Dr. Steven Novella
👤 Speaker
3997
total appearances
Appearances Over Time
Podcast Appearances
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe
The Skeptics Guide #1090 - May 30 2026
So who was Jonas Hanway?
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe
The Skeptics Guide #1090 - May 30 2026
This guy's an interesting character.
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe
The Skeptics Guide #1090 - May 30 2026
He is associated with the umbrella and around that time, 1750, and
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe
The Skeptics Guide #1090 - May 30 2026
But he was the first man in London to use an umbrella in public because umbrellas were considered to be a feminine accoutrement, right?
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe
The Skeptics Guide #1090 - May 30 2026
Yeah.
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe
The Skeptics Guide #1090 - May 30 2026
Yeah.
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe
The Skeptics Guide #1090 - May 30 2026
And this guy's like, screw that.
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe
The Skeptics Guide #1090 - May 30 2026
I'm going to carry an umbrella and cover myself in the rain.
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe
The Skeptics Guide #1090 - May 30 2026
And he was mocked.
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe
The Skeptics Guide #1090 - May 30 2026
He was mocked for that ruthlessly.
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe
The Skeptics Guide #1090 - May 30 2026
But everyone else was wet.
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe
The Skeptics Guide #1090 - May 30 2026
Exactly.
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe
The Skeptics Guide #1090 - May 30 2026
But he was dry.
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe
The Skeptics Guide #1090 - May 30 2026
That's right.
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe
The Skeptics Guide #1090 - May 30 2026
And he eventually changed the behavior, changed the culture so that it became acceptable for men to use umbrellas in public.
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe
The Skeptics Guide #1090 - May 30 2026
Thank you.
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe
The Skeptics Guide #1090 - May 30 2026
Wow.
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe
The Skeptics Guide #1090 - May 30 2026
Yeah.
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe
The Skeptics Guide #1090 - May 30 2026
Now, I'm interested in this guy because he also had a lot of opinions.
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe
The Skeptics Guide #1090 - May 30 2026
And some good, some not so good.