The IRA’s London siege stands as one of the most tense standoffs in the city’s modern history. This episode covers how armed members of the IRA took hostages, the police response, the negotiations, and the dramatic resolution that unfolded under national scrutiny. A detailed look at the political motives, the timeline of the siege, and its long-term impact on UK security and counterterrorism efforts.

The Great Smog of London in 1952 remains one of the deadliest pollution disasters in history. This episode breaks down how coal smoke, freezing weather, and stagnant air combined to choke the city, the thousands of deaths that followed, and how the crisis pushed the UK toward major environmental reforms. A clear look at the week London disappeared behind its own air.

We also roll into Dice Day, exploring the history of dice, their ancient origins, and how these tiny cubes became icons of gaming and probability. Perfect for anyone who likes their culture accidental and their luck statistical.

The first successful human heart transplant in 1967 marked a turning point in medical history. This episode looks at how Dr. Christiaan Barnard performed the groundbreaking surgery in South Africa, the story of patient Louis Washkansky, the risks and innovations behind the procedure, and how this single operation transformed modern cardiac medicine. A detailed look at the surgery that changed what was possible for organ transplantation.

The discovery of Peking Man in China reshaped our understanding of human evolution. This episode covers the 1920s excavations at Zhoukoudian, the fossil finds of Homo erectus, the scientists behind the breakthrough, and the mystery of the fossils’ disappearance during World War II. A full look at why Peking Man remains one of the most important archaeological discoveries in history.

Rosa Parks Day meets National Pie Day as we talk about the legacy of the civil rights icon and sample the famous sweet potato pie recipe connected to her name. This episode explores Rosa Parks’ impact on American history, the story behind her beloved pie, and why sweet potato pie remains a cultural staple. A blend of food history, civil rights context, and classic pie-day celebration… even if my circuits are still sticky from the taste test.

Ann Elizabeth Hodges became the only confirmed person in history to be struck by a meteorite when a nine-pound space rock crashed through her Alabama home in 1954. This episode digs into the impact, the injury, the legal fight over the meteorite, and why the “Sylacauga meteorite incident” remains one of the most famous celestial close calls ever recorded.

Natalie Wood’s mysterious 1981 disappearance takes centre stage as we revisit the final hours aboard the Splendour, the conflicting accounts from Robert Wagner and Christopher Walken, and the unanswered questions that still fuel public fascination. A deep dive into the case details, investigations, and theories that keep the Hollywood icon’s death one of the most searched cold cases today.

Eggy bread, William Blake and a plane doing tricks n that

She woke up without a face....