Between 1951 and 1968, a chemical factory dumped extreme amounts of mercury into Minamata Bay, a small town in south east Japan, poisoning fish and devastating the lives of those who relied on them for food.

Over 1,500 people died, thousands were left disabled, including many unborn babies, and millions were exposed to toxic mercury levels.

Join us as we learn why the incident remains a symbol of the need for stringent environmental regulations to prevent industrial pollution and protect public health.

The Tenerife Airport Disaster occurred on March 27 1977, when two Boeing 747 passenger jets collided on the runway at Los Rodeos Airport.

In this podcast episode, we delve into the events that unfolded during the Great Fire of London.

In this episode of our podcast, we explore the cataclysmic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in August 79 AD.

In this episode, we explore the devastating ecological collapse of Easter Island, one of the world’s most remote islands famous for its huge statues, vanished entirely, taking all tree species with it.

Forest harvesting began around 900 and peaked by 1400. By 1722, when European explorers came across the island, it was already deforested.

The consequences of deforestation had been dire: the ecosystem collapsed, resources diminished, and population dwindled. Trapped without food, resources, and a way off the island, the people turned on each other.

Explore the cautionary tale of Easter Island and its vital lessons for our world today...

A day of thrills turned into a nightmare at Alton Towers on 2nd June 2015, when what should have been a routine ride on the Smiler Rollercoaster, famed as one of the most intense and scariest rides in the theme park, ended in disaster, when a loaded rollercoaster train collided with an empty test car. The crash left every single rider injured, and for two riders, the impact was life-changing.

In the midst of a lively performance of "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time", tragedy struck when a segment of the Apollo Theatre's ceiling unexpectedly collapsed, leaving more than 80 theatre-goers injured, and many more shaken.

This episode discusses the risks with old buildings, and how audience members believed that the ominous sounds of the roof beginning to collapse were actually part of the show…

The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill is considered one of the worst environmental disasters in history. Occurring in April 2010, even now, experts are still unsure just how extensive the damage to the local flora and fauna has been.

Tune into this episode to find out how the disaster was triggered by a sudden outburst of natural gas, which unfortunately resulted in the platform of the oil rig igniting, and tragically claiming the lives of 11 workers and causing injuries to 17 others.

On this extra-long episode of "Did History Actually Teach Us Anything?", we’re diving into one of history’s most infamous maritime disasters: the sinking of the RMS Titanic.

On 22nd August 2015, at the Shoreham Air Show in England, a former military aircraft crashed onto a main road during an aerial display, leading to the tragic deaths of 11 individuals and injuring 16 others.

Join us as we learn what happened to lead the aircraft to strike the A27 road while attempting a loop manoeuvre, break into four parts on impact, and ignite a large fireball.