Ridiculous History

It's true! At least, to some. For decades various people have claimed Michigan has its own area of intense paranormal activity -- UFOs, ghosts, disappearances, you name it -- and they've mapped out something called "the Michigan Triangle." In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max look through the evidence to determine whether these stories are true, or... you know. Ridiculous. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As James Naismith's new sport became increasingly popular, more and more people looked for ways to evolve, adjust, or flat-out change Naismith's original rules. In the second part of this series, Ben, Noel and Max explore how basketball continued to change over time -- and how some kids at Yale found a loophole to "pass the ball to themselves." See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

These days basketball is a billion dollar cultural phenomenon -- but where did it come from? In the first part of this week's series, Ben, Noel and Max explore the origins of basketball, starting with the moment a young James Naismith was asked to distract a bunch of "incorrigible" students during the winter months. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John Tyler was the president of the United States from 1841 to 1845 -- and, while some historians may not remember him as the best of presidents, he has another claim to fame: one of his grandchildren is alive today. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore the life and times of President Tyler, from his childhood in Virginia through the strange circumstances that led him to the presidency, his marriages, children, and more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When the guys recorded their episode on broken arrows -- lost nuclear weapons throughout history -- they didn't get to one fascinating (and disturbing) tangent: the world of nuclear test sites. In the first episode of the continuing Leftover series, Ben, Noel and Max explore the astonishing, at times ridiculous, tales of nuclear test sites you can actually visit in the modern day. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hi, Ridiculous History fans! The podcast American Filth, uncovers the stories you didn’t read in the history books because they were too dirty, scandalous, trashy, or just plain filthy. About American Filth: Dives into the filthier side of American history, uncovering people whom society has largely excluded from the history books because they were too unconventional, provocative, seedy, dirty, trashy…. Or just plain filthy. And sure, some of these folks made great contributions to history. But that’s not the part of their lives AMERICAN FILTH is interested in. This podcast is here for the drama, the spice, and general tomfoolery. The weekly series of brisk episodes plunge face-first into American history's dirtiest events and people in the anals, I mean annals. Listen to American Filth now on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While Ralph Nader may not be everyone's favorite politician, he's responsible for some of the biggest life-saving changes in American government. In today's episode, Ben, Max and Noel explore how young Ralph transformed from an eccentric, hitchhiking student to a national champion of consumer rights. This is the story of the man who took on General Motors... and won. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You've probably heard that France takes its bread seriously -- but did you know France had specific laws governing the lives of bakers? For centuries the country regulated how and when bakers could close or take vacation. Although this may sound amusing now, in the past it was a deadly serious issue. So what happened? In today's classic episode, let's revisit the events that lead to the French government being so frightfully concerned about bakers taking time off. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, soap is ubiquitous. It comes in thousands of forms, brands, and varieties -- but this wasn't always the case. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore the theoretical origin story of soap, and how humanity eventually decided (after a few stops and starts) to literally clean up its act. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Everyone knows the Nike swoosh — but where did it come from? In today’s episode, the guys dive into the origin story of one of the world’s most recognizable brands, from its humble beginnings to its status as a modern-day icon. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How far would you go in the name of love? In this installment of The Architecture, Ben, Noel and Max dive into more amazing -- and ridiculous -- tales of people who literally constructed buildings as a means of revenge. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At its best, architecture is a kind of poetry made tangible, frozen in time for generations to come. But, as it turns out, architecture can also be a tremendous avenue for all sorts of less cool emotions: pettiness, spite, vengeance -- you name it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who owns an idea? Who should -- or should not -- profit from a concept? In part two of this special two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max explore the modern history of intellectual property... including what happens when court cases go off the rails into ridiculousness. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today the concept of intellectual property, or IP, is pretty well-established. And this notion of ownership over some often intangible concept, brand or idea may seem like a product of the modern age -- but, as it turns out, it's much, much older than that. In part one of this two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max explore the ridiculous history of IP. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alaska is known for its stunning beauty, harsh climate, and remoteness -- but it was also the site of an intensely strange series of battles between the Japanese and US militaries. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore how two of the world's most powerful militaries fought over three small islands off the Alaskan coast... and why the battle almost became forgotten in the modern day. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite the name, Vatican City is an independent, sovereign nation -- and its history may surprise you. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore the story of the Vatican from its origins all the way to the modern day. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nowadays, hip-hop is everywhere -- this genre informs countless aspects of modern music around the world. Shortly after its creation, power structures in the United States sought to suppress this music, perceiving it as a threat to the status quo. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore the success of rap... and how the FBI accidentally helped the legendary NWA reach worldwide success. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today the saxophone is a well-known musical instrument, popular across the planet. But, when you learn the story of its inventor Adolphe Sax, you quickly learn it's amazing he survived long enough to invent the saxophone in the first place. In today's episode, Ben, Max and returning special guest Lauren Vogelbaum dive deep into Sax's bizarre -- dare we say ridiculous -- habit of repeatedly injuring himself and almost dying due to any number of nearly-unbelievable accidents. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Given that more and more evidence shows all kinds of non-human animals are capable of experiencing grief, loss, joy and pain, should they not have some of the same legal rights guaranteed (in theory, at least) to humans? In the second part of this two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max explore legal cases around the world wrestling with this issue. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While the the concept of a court system is an entirely human invention, it turns out non-human animals have been in some sort of court not once, but countless times across the span of history. In the first part of this two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max explore the strange way in which early court cases against animals led to animal rights. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.