Best Spelunkers Podcasts (2024)

1
EP 45: Reasonable and Christian Thoughts on the Origin of the Vampires 2:14:06

9h ago2:14:06

2:14:06

Happy Halloween! Welcome back to another spooky episode of History Spelunkers in which we discuss the stories that led us to the modern perception of the most infamous of blood sucking beasties.... the vampire!!! Shownotes: Episode art is a scene from the 1922 film Nosferatu. The Vampyre: A Tale by John Polidori; accessible via Project Gutenberg, h…

1
EP 44: Can I Pick None of the Above? 1:49:55

25d ago1:49:55

1:49:55

Hello all, and happy Election Season! 2024 is shapeing up to be one of the most dramatic and consequential year for national elections around the world. In the US many voters have expressed a desire for more options than the two main political parties, and they might be told that "this is how its always been". In this episode, we work to undo that …

1
EP 43: Lets Make It Rain!! 57:41

1M ago57:41

57:41

Are you a fan of a nice summer day? How about a cool fall wind? Do you like the look of a light snowfall in your yard? What if you could have whatever you wanted at a moments notice and all you had to do was call your local government? Well what if I told you that thanks to your tax dollars, you just might be able to get a permit for that..... Show…

1
EP 42: Everything is Better with Pirates 1:50:17

2M ago1:50:17

1:50:17

In the Americas the United States is considered the first experiment at non-monarchical rule and democracy. But what if I told you that there might be a group that might've tested the sails of democracy on the high seas? Show Notes: Episode art is a photo of one of the few Jolly Roger flags that we know existed. The photo belongs to Karlsson, Annel…

1
EP 41: To Be Or Not To Be … In Ohio? 1:07:55

3M ago1:07:55

1:07:55

With there being so many states, it understandable that sometimes it would be confusing to know which one you are in. But it gets more confusing when people begin arguing over which state you should be in and are willing to stab you if you disagree with them. Shownotes: Episode art is a map of Ellis Island from the NPS that shows the approximate bo…

1
EP 40: A Constellation of Lone Stars 53:07

6M ago53:07

53:07

Hey yall! This is part two of the Texas Revolution deep dive and in this one we focus on the sister republic of Texas down in Yucatan. Texas might not be as unique in its independence than we like to think... Shownotes: https://www.theyucatantimes.com/2020/03/the-republic-of-yucatan/ https://militaryhistorynow.com/2022/04/28/the-yucatan-republic-ho…

1
EP 39: You Can Blame Texas on Napoleon 1:19:25

6M ago1:19:25

1:19:25

Howdy y'all and welcome back to History Spelunkers. In this episode we discuss the Texas Revolution and all of the convoluted history that led up to it. In this episode yes we do remember the Alamo, it just takes us about a while to get to that point. Shownotes: Episode art is The Fall of the Alamo by Robert Onderdonk;Public Domain via Wiki Commons…

1
EP 38: POTUS- "Pets of the United States" 1:28:08

7M ago1:28:08

1:28:08

Almost everyone loves animals. Join us as we go through the list of the famous pets of the POTUS. Now including a surprising number of alligators! Shownotes: Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/through-the-clouds Episode Photo is of First Lady Grace Coolidge and her racoon Rebecca; in the public domain through …

1
EP 37: Aloha America! Why are you here? 1:21:18

9M ago1:21:18

1:21:18

Aloha everyone! In this episode we travel to the beautiful paradise in the middle of the Pacific know as the Hawaiian Islands. Hawaii is one of the few states in these United States that can have the privilege of being their own independent nation. So today's question: why are these islands no longer independent? Shownotes: Episode photo is of the …

1
EP 36: The Tragedy of the Essex 46:33

9M ago46:33

46:33

Welcome back to the continuation of our tragic tale of one of the most infamous events to ever occur on the high seas: The wreck of the whaleship Essex. Once we finish learning about the fates of these poor souls we go on to examine a variety of related stories. CW: death, murder, and cannibalism... a lot of cannibalism Cover art is a sketch by Tho…

1
EP 35: And They Called Him Moby Dick 51:04

10M ago51:04

51:04

There she blows! In this episode of the podcast we find ourselves out on the high seas learning about the origins of one of the world's most famous pieces of literature: Herman Melville's Moby Dick. Prepare for a truly wild voyage into the obscure... CW: violence towards animals Shownotes: Opening audio is from the 1956 film edition of Moby Dick st…

1
EP 34: "Peace on Earth and Good Will to Men" 1:09:25

11M ago1:09:25

1:09:25

Hello History Spelunkers!! Welcome back to a new episode just in time for the most wonderful time of the year. The world can seem like a pretty dark place at times, but there is a magic to this season that brings a bit of joy back into the world. And on some occasions that magic is powerful enough that it truly can bring peace on earth…if only for …

1
EP 33: Historiaj Spelistoj 1:07:46

11M ago1:07:46

1:07:46

Saluton! Bonvenon al alia epizodo! No, this is not gibberish you are seeing, this is the wonderful language of Esperanto. This language was invented to change the world and solve world peace! It may not have succeeded yet, but Esperantists would argue it's only a matter of time. Join us as we explore the world's most successful constructed language…

1
EP 32: When the heck are we?!?! 1:27:09

12M ago1:27:09

1:27:09

Hello everyone and welcome back to another episode of History Spelunkers. In today's episode we are going to delve into the question of why time works the way it does and what is the whole deal about daylight savings time. The short answer is that it is all arbitrary and that the pillars of our society will crumble like sand if we think about them …

1
EP 31: The Texas Halloween Special 1:13:31

1y ago1:13:31

1:13:31

Happy Halloween from History Spelunkers! In this year's holiday episode instead of focusing on a monster or two from folklore, we are going to talk about horror movies. And this year we are going to keep things close to home and discuss films set in Texas, starting with one of the most famous horror films of all time: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre! C…

1
EP 30: So You Think You Can Fence? 43:18

1y ago43:18

43:18

Welcome back to part two of this special episode of History Spelunkers. In this one we continue talking about the origins of the sport of fencing, with a special focus on how western culture transitioned to stabbing people with swords for honor to instead doing it for points! Shownotes: Episode art is "Säbelmensur" by Georg Mühlberg c. 1900 Music f…

1
EP 29: The Good Ol' Days of Stabbing People 1:00:33

1y ago1:00:33

1:00:33

Welcome back to another episode! The gauntlet is at your feet, will you answer the call? Today we begin our talk on the strange history of dueling in western society during the 16th through 19th centuries. We explain how people came up with the idea and how its popularity grew throughout the centuries. Shownotes: Music from Uppbeat (free for Creato…

1
EP 28: The American Civil War Abroad 57:18

1y ago57:18

57:18

Welcome back one and all to another episode of History Spelunkers. Today our journey into the niche and obscure will take us back to the American Civil War. Mostly when one thinks of this conflict they imagine fighting in the fields of Gettysburg, Vicksburg, or Shiloh. But have you ever thought about the gray and blue duking it out off the shores o…

1
EP 27: The Once and Future Kennedy 1:15:56

1+ y ago1:15:56

1:15:56

Welcome back to another episode of History Spelukers. Heads up, today's episode might be a bit depressing because there is a lot of terrible things that get talked about. In this episode we dive into the most high profile members of the famous family of American Royalty: the Kennedys. We also attempt to lay out the evidence for why some believe tha…

1
EP 26: How to Steal From a King.... 1:02:14

1+ y ago1:02:14

1:02:14

Welcome back one and all to Season 2 of History Spelunkers! Starting of our journey into the niche and obscure we are going back in time and across the pond to give you the strange tale of the time someone tried to steal the Crown Jewels of England. Shownotes: https://britishheritage.com/history/man-steals-crown-jewels#:~:text=Known%20as%20one%20of…

1
EP 25: Did Coca-Cola Invent Santa Claus? 1:14:23

2y ago1:14:23

1:14:23

In this, the final episode of Season 1, we mesh two topics: the history of Santa Claus and the history of Coca-Cola promotions. It works, I promise, you just need to trust the process... Shownotes: https://seekingalpha.com/article/131886-why-is-pepsico-buying-its-bottlers https://www.coca-colacompany.com/company/history/five-things-you-never-knew-a…

1
EP 24: The Story of Thanksgiving Pt. 2 55:14

2y ago55:14

55:14

This is part 2 of our series on Thanksgiving. Today we focus on what happened after the first meal and how the relationship between the colonists and the Indigenous people rapidly deteriorated. But to not be entirely depressing we also end the episode talking about some of the weird traditions that have become associated with the holiday. Shownotes…

1
EP 23: The Story of Thanksgiving Pt. 1 48:20

2y ago48:20

48:20

Happy Thanksgiving! Join us as we discuss the history of the holiday and the background of both the Pilgrims and the Indigenous people who played a part with it. Shownotes: Intro clip is from Rick and Morty. An [adult swim] show from the minds of Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon. Specifically Season 5 Episode 6. Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!)…

1
Bonus EP: Fearsome(?) Critters 12:51

2y ago12:51

12:51

Happy Halloween!! We couldn't get enough cryptid content so I had to share this list of bizarre creatures. Let us know which ones are your favorite as historyspelunkers@gmail.com!By History Spelunkers Podcast

1
EP 22: Mothman and the Jersey Devil 47:26

2y ago47:26

47:26

Happy Halloween to all you witches, ghouls, and other spooks that go bump in the night!! We are back at it with a look at the history behind some famous Halloween monsters that haunt our imagination (and perhaps even our reality)… Shownotes: Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/through-the-clouds Opening Clip is…

1
EP 21: The Strange and Strenuous Life Pt. 2 55:50

2y ago55:50

55:50

This is part two of the Theodore Roosevelt Episode. In this we pick up from the moment of his retirement and follow TR as he romps across the world going on fun(?) adventures. Shownotes: Apologies about the audio quality! Cover Photo is in the public domain via Wikimedia Commons: Theodore Roosevelt with Elephant (1909) https://www.si.edu/object/aut…

1
EP 20: The Strange and Strenuous Life 37:47

2y ago37:47

37:47

Theodore Roosevelt often sits near the top of the American Pantheon. He was influential, popular, and a true force of nature. But behind the spectacles of that Mount Rushmore face, he was also just a guy being a dude! Join us as we discuss some of the lesser known incidents of his life. Shownotes: Apologies about the audio quality! https://www.whit…

1
EP 19: I Have Come to Steal Your Bones! 51:04

2y ago51:04

51:04

You have heard of Star Wars; now it is time to learn about the Bone Wars! Join us this week as we learn about the dramatic and petty professional rivalry that launched the study of paleontology in the United States. Shownotes: https://ansp.org/exhibits/online-exhibits/stories/bone-wars-the-cope-marsh-rivalry/ https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperi…

1
EP 18: It Was Obviously a Weather Balloon. 1:04:46

2+ y ago1:04:46

1:04:46

75 years ago something fell from the sky in New Mexico. Join us as we discuss the birth of the modern UFO era and place your bets on what the Government has said to explain away all evidence of extra terrestrial contact! Hint: read the title of this episode. Shownotes: https://archive.org/details/1947RadioNews/1947-07-08-ABC-News-Roswell.mp3 https:…

1
EP 17: Fish Are Friends, Except When They Aren't... 1:02:52

2+ y ago1:02:52

1:02:52

One Year Anniversary Episode!!! Summertime is the perfect time for swimming in the ocean... and running from the creatures that call it home. Join us as we talk about the most famous shark story ever told and the true story that inspired it... Shownotes: Photo: The only surviving photo of the "Matawan Man-eater" Music from Uppbeat (free for Creator…

1
EP 16: So You Want to Start Your Own Country... 1:04:29

2+ y ago1:04:29

1:04:29

If you are ever looking for fun weekend plans here is a suggestion. Commandeer an abandoned piece of military property, and then declare independence from your home country! As we discuss in today's episode absolutely nothing can go wrong! Also apologies in advance if the audio quality is less than perfect on this one. Shownotes: https://sealandgov…

1
EP 15: Big Ships Go Boom! 48:59

2+ y ago48:59

48:59

You know about the Titanic: the tragedy and romance of the "unsinkable ship". But its safe to bet that you have not yet heard of the Sultana or the Halifax Explosion. Today the gang and I discuss a couple of major naval disasters that have been eclipsed by the Titanic's fame. Just a heads up there a lot of death in this episode, some of it pretty g…

1
EP 14: Bring Back the Cargo 45:53

2+ y ago45:53

45:53

Today we take a look at the birth of a religion in the South Pacific and ask the question: "How difficult could such a task truly be?" Shownotes: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/in-john-they-trust-109294882/ https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CargoCult https://www.academia.edu/3279401 https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/bitstream/…

1
EP 13: All Hail Emperor Norton 49:36

2+ y ago49:36

49:36

Some wonder what America would have been like if we had a King. Little do people know there was a time when we had something better.... An Emperor!By History Spelunkers Podcast

1
EP 12: Dancing on Top of Flagpoles 39:24

2+ y ago39:24

39:24

The gang and I look to the past to try and find some new hobbies. Maybe our ancestors had novel ways of entertaining themselves, like pole sitting??? Shownotes: Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/through-the-clouds Opening is from the 2006 film Night at the Museum. Directed by Shawn Levy https://news.google.co…

1
EP 11: Introducing . . ."The Other Guys" 1:05:23

2+ y ago1:05:23

1:05:23

There have been four Presidential Assassinations, it's a safe bet you only know about two of them... Show Notes: Garfield and Guiteau: .https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-stalking-of-the-president-20724161/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/james-garfield/ https://famous-trials.com/guiteau/2197-home https://www.nps…

1
Episode 10: The Search for Santa's House 49:24

3y ago49:24

49:24

Happy Holidays! Join us as we hear the heroic and often tragic tales of those who attempted to reach the North and South Poles. Show Notes: Trans-Antarctic Expedition: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ernest-Henry-Shackleton#ref184881 Peary and Henson: https://kacv.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/pbs-world-explorers-henson-peary/pbs-world-explore…

1
Episode 9: Stay Away From Glowing Cats 45:05

3y ago45:05

45:05

What are we to do with all the nuclear waste spread across the country? How are we going to keep people away from it? We ponder these questions in this episode. Show Notes: Yucca Mountain: https://www.yuccamountain.org/ Marshall Islands: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/05/20/us-put-nuclear-waste-under-dome-pacific-island-now-its-cracking…

1
Episode 8: Hey Gang, Let's Invade Mexico! 40:28

3y ago40:28

40:28

Ryan and Jamie return to join me in a discussion about the history of filibusters; its probably not the kind you're thinking about. Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/through-the-clouds Opening from The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)By History Spelunkers Podcast

1
Episode 7: The Headless Horseman 39:09

3y ago39:09

39:09

A Special Halloween Episode! Join us as we discuss one of America's most iconic monsters and its relatives. We also have a guest co-host. Music Credit: "Headless Horseman"- Bing Crosby (1949) Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/through-the-cloudsBy History Spelunkers Podcast

1
Episode 6: The Mormon Wars Part 2 34:08

3y ago34:08

34:08

A continuation of Episode 5 beginning after the Mormon Exodus and ending with Utah Statehood. Mountain Meadows Massacre: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-aftermath-of-mountain-meadows-110735627/ SCOTUS Case: https://www.oyez.org/cases/1850-1900/133us333 Music credit: Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/mountainee…

1
Episode 5: The Mormon Wars Part 1 42:26

3y ago42:26

42:26

A deep dive into the origins of the LDS Church and the historical violence that it's early followers faced. Show Notes: Music credit: Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/through-the-clouds The Book of Mormon (Original Broadway Cast Recording), 2011 Ghostlight Records Inc., "All-American Prophet"-Written by: Mat…

1
Episode 4: This Podcast Does Not Promote Violence 42:36

3y ago42:36

42:36

We take a look at the 1976 film Taxi Driver and the historical events it's connected to. Also we have a guest co-host! Music credit: Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/through-the-cloudsBy History Spelunkers Podcast

1
Episode 3: Olympic Marathons are Overrated... 1:05:15

3+ y ago1:05:15

1:05:15

A look at the 1904 Olympics in St. Louis. Donation links: US: https://boardingschoolhealing.org/about-us/donate/ CA: https://www.irsss.ca/ Show notes: Smithsonian https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-1904-olympic-marathon-may-have-been-the-strangest-ever-14910747/ History Channel https://www.history.com/.amp/news/8-unusual-facts-about-the-190…

1
Episode 2: A Quiver of Broken Arrows 49:11

3+ y ago49:11

49:11

A selection of nuclear weapon mishaps. Show Notes: Goldsboro: http://www.ibiblio.org/bomb/index.html Thule Air Base: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1968_Thule_Air_Base_B-52_crash Tybee Island: https://gardenandgun.com/feature/saga-tybee-bomb/ Damascus: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1980_Damascus_Titan_missile_explosion Music credit: Music from Uppbe…

1
Episode 1: With a Corned Beef Sandwich... 46:57

3+ y ago46:57

46:57

A selection of things astronauts have smuggled into space. Show notes: Gemini 3: https://www.space.com/39341-john-young-smuggled-corned-beef-space.html http://gemini3.spacelog.org/page/00:01:49:03/ Gemini 6A: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gemini_6A Beresheet Lander: https://mashable.com/article/smuggled-moon-tardigrade/?europe=true James Doohan: ht…

1
Episode 0: Introduction 2:00

3+ y ago2:00

2:00

Welcome to the Podcast! Music credit: Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/through-the-cloudsBy History Spelunkers Podcast

1
Lazy Spelunkers Episode 8 – Never Enough Loot Boxes & Bitcoins

6+ y ago

—

Welcome to episode 8! After a few technical difficulties, your hosts Charlesy, Ad and Mark return to cover among other things: A round up of some news More loot boxes More Bitcoins Any feedback would be greatly appreciated, you can contact us via the site (somewhere around here), over on our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/thegamescluster…

1
Lazy Spelunkers Episode 7 – News Round Up & Robot Cache

6+ y ago

—

Welcome to episode 7! We try and keep it shorter this week, so your hosts Charlesy, Ad and Mark return to cover among other things: A round up of some news including teased new releases The upcoming PC game sales platform – Robot Cache Don’t forget the competition mentioned in the last show with the current prize pot being: Civilization 6 Garry’s M…

1
Lazy Spelunkers Episode 6 – New Year’s Resolutions

7y ago

—

Welcome to episode 6! As we start to get back into some sort of schedule, your hosts Charlesy, Ad and Mark return to cover among other things: What we’ve played over the last couple of weeks What’s coming up on YouTube Nintendo Switch becomes the fastest selling console in US history Our gaming New Year’s resolutions The grand finale of the first s…

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