Today's episode looks at one of those odd weapons from World War II - Japan's fire balloons, or balloon bombs as they were sometimes called.  Japan used these to bomb the continental United States in the later stages of the war.  See how they came about, how they were used, and what damage they actually caused.

In part 2 of Lizzie Borden, Hanchuk takes the listener through the police investigation, the arrest of Lizzie Borden for the double murder of her father and stepmother, and her criminal trial.

In part 1 of a two part episode, Hanchuk discusses a brutal double murder that took place at the home where Lizzie Borden lived with her family.  The episode takes the listener through background information and the actual murders.

One of the most significant battles of the Spanish-American War in 1898 was the Battle of San Juan Hill.  Most people know this battle because of Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders, but they are just part of the story.  Find out what happened during the entire battle.

On December 6, 1917, one of the largest non-nuclear man-made explosions in history took place in Halifax, Nova Scotia.  In this episode, Hanchuk talks about the causes and consequences of this terrible disaster.  If you note the date, you might already guess it has something to do with World War I.

The Battle of Megiddo took place in 1457 BC between Egyptian forces under Thutmose III and Canaanite and Syrian rebels.  This battle is the first one in history to be recorded in full detail.  Note: I apologize for the poor quality of the recording in some places - steps are being taken to correct this in the future.

The Olympic marathon in 1904 has to be the most bizarre race ever to be contested in the Olympic games.   When a contestant hitching a ride in a car is far from the strangest thing to happen, you know things got crazy.

On March 16, 1968 the infamous My Lai Massacre took place.  It involved the mass killings of hundreds of civilians in the village of My Lai 4, and is often referred to as one of the most shocking episodes of the Vietnam War.

Between 1598 and 1613, Russia went through the Time of Troubles.  This chaotic period in their history saw lawlessness, the end of a dynasty, a succession crisis, way too many pretenders to the throne, foreign invasion, anarchy, and a massive famine.  Let the craziness begin!

The Industrial Revolution began in Great Britain in the second half of the 1700s.  In this episode, Hanchuk explores the factors that led to British industrialization, the first industry to employ it, and its further expansion.