This week Aaron Burr gets mispronounced, Russian peasants stop sleeping in their own ovens, and Steven has all the anxiety dreams at once.

This week we take on the first papal resignation in almost 600 years, by using a Google+ Hangout to do out breaking news coverage. The audio is kinda ropey, but we got an actual expert! Renaissance historian Ada Palmer joined us and told us awesome things about actual history and actual popes. Enjoy.

This week we put pasties on the Woman of Willendorf, send Robocop to Florence, and take Oliver Wendell Holmes’ lunch money.

Because sometimes the best way to learn about language is to make up new words.

(Also, thanks for bearing with us through the bandwidth overage! Hoping it won’t happen again. Rather nice that it seems like we can blame it on folks downloading the entire back catalog…)

This week we examine possible ends of the world, what Ben Franklin really wanted from the French, sentimental novels, and the striking contrasts between the modern era and the times we’re living through today.

We’re back from our holiday break with some spurious attempts at etymology by the ancient Greeks! Also Steven is leaking bits.

It’s our last holiday special, and our last episode of the year. So enjoy a handful of facts about the first (or last?) holiday of the year, and we’ll see you in January!

No, pointless trivia is the reason for the season!

Another fine holiday special in which we discuss the great myth of the holiday season: the War on Christmas.

Image source: Kevin Dooley on Flickr

Hanukkah/Chanukah, ketchup/catsup, let’s call the whole thing off!

A not-so-lame new episode all about politicians and poultry!

Image credit: scjody on Flickr via Creative Commons