Ridiculous History

CLASSIC: Were Tulips Really The Bitcoin of the 1600s?

14 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In the 1600s, residents of the Dutch Republic were -- according to the story -- absolutely bonkers for tulips. A market sprang up around the tulip tra...

CLASSIC: (Some of) History's Dumbest Military Prototypes

11 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As Ben and Noel hit the high seas, they're celebrating with a special week of their favorite Classics. It's true that the world's militaries often pio...

The Dumbest Mobster Ever Tried To Steal Ruby Slippers

09 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

There are few pieces of film history more iconic than Dorothy's magic ruby slippers from 1939's The Wizard of Oz. Yet, at first, the studio had no ide...

The Ridiculously Disturbing History of North Korea

07 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As one of the most isolated countries on the planet, it's no surprise the Democratic People's Republic of Korea remains mysterious in the modern day. ...

CLASSIC: The Forty Elephants: London’s All-Female Jewel Thieves

04 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For at least 200 years, part of London’s criminal underground was ruled by a gang of brilliant, all-female jewel thieves. In this week's classic...

Disco Balls are Ridiculous, and We Love Them

02 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Human history is absolutely riddled with ridiculous inventions. Some are cartoonishly specific. Others, like the disco ball, serve no purpose other th...

The Truth About "Zombies"

30 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As summer turns and fall begins, Ridiculous History officially enters the most wonderful time of the year. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max dive ...

CLASSIC: The Malleus Maleficarum: A Real-life Witch Hunter's Bible

27 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

During Europe's period of witchcraft hysteria, one enterprising (and failed) witch hunter sought to bolster his reputation by creating an authoritativ...

How the Kentucky Derby Became a Thing

25 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We’ve all been there, right? You wake up one day, and you say: “You know what? Forget work! It’s so nice outside. I want to put on a...

The Ridiculous History of the 90s and Low Culture, with Ross Benes

23 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The 1990s were a time of chaos, aspiration, and, above all, ridiculous things. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max welcome returning guest Ross Bene...

CLASSIC: The Great London Beer Flood of 1814

20 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In 1814, a poor neighborhood in London fell victim to a strange, tragic and boozy disaster -- this calamity would eventually leave eight people dead. ...

The True Story of Pac Man -- and a Ton of Weird Theories

18 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As one of the most iconic games in all of arcade history, Pac Man is recognized across the planet. But how did it get here -- and why are there so man...

The Ridiculous Origin of the the Word "Ridiculous"

16 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With nearly one thousand episodes out in the world over the years, Ben, Noel and Max realized they've never asked about the origin of the word "ridicu...

CLASSIC: Dr. Seuss Wrote His Most Famous Book On A Bet

13 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What are your favorite children's books? In this Classic episode, Ben and the gang acknowledge Dr. Seuss is one of the most well-known writers on the ...

The Terrifying Science of Tiny Subs and D-Day, Part Two: The Rise of the Chamber Divers

11 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As Axis powers swarm across Europe in the lead-up to D-Day, a small group of scientists refuse to leave their lab, throwing a fair amount of modern et...

The Terrifying Science of Tiny Subs and D-Day, Part One: The Return of Dr. Rachel "Big Spinach" Lance

09 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Years after their initial conversation with the world's foremost expert on underwater explosions, Ben still sings the praises of Dr. Rachel "Big Spina...

CLASSIC: Feral Children and the True Story Behind The Jungle Book

06 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Now, let's be honest. Rudyard Kipling was a cartoonishly problematic guy. Yet his work made a permanent impression on global literature -- and, to a s...

Seven Wonders of the Ancient World: The Colossus of Rhodes

04 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine you're an ancient traveler, visiting Rhodes for the first time in 280 BCE. As you approach the famed city, a singular object dominates the hor...

Unlucky Numbers Across The Globe -- And Why They Are Ridiculous

02 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Do you have a number you love, or a number you hate? As Ben, Noel and Max discover in today's episode, people have always assigned symbolic meaning to...

CLASSIC: The Ridiculously Laxative-laden Journey of Lewis and Clark

30 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In today's Classic episode, Ben and Noel reluctantly sing the praises of poop research. You see, folks, before Lewis and Clark set out to explore the ...

Moon Rock Heists, Part Two: The Romantic Misadventures of Thad Roberts

28 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Let's say you're a love-struck NASA intern -- your professional career holds a lot of promise, but your family life back home is in shambles... and yo...

Moon Rock Heists, Part One: Lunatic Heists and Space Law

27 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Is it legal to own a moon rock? Well... that depends. If it's a piece of the moon that made it to Earth naturally, then all good. If, however, it's a ...

CLASSIC: The Strange and Spectacularly Disgusting Story of the Great Kentucky Meat Shower

23 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On March 3rd, 1876, residents of Bath County, Kentucky were startled to see what appeared to be chunks and flakes of meat falling from the clear, clou...

The Ridiculously Energetic History of Energy Drinks!

22 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This episode is brought to you by our favorite cohost: coffee. These days, if you stroll into any convenience store across the planet, you're going to...

Japan is Overrun By Raccoons Entirely Due to a Single Cartoon

19 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

While the legendary Japanese raccoon dog -- or tanuki -- may look like a raccoon, it's a very different beast. However, these days Japan is home to ac...

CLASSIC: The Bizarre Origin of the Oxford English Dictionary

16 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With 600,000 words and 3 million quotations, the Oxford English Dictionary is a massive tome. Work began on the dictionary in 1857, but the first edit...

Hoax! With Dana Schwartz and Lizzie Logan

14 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Did you know England's first newspaper was fake? Or that King Arthur is more or less completely made up? The deeper we look into human history, the mo...

Fabergé Eggs Are Ridiculous (And Fascinating)

12 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine you are beyond wealthy. You no longer dream of the average "rich people" flexes -- you've got all the diamonds, all the mansions, all the ordi...

The World of Non-Gregorian Calendars: What Day Is It, Really?

07 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Human civilization is far from perfect. Still, it's pretty cool humanity overall agreed on how to measure time (for now). In today's follow-up to an e...

The Ridiculous Origin of the Modern Calendar

05 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The calendar is... ridiculous. Since the earliest days of civilization, humanity has tried to measure the passage of time on Earth through any number ...

CLASSIC: George Carlin Gets Quoted in the Supreme Court: Ridiculous Stand-up Stories with Wayne Federman

02 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In the second part of this two-part series, special guest Wayne Federman explores the strange, curse-word-riddled stand-up bit that resulted in George...

The Ridiculous History of Fantasy Sports, Part Two

01 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As local fantasy sports initiatives grew into larger, more organized pursuits, technology improved as well. Access to online statistics made it much e...

The Ridiculous History of Fantasy Sports, Part One

29 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

To outsiders, fantasy sports and fantasy leagues may sound like a bizarre proposition: you get together with a bunch of friends and leverage statistic...

CLASSIC: The People vs. Lenny Bruce: Ridiculous Stand-up Stories with Wayne Federman

26 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Lenny Bruce is a legend in the history of stand-up comedy, and while his use of explicit language thrilled audience members, it didn't win him any fri...

First Ladies Who Weren't Wives, Part Two, Part Two: Some Folks Didn't Want The Job

24 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine one of your family members attains the highest political position in American history -- your uncle or sibling becomes the President of the Un...

First Ladies Who Weren't Wives, Part Two, Part One: James "The Bachelor" Buchanan

22 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Ben here. I know, I know: it's confusing that we split our First Ladies sequel episode into two separate episodes. The title is literally ridiculous. ...

CLASSIC: The Life and Times of Ol' Knife Hand

19 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A necropolis in what is now Northern Italy holds a strange and, at first glance, terrifying corpse. A Lombard man, aged somewhere between 40 and 50 ye...

Batman, or Bat-Man? A Ridiculously Comical Feud For The Ages

17 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Dark Knight. The Caped Crusader. The terror of all criminals and ne'er-do-wells in Gotham... that's right, folks: today's episode is all about Bat...

Three Ridiculous Histories of "Bloody Mary"

16 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A frightening children's game. An intensely divisive, boozy drink. A real-life Royal. As Ben and Noel discover in today's episode, "Bloody Mary" allud...

CLASSIC: The Ridiculous Story of the World’s First (Documented) Serial Killer

12 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Locusta of Gaul, also known as Locusta The Poisoner, was one of the most infamous criminals of ancient times. Alternately sponsored and betrayed by th...

A Ridiculous History of "Fad Diets"

10 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Everyone in the developed world knows someone who's tried a 'fad diet' -- these are the so-called miracle practices that promise to help people lose w...

A Titanic Disaster: That Time An Entire Production Crew Tripped Off Bad Chowder

08 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

James Cameron's Titanic was, by all accounts, a blockbuster success. And, like so many other masterpieces, the story of its creation is a tale all its...

CLASSIC: Back When the Rich Ate Corpses

03 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Nowadays it's safe to say that cannibalism isn't a widely-accepted practice, but not so long ago it was considered the bleeding edge (get it?) in medi...

A Ridiculous History of Sex, with Ross Benes

01 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Heads-up, folks: this is a PG-13 episode. Ben and the legendary guest producer, also Ben, welcome author and journalist Ross Benes for a wide-ranging ...

CLASSIC: The Mummies of Guanajuato

28 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When the city of Guanajuato instituted a grave tax, they included some harsh penalties for those who couldn't pay -- if you went more than three years...

A Ridiculous History of Brain Science, with Jorge Cham

26 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today, we all generally understand that the brain is responsible for what we call personality and thought -- yet this wasn't always the case. Once hum...

Jorge Cham Teaches Us The Universe: Big Bangs and Quantum Hangs

24 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What is the universe? Where did it come from, and what happens to it in the future? Humanity has wrestled with these questions since the dawn of civil...

CLASSIC: The Curious Rise of SPAM

21 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Nowadays the iconic 'SPAM' logo is recognized around the world -- whether you're traveling in the US state of Minnesota or Busan, Korea, you'll more o...

The Ridiclulous Hsitory of Typos

20 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Ah, the bane of authors, students and copywriters the world round: the infamous typo! Something as small as a single misplaced letter can call the ent...

Come For the Palooka, Stay For the Farts!

17 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What on Earth is a "palooka"? In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max embark on a bizarre journey -- inspired by a single, fascinating word, they discov...

CLASSIC: The Origins Of, and Backlash Against, Father's Day

14 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With another Father's Day in the books, Ben, Noel and Max hit the new studio for the first time, exploring the history of this paternal partner to the...

Father's Day, Around the World

12 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max discover stunning commonalities between Father's Day celebrations across culture, community, and time. We wrote ...

The History of Morning Routines, Part Two: All Hail The Toothbrush! And Deodorant!

10 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For most of us -- hopefully! -- dental care is a fundamental piece of the morning routine. There are few things quite as refreshing as starting the da...

CLASSIC: The Smooth-talking Takeover of Tabor Bridge: "Yes And-ing" Your Way To Victory

07 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In 1805, two French Marshals found themselves in quite a pickle -- Jean Lannes and Joachim Murat needed to cross the Danube at the Tabor bridge (a ser...

CLASSIC: History's Coolest (Non-Human) Political Candidates, Part I

05 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It's no secret that politics can be a minefield of quirky events, and strange things happen in the lead up to elections. But just how strange can it g...

The History of Morning Routines, Part One: Thank Goodness People Learned to Wash Themselves

03 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Regardless of culture or country, most people have some sort of morning routine. This could be a simple as a shower, a shave and brushing one's teeth ...

CLASSIC: Attack of the Aswang: How the CIA Used Vampires as Weapons of War

31 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Horror fans can tell you there's more than one type of vampire -- in fact, there are hundreds of vampire-like fiends in cultures around the world. In ...

The Ridiculous -- and Surprisingly Dangerous -- History of Hair Dye

29 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Whether we're talking jet black, stunning platinum or fire engine red, there's just something fascinating about hair as a fashion statement. And, of c...

Seven Wonders of the Ancient World: That Super Humble Statue of Zeus

27 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Statues are sort of a big deal. Even today, most folks you meet don't have a statue of themselves. So it comes as no surprise that back in the day, on...

CLASSIC: Who are the Hartlepudlian Monkey Hangers?

27 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Years ago, if you wanted to start a fight in Hartlepool in north eastern England, all you'd have to do is start calling people 'monkey hangers'. But w...

HP Lovecraft Was A Super Weird Dude, Part Two: The Horror Stories That Changed The World

22 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Newly inspired by his recent associations in amateur magazine circles, HP Lovecraft returns to fiction. In the second part of this series, Ben, Max an...

HP Lovecraft Was A Super Weird Dude, Part One: Childhood Tragedy

20 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Love him or hate him, there's no denying that Howard Phillips Lovecraft fundamentally altered the course of horror and speculative fiction. So how did...

CLASSIC: William Walker: Filibuster and (Fantastically Bad) President

17 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In today's Classic episode, Ben, Noel, Casey In Spirit and Max explore a bizarrely American story. The adventurer and filibuster William Walker was, i...

Accidental Inventions of the 20th Century, Part Two: The Slinky and the Post-it Note

15 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

While things like the Slinky and the Post-it Note may seem pretty ubiquitous, simple ideas today, they each have their own bizarre accidental origin s...

Accidental Inventions of the 20th Century, Part One: Penicillin, X-Rays and the Microwave Oven

13 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Humans have always been compelled by curiosity -- sometimes, this leads to misfortune, but other times... curiosity and accident can also lead to worl...

CLASSIC: Lawsonomy: How the Father of the Modern Airline Started His Own Religion

10 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When middling baseball player Alfred Lawson first learned of the Wright Brothers, he experienced a revelation that would guide the greater part of his...

Did Pirates Really Ruin the US Dream of the Metric System?

08 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why is the United States so culturally opposed to the metric system? According to a popular legend, this conundrum dates back to the late 1700s, when ...

Yet More Ridiculous Historical Honorifics: Ethelred Just Ain't Ready

06 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Have you been blessed -- or, perhaps, cursed -- with a nickname that just won't go away? Some of most terrifying, inspiring and ridiculous figures in ...

CLASSIC: A Dead Pope Goes To Court

03 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Catholic Church is no stranger to scandal and controversy, but in January of 897 the institution was home to a new and unique scandal that put the...

History's Most Ridiculous Clothing, with AJ Jacobs: Part Two

01 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What's the weirdest pair of shoes you've ever seen? If you were King, would you force everyone else to be shorter than you? In the second part of this...

History's Most Ridiculous Clothing, with AJ Jacobs: Part One

29 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It's no secret that history is filled with relatively arbitrary fashion rules, fads and faux pas -- and what may be hot stuff in one era often ends up...

CLASSIC: War and Candy: The Infamous Tootsie Roll Air Drop

26 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

During the battle of the Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War, the First Marine Division seemed doomed. Surrounded, outnumbered, outgunned and runni...

A Ridiculous History of Tupperware

24 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Burrrrp! The sound is familiar to any fan of Tupperware -- it's that little whoosh of air when you push down the lid and remove excess air. But what e...

Seven Wonders of the Ancient World - Mausoleum at Halicarnassus

22 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Like most rulers of old, Mausolus wasn't exactly known for his modesty. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max continue their exploration of the Seven ...

CLASSIC: The Man Who Assassinated Abe Lincoln's Assassin

19 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On April 14th, 1865, John Wilkes Booth assassinated President Abraham Lincoln in Ford's theatre, escaping shortly thereafter and going on the run. The...

Paul Is Dead, Part Two: Welcome to the Walrus

17 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After a US-based college student pens a satirical article exploring hippy folklore and the Beatles, mainstream media takes off -- "Is Paul McCartney a...

Paul Is Dead, Part One: The Beatles versus MI5

15 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It's one of the greatest conspiracy theories in all of modern music -- what if, at the height of their success, the world famous Beatles suddenly lost...

CLASSIC: The Cock Lane Ghost: Haunting, Hoax, Hysteria… or Hilarious?

12 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In 1762, crowds from across London gathered in hopes of seeing something the papers called "The Cock Lane Ghost". This alleged spirit was known to com...

CLASSIC: Roland the Farter and the Weird World of Professional Flatulence

10 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Regardless of what polite societies often want us to believe, everyone farts. And we fart often! And, believe it or not, a few rare individuals have b...

CLASSIC: Gregor MacGregor Invented a Country and Convinced People to Invest in It

08 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When His Serene Highness Gregor the First, Sovereign Prince of the State of Poyais and its Dependencies, and Cacique of the Poyer nation visited Londo...

CLASSIC: Angry Feds and Deadly Booze: The Story of the Chemists' War

05 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From 1920 to 1933, the U.S. government attempted to ban (recreational) alcohol throughout the nation. In a stunning -- we're being sarcastic here -- t...

We're Late for the April Fools' Episode

03 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever fallen for an April Fools' Day gag? Across the world, millions of people pull (hopefully wholesome) pranks on each other every April 1st...

The Ridiculous History of Vending Machines

01 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Pretty much everyone in the developed world is familiar with vending machines these days -- you see them in all sorts of places, selling all sorts of ...

CLASSIC: Fanny and Stella: The Cross-Dressing Scandal of Victorian England

29 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In April of 1870, a shocking court case captivated Victorian England: Fanny and Stella, also known as Frederick Park and Ernest Boulton, were arrested...

Badass of the Week, with Ben Thompson - Part 2: the Battle of Karánsebes

27 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As Europe increasingly freaks out about the expansion of the Ottoman Empire, a ragtag crew of guys who ordinarily hate each other band together for co...

Badass of the Week, with Ben Thompson - Part 1: History's Most Ridiculous Friendly-fire Incident

25 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

War has always been a chaotic, messy endeavor -- and, sometimes, it's downright ridiculous. In this week's special two-part series, the guys welcome r...

CLASSIC: That Time Kansas Imprisoned Women For Having STDs

22 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

At the close of World War I, American soldiers returned home from abroad with scars, wounds, stories and, in some cases, infections of which their rom...

A Ridiculous History of Processed Cheese

20 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Let's be honest: cheese is inherently weird. As humanity advanced, civilizations leveraged positively alchemical science to arrive at the perfect chee...

The Darién Gap, or: the Real Reason Scotland Lost Its Independence

18 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Scotland is a fascinating place, with its own rich culture, cuisine and history. Today, it's part of the United Kingdom -- but this wasn't always the ...

CLASSIC: Oregon Was a White Supremacist Paradise

15 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today Portland, Oregon is often portrayed as a left-leaning haven for hipsters across the country, but the original Oregon was a vastly different plac...

Apple Versus Apple: The Beatles' Decades-long IP War

13 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Spoiler: The Beatles are kind of famous. Yet even worldwide acclaim didn't make them immune to lawsuits. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore...

Ancient Wonders of the Modern World: The (Alleged) Hanging Gardens of Babylon

11 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We've all heard of The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World -- but what are they, exactly? What made these specific seven creations wonders? Why are som...

CLASSIC: Project A119: The Cold War Plan to Nuke the Moon!

08 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It sounds like something straight out of your favorite sketch comedy show -- what if a crack team of scientists joined forces with the world's most po...

The US Camel Corps, Part Two: The Legend of the Red Ghost

06 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As Major Wayne and company finally make the US Camel Corps a reality, tensions continue to rise across the US: the increasingly divided North and Sout...

The US Camel Corps, Part One: Several People With A Really Weird Dream

04 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Let's face it: camels look goofy. And we say this with great affection! In fact, the camel's seemingly awkward appearance is the result of some stella...

CLASSIC: Adidas Versus Puma: A Tale of Two Brothers

01 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today Adidas and Puma are two of the industry's most well-known tennis shoe makers, and people around the world prize the footwear for its unique desi...

CLASSIC: The WWII Naval Battle Won Using Potatoes

27 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The U.S.S. O'Bannon was a Fletcher-class navy destroyer with an impressive array of weaponry and a solid track record in conflicts in WWII. However, e...

CLASSIC: The Korean Soldier Who Fought for 3 Armies During WWII

25 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Born in what is now North Korea, Yang Kyoungjong didn't set out to become a soldier -- but fate had other plans. In today's classic episode, Ben and N...

CLASSIC: Philadelphia's Transylvanian Doomsday Cult: The Cave of Kelpius

22 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

There's a nifty bit of hidden history tucked away in Philadelphia's Wissahickon Valley Park -- a cave that, legend has it, was home to a doomsday cult...

CLASSIC: Weird Wars Fought For Dumb Reasons

20 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What do a camel, a bucket and an ear all have in common? Each was, at some point, responsible for starting a war. In today's Classic episode, join Ben...