You’ve got a headache, you pop an aspirin. No big deal,right?

But behind that little white pill is a wild history—one packed with ancient remedies, corporate battles, wartime intrigue, and scientific breakthroughs.

From willow bark in the time of Hippocrates to a Germanchemist in the 19th century who changed medicine forever, aspirin’s journey is anything but boring. It’s been a battlefield drug, a key player in a WWI espionage scandal, and a lifesaver for millions battling heart disease.

In this episode of Dave Does History, we dig into the surprising twists and turns of aspirin’s past, the corporate wars over itsname, and its unexpected second act as a heart medicine. It’s a story of science, power, and, honestly, a little bit of luck.

 So grab a bottle—maybe not literally—and join us as we uncover the fascinating history of the world’s most famous painkiller.