suggests that American hockey players sometimes start to sound more like Canadians as their hockey careers continue. Plus: The uses seven bridges to connect a bunch of islands in Norway together. You essentially get to drive right along the ocean. How do you pronounce “hockey”? US players say it with “fake Cana…

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