As recently as 40,000 years ago we lived among humans from an entirely different species – Neanderthals. About the same time our species showed up, Neanderthals suddenly vanished. Just what happened to the other guys? Did our ancestors do something … bad? Find out in this classic episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Squids are very closely related to our old friend the octopus, but there are some key differences. You can learn all of this and more by simply clicking the play button right now. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Man of the Hole has died and we're pretty sad to hear it. Listen in to our tribute to this solitary hero today.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

George Mallory was a member of the first three European expeditions to Everest, world’s tallest mountain. He wanted to summit it so badly, he gave his life trying. Since that fateful day in 1924, climbers have wondered – was Mallory the first to summit?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For as long a shadow as it casts across the history of the Old West, the Pony Express was a failed business venture, doomed from the start, that only lasted 18 months. But since the last rider headed out with his bag of mail, its legend has only grown. Learn all about it in this classic episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Part celebration and part take down, this episode on Rolling Stone magazine dives into the highs and lows of one of America's iconic rags.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The dividing line between the North and South is purely political. But the story of its creation is pretty interesting.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Since the advent of single-use plastics, we’ve become awash in waste. Barrels of petroleum are extracted, turned into plastics that contain products, which are then opened and the containers thrown away. It’s a bonehead process start to finish.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sure knives can cut through a steak or slash through jungle vines, but probably the coolest thing you can do with a knife is throw it. At a person mounted to a wooden wheel. Spinning around. While you’re blindfolded. Learn all about the impalement arts in this classic episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite the overall creepiness of it, marrying family members is way more common than you might think, both historically and today. Ewwww!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.